Archive of Our Own

----

Uh oh. This was definitely not good.

Of course someone like Iguro could get lost on his first day. The halls of the Ubuyashiki Estate were practically identical, the swirling corners mixed with the simple but probably priceless wallpapers along with the fine papers used for the shojis, the polished wood beneath his tabi socks practically making his head spin with the expenses of the entire place, especially after looking at the mansion from the outside. The shingles on the roof looked to be ancient, probably bringing their price way up to be replaced, along with the fine cement used on the outside and not to mention just how guarded the place was with kakushi and wisteria.

His destination would be the courtyard, his crow Yuuan explained, where he would meet with the Oyakata-sama to further talk about his new role as a hashira before the next Hashira Meeting in two weeks, where he would be officially introduced to the other current seven hashira.

Iguro didn’t really know how he became one, until other slayers told him that the demon he defeated revealed her kanji as Lower Three before she disintegrated. The four Demon Slayers accompanying him testified to say that he really did do it all by himself, earning him the rank of hashira practically overnight.

Now, only to find the courtyard. He couldn’t disgrace himself more by being late, he had yet to atone for his sins, to purify his blood and possibly give him a chance for a good afterlife. Until he slayed as many demons as it took for him to draw his last breath, he wouldn’t be clean.

Kaburamaru’s cool scales slithered onto his neck from his shoulder, providing some reassurances towards his friend. Iguro still felt so, so dirty. All the blood in his veins needed to be filtered out for him to even feel slightly better.

“Excuse me?” A voice jumped Iguro out of his thoughts. He looked up, the yellow and aquamarine of his eyes meeting ocean blue.

“Um-” Iguro couldn’t figure out what to say. What if the guy knew exactly who he was, the boy trapped in the basement with a disfigured face and a slaughtered family? What if Iguro was so filthy that the man would tell him to just leave the Demon Slayers, that he could never atone for his blood and to die in shame? Would he look at Kaburamaru strangely, ask all sorts of questions about the snake and try to poke at him?

“You’re in the way.” Iguro looked around, finally noticing that he had stopped right in the middle of a closed doorway.

“Oh, ah- sorry.” Iguro slid to the side, allowing for the guy to open the shoji.

“Why’re you just standing there?” Was this guy not going to tell him off? He’d been slacking, lazy, same as his family just sitting around and sacrificing newborns to a demonic entity for easy money. He was just as bad as them. It was in their blood.

“I- I was going to the courtyard.” Iguro looked away from the empty sapphire eyes, staring him down. Kaburamaru’s red eyes stayed on Iguro the entire time, leaving two pairs of eyes studying him, his face, his eyes, his bandages.

“This your first time here?” Iguro nodded slowly and decided to steal a glance, where he saw the guy had tilted his head slightly to the side, as if it was just a casual conversation. What did he want from Iguro? Was he inspecting the bandages wrapping his face, wondering what kind of sheer ugliness was hiding beneath?

“Oh. Do you… need help?” He offered, poker face not changing in the slightest. What thoughts was he hiding? Was he going to show Iguro the door to leave the Ubuyashiki Estate and tell him to never come back? With that expressionless mask, Iguro could very clearly imagine him listing off reasons why Iguro could never fulfil cleansing his blood as if it was a grocery list.

“Sure.” Iguro gripped his shaking hand, forcing it to stay still as the other Demon Slayer led him back the way he came. Shoot, Iguro should probably thank the random stranger for wasting his time on a dirty person like himself.

They walked in a little silence, the leading slayer having a slower pace then some taller people Iguro had met, allowing him to walk only slightly behind him and not have to speed-walk. The split half-half haori the man was wearing slightly fluttered behind him, the patterned green-yellow contrasting in an unnatural way against the maroon red, which Iguro could see didn’t suit his deep blue eyes. It would probably be a keepsake from something.

“Here. Through this door.” The guy slowed to a stop, keeping Iguro from embarrassing himself and walking into him, unlike some other tall slayers he’d met. 

“Tha- thank you, um..?” Iguro still managed to embarrass himself. He hadn’t even asked for the guy’s name.

“Tomioka. Tomioka Giyuu.” The man, Tomioka, filled in. The name sounded familiar for some reason, that Iguro couldn’t place.

“Thank you, Tomioka-san.” Iguro inclined his head into a semi-formal bow. He’d probably remember if he had a mission requiring a long walk and time to think.

“You’re welcome..?” Tomioka left Iguro to fill in the blanks.

“Iguro Obanai.” Iguro braced himself, maybe expecting some shock to dance on Tomioka’s face as he recognized the cursed bloodline which was the Iguro name, living exotically on a south-east island off the coast of Japan. A second passed, and still nothing.

“Nice to meet you.” Tomioka nodded his head before passing by Iguro’s right side, back the way he came. Oh, right, Tomioka had gone back the way he came to help Iguro get to his destination. That was sort of nice, to do something for someone with tainted blood.

After blinking and processing the past few minutes, Iguro Breathed in and out before going to open the door, the sunlight temporarily blinding his left eye before he refocused and saw a curvy tree which he very, very, very much wanted to climb.

----

“Oh, and Obanai?” Oyakata-sama glanced towards Iguro. It had been a while since someone had called him by his first name before the Oyakata-sama, most just going by his last name for respect, though he sort of preferred it that way. At least as Iguro, he was not Obanai, the child who had his face carved out by his relatives with the blood pouring around the knife, staining the tatami mat beneath him as pairs upon pairs of evil turquoise eyes watched. 

“I hope that you did not have that much trouble finding the courtyard. I understand how difficult it may be to navigate the halls of the estate. They do look rather similar.” Chuckled the Oyakata-sama.

“No, Oyakata-sama.” Iguro dipped his head, casting a look towards Kaburamaru in the process. The snake was curled up in a patch of sunlight on the engawa, possibly sleeping as he soaked in the heat. “Tomioka-san was passing by and led me to the door.”

“Ah, Giyuu,” The Oyakata-sama nodded his head fondly, as if speaking of his young child, “I’m glad that you’re already starting to warm up to your coworkers.”

Coworkers? Well, all Demon Slayers were technically coworkers, all fighting for a common goal against Kibutsuji Muzan. Iguro bowed again, forehead almost touching the mat.

“I will also suppose you have yet to hear the news?” Oyakata-sama asked as Iguro resumed his position with hands laid on his knees. He shook his head, then added a verbal response to accommodate the Oyakata-sama’s weakening eyesight, as he had overheard some kakushi talking while wandering around the Ubuyashiki Estate. He could understand the frustration of slayers, especially kakushi, talking quietly or not giving answers he could hear or see due to the face covering, though Iguro supposed it was ironic with the bandages over his own face.

“The Thunder Hashira, Sasaki Nijiko, has perished in battle to what her crow states to be Upper Two.” Oyakata-sama lowered his head in mourning, Iguro following right after.

The Thunder Hashira had been elevated to hashira level only about five months ago, he’d heard, with an extroverted personality and big doe eyes which slayers healing in the Butterfly Mansion gossiped were a shimmering rainbow colour. 

The other thing about the hashira that caught onto gossip was her Sixth Thunder Breathing Form, which was apparently honed to absolute perfection with help from a naginata. The long range weapon to go with the long range attack, combined with speed would be completely deadly.

It looked like Iguro would only be meeting six hashira in two weeks. “Did the crow see Upper Two?”

“He said that Upper Two talked a lot, with a specific taste for women and a bloodstain on his head.” Oyakata-sama relayed. “He also had rainbow coloured eyes, similar to Nijiko, making him more intrigued to consume her.”

“So she was completely devoured?” Iguro felt the need to ask, as kizuki were usually picky eaters with Demon Slayers due to the muscles that they gained from their line of work.

“It seemed his diet solely consisted of women, with no concern for any other factors.” Oyakata-sama explained. “All her crow was able to retrieve was a small doll, the rest of Nijiko was absorbed by the demon.”

The fate seemed much less brutal than the other option, the demon tearing off her flesh while she was still alive, leaving bones and blood behind for the crow to report back and get the kakushi to bring back whatever remained to be buried. Iguro tried to stop himself from seeing, but all he could think of was sisters and aunts getting slaughtered, only replacing their eyes with a soft rainbow palette.

“How long ago was this news released?” Iguro found himself wondering aloud.

“Just before you entered this courtyard.” Iguro’s mouth fell with the shock, pulling unnaturally at the bandages before he shut his mouth. “Most likely last night.”

Iguro didn’t exactly know how to reply to that, so he took the safe option. “Did… she have any relatives?”

“A mother and a daughter,” Oyakata-sama replied, “her mother was also a Demon Slayer before retiring.”

“A Demon Slayer’s only job is to purge demons until they bleed out to one.” Iguro decided upon his opinion about the situation. “She fulfilled her duty.”

“I suppose so.” Sighed the Oyakata-sama, nodding slowly. “Thank you for your time, Obanai. Thank you for working with the Demon Slayer Corps. I hope your first patrol goes well tonight.”

“Of course, Oyakata-sama. Thank you.” Iguro bowed deeply before getting up, doing his best to make a graceful exit with the Oyakata-sama watching him, the two of them sitting down in the uncomfortable position for nearly an hour, talking. His head spun with the sudden movement, stars circling his eye as he gently picked up Kaburamaru and left the courtyard.

----

Iguro suddenly halted. Of course! Tomioka! Tomioka Giyuu! Kaburamaru hissed at the sudden stop.

Iguro could slap himself for his stupidity. All the answers were in front of him, literally spelling it all out.

Tomioka was a hashira.

Not only any hashira, but the Water Hashira.

The main thing he knew from rumours, overheard through mission groups or slayers at the Butterfly Mansion, was that the Water Hashira had a pretty doll face with a mysterious aura and a strangely patterned haori. All those descriptions perfectly matched Tomioka, Iguro thought as he started walking again.

The Oyakata-sama said that they were going to be coworkers, working at hashira level together. Tomioka was probably the real deal, being a hashira for almost two years and attaining no life-threatening injuries.

The hashira were supposed to be terrifying swordsmen, striking fear into all that passed them. Demons grovelled at their feet, with their speed, strength, skill, talent, quick decision-making, and intellect making them practically inhuman forces for the Demon Slayers.

But Tomioka hadn’t really seemed like that. He had a ruffled ponytail one might find on a merchant passing between villages. His face was nothing like a Demon Slayer, porcelain skin devoid of any markings or scars that most had from such a dangerous job. He was nice, Tomioka had taken time out of his day to lead Iguro to the courtyard and he could almost be someone that could be found at any run-of-the-mill town, a boy that girls would woo over and parents would boast about.

Maybe the hashira wouldn’t be that scary anymore.

----

Iguro took back every single thing he said.

These guys could put fear into an Upper Rank if they wanted to. They all gazed at him suspiciously, wondering if he had the strength and skill to stay a hashira for longer than half a year. Especially after losing one of their own a fortnight ago.

The only ones who hadn’t given him a good glare were Rengoku, a woman, and Tomioka, who had stayed completely poker-faced as Iguro walked past him, with Rengoku simply grinning widely as Iguro went to bow next to the Sound Hashira, Uzui Ten-something. He hadn’t really known Rengoku to be the type of person to smile, as that was more of his eldest son’s thing. The woman who smiled at him had lilac eyes, with two butterfly clips adorning the sides of her head. They looked slightly expensive. She could possibly be from a wealthy family, or use the riches she earned from being a hashira on herself.

Looking around, it was the same courtyard that he had been called to, with the Oyakata-sama still standing in the same place that he was when Iguro came to meet him. He supposed that they would move indoors once the major recent news of the Corps was settled.

They’d gone over the normal things, such as the Thunder Hashira; Sasaki Nijiko’s death to Upper Two and all the clues about him that they could get. Other items included a small rise of demons in the Shimane prefecture; possibly Muzan using Shimane as his hideout, or a sudden drop in the price for medical supplies, things that Iguro would suppose were necessary to know to keep the Demon Slayer Corps running.

It felt like he shouldn’t be listening to the Hashira Meeting. Like he had a backstage pass to a kabuki theatre and he could see all that happened without the audience’s knowledge. It almost felt unreal to have foul blood around such amazing swordsmen, until Iguro realized he was also now being counted into that category.

“Now, shall we move inside? I’m sure all of my children are becoming hot under the sun.” The Oyakata-sama smiled kindly, allowing a girl, probably his daughter, to lead him back inside on his blind side. Once she shut the door, all the hashira around him began to get up and stretch, talking amiably amongst themselves.

Iguro slowly rose from his position, only to get flanked from every side.

“So, you’re Iguro?” The Uzui guy slapped his back, making him stumble forward a step. “Kinda flamboyant, but at the same time sorta drab. Flashy eyes and snake, though!”

“Thank you?” Iguro blinked, keeping his eyes away from the humongous guy. Those two were the things that agonisingly kept him alive for all his years.

“Yes, what is your snake’s name?” The woman, Flower Hashira, asked. “Is it exotic?”

“Ah- Kaburamaru. I don’t- I don’t think so?” Stuttered Iguro, Kaburamaru coiling defensively against Iguro’s neck.

“Are you scared that it’s gonna choke you out someday?” The guy with a whole lot of scars wondered, leaning in to get a closer look. 

Iguro backed away from him, now defensive of Kaburamaru. “No, he’s my friend.”

“Obanai! It has been some time since we have last talked!” Then, Rengoku patted his head, Kaburamaru going to look at him.

“Um- Rengoku-san!” Iguro gave a small bow. “Thank you for saving me.”

“Huh?” Uzui glanced between the two. “You’ve met?”

“Obanai, I believe you mean to say that to my father!” Rengoku laughed heartily. “I am Rengoku Kyoujurou, the firstborn son of Rengoku Shinjurou!”

Iguro paused. “Did he die?”

Rengoku gave off the same loud laugh. “He has simply retired due to my mother’s passing, allowing me to take his place as the Flame Hashira!”

Iguro gave a small sigh, some relief and some pity. In the time he left the Rengoku Estate to go train under Water Breathing, nothing had happened to the man who had saved him, though it was a shame that Ruka-san had died. She’d been the first woman who had treated Iguro with true kindness and a homemade meal, her flame-red eyes matching her husband and son’s in a way that complimented them all. She was probably the reason he didn’t completely stay away from women.

“I believe that we should make our way to meet the Oyakata-sama now.” Another voice boomed from behind Iguro, making him turn around to see the true giant, the Stone Hashira. The man was exactly what all slayers envisioned when someone said hashira.

“You’re right, Himejima! We should lead the way for Iguro!” Uzui made some sort of hand sign. Was the hashira also a part of a cult? What if-

“I think you’re overwhelming him.” A quiet voice called over, silencing everyone as they turned to look.

“Tomioka-san!” The woman gasped excitedly. “Thank you for speaking up for your junior! I suppose you’re right, this is a lot to take in. We’re very deeply sorry, Iguro.”

Iguro subconsciously leaned away from her, closer to where Tomioka was standing to the side. “Right.”

“Tch, let’s just go. We can’t leave the Oyakata-sama waiting.” The Wind Hashira, Iguro remembered the open-chest-guy’s title, sped away, allowing all the other hashira to follow.

“Uh, Tomioka-san?” Iguro fell into step with the Water Hashira. “Thank you for speaking up for me.”

Tomioka simply shrugged, “it’s nothing,” as they stepped into the room. It was such a normal gesture, he didn’t even ask anything in return from Iguro. That obviously meant that he was thinking Iguro would give him something in return without having to ask, as it was human decency. 

He should take Tomioka out to lunch.

----

The meeting, thankfully, they were not crouching on one knee. They were sitting on both knees.

Iguro felt his knees shake as all the hashira got up, the Oyakata-sama getting up with ease and leaving just seconds earlier. It seemed like nobody complained about their knees, only a small groan and stretching all around. Iguro decided to copy some stretches that the hashira were doing, holding their knees up or stretching their arms across their chest.

Looking around, Iguro could see the Flower Hashira and the Wind Hashira talking, some hesitance coming from the Wind Hashira’s end. Rengoku and Uzui the Sound Hashira were laughing loudly, smacking each other's backs and joking around, probably close friends. The huge Stone Hashira, Himejima, simply sat in the back with his eyes closed and hands up in a prayer. He was religious, Iguro noted, with the praying beads and some sort of holy line on his haori and constantly crying.

Looking around more, Iguro went over to Tomioka, who was stretching in the very back corner. As he was about to call out to the Water Hashira, he bent over to touch his toes, stretching his hamstrings and lower back. Iguro’s mouth snapped shut as he quickly looked away, going to immediately cover Kaburamaru’s eyes as well for some basic human decency.

Stealing a glance, Iguro could see that Tomioka was standing up again, leading him to take his hand off of Kaburamaru’s eyes and to look back. “Hello?” 

“Tomioka-san, would you like to have lunch with me? I found a nice restaurant and wanted to try it.” Iguro offered, remembering the two sisters he had saved the other day, who had offered to feed him at their restaurant before he left. He was thankfully saved by another mission, but the food had smelled good and might be an option for Tomioka.

“Sure.” Nodded Tomioka. “Today?” 

“Okay.” Iguro agreed.

----

Iguro found he liked to hang out in trees after he escaped.

Sure, it might have been to spy on people that specific time he was in the tree, but it was still fun nonetheless to find out where to put his limbs to climb up, no matter how challenging. Sure, he could just jump up using Total Concentration Breathing Constant, but that would ruin the puzzle to reach the top.

Tomioka had sent him a letter a week after they’d gone for dinner, which Iguro reread again while in the tree. 

“Dear Iguro, I hope this letter finds you in good health. The town closest to the Water Estate holds a yearly celebration in honour of their patron god, Suiten, the kami of holy waters.” Iguro read aloud, Kaburamaru looking between the paper and Iguro. 

“The Water Hashira at the time is also invited as they believe us to be the human forms of this deity, along with many skilled Breath of Water users. It is a very quiet event in comparison to some other matsuri, with just one small float, some games, and a couple hanabi to end the celebrations.” Iguro glanced down at all the people flooding into the town. “Then the date and town.”

“I’ve never been to a matsuri, Kaburamaru.” Sighed Iguro. “I don’t even know what to expect from here.”

Kaburamaru wrapped around Iguro, resting his small head on top of Iguro’s.

Most of the people entering the main part of town were wearing montsuki and yukata, some kimonos as they chatted excitedly. Iguro hadn’t known what exactly to wear, as Tomioka hadn’t specified their own dress code, so Iguro ended up wearing his Corps uniform with his haori tied to keep the top somewhat more obscured from civilians. He was technically going with a coworker, so he shouldn’t appear unprofessional in a montsuki or yukata if the other wore the normal uniform.

Looking around, Tomioka watched people counting their coins and gossiping about whatever normal people gossiped about while passing by him. No Iguro. Maybe he had ditched at the last minute, not wanting to be around the fake hashira… but Tomioka was five minutes early. He could still wait.

“Tomioka-san.” Iguro landed next to Tomioka, making his hand automatically go to his hip, though quickly playing it off.

“Iguro.” He bowed his head. “I apologise for my tardiness.”

“It- I came early, Tomioka, so there’s no need to worry.” Iguro shrugged. They fell into step, walking with all the other people as if they didn’t think one had foul blood and the other was a placeholder for the Water Hashira.

“Oh, you didn’t wear a yukata?” Tomioka started the conversation. Iguro quickly looked at his uniform and back at the man in a yukata.

“I- I didn’t know what to wear.” Answered Iguro. “Yours looks fancy, though.”

“The town lends it to the Water Estate every year.” Tomioka explained. The yukata had intricate wave designs, the blue hues shining with silver edges and waves, small boats decorating it all with beautiful red and white koi dancing around the entire outfit. It really did seem like something for a god. “I didn’t really have anything else appropriate for the occasion.”

“I only really have the Corps Uniform as well.” Iguro agreed. He looked around the town, where street lights were decorated by red lanterns instead, street shops and games anywhere you looked and children running around, everyone in their own interesting clothing, laughter and music down any street throughout the entire place. It almost felt too crowded, Iguro thought, as Kaburamaru wrapped tighter around him in comfort.

“Do you want to play a game?” Tomioka eyed the goldfish-scooping game, the man in happi calling people in, with a boy and his imouto laughing excitedly and trying it out.

“Kingyo-sukui.” Iguro muttered under his breath as he followed Tomioka over to the vendor. “What kind of game is that?”

“Two please.” Tomioka placed the money into the vendor owner's hand, who gave Tomioka two poi, the Water Hashira handing one to Iguro, who held his uselessly.

Goldfish scooping. What kind of thing was that? Why would they even scoop goldfish, especially with such a thin thing? It looked really thin and could probably dissolve in water, it would most likely tear even with the weight of a goldfish. And what were they even supposed to do with a goldfish afterwards? What even were the rules?

Iguro watched Tomioka step closer to the tub where goldfish swam without a care in the world. His mind kept reeling as Tomioka sank his paper scooper under the water, gently bringing it over to the closest goldfish and sinking it under its body. Iguro watched the elegant trance Tomioka’s eyes were in, carefully watching the goldfish being lifted up.

The two siblings who were also there were also watching, along with the stall keeper. Iguro looked around at them as they all held their breaths, watching Tomioka bring the goldfish up and out of the water. Iguro could feel scales turning on his shoulder as Kaburamaru got a closer view.

Looking back, Iguro realized that even the freaking Water Hashira had held his breath, no air leaving his lungs until the goldfish was high enough to count as a win. The man pushed a bowl of water towards Tomioka, just as the paper tore and the goldfish splashed into the bowl. The three watching all groaned as the stall keeper pulled out a bag and filled it with water from the tub and put it into the bag gently. Its wild flopping stopped as it hit the water again, swimming peacefully as Tomioka took the bag.

“Woah, that nii-san is so cool!” The small girl cheered. “I wanna try again!”

“Bashira, you’ve already tried four times,” the older boy chuckled, awe still present in his eyes, “I’ll get you a toy at another vendor.”

“But nii-chan, I want a goldfish!” The girl tugged on her brother’s sleeve. “Please?”

“Here, you can have this one.” Tomioka crouched down next to the girl, Iguro’s jaw dropping slightly.

“What- no, it’s really okay! She just wants anything she thinks is cool…” the boy excused, shaking his head.

“It’s fine, us two have a job that requires a lot of travelling, but I believe that you can take care of it.” Tomioka explained, holding the bag out to the girl, who took it slowly, marvelling at the fish inside.

“If- if you’re sure…” the boy looked away guiltily. “Thank you so much, sir. Bashira, thank him as well.”

“Thank you!” Bashira grinned widely, a gap in her teeth clearly visible. “What’s your name, sir?”

“My name is Tomioka Giyuu.” Tomioka said. Iguro couldn’t really believe that was what hashira did in their free time.

“Thank you, Tomioka-san!” Bashira held the goldfish close, making her older brother take the bag from her to keep it from bursting as they walked away after bowing. Tomioka’s eyes widened as he heard a faint “I’m gonna name him Giyuu!” from the seven-year-old girl, her pigtails bouncing with her skipping.

“Iguro, are you going to try?” Tomioka tilted his head as he looked back at his companion.

“I’m… not going to be as good as you.” Iguro glanced at the fish swimming around, as a couple walked up and purchased their own poi and began to try and catch a goldfish. He walked over, crouching next to the tub and taking a breath.

Obviously, the point was to grab a goldfish with the flimsy spoon, which breaks whenever you put it in water. The price looks cheap, but after using the weak scoopers more and more in the chance for a goldfish, more money is wasted. From watching Tomioka, the thing had to be handled gently, with no sudden movements and to spend the least amount of time underwater, along with having the entire thing under a fish.

Pushing the poi under, Iguro went for a stripey black-and-white goldfish that was swimming just right to him. Aware that both Tomioka and the man in the vendor were watching him, Iguro pushed the poi under the fish and began to bring it up.

Just as he was about to lift it out of the water, the paper broke, leaving a thin sheet connected to plastic and a goldfish staying in the water.

“Nice try, Iguro.” Congratulated Tomioka. 

“I guess that wasn’t bad for my first time.” Shrugged as Iguro stood up again.

“It is a fairly new game, after all…” Nodded Tomioka, turning to face the man in the vendor. “Thank you very much.” Looking back at Iguro, “do you want to look around more or get some food?”

“Sure.” They made their way away from the stand and back into the crowd. After browsing through the streets for a few minutes, Iguro felt something tug on his haori sleeve. Looking over, it seemed like Tomioka didn’t even think before grabbing on, still acting completely nonchalant as his head turned around to look at stalls. “Hel lo ?”

“Oh, sorry.” Tomioka removed his hand. “People usually just force me to hold onto them when I’m in a crowd…”

“Um, why???” Iguro looked from Tomioka back to his haori and back to Tomioka. Or where Tomioka should have been. “Tomioka?” He looked around, only bustling people in sight. “Tomioka? Shit, Tomioka??”

Iguro dug through the crowd, occasionally calling out for his companion’s name. After some searching, Iguro found the man standing in the middle of a street, looking around. “Tomioka!”

Tomioka seemed to snap out of a trance, locking eyes with Iguro. “Oh, Iguro. Do you want a sweet potato?”

“Tomioka! Fucking hell, I can see why people force you to do that.” Iguro sighed, grabbing Tomioka’s hand. “No. Do you?”

----

“It’s hot.” Huffed Tomioka, blowing on the sweet potato.

“You shouldn’t’ve put it in your mouth instantly, then.” Iguro shot back.

“I think I burned my mouth.” Tomioka swallowed the sweet potato quickly. “Oh, taiyaki.”

“Do you want that, too?” Iguro asked.

“Are you hungry?” Tomioka looked at his companion.

“No, I’m not usually hun-” Iguro got stopped by a large growl, lasting a couple seconds and probably only the two of them hearing it.

“I’ll get you a taiyaki.” Tomioka decided.

“No, Tomioka, it’s fine-” protested Iguro, only to have the sweet handed to him a few minutes later after watching the thing be baked in a weird-shaped oven at the stall.

“Here, I’ll turn around.” Tomioka pulled them into an alleyway, instantly letting go of Iguro’s hand and turning the opposite direction.

“Tomioka, really-” Iguro kept objecting, until he realized what it really meant. Tomioka wasn’t curious about what was under the bandages or about the foul blood. Or if he was, he wasn’t going to get into Iguro’s face about it or treating him differently. He was going to respect Iguro and let him eat in peace. He was even watching the alleyway to make sure nobody else came in.

Was that what normal people were supposed to do? Tomioka just seemed so normal , acting like any everyday person would, respecting Iguro, not trying to force-feed him but genuinely looking out for his health and hunger. 

Iguro’s eyes widened as he looked at Tomioka, carefully starting to unwrap the bandages and blowing on the dessert before putting it to his mouth and biting down. Steam flowed from the inside, red azuki beans levelling out the pastry as Iguro slowly ate the delicious thing. He willed himself to eat faster with every glance at his coworker, finishing the dessert in record time and rewrapping the bandages.

“Sorry for making you wait.” Apologized Iguro.

“No, it’s fine. I’m almost finished with the sweet potato.” Tomioka shook his head as they started walking again, Iguro taking Tomioka’s sleeve in his hand. They made their way away from the snack vendors, reaching the small trinkets and toys being sold from the street.

“Do you like konpeitou?” Tomioka asked Iguro, gesturing to a stand with colourful little beads in bags.

“I’ve never tried it.” Iguro looked another way to hide his shame. He’d seen the little things in side-trays in his cage, but he’d never eaten it. The colours made his head spin slightly, as they looked a little too unnatural to be consumed.

They went over, Tomioka doing the talking and picking out lavender and blue bags, paying the stall keeper and continuing their walk, handing the purple one to Iguro with a small smile. Iguro’s eyes widened again with the gesture and took the candy, looking at it through the plastic.

“It’s basically hardened sugar spheres with bumps on it.” Tomioka summarised as he pocketed his own, leaving Iguro to do the same.

“Wait, where are we going?” Iguro asked. The Water Hashira had been leading them around, and also the most shopping, leaving Iguro a bit guilty.

“To the Mikoshi parade.” Tomioka answered. Iguro looked to his feet. What the fuck was a Mikoshi parade? Looking up and towards everyone, he could see them also going in the same direction, pointing at the beautiful colours of sunset above their heads.

They made it to what Iguro believed to be the main street of the town, where most merchants, travellers, and slayers would pass through the village. People decorated the sides of the street as the red lanterns came on, a clearing through the middle of the road.

“Their patron kami is Suijin, the god of holy waters in Shinto.” Tomioka told Iguro, though the information was practically useless to Iguro.

His questions got answered some time later, as cheering started from down the street bend. “Oh, here it comes.”

Iguro glanced at Tomioka, who was subconsciously leaning forward, before looking back at the street. “This is the second last village that it’s coming to.” Tomioka whispered.

The parade was coming down the street, elegant gold fixed with red strings and holy papers, a fancy decoration at the top of the carriage, which was being held up by four people using bamboo sticks over their shoulders. He couldn’t even describe it, but looking closer the carriage almost seemed like a miniature temple, with a golden torii in the front and intricate designs implemented everywhere he looked on the thing.

“Damn.” Iguro muttered, practically muted with all the cheering going on around him. The parade passed by, with kids chasing after it and adults clapping and cheering for it as it went. Eventually, the Mikoshi left their eyes, as parents went to grab their children and Iguro looked to Tomioka. “Was that the big event?”

“Yes.” Nodded Tomioka. “There’s only going to be fireworks once the sun is completely down. And that’s where my patrol begins.”

“Oh, that’s right.” Remembered Iguro. They got to the edge of town, Iguro slightly tired from the day’s endeavours. He was a little sleep deprived, but Iguro had enjoyed it and that was what mattered.

“Goodbye, Iguro. Thank you for spending the day with me.” Thanked Tomioka.

“Thank you for inviting me, Tomioka.” Iguro bowed slightly before turning the other way, heading back to his estate. Being a hashira meant practically no breaks.

----

Iguro looked up as Yuuan cawed. “Letter! Letter from Tomioka Giyuu!” Iguro stuck his arm out to catch Yuuan and take the letter, Kaburamaru hissing at him as the crow cawed spitefully and flew away. Kaburamaru wrapped tighter around Iguro’s shoulders.

“Dear Iguro, I hope that you have been well since the last letter, I encountered a strange demon who had different eye colours for each eye and was reminded of you, there has not been much of a change in patrol since the last letter, I found something that you might like called totoro kombu.” Iguro speedily read the letter, ending with the usual ‘sincerely, Tomioka Giyuu ’. Iguro could tell that writing personal letters was not a strong suit of the Water Hashira, as many of them seemed incredibly professional or straightforward with no individual touches.

Iguro wrote back his response, tucking it into a haori pocket as he waited for Yuuan to come back, as Kaburamaru had a habit of scaring him off. It would usually only take another hour for the crow to show up again and hurriedly take the response, as he’d learnt over the past five months of relaying letters with Tomioka.

The last time they had spent time together in person was a month ago, when they had gone to watch live-amezaiku for his birthday, where Iguro had absolutely no idea how the Water Hashira knew his birthday or something he liked to do, though he could suspect Rengoku told Tomioka about the candy-sculpting and Kochou taking his medical records to Tomioka when they had both smiled at him much more than usual the next time he saw them.

Iguro took a sip of chamomile tea as he finished bandaging up his calf, which had gotten scratched on patrol earlier in the night. He looked out, the sky brightening into orange and pink hues, where it met the inky blue sky, turning into a pastel azure colour. He sighed. He might have gone back to the Snake Estate a bit early, but it wasn’t so bad of a patrol, only some demon whining about becoming a kizuki that he’d been careless about.

Iguro winced as the sun finally shone over his fence and the wisteria, groaning as he finished his tea and shut the door, cracking his joints as he put the cup away and putting Kaburamaru onto his little tree before collapsing into his futon.

He fucking hated being nocturnal.

----

The seasons changed, more letters were exchanged, and suddenly Iguro found himself to be twenty years old with no missing limbs and the status of a true hashira, one that wasn’t just a placeholder.

Iguro still couldn’t believe it as he walked through the mansion, looking around the halls and remembering his first time in the Ubuyashiki Estate, lost in the same hallway with a Water Hashira taking time out of his day to help a random slayer.

Looking out the open shoji to the garden, where three of the Ubuyashiki girls were playing with temari, Iguro didn’t notice the girl he ran into until it happened.

“Kyaaa! I’m so sorry, sir!” She apologised, bowing deeply. Iguro instantly stepped back as he looked away from her… revealing uniform.

“I wasn’t looking, it’s my fault.” Iguro shook his head, flushing as he glanced her way, stepping around her. He took a step before turning around again, to see her head turning both directions and rolling the balls of her feet. “Are you lost?”

“Awawawa, I’m lost!” The girl blushed, dashing up to the Snake Hashira. “I need to go meet the Oyakata-sama in the courtyard, but these halls all look the same!”

“Ah. That’s over here.” Iguro eyed her pink and green hair as he began to walk, the girl following in his footsteps.

“Uwaah, you have a snake!” She squealed. “What’s his name?”

“Kaburamaru.” Iguro answered, Kaburamaru with his head turned to look at the female slayer.

“I have pet cats, too, their names are Ama, and Satou, and Mochi!” She explained. “I also had a cat when I was little, her name was Hoshi!”

Iguro continued to listen to her babbling as they took a right. Was that what normal girls talked about? Ones that had happy lives, with well-off parents and enough money to raise a cat, that didn’t try to sacrifice newborns? It was… different from Tomioka, but not necessarily… bad.

She was even sort of pretty.

Iguro stumbled when he realized what he had just thought, though the girl didn’t seem to notice as she started to talk about her otouto, who’s name was Manato, along with three other unnamed siblings that she doted over.

“Here, through this door.” Iguro waited for her to finish her sentence, which by then they were standing in front of the door for a minute. She seemed to realize as well, making her flush an incredibly bright pink for a second.

“Kyaaaa, thank you so much!” She gushed, bowing deeply again. 

“Are you becoming a hashira?” Iguro could figure that much, starting with the fact that with the hashira joining after him, that they all went to meet the Oyakata-sama in the courtyard. 

“Uwaah, I think so!” She twirled excitedly. “How did you know?”

“Snake Hashira, Iguro Obanai.” He introduced himself. She took a second to process it.

“Hashira?!” She screamed, before stuttering a couple seconds. “My name is Kanroji Mitsuri! I look forward to working with you, Iguro-san!”

Iguro gave a small bow before heading his way, mind reeling at the deja-vu.

It’s Taisho-era Japan, they hadn’t even heard of deja-vu.

But if Iguro did, he felt it.

----

Iguro watched the girl be introduced by the Oyakata-sama a month later.

He didn’t really change his expression as she looked around, bowing deeply with a huge grin on her face. She walked over to an empty space, between Tomioka and Uzui, crouching down next to them as the Oyakata-sama continued on with news for the Demon Slayer Corps.

As he kept going, Iguro glanced over to see Kanroji trembling, her calf obviously getting sore from being in that position for that long. Iguro winced as he remembered his first time and looked away.

When he heard another whimper, Iguro looked back to see that she’d fallen forward, only stopped by Tomioka’s hand gripping her shoulder. With a shocked look from her and Uzui, Tomioka pulled her back up and went to look at the Oyakata-sama again as if nothing had happened.

If Kanroji had fallen over, she would have most definitely interrupted the meeting and embarrassed herself and ruined a first impression with the other hashira. She gave him an apologetic smile before blushing and looking down again, though Tomioka wasn’t even looking at her.

“Now, my children, I’m sure you’re getting cold, so we shall be moving indoors.” Oyakata-sama ended the general view of updates in the Demon Slayers, with two girls leading him back inside and shutting the doors.

As soon as the door clicked, the hashira all got up and did some stretching, instantly going into their cliques before heading to the Love Hashira.

“Mitsuri! Congratulations on becoming a hashira!” Rengoku patted her back.

“Uwaaahhhh, thank you, Kyoujurou-san!” She blushed into her hands.

“Hello, Kanroji-san, I am Kochou Shinobu, the Insect Hashira!” Kochou, the younger one, smiled in a way that sent shivers down Iguro’s spine, more than it would have usually if a girl smiled. She’d been a hashira for the year after her sister, the Flower Hashira, died to Upper Two as well. He’d never gotten to know either Kochou sister, and he slightly preferred it that way by attempting to stay away from the Butterfly Mansion.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Kochou-san!” Kanroji looked ready to explode with happiness. 

“Flamboyant hair!” Complimented Uzui. “How’d you get it like that?”

“Oh, I… well, it’s a bit complicated!” She smiled at the man. “But it’s some genetics!”

“You should definitely befriend Rengoku and Iguro, then!” Laughed Uzui. Iguro snapped his head over at the Sound Hashira from his place next to Tomioka. “Those flashy genetics are gonna get you a man!”

Kanroji froze for a moment. “Thank you very much!” She smiled much wider, in a similar manner to Kochou Shinobu that Iguro frowned, looking between the two female hashira. The expression was quickly wiped from her face as she continued to socialise with the other hashira.

“Oi, are you going to keep the Oyakata-sama waiting with your babbling?” Shot Shinazugawa as he opened the door, letting cold winter air inside of the mansion.

“Yeah, she’s like a pink and green chick going ‘cheep cheep’ .” Tokito mumbled, making Iguro jump and watch the youngest hashira walk through the open door, turning the corner.

“Are you going to tell them to stop overwhelming her?” Iguro murmured to Tomioka as they walked shoulder to shoulder, the other hashira trailing behind them with their loud voices covering the courtyard.

“No. She seems to like the attention.” Tomioka responded, looking back with Iguro following, seeing her huge smile as she chatted with her new coworkers. Seemed about right.

----

Iguro heard her before he saw her.

The Hashira Meeting ended, the Oyakata-sama’s finishing remarks being about welcoming juniors, before leaving the room. All the hashira began to chatter, as Iguro began to stretch as well. 

“To- Tomioka-san!” She’d marched up to him, a couple hashira looking over with Iguro. “Thank you very much for pulling me up back in the courtyard!”

“He’s gonna brush her off.” Shinazugawa snickered. “That dead personality isn’t gonna mix with the idiotic one.”

“Both those options are better than choosing an emotion and making it your entire personality.” Spat Iguro, Kaburamaru seemingly hissing in agreement or laughter. Shinazugawa’s usually angry face melted to shock before turning to rage, the only emotion he really seemed to have.

“At least it’s better than your entire personality being snake and eyes.” Scoffed Shinazugawa, crossing his arms.

“Fuck off, you human scratching post.” Iguro glared at Shinazugawa.

“Cloth-face.” Retorted Shinazugawa.

“Come talk to me again once you figure out how to button your shirt.” Snarked Iguro as he walked over to Kanroji and Tomioka.

----

“Kyaaaa! I’m so happy that you both came!” Kanroji jumped up and down. Iguro looked between Kanroji and Tomioka, who both held baskets, unlike himself. Was… bringing food from home a necessity? From looking at the kanji in Kanroji's letter-invitation, Iguro could tell that hanami meant flower watching, but he didn’t really know what to expect, similar to the matsuri. He could tell it meant festival or celebration, but not what would entail in one.

Iguro looked around the park, where many other groups or couples were sitting on blankets and looking up at the falling sakura leaves or talking with each other, sharing lunches or snacks as they did. He’d, yet again, gotten there early to scout the place out and figure out what kind of vibe there was. Was it going to be professional? Personal? He could tell it was definitely more friendly as he went out to buy some hanami dango from a shop nearby.

“I’ve never been to one before…” Tomioka admitted quietly. Kanroji stopped grinning to support a bigger smile.

“Then we’ll teach you what it’s like! Right, Iguro-san?” She looked over to the Snake Hashira.

“This is my first time as well.” Iguro looked down in slight embarrassment. She gasped.

“I’m gonna make this the best first hanami you’ve ever been to!” She screamed, taking both their hands and dragging them into the park. She offered spots to sit for a minute, until she came across a huge tree with lots of cherry blossoms on it, only another group sitting on the opposite side of the tree.

Kanroji giggled as she took out a picnic blanket and set it out with help from the other two hashira, then placed the picnic baskets on the corners to prevent it from flying away, as Iguro placed Kaburamaru down onto the mat. They all sat down and just admired their work and the beautiful scene.

“Now, hanami are for the kami living inside the sakura tree to help give us a good harvest and rice-planting season, so we can give offerings to the tree!” Kanroji explained as she took a small vial of sake from her bag. “It can also represent just how short life is and how beautiful and fragile it is.”

“And the picnics?” Tomioka gestured around the park.

“Those are in celebration of the trees and life in general!” She sighed happily. “Each petal represents the temporary nature of life, so people can think about that while spending time with friends and family.”

Iguro froze for a moment. He had only known Kanroji for a little less than six months, and Tomioka… damn, Iguro had known and talked to Tomioka for over two years. Would that count them as friends? Iguro didn’t really know.

“Uwaaaaa, I’m so sorry for making you uncomfortable!!” Iguro snapped out of his thoughts to see Kanroji reduced to tears.

“Kanroji, it’s fine…” Iguro amended. “I just hadn’t really thought of it before.”

“Re-really?” She sniffled.

“Yes. I… suppose we are friends.” Iguro looked at other, faraway sakura trees.

“ Really?” Iguro looked back to see identical expressions on both other hashira, sparkles in their wide eyes with agape mouths turning to small grins.

“Yeah.” Nodded Iguro. “Did you bring things from home in your baskets?”

“Oh!” Kanroji immediately went to pick up her basket, rummaging through it. “I brought some bento for us!”

She proceeded to pull out fifteen bentos from the tiny basket. Tomioka rubbed his eyes as if he was seeing things while Iguro’s mouth only fell wider open with every bento pulled out. “Well, I am a heavy eater…”

“Ah. Thank you.” Tomioka hesitantly took a bento and chopsticks from Kanroji, opening it to find sushi, tamago-yaki, onigiri, along with many other small things all made into cute shapes, especially hearts and cats.

“I apologise, Kanroji, but I’m not really that hungry.” Iguro excused as Tomioka glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “But I did bring some hanami dango…”

Kanroji seemed to let go of it as she took a dango stick and opened her own bento as well. “My kaa-chan helped me make it! She had all these really kawaii cutters that we used to cut everything up! My otouto also helped out, though he likes his sausages more crispy so that’s why they’re more on the burnt side.”

“Oh, your mother?” Tomioka looked up from trying an egg roll.

“Ahaha, even my baby sister helped by cutting out the carrots into hearts!” Kanroji shared. “The entire family helped!”

“I’m sorry if I get this wrong, Kanroji, but you have six siblings?” Iguro remembered.

“No, five siblings, but my parents have six children including me!” Kanroji smiled. “I’m the eldest of them all!”

“And they’re all… alive and well?” Tomioka wondered. Kanroji froze as Iguro shot his friend a look.

“Oh, that’s right… I’m sorry.” Kanroji trailed off guiltily.

“It’s alright, Kanroji.” Iguro shook his head. “I hated my sisters before they all died, so there’s no hard feelings.”

Tomioka choked on his food. “What?”

“I-Iguro-san!” Kanroji gave him a morbid look.

“Ah, you wouldn’t understand…” Iguro could feel his foul blood boil in his veins. “How about you, Tomioka?”

With both their attention on him, Tomioka swallowed and spoke. “I had a nee-san. Kanroji sort of reminds me of her.”

Iguro leaned back, processing. Tomioka had an older sister? He couldn’t really imagine Tomioka as a younger sibling, more of an only child rather than having any. Tomioka didn’t seem like the kind of person to be doted on by an older sibling, but Iguro supposed that made the both of them more normal than him, with normal childhoods doting over or being doted on by siblings.

“Kyaaa! I’m so happy that I remind Tomioka-san of someone good!” She laughed. “That… is a good thing, right Tomioka-san?”

Tomioka nodded his head, making her giggle with excitement again. “Say, I’ve always wondered, but how did you get your hair that colour?”

“Ah, Uzui-san also asked me when we first met…” Kanroji rubbed the back of her neck and took out a third bento box. When had she finished the last one? Tomioka was still only almost done with his first as Kanroji was starting on her third. “But the truth is… I got this way by eating one-hundred-seventy sakura mochi a day for eight months!”

Kanroji opened the box to reveal it was chock full of the little rice cakes. Tomioka full-on spat out his food in shock as Iguro choked on his own spit.

“That’s… wow.” Iguro breathed. She had a comfortable enough childhood that her five loving younger siblings and parents could live nicely while she ate that much, and not having to worry about being purposely fattened up… she really was such a normal girl that Iguro could spend months analysing everything about her. “Impressive.” He finally depended on a word.

“You didn’t get sick of them?” Tomioka asked.

“Nope! They’re my favourite food ever!” She giggled. “Would you like some?”

“Of course.” Tomioka took one, then went to his own basket. “I actually brought some oinari-sushi as well. Shinazugawa suggested it.”

“Shinazugawa?” Chortled Iguro. “ He suggested it?”

“Well, he read your invitation letter over my shoulder and went to sleep.” Tomioka explained as he opened the bento and placed it between the three of them. “Did your eyes also change colour with your hair?”

“Oh, no, my eyes have always been green!” She chuckled. “How about you, Iguro-san?”

“Huh?” Iguro blinked. “My eyes?”

“Yes! Are they natural? Were you born with them?” She sprouted off questions.

“Yes, I was.” Sighed Iguro.

“Were you given any hardships because of them?” Tomioka asked.

If hardships meant being tortured, locked up, and almost sacrificed to a demon, yes, he was given hardships. “I suppose you could say that.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry that happened to you!” Kanroji hid her face in her hands. “Actually, a man rejected my marriage proposal because of my hair colour and because I eat too much. He also said that the only thing that would want to marry me would be a boar, a bear, or a cow, teehee!”

Kanroji tried to laugh it off, but even someone as dense as Tomioka could see she was in pain.

“Say, have you ever had any comments about your eyes, Tomioka-san?” She asked.

“Mine?” Tomioka tilted his head to the side. “Why?”

“Well I mean, they’re very handsome!” She explained. It made Iguro heat up for some reason, wanting Kanroji to say that about his eyes too. He… couldn’t be jealous , right? They were just eyes. Kaburamaru slid up to him and coiled on Iguro’s arm.

“Handsome?” Tomioka furrowed his brow. “They’re just eyes.”

“But you know..!” She squealed. “Your eyelashes! The shape of your eyes! It makes you look very ikemen!”

The only sound was sakura falling from the trees and distant picnic chatter. Even Kaburamaru stopped flicking his tongue.

“...thank you?” Tomioka mumbled. “I… didn’t realize my eyes were like that. Shinazugawa often tells me I have a rat-face, though.”

“Uwaaaahh! I didn’t realize the implications!” Kanroji wailed, blushing miserably. “Shinazugawa-san has no right telling that to such a beautiful face, but I honestly prefer Iguro-san’s eyes! They’re just so pretty that I’d love to stare at them forever!”

Iguro felt his entire body heating up instantly, only growing hotter as Tomioka nodded in agreement. “Wha-what?”

“Just- different colours for both eyes is so amazing!” She gushed. “I’ve never met anyone with eyes like that, especially being such different colours!”

“Thank you…” Iguro could tell his entire face was red by then, almost as dark as Kanroji. 

Tomioka just kept eating his bento.

----

“Okay, what’s the weirdest thing that happened to you during a mission, Tomioka-san?” Kanroji asked. Iguro looked at his friend expectantly.

Found a girl turned into a demon who protected her older brother even though she must have been starving, making Tomioka spare the girl and get the boy to train to become a swordsman so he can try his best to fulfil his promise to turn her back human, Tomioka thought, “I got tied up in a village.”

“You got tied up.” Iguro deadpanned, Kaburamaru mocking his stare in a way that slightly unsettled Tomioka. “Like literally?”

“Kochou was there,” Tomioka added, “a family got slaughtered in some nearby mountains. I was too late to save them, but since people saw me pass by I was the first suspect.”

“That poor family!” Kanroji gasped. “You couldn’t save them?”

“I was too late. I was heading back to the Water Estate during sunrise and came across the scene.” Tomioka relayed. “Only the eldest two siblings survived.”

“That’s so sad!” Kanroji put down her food, going to stroke Kaburamaru sadly. “But the people in the village thought it was you?”

“To be fair, you are also carrying around a sword.” Iguro pointed out. “But they actually tied you up? With rope?”

“Yes.” Tomioka sighed. “Kochou was passing by to buy some sort of medicinal item when she saw the commotion.”

“But you couldn’t break the rope?” Kanroji pondered.

“No, I could.” Tomioka swallowed a dango. “And I did. Then the two of us went to kill the demon.”

“Oh.” Iguro nodded, looking up at the sakura. “So the demon escaped.”

“What?” Kanroji looked at Iguro.

“The one that killed the family in the mountains,” Iguro explained, watching a petal fall into Kanroji’s hair, “it got away?”

“I…” Tomioka looked for the right words. “I suppose it did.”

----

Iguro could only stare.

The words started to filter into one ear and out another once he heard everything he needed, joining the other hashira in staring at the Water Hashira standing at the edge of the engawa, box and boy at his feet.

“-yes, he completely blocked my attempt to eliminate the demon.” Kochou kept answering questions. She still had on the big, fake smile as she chattered on, explaining further how Tomioka had physically stopped her from killing a demon which the young Demon Slayer had been carrying around in a box for almost three months.

“I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it.” Iguro muttered as he stalked away, stealthily climbing up the tree. Kaburamaru hissed in agreement and went from his forearm to his neck and shoulders. He kept watch on Tomioka, trying to get a sense as to what his friend was playing at.

Tomioka stood still, with all Iguro being able to see being the back of his mop of hair, which seemed to be in much better health when Kanroji offered some tips to keep it cleaner. He couldn’t see if Tomioka had an expression or if he’d gotten hurt, if he looked different from when they’d last seen each other two weeks ago and a month after the hanami.

The boy began to groan, face twisting into consciousness as the other hashira stopped gossiping and got into a row. Shinazugawa still wasn’t present, even though Iguro had heard he recently got a motorcycle, which would probably make him faster than on foot.

“Tanjiro. Wake up.” Tomioka nudged his foot at the kid’s knee, making him blink his eyes open. Iguro was slightly surprised to see burning red irises to match the dark red hair, his earrings sticking to his face as he leaned his head up and seemed to realize he was tied up.

“I mean, I was definitely expecting a much more… flamboyant… person to be able to wrestle a demon around…” Uzui sighed. “That’s one drab looking kid. Only thing really interesting is the hair and earrings.”

“And now, we'll put this boy on trial!” Rengoku said with as much enthusiasm as he would if someone asked him out to a meal that it made Iguro squirm.

“Giyuu-san?” The kid struggled to sit up, though doing so in a few seconds and looking around. “Where… am I?”

Tomioka stepped out of the way, allowing the boy to see all the hashira with their arms crossed and staring down at him. Iguro felt a twinge of hatred spark inside him when he heard the boy say Tomioka’s bottom name with such ease, even more anger when he saw the poker face that he felt was so normal for years.

“Wh-Who are these-” the kid started, only to have Tomioka nudge him with his foot.

“Be careful with what you say.” He said quietly, though the whole courtyard had grown so silent that even Iguro up in his tree could hear. “Anything you speak can and will be held against you by them.”

“Where am I?” The boy looked to Tomioka, then back at the hashira with a little more fear.

“This is the Demon Slayers' headquarters, and you're about to be put on trial… Kamado Tanjiro-kun.” Kochou said sweetly. “Before this trial starts, why don't you explain the crime you've comm-”

“There is no need for a trial!” Rengoku’s loud voice echoed over the courtyard. “Protecting a demon is a clear violation of the code! We're within our rights to deal with him on our own, and behead him along with the demon!”

“In that case, I'll be glad to decapitate him flamboyantly.” Uzui smirked. “I'll show you the most flashy blood-spray you'll ever see.” His grin grew wider. “I'm talking max flamboyance.”

“Eeeeeh?” Kanroji’s head swivelled between the two men beside her, then went to look back at the boy. Iguro remembered that her oldest otouto was about the kid’s age.

“Ah, what a pitiful sight this boy is.” Tears flowed freely from Himejima’s face. “Poor soul… I pity him for having been born at all.”

“Who… are they?” The kid decided on saying, looking around at all the strange-looking people cornering him.

“These are the hashira.” Tomioka explained horribly. Anyone could tell he did not have a way with words. “The nine most powerful Demon Slayers of this generation, the pillars of the entire organisation.”

“Wait, where’s Nezuko?!” The Kamado kid started to sit up, looking around the entire courtyard until his eyes landed on the box, safely next to Tomioka’s feet, where he sighed in relief before memories flashed before his eyes. “Zenitsu! Inosuke! Murata!”

Tomioka kicked him again. He shut up.

“Let us put him out of his misery.” Himejima rubbed his praying beads, the reflection of tears down his eyes visible to Iguro.

Uzui laughed. “Yeah! Let's do it. Flamboyantly.” 

“Moving on from that,” Iguro decided to input, “what the hell are we supposed to do about Tomioka? From what Kochou said, he’s also partially guilty of breaking Corps rules, and the Water Hashira has to take responsibility and set an example for others. You have anything to say, Tomioka?”

Iguro looked from his coworker to the boy, who sported an incredibly guilty look as he stared up at Tomioka, who didn’t react at all to the stares, or the Kamado kid’s shocked look mixed with remorse. It almost seemed like he had no idea that Tomioka was a hashira.

“What’s the harm?” Kochou replied after another second of silence. “We can deal with Tomioka-san’s punishment later. It’s only a one, maybe even two or three time occurrence. Kamado-kun, however… he’s kept his demon sister for months, maybe even years. That makes me much more interested in his story than Tomioka’s.”

“The reason he's going on missions with a demon in tow despite being a Demon Slayer… I'd like to hear the explanation from Kamado-kun himself.” Kochou sent a pointed look at the boy on the ground. “Needless to say, what he's done is against the Demon Slayer Corps rules.”

She paused to let the boy answer, which he only stuttered against. “You are aware of that, aren't you?” She smiled again. “Kamado Tanjiro-kun, why are you travelling with a demon when you're a Demon Slayer?”

“No need to ask.” Uzui already had hands on his swords.

“Please, take your time and just tell us why.” Kochou then sent an innocent glare at Uzui, who simply looked at the Kamado boy, beckoning him to answer.

“She-” The Kamado kid started, coughing. “She’s my younger-”

“I do believe you need some water.” Kochou reached for a bottle, Tomioka stepping further to the side to allow her to give Kamado a drink. “You've injured your jaw, so please drink slowly. It contains a painkiller, so it will make you feel better.” She paused to allow Kamado to get a grip on himself. “It's not as if your wounds are healed, so you mustn't push yourself. Now then, Kamado-kun, please continue.”

“My imouto is the demon!” Kamado finally answered. “While I was away, my family was killed by Kibutsuji Muzan, leaving my imouto as a demon, but she’s never devoured a single human! She never has, and she never will! She'll never hurt humans no matter what!”

“Spare us from your absurd ravings,” Iguro cut in, “your story’s going in circles, you obviously protect her because the two of you are siblings, and you have no proof that she will actually do as you tell us. Your words are completely empty, Kamado. Only thing you got is a hashira standing up for you.”

“He is being possessed by the demon,” Himejima somehow reached that conclusion, “let us kill this poor child immediately so that he can be liberated.”

“Please, just listen to me!” Cried Kamado. “I became a swordsman to turn Nezuko back, and it’s been two years since she turned, and she hasn’t even tasted human blood!”

There were overall many murmurs of doubt from them, noticeably louder than they could possibly be.

“Aaannoo,” Kanroji got their attention, “shouldn’t we wait for the Oyakata-sama to come? It feels slightly wrong to make decisions about the situation while keeping him in the dark. Wouldn’t he already know about a violation like this? Is it really okay to make decisions this big without him?”

Then, a murmur of agreement rose through the hashira as someone stomped into the garden, laughing maniacally.

“Oi, oi, I see you have some fun brewing here. Is that the moron Slayer who has a demon with him? What the hell are you trying to pull here?” Shinazugawa stepped out into the sunlight, just underneath Iguro’s tree. He could easily throw Kaburamaru onto the hashira and get Tomioka to take the kid and box to run.

“Shinazugawa-san, please don't act out of line.” Kochou interrupted Iguro’s intrusive thoughts.

“What did you say about that demon, kid? That she hasn’t and won’t devour humans? You know what we call that?” Scoffed Shinazugawa. “A total delusion, you moron!”

“I promise!” Shouted Kamado as he stood up stumbling slightly with dizziness, “she can prove it to you!”

“Is that right? Good for you!” Shinazugawa rolled his eyes dramatically, strolling over to the box with his katana out, making some hashira gasp. Tomioka stepped into his way, arms crossed. Iguro leaned closer, almost falling out of the tree as Kaburamaru also slithered forward with a tight grip on Iguro’s arm.

“The Oyakata-sama will be arriving soon, Shinazugawa.” Tomioka spoke up, placing a palm between them as if that would make the Wind Hashira stop, apologise, and put his katana away. “We cannot solve this with violence until he is present.”

“Why you-” Shinazugawa started.

“Oyakata-sama…” two almost identical voices interfered with Shinazugawa’s mighty insults about to be hurled Tomioka’s way. “... has arrived.”

Iguro jumped out of the tree as soon as the girls closed the doors, landing gracefully next to Himejima and fell into a crouched bow as did everyone else, Shinazugawa and Tomioka taking a second longer to get in line as the Oyakata-sama stepped out.

He took a breath, sighing loudly and lifting his face upwards. “Good morning, everyone. The weather is amazingly good today.” He gave a serene smile. “I wonder if the sky is blue. It pleases me that we've made it to our semiannual Hashira Meeting with no personnel changes.”

Iguro glanced up when a soft groan was made along with something hitting the stones on the courtyard, seeing that the Kamado kid was shoved down by Tomioka with an outstretched hand on his forearms, which were tied to his back.

“I am pleased to see you in good health, as well, Master.” Shinazugawa spoke before Iguro could even open his mouth. “I fervently pray for your continued good fortune.”

“Thank you, Sanemi.” Oyakata-sama tipped his head slightly forward.

“If I may, Master, before we start the Hashira Meeting, would you mind enlightening us about this swordsman, Kamado Tanjiro, accompanied by a demon?” Shinazugawa shot a nasty look at the boy and the box, both sitting on either side of Tomioka. Iguro could easily take out his sword and stab the box sitting right next to him while Shinazugawa held down the boy to his right and Tomioka with his other hand.

“Right. I apologise for startling you all.” The Oyakata-sama nodded slowly. “About Tanjiro and Nezuko… I've sanctioned their situation, and I'd also like you all to accept it.”

“Even if it's what you desire, Oyakata-sama, I cannot agree to it.” Himejima answered almost immediately, others nodding along with him.

“I'm flamboyantly opposed, as well!” Uzui agreed. “A Demon Slayer travelling with a demon is unacceptable!”

“I shall do whatever it is you wish, Oyakata-sama!” Kanroji bowed deeper as she spoke. Iguro could suppose that was the true reason, but knowing Kanroji, Iguro knew she obviously held her friends close. She was actually on Tomioka’s side.

“I'm fine either way…” Tokitou seemed to snap out of a trance, “since I'm going to forget anyway.”

“Although I respect you with all my heart, that's an incomprehensible notion, Master!” Rengoku spoke as if he was talking about good weather coming up. “I oppose it with everything I've got!”

Shinazugawa shook his head, scowling deeper. “The Demon Slayer Corps' mission is to annihilate demons. I request that you penalise both Kamado and Tomioka, maybe even Iguro if he had something to do with it!”

“Iguro has never known of the boy or the demon, Shinazugawa.” Tomioka shot back instantly. “He has absolutely nothing to do with this.”

Everyone then looked at him. Iguro still hadn't given his own final opinion on the matter, and many of the hashira had seen them exchange letters or talking in their very limited free time. His eyes hardened into a glare. “I won’t trust them, I won't trust them. The collective crimes of demons must be purged, demons all share Kibutsuji blood. Crimes shared by blood must be remedied by all who share that blood.”

With that, Iguro resumed his silence and internally tallied opinions as Kaburamaru coiled tightly onto Iguro’s arm and seemingly glared at him, which Iguro pointedly ignored, though he did notice how Tomioka flinched when Iguro gave his answer, but the Water Hashira hid it well. Though, he was sitting next to eight other incredibly talented swordsmen who immediately took notice of that fact.

It was five stacked against two, with the final two hashira having a neutral opinion. Even Rengoku, the most friendly guy ever, had said no, and that obviously pushed everyone to say no as well. 

Oyakata-sama gestured at one of his daughters, Iguro assumed either Kanata or Nichika. “The letter.”

“Yes, Oyakata-sama.” She took a letter out of her sleeve, opening it up gently. “This is a letter received from a former hashira, Urokodaki Sakonji-sama. I shall read you an abridged version.”

“Please allow Tanjiro to be accompanied by his sister, a demon, where because of her resilient mental strength, Nezuko has not lost her human emotions. Even in a starved state, she never devoured humans, and this has held true more than two years later.” The girl’s expression didn’t change throughout the reading. “Although the situation seems somewhat far-fetched, it is an indisputable fact. In the event that Nezuko does assault a human, Kamado Tanjiro, as well as Urokodaki Sakonji and Tomioka Giyuu will atone by committed seppuku.”

A moment of shocked silence ran through the courtyard, stares going first to Tomioka before a quick glance at Iguro and back at the Water Hashira in disbelief, though the man kept his poker face the entire time, even as the boy sat next to him started to shed tears, only suggested by the small sniffles and shaking shoulders, along with the wet droplets spilling underneath him.

Iguro could feel his dirtied veins slow into sluggish, cold pulses. Seppuku? That was one of the most extreme punishments to atone for a sin, though it fit with what Tomioka was doing and the consequences. If Tomioka had really been the one to spare them, that meant he was fully ready to kill himself for two years. That could have even been before they had met. Was Tomioka prepared to die for some random demon when he’d led Iguro to the courtyard? Was it on a mission he didn't specify in a letter? Did he keep track of the demon and her nii…

Oh shit.

“So, what if they commit seppuku?” Growled Shinazugawa, “if you want to die, then rot to death for all I care! It's no guarantee! Not by a long shot!” 

“Shinazugawa is right! If she kills and devours a human, there's no coming back from that!” Rengoku kept on a cheery smile. “It won't bring back the people who were killed!”

“You do have a point.” Oyakata-sama replied.

“In that case…” Shinazugawa trailed off, hand reaching for his katana. “Oyakata-sama!”

“We can't guarantee that she won't attack humans. We cannot prove it.” The Oyakata-sama agreed calmly. “That said… we also can't prove that she will attack humans.”

That elicited a very large intake of breath from a certain hashira.

“The fact is that Nezuko has refrained from devouring humans for more than two years, as well as the fact that there are three people risking their lives for her. To reject this notion, those who reject it must offer an even more convincing argument.” The Oyakata-sama turned his head to mimic looking at all the Slayers in front of him. “Do you all have the will to do so?”

With only a couple frustrated mutters and looks, he continued, “also, there's something I'd like to relay to you, my children. Tanjiro here has met Kibutsuji.” 

The silence quickly dissolved into everyone arguing, trying to get the boy to look at them and answer their burning questions, including many from Shinazugawa, Uzui, and even Tokitou, who Iguro could swear he heard a “did you fight him?” through the chaos. 

Iguro felt a boiling rage towards Uzui overflow him as he saw Tomioka shuffle around the other hashira and help Kanroji up, as it seemed with all the excitement, Uzui had knocked her over. Something that diverted his attention, however, was the fact that the boy almost tried to squirm away from the hashira’s imposing glares, as Shinazugawa had reached over to grab his hair and shake his head, beckoning for answers. Tomioka quickly ended it as he grabbed onto Shinazugawa’s forearm, making the Wind Hashira let go of the kid as Tomioka quietly asked if the kid was okay before bowing again.

Kamado looked over at Iguro across Tomioka, who only gave the kid the filthiest glare he could. And it was pretty filthy. He then looked over at Shinazugawa, right next to him. The Oyakata-sama raised a hand, and everything went back to just the rustle of leaves and chirping birds.

“Kibutsuji has sent pursuers after Tanjiro. Though his purpose may simply be to silence him, now that Kibutsuji's given himself away for the first time, I don't want to let go.” Oyakata-sama explained. “I also believe something's happening to Nezuko that Kibutsuji never saw coming. Can you try to understand?”

“No, I can't understand, Master. If it were human, I'd be okay with letting it live, but not a demon!” Shinazugawa burst, literally shaking with rage next to Iguro. “Not after all that we the Demon Slayers have gone through in battle! Not after so many people have lost their lives, it's unacceptable!”

Iguro and the other hashira watched in shock as Shinazugawa drew his blade, making a thin cut on his forearm as blood began to drip out of it. “Oyakata-sama, I will prove it to you myself! The sheer ugliness of a demon!”

“Sanemi…” even the Oyakata-sama seemed too shocked to say anything.

“Hey, demon!” Shinazugawa stormed around Kamado to the box, kicking Tomioka out of the way and making him fall similarly to Kanroji. Iguro felt his rage spike. He hadn’t given that much anger in a single day for… years. Iguro could easily punch Shinazugawa away and grab the box, protecting it for Tomioka.

“Giyuu-san!” The kid gasped. “Nezuko!”

Nevermind. 

“It's time to eat!” Shinazugawa picked the box up by the straps, stabbing through it. A loud squeal erupted from the box as nichirin met flesh and back out the wood. “Sink your teeth in this! No need to force yourself to hold back.”

“Just show us your true colours and I'll obliterate you right here!” He cackled as he threw the box to the ground, out of Tomioka’s reach and stalked over to it, dripping blood all over it.

“Nezuko!” The Kamado boy screamed, struggling against the ropes that helped Tomioka prevent him from doing something idiotic. Iguro hadn’t even seen him grab onto the Kamado boy’s ropes, much less when the kid started to struggle. Once the demon died, then the kid could live a peaceful life, and maybe Tomioka would be alright.

“Shinazugawa, it's no good doing it in the sunlight.” Iguro stared down Shinazugawa. “So calm down.”

The gears seemed to turn in the Wind Hashira’s head. “Oyakata-sama, please forgive this discourtesy.”

Iguro was about to ask what the fuck he meant, until the hashira’s zorii were swiftly kicked off as he grabbed the box and jumped into the Ubuyashiki Estate and tossed the box down deep inside the room, making the demon inside grunt with every sharp turn. 

Shinazugawa strolled over, blood leaking down his fingertips with every step as Kamado yelled for him to stop. Iguro looked back to see Tomioka still holding him back using the ropes on his arms, shaking his head in defeat.

“Come on out, demon! Look, it's the human blood you love so much!” Shinazugawa continued with his stabbing asmr, then dripping his blood through the newly-made holes before sticking the edge of his sword under the handle, propping the box open. 

Iguro started to pray that Tomioka would have a nice afterlife. Maybe he would re-meet with his nee-san, and be happy with her up in heaven. There was absolutely no way that the demon was going to resist the Wind Hashira’s infamous marechi blood.

“Nezuko!” Kamado kept screaming, voice becoming hoarse but with no intention to stop.

“Damn, that kid’s really grating my ears.” Uzui complained.

Tomioka then took his other hand and slapped the back of Kamado’s head. “Be quiet.”

Iguro could see that the kid’s mouth was still half open, but after a second of thought he closed it tight, going to only stare intently at the scene before him. “Ne…zu- ko…” he hissed through his teeth.

Iguro watched, horror pushed down deep inside him to prevent himself from feeling it at all, as the demon emerged. Her pink kimono was stained with blood, blooming around her clothes like flowers as she clenched her fists, hair almost levitating as her gaze fixed on Shinazugawa’s crazed look and outstretched arm.

“What's stopping you? Come closer, you want it, right?” Shinazugawa continued with his coaxing, twisting his arm so a splatter of his blood hit her obi, making her flinch away.

Iguro could see her struggling. Usually, he would believe whatever Tomioka said, as the man was a much more logical person than empathetic, though the demon in front of them all was struggling greatly, Shinazugawa’s blood on her hand as her glowing pink eyes glared at him.

“Please, Nezuko!” Pleaded Kamado, struggling against his bonds. Iguro could tell he’d held his tongue long enough. “You’re my imouto! Nii-chan’s here for you! Please!”

Iguro was about to go up and hit him as well, when the two siblings did incredible things one by one. First, the boy literally ripped the thick bindings, making Tomioka only grip threads as the kid went dashing up to the side of the engawa, still pleading with his sister. Next, the demon girl did one of the most spectacular things he had ever witnessed. She snapped her gaze away from the marechi, releasing a sound of disgust as she panted, drool still leaking down her chin.

Pure silence took over as everyone looked around as if they were the only one to see the phenomenon, the Kamado kid breathing a sigh of relief as his imouto recovered from the stab wounds.

“What happened?” The Oyakata-sama finally asked.

“The demon girl is resisting by turning away.” The other girl, who didn't read the letter, described. “Although she was stabbed thrice by Lord Shinazugawa and even though there's a bloodied arm in front of her, the demon girl still refuses to bite him.”

“So we have sufficient evidence that Nezuko won't attack humans, right?” Smiled Oyakata-sama. “Tanjiro.”

The boy looked over to him. “Even so, there will be people who remain suspicious of Nezuko. You have to back it up with evidence. From now on, the two of you will fight and contribute to the cause as members of the Demon Slayer Corps.”

Kamado’s tense shoulders relaxed with each word as he went down into a formal bow, face probably touching the rocks. Iguro could see the Kagaya-effect working its spell on the teenager. “If you go and kill a Twelve Kizuki, Tanjiro, you will get accepted by all. You will also have some more weight in your words.”

The Kamado kid rose from the bow. “Me… me and Nezuko will do everything in our power to help stop Kibutsuji Muzan and his cycle of grief for good, taking down every single kizuki along the way!”

“As you’re still healing from Lower Rank Five, Tanjiro, I suggest you start with another Lower Rank, all right?” The Oyakata-sama gently reminded, to which Kamado responded enthusiastically in a place where Iguro could've committed seppuku in shame. Well, he probably shouldn't make those jokes from then on…

The other hashira tried to hide their smirks or small laughter, only stopped by Rengoku. “A good attitude to have!”

“The hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps have outstanding talents, to say the least.” Oyakata-sama spoke over the giggles. “They have poured blood, sweat, and tears to prepare themselves for the worst so that they can vanquish the Twelve Kizuki. Remember this, okay? That is how the hashira gained respect and deference.”

“Yes, sir!” The Kamado kid sat up straight.

“With that, Sanemi…” he turned towards the Wind Hashira crouched inside, sword put away with the demon huffing at him from inside her box, “don't be so harsh on juniors.”

“As you wish, Oyakata-sama.” Shinazugawa blushed a deep pink as he bent over further to hide it, something that almost seemed unnatural for such a scary looking guy like him. Then again, he hadn’t expected a scary sounding guy like him to actually be only three centimetres taller than him.

“I’m sure my children are becoming hot under the summer sun, so we shall move indoors.” Oyakata-sama explained. “Tanjiro, this is all in regards to you and your imouto.”

“If I may make a request,” Kochou raised a dainty hand, “that Tanjiro-kun be handed over to the Butterfly Mansion for care?”

“Yes, please take them away.” Nodded the Oyakata-sama. The kakushi came dashing through, swiftly excusing themselves before taking the boy and the box, then apologising again as they sped off.

The Ubuyashiki girls then went to accompany their father to the door, when some commotion started and idiotic Kamado came sprinting back.

“Please wait a second and allow me to headbutt that guy with a lot of scars as many times as he stabbed my sister!” He screamed, “I’m going to make him pay for stabbing my imouto! It wouldn’t be against the rules if I just headbutt him, right? To be fair, he did kick Giyuu-san just now!”

The other hashira looked almost as shocked as Shinazugawa, who’d given the kid a weird face as soon as the first sentence left his mouth and continued to grow as the boy continued his rant. The kakushi then attempted to drag him away.

“Is this kid serious?” Muttered Uzui. “Headbutt of all things?”

“His head is as hard as rock.” Tomioka explained. The kakushi began a much larger string of apologies as they put all their strength into dragging the kid away, as Tomioka fixed his attention on that situation. “Tanjiro! Go to the Butterfly Mansion, you need rest!”

The kid stopped for a second, giving the kakushi a boost, before he yelled back, “I’m sorry, Giyuu-san, but I have to get my revenge fresh! Please let me at him!”

“Tanjiro…” the Oyakata-sama said, giving a small smile, “give my regards to Tamayo-san.”

Kamado melted into enough shock that the kakushi were able to hoist him into their back again, speeding off. Whoever Tamayo was made the kid forget about the guy who stabbed his sister multiple times. He started to yell for the Oyakata-sama and for the kakushi to let him go, voices getting quieter as they left the courtyard and mansion.

The Oyakata-sama gave off a small giggle as the girls led him back inside, shutting the doors after themselves. Silence followed the final snap, unlike usual where everyone got up to socialise as they all gathered their thoughts.

Tomioka got up first, going to collect the stray bits of rope scattered near him. With a large glare, Iguro followed right after and stomped on the final piece of cable on the ground, making Tomioka stop and look up at him.

Iguro couldn't even describe the rage simmering throughout his entire body, poison steaming out of his blood. He wanted to break something. He wanted to kill something. He’d never really felt rage similar before, more just pure desperation for survival, as Rengoku Shinjuro and the Oyakata-sama explained to him.

“Oi, Tomioka,” Glowered Iguro, “now that we know the kid’s story, I’m very interested in yours.”

“Iguro.” Tomioka said. A pause entered the courtyard as birds chirped. Iguro loosened his fists, bringing his right hand to Tomioka’s face in a harsh slap of skin.

“Tomioka, what the fuck are you thinking?!” Iguro yelled, hand still outstretched, then as a fist. “Protecting a goddamn demon?! Committing seppuku for something not even nature can control?! How fucking stupid are you?!”

Iguro decided not to take notice of the fact that Tomioka was clutching his left cheek, face still turned to the ground. “Why would you ever do that?! You’re a fucking shitty hashira, and you act like it! You didn’t even try to stop Shinazugawa from literally making you, a former hashira, and a teenager kill yourselves!”

“And this has been going on for two years?!” Iguro laughed almost insanely, making the other hashiras shuffle back at the unexpected rage. Usually the Snake Hashira would glower from a distance or make a snarky remark. “Did you know when we first met? Did you forget to tell me in a letter? If this random demon ate a human, then the next Hashira Meeting you would be dead with no explanation?! Is that what you want to be known for, ‘first hashira to kill themselves for some random ass demon’ it’s like you actually want to fucking die! How long ago did you spare the demon?! Did you know anything about them between then and now?!”

A halt in sound before a quiet answer. “I saved them two and a half years ago. I visited them monthly to spot progress.”

Iguro couldn’t speak for a second. “Did Oyakata-sama know about this shit?”

“I wrote him reports.” Tomioka answered calmly, still facing downwards.

“And me?” Scoffed Iguro. “You couldn’t spare a work associate into this bullshit?”

“I had an idea of how you would react.” Tomioka shrunk into himself slightly. “You proved me right.”

“You fucking bitch!” Iguro swept his foot towards Tomioka, a swift crack being heard with a few gasps a second later. “I can’t believe you! You hide a fucking demon from basically everyone fighting to kill them all! You’re supposed to be a pillar to this organisation, but you’re a lousy, rotten hashira who stopped being a great swordsman a really long time ago!”

“Huh? You have anything to say for yourself?!” Iguro shoved his foot to Tomioka’s other side. “Fucking look at me and answer, Tomioka!”

Silence then rang loud through the courtyard.

“Iguro… how hard did you kick him?” Kochou interrupted the hush.

“Kochou-” Iguro started, until he realized- Kochou had not simply called him Iguro since her nee-san died. It was always ‘Iguro-san’ since then. When he looked back at Tomioka, the man had released all the gathered ropes and clutched his injuries, not moving an inch as Iguro degraded him. He couldn’t even tell if his friend was crying or if his face was twisted into pain. “I meant for it to hurt.”

After a second, Tomioka slid his hand off of his left cheek and began to gather up the scattered ropes around him, face still turned towards the ground.

“Tomioka.” Iguro raised his voice. “Oi. Tomioka.”

He continued to pointedly ignore the other hashira, picking up all the string again as Iguro stepped off the final piece of cord, storming into the estate with a loud slam of the doors.

----

“Is there anything else before we end this Hashira Meeting?” The Oyakata-sama asked politely.

“Ah, yes.” Kochou nodded. “I would like to have Tomioka-san and Shinazugawa-san admitted to the Butterfly Mansion for a quick check-up, due to both of them extraordinarily obtaining injuries at today’s Hashira Meeting.”

“Oh?” The Oyakata-sama tilted his head, as Iguro remembered that he couldn’t see Shinazugawa mutilating himself or Tomioka getting kicked. “May I ask what happened?”

A harsh silence overtook the room, until Uzui quickly whispered. “Iguro slapped and kicked Tomioka.”

“It was really, really loud.” Himejima inputted.

“It looked like it hurt.” Kanroji added in the same volume. “Mentally and physically.”

“There’s still a red handprint on his face.” Noticed Tokitou.

“Iguro spent the next five minutes insulting him.” Shinazugawa mumbled.

“What are we whispering about?” Rengoku yelled.

“Iguro-san then kicked Tomioka-san’s side.” Kochou analysed with her normal volume. “I would like to look at that in case Iguro-san fractured or dislocated one of Tomioka-san’s ribs, along with the slap and treat Shinazugawa-san’s self-harm injury better than he could in five minutes.”

“I did fine, and it’s not-... self-harm…” Shinazugawa trailed off quietly as the Oyakata-sama held up a hand, silencing them.

“Obanai. Giyuu. Is this true?” Oyakata-sama’s tone was so disappointed that Iguro felt his body burn in shame.

“Yes, Oyakata-sama.” Iguro could really commit seppuku at that moment.

“Yes, Oyakata-sama.” Tomioka copied.

“Giyuu. Your friends worry for you, and try to look out for you.” The Oyakata-sama began. “They want to know more about you and how you feel, or things that are weighing you down. Please try to express yourself to them.”

“Yes, Oyakata-sama.” Tomioka repeated.

“Obanai. I am glad that you are expressing yourself, though not at the expense of your friends and coworkers.” The Oyakata-sama continued. “Please try and resolve things between fellow Corps members peacefully.”

“Yes, Oyakata-sama.” Iguro looked downwards.

“Sanemi.” The Oyakata-sama finished. “Your determination to reach set goals is admirable, though the methods you use are sometimes questionable, as you instinctively resort to violence and harm. Please do not go to such extreme measures to simply prove a point.”

“Yes, Oyakata-sama.” Shinazugawa bowed down.

“Then I call this Hashira Meeting dismissed.” The Oyakata-sama stood up with the help of the same two daughters. “Shinobu, please treat Giyuu and Sanemi at the Butterfly Mansion. Goodnight.”

The door clicked shut a few seconds after.

----

It had been four months.

Iguro would look every time a crow flew by, instinctively reach out to take a letter from Yuuan or Kanzaburo only to find orders for a new mission or another hashira checking up on him. He mainly spent time with Kanroji since the last Hashira Meeting, going out to eat or other little things she wanted to try. It almost seemed like Kaburamaru was starting to get a bit lonely without Tomioka around, even if he hissed rudely at the Water Hashira every time they met.

Kochou had conversationally added that Tomioka only had a cracked rib and was let out of the Butterfly Mansion a little less than a week after the meeting, where even though Iguro didn’t ask, she knew exactly what he was wondering. He’d only scratched his shoulder a fortnight after that Hashira Meeting, where Kochou scolded him for being careless.

Iguro seemed to have… more of those mishaps throughout the nights on patrol. Every drop of toxic blood spilled out of him would only harm the world. He’d only shared his thoughts about that to a single person, which wasn’t even the Oyakata-sama and had happened about two months after the Hashira Meeting.

Fucking Uzui. That’s who it was. The guy couldn’t mind his own business, dragging Iguro along to go drinking in some shady pub in a random village. They were the only ones there, the staff going into the back as Uzui just chatted along. Iguro didn’t really understand why, but Uzui’s voice just seemed to grate on him in a way that Kanroji or Tomioka didn't.

Then, he’d somehow steered his own conversation towards Iguro’s sense of dressing, calling it drab and to bring out his eyes more and possibly get rid of the snake. Iguro was about to defend Kaburamaru as Uzui reached forward, ripping the bandages off.

Iguro could’ve killed the motherfucker if he wasn’t so appalled.

Uzui seemed to feel the same, spouting off about his own childhood of killing his siblings as he looked away in embarrassment for his actions while Iguro hurriedly rewrapped his bandages, gave a slight explanation, got up, and left.

They hadn’t talked since. Iguro sicced Kaburamaru on that glamourous crow, scaring it and the letter in its beak off every single time.

“Oi, shithead.” Someone called, Iguro keeping his head down as he kept walking in a market through a village he was passing by. “Dick-for-brains. Oi. Iguro.”

That made him look up, to see a familiar hashira with an open shirt standing beside him. “Didn’t realize that you weren’t looking in a mirror, Shinazugawa. What do you want?”

“Fuck you.” Huffed Shinazugawa, walking along with Iguro. “Anything about Tomioka?”

“Why do you wanna know, scar-face?” Iguro scoffed. “You wanna slap him as well?”

“Already kicked him.” Shrugged Shinazugawa. “Seriously, you talk to him since then?”

“What’re you doing here, Shinazugawa.” Iguro sighed. “I wouldn’t fucking give you gossip about the Kamado demon, even if I knew anything.”

Shinazugawa frowned deeper at the word demon . “Your performance’s been going down since that meeting. Oyakata-sama wanted me to check in on you.”

“Should have sent Tomioka to do it himself, then.” Glowered Iguro. “Do you know anything about him?”

“He’s on a mission,” Shinazugawa answered, “some south-east island. Could be a kizuki if we’re lucky.”

“Alone?” Iguro clenched his fist under his haori. “What south-east island?”

“Dunno about either of those,” Shinazugawa paused a step to look at something in a vendor before falling back into step with the Snake Hashira, “but your bad patrols are the main reason I’m here. Kochou has a lot of shit about psycholo-”

“I don’t need a mental asylum, Shinazugawa, I’m a hashira.” Scoffed Iguro. “I feel like you might need solitary confinement for that bitchy personality, though.”

“At least I can do my job,” Shinazugawa shot back, “unlike you, Iguro. Get your game up or else you’re gonna get very politely fired.”

They stopped at a stall, where Shinazugawa paid for a small watermelon before they continued. “Watermelon?”

“It’s my favourite food.” The Wind Hashira carried so gently that it shocked Iguro even more with how unexpected the aggressive hashira was. “But I’m pretty sure that Tomioka’s also been a bit off as well.” 

“Tomioka? Off?” Iguro rolled his eyes. “That’s just normal Tomioka.”

“Yeah, but a weird off.” Shinazugawa made a gesture with his free hand. “You know?”

“I’ll just take your word on it.” Sighed Iguro. “So this is my warning?”

“Yeah, Oyakata-sama gave me a whole speech to tell you about how you’re doing great, all friends have their rough patches, all that stuff.” Shinazugawa pulled out a folded piece of paper. “I improvised and still got the job done.”

“Hey, Shinazugawa.” Iguro eyed the paper. “Could I have that?”

“What?” Shinazugawa looked at him. “No, fuck off, Oyakata-sama gave it to me .” Iguro then attempted to snatch the paper, Shinazugawa reacting faster by holding the paper up and making Iguro try to climb up him, grabbing at the Wind Hashira’s hair and at the paper.

“Oi, stop being gay in the middle of the street!” A stall-keeper called out, making Iguro and Shinazugawa stop immediately, stuck in that position for a few seconds. Getting off of him, Iguro could see Shinazugawa’s face had turned a dark pink as he gripped the letter in his hand. Iguro could see that he was about to blow up at the man, so he quickly grabbed at the white haori and rushed away.

“-that fucking bastard, with all his-” Iguro could hear the spiteful muttering behind him as he dragged Shinazugawa away from the village, reaching the outskirts of town.

“Shinazugawa, no one gives a shit.” Sighed Iguro as he let go of Shinazugawa’s arm. “Let it go.”

“Fuck off, Iguro.” Shinazugawa gave Iguro a death stare.

“Enjoy your watermelon,” Iguro called back, walking away.

----

Unfortunately, the next time he saw either hashira talked about was at a funeral the next week.

Well, more of a public service rather than the familial funeral and burying.

“He was a good man.” Shinazugawa nodded over Uzui’s loud sobbing with his wives consoling him after two hours straight of crying. The other hashira had already filtered through, Tokitou paying respects for a guy he probably didn’t remember and Himejima staying for what was most likely hours praying to ensure a safe journey to the afterlife. Kouchou and the other butterfly girls came at different time periods to ensure that the Butterfly Mansion wasn’t left completely staffless, along with other nameless slayers paying their respects to such an amazing person. 

“He really went too soon.” Iguro agreed. “Do you know how he died?”

“Oyakata-sama’s been keeping it hush-hush right now,” Shinazugawa replied quietly, “but I’m pretty sure it’s an Upper Rank.”

“Upper Rank?!” Iguro whisper-screamed, turning to face the Wind Hashira. “We haven’t seen one of those since Kochou Kanae and that Thunder Hashira against Upper Two, right?”

“Yeah.” Nodded Shinazugawa. “To think it was the same Upper Rank twice in a row, until this Upper Rank.”

Iguro went silent for a moment in honour of the late hashiras. “Have you seen Kanroji?”

“Mourning in her apartment, I’d guess.” Suggested Shinazugawa. “You’d know better than me.”

They were interrupted by a different voice crying their eyes out. It sounded much more feminine, though the sniffling and sobs sounded a bit familiar to Iguro, though much sadder than he remembered. The two hashira looked over to see Kanroji with a red face and eyes, tissue to her nose as she was guided over to the gravestone, accompanied by Tomioka helping her with small condolences to the Love Hashira heard between hiccups.

She laid a white chrysanthemum upon her mentor’s grave, Tomioka following with two spider lilies sat upon the hundreds of other flowers for the late Flame Hashira, Rengoku Kyoujurou.

Iguro caught Tomioka’s empty stare, where the eyes which had gained a hopeful glimmer over the past three years was slapped out as he led Kanroji to sit down nearby.

----

It had been over a month and a half after the public service.

The reasoning behind Rengoku’s untimely death was still kept a secret, apart from what Iguro would hope was the remaining Rengoku family, so they could have peace of mind. Iguro visited them with some flowers soon after, getting around to thanking Shinjurou for saving him and telling the Senjuro kid about his aniki. 

Iguro was assigned a mission with some kanoe-ranked member, who was probably going to be dragging Iguro down but was still needed due to the possible kizuki’s tendency to devour brightly-coloured teenagers, especially in the eyes and hair categories.

What Iguro hadn’t expected was all the screaming that came along with it.

Hopefully he wasn’t like that when he was a kanoe.

“Gyaaaaa!” He screeched. “What do you mean, the demon goes after teens with bright colours! That’s practically like sticking a sign on me saying ‘please eat me’ and I haven’t even married yet!”

He sort of reminded Iguro of a much more pathetic and weak Kanroji.

“Calm down, you have a hashira with you.” Sighed Iguro, rubbing his eyes. “So shut up.”

“Waaaaah, you’re a really creepy man!” He blubbered. “With all the bandages, and that snake! I really hate snakes and spiders!”

Iguro could feel a vein popping out of his forehead. “And you just said that to the Snake Hashira?”

“Buwaaaaahhh, don’t leave me!” The idiot held onto Iguro’s haori, which he swiped away before any snot or tears could get on it. “I’m sorry! Just don’t let me die! I’ll try to stop being annoying, so just protect me!”

“Don’t slow me down, Agatsuma.” Grumbled Iguro as he stalked forward, the kid stumbling after him.

Gods, Iguro hated children.

Just as he thought that, a caw from above made Iguro impulsively reach his hand out, ready for the rough landing of Yuuan or the clumsy one of Kanzuburo, only to have gracefully soft talons land on his haori. The other slayer jumped back as the crow let Iguro take the letter in her beak.

Iguro read through it quickly, seeing that Kanroji wanted to try a new izakaya restaurant she’d found north of the Love Estate set in a more sombre tone of language as she signed the letter off. It wasn’t Tomioka’s structured and professional-like letter awkwardly asking Iguro to go somewhere he’d seen, like he’d never written a letter that wasn’t meant to be filed into a report.

“Who’s crow is that? It’s making you sound sad.” Agatsuma said, tilting his head to the side. Iguro hit his head. “Ow!”

“None of your business, Agatsuma.” Iguro wrote back a response on the side of a nearby wall, tied it up, and handed it to the crow who’d perched on a fence nearby.

“I’m sorry…” he sighed quietly, watching the bird fly away as he kept walking. “I will tell you of my love in our next life…”

“Isn’t that sort of drab?” Agatsuma groaned. “Making a girl wait that long.”

“How did you even hear-” Iguro spun around.

“I know we’re probably gonna die young with this job,” Agatsuma explained, “but isn't that more the reason to use the time you have now?”

“Who cares about my death,” Iguro looked at the path ahead, “I’ll worry more about them over me. If that was all it was, I’d have confessed ages ago.”

“I… see.” Agatsuma didn’t sound sure, whispering a ‘so you like the sick and ill ones, I guess I can see the appeal’ which was inaudible to the Snake Hashira. “If your situation makes it so you can’t say it in person, then… why not just say it in your dreams?”

Iguro was about to reply with how stupid that was, when Agatsuma continued. “Listen- I might be a coward, but I’m a really lucid dreamer- I’ve gotten good at it! In dreams, the shackles of real life go away.”

“Are you implying that a hashira is a coward?” Iguro responded.

“No!” Agatsuma gave him an offended glance. “ I’m the expert around here in cowardice. The fear fades, and I can be the person I want to be for others.”

They’d stopped in the middle of the road, clouds above reflecting orange and pink hues. Iguro processed his words, as he was probably speaking from experience. “Hm. Come on, we’ve got a possible kizuki to catch.”

“Wait, you didn’t say anything about a kizuki?!” Agatsuma shrieked. “Wait up! What if it’s an Upper Rank or something?! Hey! That’s not entirely impossible anymore!”

----

Things had gotten really quiet among the hashira after the funeral.

Iguro worked especially hard, pushed himself further, killed demons faster and strived to fill in the hole that Rengoku left on all the hashira.

At the Hashira Meeting a week after the mission with Agatsuma, the Oyakata-sama revealed that Rengoku had actually died due to Upper Rank Three. The hashiras nodded in sympathy, mumbling about how there should’ve been more hashira on that mission or other similar things.

The meeting went as a blur, everyone getting up to stretch and chat with each other once it ended as Iguro Breathed and walked over to Tomioka, who was stretching his arms. Iguro waited for the stretch to end, Tomioka then turned to face him.

That time, he really kept the poker face up without changing to any sort of shock. “Hello?”

“Tomioka, would you like to have dinner with me? There’s a nice restaurant serving sake-daikon near the Snake Estate.” Tempted Iguro. Just Breathe. ‘The fear fades, and I can be the person I want to be for others.’

“Sure.” Tomioka nodded slowly. “Tonight?” 

“Okay.” Iguro agreed.

----

The dinner was awkward, to say the least.

Iguro had worn a yukata that he’d gotten on a shopping trip with Tomioka and Kanroji months ago, the one with plain dotted design with Tomioka wearing one they got on the same trip. They’d gone through the dinner with silence, Iguro not touching anything as Tomioka ate his dish slowly.

Usually, it would give him a small smile, but Iguro’s past actions due to his foul blood must have made it taste bad, even for Tomioka.

“I’m sorry.” Iguro said when Tomioka was down to the last parts of his bowl. “I got angry.”

A silence enveloped the two of them in their small, private eating room. It was a fancier restaurant, where Iguro had specifically reserved a room for them to not be interrupted by random civilians who would take his apology the wrong way by listening in.

“We’d made a lot of progress, becoming friends, learning about each other, loosening up…” Iguro trailed off, gathering his thoughts, “and then that bombshell got dropped on me. It just got too overwhelming, and I took it out on you.”

Tomioka sat and watched Iguro speak. “My entire life is dedicated to annihilating demons. And then my best friend goes and saves one, then offers to kill himself over this random-ass demon, who he’s never mentioned once before, so you sort of seem in the wrong. Does that sound familiar?”

“I have mentioned her,” Tomioka responded, “she and her nii-san are the two children from the mountain family that got slaughtered. I said that at the hanami, without specifying she’s a demon.”

“I asked if the demon escaped,” Iguro remembered, “and you said that it did. That demon is Muzan, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Tomioka audibly exhaled. “I sent them to Mount Sagiri, where if they made it, Urokodaki-san would train the boy to use Water Breathing.”

“Urokodaki. Isn’t that the other guy who’s gonna…” Iguro mimicked slicing his stomach, “if she eats a human?”

Tomioka nodded. “He also taught me Water Breathing. But Tanjiro made it with Nezuko, and spent two years training.”

“Two years…” Iguro reminisced about his own training. The cultivator Kaneko had told him that he was too small and frail to do any sort of Breathing Style but still taught him the basics, allowing Iguro to create Snake Breathing out of pure spite. He hadn’t expected to become a hashira, though, so Kaneko who retired at a Hinoe level could suck his dick now. “Did you know? Did you visit?”

“I… did.” Tomioka looked down guiltily. “At first, it was from a distance. Tanjiro has a keen sense of smell, similar to my teacher, so he’s already admitted he knew I was there.”

“Ah.” Nodded Iguro. “And you kept your distance?”

“No.” Tomioka shook his head. “After a year, I decided to actually see him and Nezuko.”

“And that's why the kid uses your bottom name?” Iguro asked bitterly.

“You know you can call me Giyuu as well, right?” Tomioka asked. “If you asked Kanroji to call her Mitsuri, I’d bet she'd scream yes.”

“No, that’d be impolite.” Iguro denied. “It’s already slightly impolite to say her bottom name.”

“She gave me permission.” Tomioka shot back.

“Well, she hasn’t for me, and it would still be impolite for me to call either of-” Iguro continued

“You literally just said we were best friends.” Deadpanned Tomioka.

“Yeah, but my blood-” Iguro stopped himself.

“Your blood?” Tomioka leaned over the table. “Is something wrong? Did something happen during a mission, is that why you brought me?”

“No, Tomioka, I’m fine.” Iguro calmed Tomioka. “The blood in my veins is just… tainted.”

“Tainted?” Tomioka repeated after a seconds’ pause. “How? Do you have a disease? Is it genetic, did you catch it?”

“Genetic.” Iguro answered almost immediately. “I grew up on an island called Hachijojima. I was the first boy born in three-hundred-seventy years to the Iguro family.”

“That long?” Tomioka whispered.

“I guess I was pampered, being fed fine foods from the safety of a locked room.” Iguro nodded before continuing. “I didn’t really like it, because the smell from foods like that made me nauseous, and the practically nonexistent ventilation to the room didn’t help.”

Tomioka didn’t interrupt him, as he probably saw it was traumadumping.

“I learnt when I was eleven the real reason behind all the fine food, clothing, the cage.” Iguro fidgeted with his hands under the table. “They were raising me up to be slaughtered. Sacrificing kids to a demon was somehow making them rich.”

Iguro closely watched his… friend’s face, watching it contract with slight horror with his words. “I just became more disgusted with them when I learnt that usually they would sacrifice the newborns, but because of my eyes and gender, the demon let me live to give her more… nutrition, if I got older.”

“The first time I actually met the demon, she’d requested some of my blood.” Iguro shivered. Was he really about to tell someone? “So my sisters and cousins, aunts and grandmothers held me down as others cut my face, pouring the blood into a bowl to feed her. They’d carved up my face to make me look more like her.”

He could see the realisation in Tomioka’s body language. “I bandaged my injury and a snake came crawling into my cage. The demon they were housing did look like a snake, so I wasn’t surprised, but he guided me out of there.” Kaburamaru hissed proudly, both for past Iguro and present Iguro.

“I should’ve stayed.” Iguro glanced up at Tomioka before looking down at his lap. “Then they wouldn’t’ve been killed by that demon. I should’ve been sacrificed rather than have freedom.”

“Safety, as well.” Tomioka said instantly after. “You left for freedom and safety, and that’s all that matters.”

“I… she noticed I was gone quickly, then started chasing me.” Iguro shuddered. “When Rengoku Shinjurou decapitated her, saving me. He brought me back to the house, where I saw one of my cousins covered in blood and screaming for me.”

“Oh, no.” Tomioka murmured.

“She’s… the reason I know that the demon killed all fifty of my relatives once she found out I’d escaped, and given me the chase after.” Iguro wanted to shrink. “I was born to a clan of selfish, amoral people and I copied all those traits by letting them die to save myself.”

A heavy air settled inside the room.

“Iguro.” Tomioka’s voice cracked. “They had it coming.”

“I let them die, Tomioka, what do you want me to say?” Iguro scoffed. “That the reason they died wasn’t because I left, the demon just decided enough was enough and killed them?!”

“Iguro, this is not your fault.” Tomioka said instantly. “I will never, never be able to understand that kind of trauma, or how you dealt with it. But that is not your fault. You cannot control that.”

“I was born to a clan of selfish, amoral people and I copied all those traits by letting them die to save myself.” Iguro admitted again. “What do you want me to feel?!”

“I want you to feel accomplished in what you’ve done for yourself.” Tomioka found his answer. “I don’t want you to be weighed down by this, your past bringing down what you’ve made for yourself. They don’t deserve to do this to you, to make you think that way, look that way. You need to stop looking at the world in black and white. You're not evil because they were. I'm not completely good because of the rules I've broken.”

“I don’t deserve to be the Snake Hashira.” Iguro firmly declared.

When he looked up, he could see pure, cold horror in Tomioka’s eyes, staring at Iguro.

“I don’t deserve to be the Water Hashira.” Tomioka exhaled finally.

“What?!” Iguro gaped at the man. “We’re like that spiderman meme.”

“Huh?” Tomioka narrowed his eyes.

“You totally deserve to be a hashira,” Iguro deflected, “you’re an amazing hashira, you’ve even made a completely new form to Water Breathing.”

“That’s nothing compared to an entirely new Breathing Style,” Tomioka compared. “You were in a cage for the first… eleven years? Of your life, and you became a hashira at eighteen.”

“You became one at sixteen, seventeen?” Iguro scoffed. “That’s a great achievement, along with the fact that you’ve survived that position for five years with no visible injury.”

“I don’t deserve to be a hashira.” Tomioka stated. “You do. We can agree with that.”

“I would literally sacrifice myself to protect you, Giyuu.” Iguro tested his name out.

It seemed like Tomioka went into some shock with Iguro’s words, though after a pause regained his composure.

“Iguro. I would rather you live than die for me.” Tomioka said. “And I’d rather die than live without you.”

Another bought of hush fell into the room. “We’ll just be shitty hashira who’ll sacrifice our lives for each other at any given moment together, then.” Decided Iguro. “Sound fair?”

“Also, stop your self-pity.” Added Tomioka. “And you can keep calling me my bottom name without feeling impolite.”

“You can stop hiding things, then.” Iguro reckoned. “Open up a bit more in letters, as well. It’s not a mission report.”

“Deal.” They shook on it, paying for the meal and leaving the restaurant.

----

“Caw! Urgent! Urgent! Sound Hashira, Uzui Tengen needs backup in Yoshiwara!” Yuuan called down at Iguro, flying through the open window and harshly landing on the desk that he was sitting at. “Battling a kizuki and needs help from at least three other hashira!”

“A kizuki?” Iguro raised an eyebrow. “I finally got a night off…”

“Hurry! Hurry! Uzui Tengen, Hashibira Inosuke, Agatsuma Zenitsu, Kamado Tanjiro and Nezuko in critical condition!” Yuuan explained. “Urgent! Yoshiwara!”

“Yoshiwara… that Entertainment District?” Iguro remembered. “Agatsuma and Kamado…”

“Iguro, would you like to try this purin?” Giyuu offered from the next room over. “Is there someone else there?”

Kaburamaru instantly went to try and bite Yuuan, who flew out the window to avoid him. Iguro shut the window. “Nope! Kaburamaru got a bit hungry, that’s all.”

Kaburamaru hissed in disagreement. “This is the first time we’ve been in the same place since the apology dinner, okay?” Iguro reminded. “I’m not going to let Uzui interrupt it with his stupid, ‘urgent’ call. Last time he did that, he thought one of his wives was pregnant so he called a full emergency Hashira Meeting.”

Iguro went back to Giyuu.

----

“Alright, besides each other, who’s your favourite hashira?” Giyuu asked. “Actually, also take Mitsuri out of the list.”

“No Kanroji?” Iguro had to think. “I’d go with… oh, I’m going to regret this, Shinazugawa.”

“Oh, why?” Asked Giyuu.

“Well, he hung out with me for a little bit,” Iguro explained, “when we were…”

“Oh.” Giyuu looked down. “I’d choose Kochou for the same reason.”

“Kochou?” Iguro raised an eyebrow. “You willingly hung out with her? She’s so fake .”

“It was more that she bugged me.” Sighed Giyuu.

“Bugged.” Iguro tried to hide his smile. “Insect Hashira.”

“I didn’t mean to do that,” defended Giyuu, “but I got to know the butterfly girls better.”

“You have a crush on her?” Iguro asked. “Kochou.”

Giyuu gave a weird look. “No. Do you have a crush, Iguro?”

Iguro froze, mouth twisting as he looked away from his friend in embarrassment. “Wait, really?”

“It’s nothing.” Iguro mumbled, hiding his face.

“ You have a crush on Mitsuri.” Giyuu looked rather pleased with himself for figuring it out.

“You’re like, the last hashira to figure it out.” Sighed Iguro. “Other than Kanroji herself.”

“Since when?” Giyuu wondered.

“The hanami. I think.” Iguro guessed. “Maybe even longer before I realised.”

“The- wow.” Giyuu’s jaw slightly dropped. 

“Shut up.” Iguro pushed Giyuu’s jaw up. “Wait, do you have a crush? Not on Kochou?”

“We can focus on that later.” Giyuu deflected. “I want to talk about Mitsuri.”

“Wait, so you do have a crush!” Iguro gasped. “Who is it? It’s not Kanroji, is it?”

“No!” Giyuu looked appalled. “I’d never be able to get a crush on her.”

“And it’s not Kochou, so it’s not a hashira…” Iguro mumbled.

“I’m much more focused on the fact that you have a crush on Mitsuri.” Giyuu poked Iguro. “Do you plan on telling her?”

“No.” Iguro shook his head. “Do you plan on telling your crush?”

“That would end a lot worse than you’d think.” Giyuu sagged. “Worse than if Mitsuri had the guts to reject you.”

“I’m not going to tell her.” Iguro shook his head. “But she’s said it herself, you’re pretty enough to score a nice lady.”

“That’s the problem.” Giyuu muttered. “Anyway, do you think that the other hashira have crushes on each other?”

“Oh my gods I’ve never thought of that.” Iguro blew a puff of air to get rid of some bangs coming into his eyes. “Kochou totally has a crush on you.”

“What?” Giyuu furrowed his brow. “She wouldn’t. She always says she doesn’t like me.”

“Then why does she keep staying around you?” Iguro pointed out. “Making a habit out of it, forcing you to interact with other people, the ‘poke of friendship’ you’ve told me about? That’s some like-like you level stuff.”

“There’s no way.” Giyuu shook his head. “She’s always given me that… sapphic vibe.”

“Sapphic?” Iguro repeated. “Like, she’s a lesbian?”

“I don’t know, she sort of seems that way.” Defended Giyuu. “It’s not bad, just I don’t feel like she would seek marriage from men.”

“Okay…” shrugged Iguro. “I can’t imagine Himejima or Tokitou with crushes, though. It seems a bit unnatural.”

“Really?” Giyuu raised his eyebrows. “I guess you didn’t hear what happened a week ago, then.”

“Wait, what happened?!” Iguro leaned forward.

“Tokitou was standing next to Shinazugawa,” Giyuu cupped his hand, as if he was spreading a secret, “when he said, I quote, ‘Shinazugawa’s otouto kinda cute not gonna lie’ and the realisation that instantly went to Shinazugawa’s face-”

“Oh my gods are you kidding-” Iguro interrupted “-Shinazugawa has a younger brother? And Tokitou likes him?”

“Yes, his name’s Genya, looks sort of scary yet a polite kid, but,” Giyuu bounced his leg, “there was a second of silence as Shinazugawa stared at Tokitou and Tokitou realised that he said that in front of Shinazugawa- amazing.”

“I can’t believe this,” Iguro hugged his knees closer, “this is pure comedy gold.”

“-and then Tokitou started to apologise and say he didn’t mean to speak out loud -” Giyuu held a hand to his mouth, maybe to stifle a smile, “-and Shinazugawa’s voice dropped when he said Tokitou, who started blushing-”

“Gold!” Iguro slapped the futon underneath him. “Oh my gods! Did not expect that from Tokitou of all people!”

“I knowwww,” Giyuu sighed, stuffing his face into his pillow, “he’s so quiet you can’t expect to know what he’s going to say next.”

 “I’m glad he’s acting like a real teenager, first crush and all,” Iguro smiled, “but I didn’t expect him to be homosexual.”

“Really? He’s practically queer-coded.” Giyuu looked up from his pillow. “Baggy clothes, androgynous voice, long hair…”

“Who else do you think is homosexual?” Iguro asked.

“Shinazugawa. Instantly.” Giyuu said, monotone. “Though he could be homophobic at the exact same time.”

“You’re joking- that would be hilarious to watch.” Iguro stared at his friend. “Who else?”

“You’re not gonna like it, but Rengoku seemed like he could’ve possibly liked men.” Giyuu added. “Uzui looks like he could dabble with boys but overall prefer his wives.”

“Oh my god, you’re making all the hashira gay?!” Iguro leaned back. “Like, Tokitou’s the only mostly confirmed one. Seriously, a Shinazugawa Genya? I didn’t even know he existed.”

“There’s one other confirmed homosexual hashira as well…” Giyuu said, fidgeting with the blankets. Iguro looked over, thoughts dashing through his head as he connected the dots.

“Well, you have a lot more candidates for hashira crushes, I guess.” He shrugged. “Please don’t be Uzui.”

“Uzui?!” Giyuu hit the back of Iguro’s head. “I’d much rather go out with Rengoku than him.”

“Well, everyone would rather go out with Rengoku.” Iguro rolled his eyes. “Himejima also seems a bit weird.”

“No!” Giyuu groaned. “Why would I ever go out with Himejima? That’s so weird!”

“If it’s me, then you’re already heartbroken.” Iguro awkwardly looked away, Kaburamaru following.

“No, it’s not you.” Sighed Giyuu.

“Wait, there’s only one other hashira that you could have a crush on.” Iguro recognised. “No. No way. You two hate each other!”

“That’s what makes him appealing, isn’t it?” Giyuu sighed, falling back onto his futon.

“Fucking Shinazugawa?!” Iguro hugged a pillow. “You’re insane, Giyuu, absolutely unhinged!”

“But just look at him!” Pleaded Giyuu. “Isn’t he han-”

“No! No, don’t fucking call him that!” Iguro jumped up. “He looks and acts like a feral fucking chihuahua!” 

“No, but the scars-”

“Ew, ew, ew! He parades around with his shirt half open, that bastard-”

“Like look at his white, windswept hair, though-”

“No! No, this is just wrong! I can’t see it, I won’t allow it!”

“Have you even thought about-”

“No! I have not, Giyuu, stop! I can’t deal with this!”

----

“Do you hear that, Iguro?” Giyuu craned his neck off the floor after their pillow fight. “I think there’s something outside.”

Iguro and Kaburamaru looked up, eyes flitting to the window they chased Yuuan out of a few hours ago. “Probably some wild animal.”

“No, but it sounds like a bird.” Giyuu stood up, only to have Iguro pull him down.

“It’s nothing, we should just enjoy ourselves.” He excused, only to have a loud caw interfere a few seconds later.

“No, that could be a Kasugai Crow,” Giyuu walked over. “What if it has an important message?”

“It’s basically our only night off, best not to ruin it.” Iguro jumped into his way.

“What if it’s the Oyakata-sama?” Giyuu dodged him, opening the window. Yuuan scrambled in, cowering on Giyuu’s shoulder.

“Urgent! Uzui Tengen, Agatsuma Zenitsu, Hashibira Inosuke, Kamado Tanjiro and Nezuko, battling Upper Rank Six in the Yoshiwara District!” Yuuan screeched. “Hurry! Hashibira Inosuke, stabbed! Agatsuma Zenitsu, suffocating! Kamado Nezuko, unconscious! Uzui Tengen, poisoned! Kamado Tanjiro battling Upper Six alone!”

“Well shit.” Iguro muttered, though it was heard throughout the entire room. Giyuu instantly started scrambling to grab his Corps Uniform, dashing off to the bathroom to get changed.

Iguro put on his bandages, grabbed his uniform, and got ready to go.

----

“Sorry for not coming sooner or whatever.” Groaned Iguro as he stood beside Agatsuma’s bed.

“Yeah, be sorry!” He screeched. “My legs are broken !”

“You’ll be fine.” Sighed Iguro. “Not like you’re dead or anything.”

“What?!” Agatsuma wailed. “Because of you, I could have died ! What were you even doing?!”

“I was having a sleepover.” Iguro deadpanned.

“You’re joking.” Agatsuma chuckled. “Tell me you’re fucking joking?!”

“Don’t swear in front of a hashira.” Iguro reminded.

“I almost died because you were having a sleepover?!” He screamed.

“Ara ara, what’s happening here, Iguro-san?” Kochou smiled from the doorway. “Please don’t upset my patients.”

“He’s upsetting himself.” Iguro responded, turning towards her. “I’ll leave now.”

“No! Stay until you’re actually sorry!” Agatsuma attempted to get out of bed, only to be shoved back down by the pigtails-butterfly girl.

“You’re staying in this bed until you can take five steps on your own, Agatsuma!” She shouted, aggressively pulling the covers back over him as Iguro walked out the door.

----

“I heard from Kochou that you visited Agatsuma Zenitsu,” Giyuu started the conversation, “I didn’t know you two knew each other.”

“I needed him for a mission once,” Iguro explained, “and he was the only one who was awake, other than your precious little demon girl. You know anything about Uzui? He’s not actually retiring, is he?”

“I think he is.” Sighed Giyuu. “I visited the Ubuyashiki Estate, where the girls were talking about Uzui handing in his resignation letter.”

“He fucking went through with it.” Iguro murmured. “He actually did it.”

“Yeah.” Nodded Giyuu. “I’m assuming the reason it took so long was because he was still recovering from injuries.”

“An Upper Moon really just died only a month ago, even if it was the lowest.” Iguro breathlessly chuckled. “The Kamado kid has to be supernatural or something.”

“Well, I suppose it’s not a good track record.” Shrugged Giyuu. “The first hashira he goes on a mission with dies to Upper Three, and the next he encounters Upper Six and the hashira with him retires.”

“Oh, that doesn’t look good for him.” Muttered Iguro. “Hope I don’t go on a mission with him when he wakes up.”

Giyuu hit the back of his head. “Tanjiro’s not bad.”

“It doesn’t look good for him, that’s all,” shrugged Iguro, “the whole demon sister thing as well.”

“I also heard from Hinatsuru that Tanjiro headbutted Uzui when they started the mission…” Giyuu added. “It’s really not good. Thankfully, he’s in a coma and going to recover, so his taboo is temporarily on hiatus.”

“Thank fuck, more like.” Hummed Iguro. “I don’t know what I’d do if Kanroji was on a mission with him. Or Shinazugawa, what would you do?”

“Pray that he retires?” Shrugged Giyuu. “He’d be fine. He’s a hashira, one of the strongest. Don’t you have any trust in Mitsuri’s abilities?”

“We lost Rengoku , Giyuu.” Iguro closed his eyes. “Trust isn’t enough. Ever since your Kamado kids’ joined the Corps, things have been happening.”

“That’s why we have to prepare ourselves, then.” Giyuu decided.

----

“And why am I being dragged along?!” Shinazugawa groaned. Iguro resisted the urge to say it was a double date, especially since it was Shinazugawa who insisted on going with them on a hike to the Konpira-san shrine, which had seven-hundred-eighty-five steps from the town below to reach a temple for a sea kami about halfway up the mountain, where the four hashira stood.

“We’re having a nice day.” Sighed Iguro. “Besides, you drove us here.”

“Thank you for bringing us here, Shinazugawa-san!” Mitsuri squealed. “The motorcycle was very fun!”

“Fucking hell, the thing wasn’t made to carry four people!” Shinazugawa snarled.

“Thank you anyway, Shinazugawa.” Thanked Giyuu.

“Fucking whatever.” Shinazugawa glanced at the path ahead. “Let’s get this over quickly so that we can get some decent sleep before patrols.”

“We’re hashira, Shinazugawa.” Iguro reminded. “This should be nothing for us.”

“Besides, we can bond while we go up!” Mitsuri giggled. “Talk about anything with each other!”

“Like your atrocious hair?” Shinazugawa muttered as Mitsuri skipped up the first steps.

“Says the human scratching post.” Iguro shot back as he followed Mitsuri faster, getting away from the Wind Hashira.

“I think your scars look nice.” Iguro heard Giyuu say behind him.

“Fuck you.” That didn’t go well.

----

“Fuck, I change my mind.” Iguro grunted. “This is getting a little hard.”

“It’s so cold during the night that I forgot it’s really fucking hard to go around in the day,” Shinazugawa held onto the railings, “the sun is not helping with the godsdamn heat.”

“I really need water!” Mitsuri announced. “Giyuu, do you have any?”

Giyuu took the canteen out, offering it to the Love Hashira. “Here, Mitsuri.”

“Gyaaa, thank you!” She guzzled the water. “Iguro-san, Shinazugawa-san, would you like some?”

“I’ll live,” Iguro amended, “Shinazugawa?”

“When the fuck did you start on the bottom-name basis?” Shinazugawa asked instead, pushing forwards.

“Oh, months ago.” Mitsuri answered. “I don’t know about Iguro-san, though.”

“Like… a month ago?” Iguro summed up. 

“Wait, so you call each other all by your bottom names?” Asked Shinazugawa.

“Other than Iguro, I think so.” Giyuu answered. “How long have you used Mitsuri’s name?”

“A couple days…” Iguro trailed off.

“Yeah, so it’s just Iguro in your little friend bubble who gets called by his family name?” Shinazugawa pointed out.

“Kyaaa! That’s right!” Mitsuri gasped, daintily fanning herself with her hand. 

“It’s fine,” Iguro shook his head, “I don’t like my bottom name that much.”

“Really?” Giyuu wondered. “I’ve never really thought about it.”

“I practically don’t even use it for myself, anyways.” Iguro assured. “Just Iguro is okay.”

“Well, if you’re sure…” Mitsuri pouted. “Does anybody call other hashira by their bottom names?”

“The fuck?” Shinazugawa handed the canteen back to Giyuu. “No, it’s a professional space.”

“I’m on good terms with Muichirou.” Giyuu said immediately after. “Uzui also told me to call him Tengen, but I wasn’t really sure about that… I used to call Kochou by her bottom name because I forgot she was the only Kochou… but Rengoku has always been Rengoku and I can’t see myself calling Himejima as anything else.”

“Fucking hell.” Shinazugawa leaned back, surprised. “So you get to call most of the hashiras by their bottom names.”

“Well, I don’t really ask to… they just come up and tell me to do it so I tell them to do the same for me.” Giyuu responded.

Mitsuri’s face contorted into shock. “Does that mean you don’t actually want to be called Giyuu?!”

“I don’t mind.” Shrugged Giyuu. “I just don’t really know when to ask, so I use other people as an excuse.”

“What, so if I just told you you could call me Sanemi,” Shinazugawa started, “then you’d tell me to call you Giyuu?”

“Yes.” Giyuu replied instantly. “Was that an invitation?”

“You know what, fuck it.” Shinazugawa cackled. “It was.”

Giyuu nodded in response as he kept watching Shinazugawa rant about something that happened to him recently.

Oh. 

Iguro could see the romantic tension now that he knew about Giyuu. Shinazugawa kept talking, Giyuu watching and nodding along, and Iguro could see why they clicked, even if it wasn’t so noticeable at first. 

Shinazugawa wanted to be heard, and Giyuu loved to listen. Where Shinazugawa was brash, Giyuu was calm, colliding and balancing each other out in the way that the wind would help waves reach shore. Giyuu mostly used Water Breathing as a defence, and Shinazugawa mostly used Wind Breathing as an offence. Giyuu was unsure when it came to human interactions, leading for every action to be determined with consideration and care, something that Shinazugawa was practically the opposite of, saying whatever was on his mind and not caring about the aftermath. 

Iguro could see the way Giyuu looked at Shinazugawa was different from how he looked at Mitsuri, or at Tokitou or anybody else. Where Iguro had met Giyuu with his broken eyes and slowly mended them to be alive, Shinazugawa achieved the same accomplishment in a couple seconds by genuinely smiling.

He’d also suppose that when Shinazugawa got too emotional and hysterical, ready to start stabbing mercilessly, Giyuu’s logical side would help tether him back to earth in a way that possibly only Oyakata-sama could accomplish, while using blunt honesty to understand Shinazugawa in a way that probably not a lot of people could.

Also, it really seemed like nobody else could tolerate Shinazugawa’s bad attitude.

Actually, Iguro thought about it more. They were actually perfect for each other, both were so emotionally stunted that practically nothing could go wrong. 

Iguro looked up from his line of thought to see Mitsuri laughing at a beet-red Shinazugawa next to Giyuu with an amused glint in his eye. “It’s not funny!”

“What’s not funny, Shinazugawa?” Iguro asked.

“Muichirou called Shina- Sanemi ‘Genya’ the last time they saw each other,” Giyuu explained, “which means either Muichirou is actually spending enough time with Genya to mistake the brothers or he did it out of spite.”

“He’s not my brother!” Shinazugawa snapped as Iguro also started to laugh.

“Don’t worry, they’re both sweet kids.” Giyuu comforted. “Genya especially.”

“I know.” Shinazugawa mumbled as Iguro skipped a step to get beside him.

“Never met him.” Iguro announced in his normal tone.

“Oh.” Giyuu remembered.

“Don’t worry, I haven’t either!” Mitsuri shook her head, the light blush of heat on her face making Iguro’s own face heat up more as well.

“Halfway up the mountain from here.” Giyuu shared, pointing at a sign.

“Gods-fucking-damnit.” Shinazugawa cursed.

----

“Are we almost there?” Whined Mitsuri.

“Look, there’s a torii,” Giyuu pointed up ahead, where a stone one sat on top of the steps they were climbing.

“No, Kanroji.” Groaned Shinazugawa. They’d passed through the gate, making their way around a curve. “The view isn’t even nice. It’s just trees and dirt.”

“It’s historical, Shinazugawa,” sighed Iguro, “but you’ve probably knocked your head so many times that you can’t tell.”

“Iguro!” Mitsuri gasped.

“Sorry, Mitsuri.” Iguro said.

“Well, what about me, fuckhead?!” Shinazugawa snapped.

“He doesn’t mean it.” Giyuu added, though Iguro couldn’t tell who he was talking about.

“You wanna fucking go now, To- Giyuu?!” Shinazugawa turned around, fists clenched.

“Please, stop fighting!” Mitsuri tried to get between the two, a seething Wind Hashira against the undisturbed Water Hashira three steps apart. Iguro could almost admire just how patient Giyuu was, taking Shinazugawa’s attitude with a cool head and not budging a bit against Shinazugawa’s harsh winds. He was pretty strong for doing that.

“Hey, there’s the top.” Iguro pointed out once they got around the corner. “There’ll be more sunlight for Kaburamaru to rest in up there.”

“Fucking finally!” Shinazugawa seemed to completely forget Giyuu, quickening his pace to get there first as Mitsuri followed excitedly, leading for Giyuu and Iguro to catch up as well.

They were the last up, Mitsuri and Shinazugawa already enjoying the view from the edge of a cement fence. “Look, Iguro, Giyuu, you can see the town we were just in!”

The two other hashiras went to look, seeing the drop from the mountain covered in trees, the small houses visible up until mountains blocking the horizon. The sun beat down on them all, making Kaburamaru relax on Iguro’s shoulders as they went up to the huge temple in front of the stairs.

“Should we… pray?” Shinazugawa offered.

“Of course!” Mitsuri took out some coins, going up more steps to get into the temple. The three boys watched as she flipped her coin into the saisen-bako before bowing deeply twice and clapping her hands the same amount of times as she paused, making a wish before bowing again and rejoining the group.

Shinazugawa went up next, repeating Mitsuri’s process as Giyuu asked her what Mitsuri had wished for. She whispered back a reply, which made Giyuu’s motionless face gain a small shocked expression before muttering back into her ear. 

Fine. If they wanted to keep secrets, then they’d keep secrets. Iguro huffed as Kaburamaru rubbed against his cheek, comforting him. Iguro brushed past Shinazugawa as he went up and flipped a coin into the offerings box, reminding himself in his head what to do before pressing his hands together in prayer for his wish.

‘I wish that Mitsuri and I can go to see the ocean together one day,’ Iguro thought. On the way up, Giyuu had explained that since the shrine they were going to was a sea god who would protect sailors and harbours, they should wish for something ocean-related, so Iguro incorporated it into his wish.

Iguro stepped down as Giyuu went to do his part and the other three started to look around.

“Uwaa, it’s so pretty!” Mitsuri was still looking down at the nearby village, moving from in front of the shrine to the edge of the balcony again. Shinazugawa huffed as he sat down under some shade, the sunlight filtering through the leaves as he sat on the first steps down.

Iguro went over to Mitsuri, enjoying the cool winds that reached them on the mountain as the sun warmed them up. He watched as her hair tumbled with each breeze, how every so often she’d reach a hand up to brush some bangs out of her vibrant green eyes which were scanning the village below. 

“Hey, we found some shops over there selling omamori and omikuji.” Giyuu appeared beside him. “Me and Sanemi are going to check it out if you two are going to come.”

It still felt so weird that someone as terrifying and fear-inducing as a scarred Shinazugawa with a crazed expression and deadly blood would have such a cute first name as Sanemi. Iguro could tell that the man was probably full of more surprises, given that even with that scary of a reputation, he was only three centimetres taller than Iguro with long, feminine eyelashes and a really kind and gentle smile, when he did it out of genuine happiness. 

“Iguro-san, look!” Mitsuri pointed upwards. “A bird! What kind do you think it is?”

“I think we’ll stay here, but we’ll find you over there.” Iguro replied. “Don’t fuck it up with him.”

Giyuu nodded and walked away. Iguro could now sort of see why Giyuu pined after him. 

----

“Hey, what happened?” Iguro asked when he, Giyuu, and Shinazugawa met up a month and a half after the visit to the Konpira-shrine. “Your letter was unfinished when it got sent to me.”

“Oh, so that’s where it went.” Giyuu registered. “Kanzaburo might have sent it without knowing I wasn’t done.”

“But you usually finish letters in one sitting.” Iguro remembered.

“Yes, I got distracted.” Giyuu explained. “Tanjiro woke up from his coma.”

“Fucking Kamaboko, or whatever his name is?” Shinazugawa butted in.

“Kamado.” Iguro sighed. “Uzui wanted him to step up as a hashira in his place.”

Shinazugawa burst out laughing. “That kid’s not even a kinoto!”

“He’s moved up to tsuchinoe due to Upper Six,” Giyuu reminded, “along with the other two slayers who were there.”

“Hopefully that kid doesn’t kill Upper Four or Three or anything,” Iguro chuckled, “or else he’d actually have to become a hashira.”

“Meh, just keep making excuses to not make him a hashira,” Shinazugawa continued, “keep him from becoming one. Can’t fucking stand him.”

“Oh.” Giyuu muttered. “Why?”

“Are you kidding?” Shinazugawa glowered. “He gets to fucking parade around with a demon in tow, still be a slayer, and not get punished?! What kind of fuckery is that?”

“Well, she has proven multiple times that she won’t eat humans,” Giyuu pointed out, “even marechi, which you helped prove.”

“Yeah, I thought you were going to die, Giyuu.” Iguro took a serious tone. “I started praying you would get into heaven and not suffer that much.”

Shinazugawa started to cackle loudly at that confession while Giyuu went completely silent. “Damn.”

“Anyway, where’s Kanroji?” Shinazugawa started making kissy-sounds. “Not here with your crush?”

“She’s in the Swordsmith Village,” Iguro sighed, blowing a raspberry, “her katana got chipped badly.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve been to the Swordsmith Village,” Giyuu reminisced, “the onsen was nice.”

“Eh, it shouldn’t be often to go to the Swordsmith Village.” Iguro shrugged. “You shouldn’t chip or break your katana at all.”

“That’s fair.” Giyuu agreed. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve sent my katana to the village.”

“Seriously?” Shinazugawa scoffed. “Like, every few years? More often if you have a weird one.”

“That’s probably why.” Admitted Giyuu. “I think I might have to in a couple months, though.”

“Hey, same.” Iguro sighed. “Mitsuri’s probably going to be back on patrol in a couple days. It doesn’t take long to polish a katana.”

“She has a weird one, though.” Giyuu added.

“It’s like she’s fucking dancing when I see her train,” Shinazugawa said, “I don’t know how demons actually die when they get hit by that.”

“Shut up.” Retorted Iguro.

“Ouch.” He huffed.

“Stop fighting.” Giyuu tugged on Iguro’s hair.

“You didn’t have to pull my hair.” Iguro mumbled. “Are you done yet?”

“Almost. Hand me the hair tie?” Giyuu put an open hand next to Iguro, who placed the tie into it and felt the small tugs as Giyuu tied his braid into place.

“There.” Iguro could hear Giyuu’s hands fall to his sides. Iguro reached for the mirror and looked, seeing three braids. “In honour of Mitsuri.”

“Of course. Thank you.” Iguro slightly-sarcastically replied as he ran a gentle hand through his hair.

“I feel like it would’ve been better if you didn’t use shitty scissors to self-cut.” Shinazugawa snarked.

“Don’t you also cut that mess of hair on your own as well, Shinazugawa?” Iguro remembered.

“It looks fine, the both of you.” Giyuu defended. “How is my hair?”

“If you combed it once in a while, better.” Shinazugawa tugged on Giyuu’s hair. “But it’s thick.”

“Me?” Giyuu really seemed dense at that moment.

“Yes, you. No, fuckhead, your hair.” Shinazugawa rolled his eyes.

“My hair is thick?” Giyuu confirmed.

“Yeah. It’s good for braiding and stuff.” Shrugged Shinazugawa, pinning something up.

“How do you know, Shinazugawa?” Iguro slid backwards, sitting next to Giyuu.

“I used to braid my imouto’s hair.” Shinazugawa responded calmly.

“You have siblings?” Giyuu wondered.

“Had. Had siblings.” Shinazugawa corrected. “Where’d you learn to braid hair, Tomioka?”

“My nee-san.” Giyuu answered. Shinazugawa’s hands paused, taking in the information in a way that Iguro was reminded of himself, at the hanami. Giyuu really did not seem to be a younger sibling. Shinazugawa was about to say something when Giyuu continued, “before you ask, she’s been dead for ten years.”

“Oh. Of course.” Shinazugawa continued with whatever he was doing. Iguro went to look, being absolutely shocked with what he saw.

“Holy shit, Giyuu, you look like an oiran with this hairstyle.” Iguro’s jaw dropped.

“I do?” Giyuu flinched his head. Shinazugawa’s face turned an undiscovered shade of red with that comparison, making Iguro wiggle his eyebrows at the guy without any, who gave a deadly glare in return.

“Don’t you dare fucking turn around, and shut the fuck up, Iguro.” Threatened Shinazugawa as he connected two tiny braids, face still aflame.

“Gods.” Iguro whistled. “I don’t know who to compliment. Shinazugawa for being able to do this or Giyuu for looking good in it.”

“It’s amazing, isn’t it.” Boasted Shinazugawa, flush returning back to just his cheeks.

“Nevermind.” Iguro said. “Giyuu, you’re stunning. Pull your hair out of the bird’s nest once in a while.”

“It’s not that bad…” Giyuu murmured.

“Nah, when you took it out of the ponytail, someone was smitten.” Iguro nudged Shinazugawa, who let go of Giyuu’s hair to try and hit Iguro, blush staying in his cheeks but darkening tenfold.

When they’d first sat down to braid hair, Shinazugawa and Iguro had instantly told Giyuu to take his hair out of the ponytail. Giyuu had reached out, pulling an end of the string to unravel his hair and letting it fall down his back. Looking over, Iguro saw a faint flush filling the Wind Hashira’s cheeks, making Iguro instantly go in front of Giyuu to get his hair braided.

He supposed part of it was because he had no idea what kind of braiding skills Shinazugawa had, but also to be able to look at the guy’s face bursting with red as Giyuu inevitably complimented whatever was done to his hair, even if it looked absolutely atrocious.

Though, he sort of regretted it. But not really. If Mitsuri was there…

“Hand me that pin.” Shinazugawa held his hand out between the other hashiras, gesturing at a pin laid in front of Giyuu, who took it and placed it into Shinazugawa’s palm. Biting his lip, the Wind Hashira concentrated. “There. Done.”

Iguro showed Giyuu the mirror and pulled over the bigger one so that Giyuu could get a better idea of the work of art on his head as Shinazugawa shuffled out of the way.

“Oh my gods.” Giyuu breathed as he stared into the mirror. “Holy shit.”

Iguro dropped the mirror, only stopped by Shinazugawa catching it. “Have… have you ever sworn before?”

“I… try my best not to…” Giyuu hid his face in his hands. “It’s a bit impolite…”

“The fuck’s that supposed to mean?!” Shinazugawa blew up. “And why the fuck aren’t you looking at the hair that took an hour to do?!”

Giyuu instantly looked up and went to admire his hair, mouth curved to show his embarrassment. It was subtle, but knowing someone who showed minimal emotion for three years had its perks. “It’s amazing. Thank you, Sanemi.”

Then, Shinazugawa’s incredibly girly blush reappeared, contrasting Giyuu’s downwards gaze when they accidentally met eyes.

If only they could just pull themselves together and make out or something.

----

Iguro was trapped.

They needed to go. 

“Giyuu.” Iguro nudged the hashira. “Tomioka. Tomioka Giyuu. Get up.”

Giyuu groaned in his sleep, turning to bury his face in the pillow with his legs sticking out the side of the futon.

“Giyuu. This futon definitely wasn’t big enough for both of us.” Iguro tapped Giyuu’s arm, trying to make it let go of him. “We’re falling out of it.”

“Stay…” Giyuu trailed off, hair cascading around the pillow like a waterfall.

“Go.” Iguro rubbed the sleep from his eyes, then flicking Giyuu’s forehead, making him open his ocean eyes. “Finally. The Emergency Hashira Meeting.”

“That’s right…” Giyuu muttered. “Tanjiro really does have supernatural abilities.”

“It came back a hundredfold due to the hiatus.” Iguro joked. “Let’s go. Tokitou and Mitsuri are giving the report live.”

“That’s right…” remembered the Water Hashira as he sat up and tied his hair. “At least nobody died or retired this time.”

“Tokitou could stop being a swordsman,” Iguro suggested, “Mitsuri could also retire. We might not know until the Hashira Meeting.”

“I hope not.” Giyuu stretched. “We need as many hashira as we can get. Uzui and Rengoku’s spots haven’t been filled for that long.”

He was referencing the three swordsmen who had taken over through the seven months since Rengoku’s passing. Flower, Rain, Firework. They hadn’t even become hashiras with the code, all simply taking the role because they’d slayed enough low-ranking ones and no kizuki.

----

Iguro felt numb. How did he even end up where he was?

“Iguro-san, would you like to go out to eat?” A nervous voice had come from beside him, where Mitsuri was crouching down.

“Sure.” Iguro nodded slowly. “Is anybody else coming?”

“Giyuu and Shinazugawa.” Mitsuri answered. “We’re going to talk about training ideas.”

“It’s a bit early for dinner, though…” Giyuu held a hand out to Mitsuri while Shinazugawa pulled Iguro up.

“We should go drinking. I’m too speechless for anything else.” Shinazugawa decided.

That was how they found themselves in the izakaya, Shinazugawa perfectly comfortable with Giyuu sitting much more formally next to him. Mitsuri was starting to relax as she stared upwards with Iguro leaning forwards tensely.

“Ugh, I don’t want to do training.” Shinazugawa complained, picking up an edamame. 

“More like you don’t want to be around the juniors.” Iguro retorted.

“We need to do this.” Giyuu chewed on a yakitori. “It’s essential if this generation is going against Muzan himself.”

“They really do need to be specially trained for what’s coming!” Mitsuri agreed, blowing softly on her karaage. “I think I’m going to do flexibility training! Help them become more resilient than before!”

“That’s nice…” Giyuu looked to be deep in his thoughts, yakitori forgotten. “Iguro? Shinazugawa?”

“Tch, I’ll find something…” Shinazugawa groaned. “Fucking demons. Of course they just leave .”

“You’re just mad you can’t find anything to take out your anger on.” Iguro responded. “I’m going to use their concern for their comrades to hone their focus.”

“Sounds like you’ve thought it out.” Giyuu noticed. “I’ve just got the bare idea that I want to prepare their defensive.”

“Defensive?” Scoffed Shinazugawa. “Pussy. Offensive.”

“I use Water Breathing more as a defence, so I don’t think I would be able to teach offensive well.” Giyuu explained. “Are you still thinking of what to do?”

“Fuck off.” Frowned Shinazugawa, popping another edamame into his mouth. “Something’ll come up.”

“If you say so…” Giyuu gave a side eye. “Besides, we’re all taking part in each other’s training. Except Kochou, for some reason.”

Iguro gave a look to Giyuu, who noticed that the other two were doing the same thing. What did he mean, ‘ for some reason’ ? She was developing a poison with another good demon, who happened to be a doctor, to kill Muzan. She was also injecting herself with wisteria poison, lethal doses to ensure that if she got devoured then the demon would die with her. She’d said it was mostly kept a secret, though Iguro could tell from Mitsuri and Shinazugawa’s eyes that they knew too. So why didn’t Giyuu?

Giyuu slowly chewed on another piece of chicken, eyes going around all the other three.

“So, Kanroji,” Shinazugawa loudly changed the subject, making a couple other people look at him from other tables, then quietly, “what’s it like getting The Mark?”

The Mark. A subject that Iguro didn’t want to get into.

“Well- I mean, I already said-” Mitsuri faced downwards, all of them remembering the embarrassing experience of her loudly exclaiming what it felt like when it appeared.

“No, what caused it?” Shinazugawa leaned forward. “Were you about to die, your life flashed before your eyes, and you got The Mark? Did you feel some emotion or anything? Realise something in your mind? Some memories from your past life?”

“Well, I did have my life flashing before my eyes,” Mitsuri remembered, “and I got saved and realised that I was the hashira there, and I had to stand up for my juniors!”

“So basically a Disney movie.” Deadpanned Shinazugawa. Iguro hit his hand, which was reaching out for a plate.

“Um-” Mitsuri stuttered. “Oh, that’s right! Genya’s such a sweet kid. He looked scary at first, but afterwards he was so respectful and well-mannered, I couldn’t believe it! Such a joy to talk to him. You should’ve introduced us earlier!”

“Why the fuck would I do that?” Shinazugawa glowered. “I don’t even know him.”

“That leaves Iguro who hasn’t met Genya.” Giyuu added. “He’s nice. I’d hope you would meet during training.”

“Right.” Iguro fiddled with his sleeve. “Already has a good word in.”

“He was amazing!” Mitsuri gushed. “He threw a tree!”

Shinazugawa spat out the alcohol and choked, Giyuu patting his back while Iguro gave her a disbelieving look. She withered. “He cursed the demon out and tossed the tree at it.”

Shinazugawa continued coughing as Giyuu started patting harder. “You saw it?”

“I was jumping, when I heard some yelling and he went over to pick up the tree and threw it! Later, I saw two more trees in the air!” Mitsuri clarified. “Also, Tanjiro started to curse out the demon! I always thought he was such a good boy!”

“Ah, he does that.” Giyuu nodded, letting go of Shinazugawa when the coughing stopped, only to resume a second later. “When he gets angry.”

“Kamudopo kid?!” Shinazugawa wheezed.

“How do you get his name that wrong-” Iguro blinked.

“It’s really not that hard to say?!” Mitsuri stared.

“I really can’t believe…” Giyuu trailed off. “Somebody change the subject?”

“I might need to repair my katana again…” Mitsuri rubbed the back of her neck, “it got chipped again during the battle with Upper Four…”

“Are you fucking serious right now.” Deadpanned Shinazugawa.

“It was literally Upper Four, Shinazugawa, you’ve never fought an Upper Rank before.” Iguro shot back.

“No, I was being clumsy…” Mitsuri admitted.

“Well, Tokitou did say that he fought Upper Five with a rusted katana and still won, so…” Giyuu added. “Can’t be that hard if the child can do it with that.”

“I almost forgot.” Shinazugawa laughed. “Uzui lost a hand and an eye while Tokitou is unscathed!”

“Well, Uzui didn’t have a Demon Slayer Mark…” Giyuu protested.

“Still a loser.” Iguro interrupted. 

“Iguro, don’t say that!” Gasped Mitsuri.

“Sorry, Mitsuri.” Iguro apologised.

“The Mark…” Giyuu said, “do you think the curse would lift if Muzan is dead?”

“What, dying at twenty-five?” Shinazugawa grabbed a karaage.

“I hope so…” Mitsuri took on a sombre tone. Iguro’s heart hurt. “But I’ll live my life to the fullest! I still have seven years, after all! If all of you get The Mark, then you’ll be the same!”

“Damn…” Shinazugawa muttered. “That’s positive.”

“Mitsuri, we’re all twenty-one.” Giyuu reminded. “We’ll die in four years, three if it takes long to defeat Muzan.”

They could all see Mitsuri physically deflating. “Oh. That’s right.”

“It’d also be pure bullshit if we could kill Muzan without The Mark,” Shinazugawa added, “and besides, we were all expecting to die young in the job. It’s basically in the description!”

“Yeah, but knowing that there’s a set date…” Iguro trailed off. “That sort of makes it worse.”

“If it defeats Muzan, then The Mark is the best choice.” Giyuu decided. Iguro shot him a look. The agreement they made at the apology dinner ran both ways. Iguro was more honest in his letters, leaving Giyuu to also stop with whatever self-pity he had.

“I guess so.” Mitsuri chewed sadly at a yakitori stick.

Limited time, Iguro thought, was a sacrifice they all made when they became slayers.

He swore he would get The Mark so Giyuu didn’t have to.

----

He hated that brat Kamado Tanjiro.

He’d hated him when he’d called Giyuu by his first name, when Uzui said that he could take a place among the hashira, when he’d chatted freely about spending time with Kanroji, when he'd nicked Iguro’s haori.

He hated that he had to let him go to Shinazugawa’s training.

At least he’d suffer there.

The hashira took turns going to each other’s training, leaving the swordsmen at their estates to train by themselves for the short while the resident hashira was gone. The slayers at the estate of which another hashira was going to got to watch two hashira do the training.

He’d gone to Tokitou’s Quick Movement Training, where they’d exchanged blows as Tokitou commented on it. The group of lower-ranked slayers gathered around with wide eyes and dropped jaws at the speed, watching the bokkens move at almost invisible speeds in semi-circles against each other.

He’d returned to the tied up slayers at the Snake Estate, ready to pound another brat trying not to harm his comrades, where he’d just barely touched Iguro’s wrist, making a very small scratch and allowing him to move onto Shinazugawa’s brutal training as Kamado Tanjiro walked through his doors, spouting off about how nice Mitsuri was.

Iguro was walking through the Ubuyashiki Estate, following directions from a kakushi as to where the Oyakata-sama was to offer his prayers. With Kaburamaru carrying lotus flowers, Iguro made his way around a corner where two slayers were gossiping. Pretending to reread the instructions written down for him, Iguro listened in.

“-it was so terrifying, but I can laugh about it now.” The female slayer said. Seemed like he missed it.

“I dunno, Shinazugawa-san seemed almost happy when his training was permanently cancelled.” The male slayer next to her replied. Shinazugawa’s training had been cancelled forever? What happened?

“That kid really has some sort of power,” she giggled, “he yelled at Shinazugawa to step up as a brother.”

“Holy shit, really?” His jaw dropped, tugging at the scar from beneath his eye to the bottom of his chin. “I didn’t know that.”

“Yeah, I think he did something to that mohawk guy, the tall scary one? Scar on his right cheek, eyes look like Shinazugawa’s, sort of violent and deranged look?” She described. “Pretty sure they’re brothers. Ka-whatever his name is started to yell at the freaking hashira because of it.”

“Really? I came back to see a whole bunch of slayers grabbing onto Shinazugawa,” the guy retold, “and the yellow-haired kid was dragging the mohawk guy away. Pretty sure he punched the yellow-haired crybaby.”

Iguro folded up the note, not needing to hear more of the conversation. “His name’s Genya. Shinazugawa Genya. Nice kid. Never met him, but six separate hashira have told me that he’s a good kid, so you might not want to gossip where just any hashira can hear you.” 

The two froze and looked at him, clearly recognizing him from their own time tied to his house. Iguro kept walking as he mulled over what he’d heard. Shinazugawa’s training had been taken out of the roster because the Kamado kid started yelling at Shinazugawa, who had done something to Genya? And Agatsuma dragged Genya away, who punched him.

“Goddamnit, Genya.” Iguro muttered. “If only you weren’t a tsuguko.”

In truth, Himejima had specified in the Emergency Hashira Meeting that Genya wasn’t his tsuguko, but he’d still keep Genya out of the training if he wanted to due to his interesting fighting style, as he called it. Shinazugawa instantly retorted that he didn’t have a fighting style, and should just be kicked out of the Corps.

Siblings who had history were complicated, Iguro decided.

----

Iguro felt they were too complicated as he got Shinazugawa’s crow calling for him the moment he stepped out the door from the Oyakata-sama’s room. Iguro listened to whatever the crow could gather from that mess as he took off to the Wind Estate.

When he got there, the main entrance was dead quiet. So everyone really had moved on to Himejima’s training, Shinazugawa really got his training cancelled. What happened with Genya? Was that what the crow was trying to scream about?

The crow flew off into the mansion, leaving Iguro to knock before waiting a second and letting himself in. “Shinazugawa? Fuckhead. Dick-for-brains! Where are you?!”

Silence. It was a rather big place, something Iguro didn’t really like about all the estates. Too big. One hashira. Even with all the kakushi running around, slayers utilizing the space for training and resting, and some servants run the entire facility.

But, as Iguro walked through the halls, found them completely empty.

Stone and Wind Breathing were the least used Breathing Styles, though there were always a few psychopaths who used Wind, storming through the halls and blowing through training supplies. He walked through the entire place, Kaburamaru tensing up around his shoulders as they both realised something was really wrong.

“Shinazugawa?!” Iguro called again. “It’s Iguro! Your crow called!”

“Fuck off!” In the distance, Iguro could hear that faint shout, though it sounded much more dry than usual. 

Walking towards the voice, Iguro continued. “Look, your crow said something was wrong!”

“Nothing’s wrong!” Shinazugawa’s voice was louder. “Leave me alone!”

Iguro continued onwards. “Look, your voice sounds funny. I’m just gonna check in and leave!”

“I’m okay, so leave!” Shinazugawa seemed to be right around the corner. Iguro went to listen again, only to hear heavy breathing. Not Breathing, but broken, human breaths.

He stopped. Did Shinazugawa… stop? He couldn’t have actually stopped Total Concentration Breathing Constant, right?

Iguro pushed open the door.

His eyes widened as he saw the mess. It seemed to be a large room, probably for indoor training, with dummies to mimic demons with bokken lying around. Though… scratch marks ran all throughout the walls, even the ceiling. There was a hole in the wall to the outside, letting the fresh air blow freely in, though the hole didn’t seem to be made by a sword, the entire place flaked with little bits of blood. 

The entire place was in ruins, and with a glance outside Iguro saw the trees surrounding the estate had been sliced into miniature pieces, fences completely shattered with glass scattered everywhere. Shinazugawa laid in the centre of it all, arms and legs outstretched as he stared upwards, his white haori and leg wraps mixing with red, debris sticking out against his hair.

Shinazugawa slowly turned around and looked up at Iguro like he was about to start killing him. A second passed, bated breath as Iguro took another step forward. “Shinazugawa… what happened with Genya?”

Iguro didn’t know if Shinazugawa was going to start breaking down or start murdering him.

Shinazugawa then did something unexpected.

He simply laid down again.

Iguro stepped into the room, dancing over the larger parts of rubble as some crunches were made under his feet, wincing as his socked feet hit shards of glass or wood. Iguro finally made it to Shinazugawa, where he saw what was hidden from his view when he’d looked from the doorway.

Shinazugawa’s sword was snapped, the top third probably lying somewhere in the wreckage as the bottom part sat beside him. “Oh, shit, this needs to be repaired fast.” Iguro picked it up by the hilt, showing the other hashira what he was talking about.

“I don’t give a shit.” Shinazugawa’s reply surprised Iguro more. 

The aloof one was supposed to be Giyuu. Shinazugawa hated Giyuu for being emotionless.

“Stand up.” Ordered Iguro. “Get up.”

After a second of eye contact, Shinazugawa did as he was told, slowly rising from his place as if a man getting out of his grave. Once Shinazugawa was upright, they met eyes again. Iguro then studied his face for a second, seeing bits of rubble in his hair had shaken out as he stood up, with bloodied knuckles and trembling fingers and a slightly bruised cheek with tear tracks running down his face, eyes only a bit more bloodshot than usual. 

Iguro hadn’t really cried much as a small child himself. He’d simply sat inside a cage, waiting to be devoured, then sitting inside the Rengoku Estate processing what had happened, leading to an almost numb feeling as a low-ranked slayer. He’d never comforted anyone through tears. 

Iguro didn’t really know how to comfort people. He could tell whatever happened with Shinazugawa was serious, in a way different than Mitsuri’s small bouts of tears or Giyuu’s complete apathetic persona. Shinazugawa was supposed to be someone who was consumed with rage and wore his emotions on his sleeve.

He’d never really known tears. It seemed Shinazugawa knew them like old friends.

He looked pathetic.

“You can’t be going on like this when you could battle an Upper Rank and probably Muzan himself sometime soon.” Iguro scolded. “Clean yourself up. This is not how a pillar should act.”

Shinazugawa’s face turned a light pink in shame. Good. “Start with the blood. Even if there’s no demons, better be safe than sorry.”

Shinazugawa did a small bow as he trudged away with what Iguro noticed to be an incredibly subtle limp.

“Watermelon isn’t exactly in season right now, but I’d probably be able to get my hands on some!” Iguro called over as Shinazugawa got to the doorway.

“I don’t want any. Go away, Iguro. Your job’s done.” Shinazugawa didn’t turn around as he went through the shoji. 

After a second, Iguro called back Shinazugawa’s bird to make a message for the Oyakata-sama.

----

Most of the slayers were past his training.

Iguro had a couple stragglers, ones who’d struggled at Tokitou’s hands, making Iguro have much more free time. He would train all night, preparing himself to stay fully awake and alert to be ready to take on any of the kizuki. He wrote letters to friends, decided his will, cleaned up his estate. He meditated, stocked up on emergency supplies, tried to eat more to enjoy what could possibly be his last days in the world. He doted on Kaburamaru, visited nearby towns, polished his sword to decapitate as many demons as it could possibly reach. He’d visited other estates to spend time with the other hashiras, tried out new things, attempted to get his Mark, and tried his best to correctly format a confession letter to Mitsuri before either of them died.

They’d gone out to Nihonbashi in Tokyo, where the streets were bustling with unconcerned humans, unknowing of what horrors could occur any day then. The slayers were getting antsy, waiting, so the Oyakata-sama suggested that they should go out with some coworkers, friends, or visit family, making many create groups so they could do so.

Iguro saw lots of shops and vendors, a bit overwhelmed with all the colours as Giyuu held onto his haori and Mitsuri dragged him around by the other. Shinazugawa stood to the side, though Giyuu still kept a grip on his sleeve.

They’d sneakily met up with the hashira earlier in the morning, where they’d all gone to the Mitsukoshi main store of the town, ensuring that they were surrounded by people and having some fun. Or chaos, if Iguro was to word it better.

Maybe it was better that they weren’t allowed to go out at the same time together.

Even Uzui showed up, an hour after they’d all dispersed, and raged on the Nihonbashi bridge, where Iguro’s group of four met the fucking Kamado kid and his chaotic teen gang of six, where they’d lost the Wind Hashira and spent thirty minutes looking for him. Once they’d found him, after Iguro told him off, Giyuu grabbed onto Shinazugawa’s sleeve as well. Iguro was pretty sure he didn’t also have a habit of randomly getting lost, but Shinazugawa simply went with it.

Mitsuri and Giyuu had gone to the side, checking out what Iguro saw to be a small clothing store. “All these colours are making my head spin, am I right?”

Shinazugawa’s face went into a millisecond of panic before regaining his composure. “Yeah.”

“Look! Iguro! Shinazugawa!” Mitsuri called out to them, Giyuu lazily bringing up a hand to bring them over, to which they complied. “Which suits me better?”

Mitsuri pulled out two western-style skirts from the racks, almost looking like hakama with the pleat edges, other than the fact that there was no separation inside. She held them up to herself, the green one reaching down to her shins while the other pink one sat just above her knees.

“I like the green one.” Giyuu inputted.

“I think the pink one matches.” Iguro said.

“Kyaaa, you haven’t made it better!” Mitsuri squealed. “Shinazugawa-san, you’re the tiebreaker!”

Looking over, Shinazugawa was sweating bullets. Why?

“Uh. G-Green,” his fingers were shaking.

Mitsuri gasped. “Of course! You're so smart, Shinazugawa-san! I’m sorry, Iguro!” She put the pink one back on the rack. “Anything else we should do?”

“I mean… I have a funny idea…” Giyuu offered. He whispered something to Shinazugawa and Mitsuri, where one looked disgusted and the other was excited. They dashed off to a tiny changing room, while Iguro huffed and crossed his arms. Still keeping secrets. “You’ll like it, Iguro.”

Kaburamaru rested his head on Giyuu’s shoulder, still wrapped around Iguro. “Don’t laugh!” Shinazugawa’s voice filtered through one room, while Mitsuri’s giggling came from the other.

“What-” Iguro practically choked on his own spit as they opened the curtains. “Holy fucking shit.”

“I can see you laughing, Iguro.” Shinazugawa deadpanned, holding his arms over the skirt. Mitsuri held Shinazugawa’s uniform top closer to herself, making Iguro and Giyuu look away for some decent respect.

“It’s very comfortable!” Mitsuri complimented, doing up some more buttons. “It feels very loved!”

“This is just plain embarrassing.” Shinazugawa countered, crossing his arms as he looked away. “There’s nothing but shame from this.”

Looking over, Iguro could see Giyuu hiding his face in his hands.

“You look nice, Mitsuri.” Iguro glanced at Giyuu before looking back at Mitsuri.

“Kyaa, thank you!” Mitsuri flushed, almost as deep of a pink as Shinazugawa.

“Don’t worry, Sanemi, the skirt looks nice on you.” Giyuu attempted to flirt.

“Fuck off. I can’t believe I agreed to this.” Shinazugawa practically seemed to be on fire with how red he was. If that was their way of flirting, Iguro could see why they didn’t confess to each other.

“We should have Giyuu and Iguro swap outfits!” Mitsuri gasped. “Or even haori and hairstyles! I’d like to see Iguro in a ponytail!”

Staring at each other, each of them took off their haori and handed them over, Giyuu pulling on a string and handing his hair tie to Iguro. Mitsuri squeaked in surprise as Shinazugawa somehow got redder, Giyuu pulling his hair out from underneath Iguro’s haori. Iguro pulled his hair up, trying his best to tie it together like Giyuu did.

“Here, like this.” Giyuu took the tie and did a quick knot in it, securing Iguro’s hair as he noticed that his usually long sleeves were just the right length for Giyuu.

“Maybe Kaburamaru?” Iguro lifted the snake off of him, gently draping him onto Giyuu’s shoulders.

They looked the other up and down before going to look at the other two. Mitsuri held her hands onto her face to try and cover up the blush while Shinazugawa’s soul seemed to leave his body. 

“Could I have my haori back?” Giyuu asked after a second. “It has sentimental value.”

Iguro complied and took it off, along with Giyuu as they gave each of their haori back. The other two looked basically heartbroken as they did so, Iguro pulling on the wrong string as he tried to get the tie out of his hair. Going to the next one, his hair got freed and handed the tie back to Giyuu, who quickly put his hair back into the messy ponytail.

“Maybe you two should change?” Iguro suggested as he took Kaburamaru back.

“Fucking finally.” Shinazugawa quietly slunk back into the dressing room. “At least I didn’t take Iguro’s love socks.”

Iguro threw him a dirty glare as Shinazugawa closed the curtain.

----

Mitsuri and Shinazugawa got sorted quickly, purchasing the skirt as they went on their way through the streets.

Iguro noticed as he walked around that there were a lot more people wearing western clothing, button-up shirts with dresses, ties along with hats and new hairstyles mixing with a couple people wearing kimonos and hakamas throughout the streets. Metal lanterns stood on both sides of the street, looming over Iguro in a way that made him a bit uncomfortable.

They’d slowed down to look at everything, allowing Iguro some time to reflect and think. He’d been doing a lot more of that over the past few weeks. Since Mitsuri had gotten The Mark. Since the Hashira Training Regime started. Since Shinazugawa ruined his house in a fit of… emotions. Since Giyuu was isolating himself in his estate. 

Mitsuri was ensured to die before the age of twenty-five. It was almost completely guaranteed, and she might not survive, even if she lived after defeating or fighting Muzan. Iguro still hadn’t gotten the letter right.

Shinazugawa acted as if he didn’t destroy his house and sword the next time they’d met, making Iguro do the same as he heard no news come from the endeavour. Iguro still hadn’t met the esteemed Genya.

Giyuu hadn’t spent time with Iguro for a long time, the outing that they were out on being one of the first in weeks as his letters got shorter and strung-out as he stayed in his estate all the time. Iguro missed him.

Iguro kept thinking about it as they all parted ways, waving goodbye and hugging tightly, to ensure that they had good thoughts about what could possibly be their last moments together before one of them passed.

----

It seemed like that was a good call.

Iguro thought about it as he and Mitsuri dashed through the strange hallways of some sort of Blood Demon Art. It was almost like a castle, the polished wood matching with the traditional shoji along with railings covering the hallways. Above and beside him, gravity seemed warped as he and Mitsuri saw slayers dashing on ceilings and walls, calling out to others and asking what was going on. Mitsuri vaguely explained it to all the people they came across as the duo slaughtered any demons they went across.

Iguro couldn’t help but worry. His sword hadn’t even reached Muzan before they’d all been brought to the castle with the twang of a biwa. It seemed along with everyone attacking Muzan, every single Demon Slayer had also been brought along. He had to wonder how they’d all been brought, what kind of Blood Demon Art it was that could support something like that.

“No Upper Ranks yet.” Iguro groaned. “No hashira, either.”

“I hope everybody’s okay!” Mitsuri worried. “We haven’t heard anything bad happen yet… but we have to get to Muzan fast!”

“Mitsuri-chan!” A female called from above a couple minutes later. Instantly looking up, both were met with a Kochou who was looking up at them as well. They were about fifty metres away from each other, much too far to do anything or try to jump towards each other.

“Uwaaaa, Shinobu-chan! You’re okay!” Mitsuri sighed in relief. “Have you seen any other hashira?!”

“I saw Tokitou-kun on a wall down to my right, but he was too far to hear me!” Kochou replied. “Nobody else, though! A couple slayers!”

“Neither have we!” Iguro shouted. “Keep trying to find Upper Ranks or Muzan!”

“Understood.” Kochou yelled. “Goodbye, Iguro-san, goodbye, Mitsuri-chan!”

“Goodbye, Shinobu-chan!” Mitsuri teared up as she waved upwards. “I love you!”

“I love you too, Mitsuri-chan!” Shinobu raised a hand as well. “Thank you for being my friend!”

“You’re a good hashira, Kochou.” Iguro replied. “We have kizuki to kill.”

They kept going on their way, unknowing that that was the last interaction Kochou Shinobu had before encountering Upper Rank Two. Mitsuri had to stop and shed some tears when the message arrived.

They heard another announcement via crow only some time later, to which Iguro had to mutter “he always seemed like a crybaby. Guess Agatsuma has more talent then he gives himself credit for. Upper Six yet again.”

Iguro tripped when he heard Giyuu’s name from a crow, only stopped from falling with Mitsuri’s hand. He grabbed his face in relief when the crow simply shared that he and the stupid Kamado boy had collapsed after killing Upper Three.

After that, the two of them worked together to figure out who the two other slayers were who killed Upper Two, Iguro figuring out Hashibira from the Hashira Training while Mitsuri remembered Tsuyuri as Kochou’s tsuguko imouto.

“What time do you think it is?” Iguro asked.

“I’d have to think early in the morning!” Mitsuri guessed.

“Hopefully we find some Upper Rank and do our job as pillars.” Iguro wished.

His wish came true, as they reached the centre of the beast. 

Tendrils of hair, curling around the architecture as the biwa sounds got louder when they stepped closer, Mitsuri in the lead with both their swords out and ready. Iguro was quick to follow in her footsteps.

“Gyaaa! I found her, Iguro, here! Upper Rank…” she squinted. “ …Four!”

So they’d already replaced the Upper Four, which Mitsuri herself along with three non-hashira defeated. If he could recall correctly, the Kamado brats and Shinazugawa’s otouto, about a couple months ago. To think he’d already been replaced, must mean that she either was a Lower Rank or a demon that fit the description.

They had to avenge Kochou and all the other slayers killed that night and ever.

----

Iguro felt determined.

He’d barely even been injured, more just bruised and exhausted by that irritating Upper Rank. A demon had come along and introduced himself, explaining vaguely who he was and a plan to him and Mitsuri, to which they agreed.

He’d let the teenage-looking demon take a close look at him and Mitsuri in order to replicate their illusions, and they’d gotten him close enough to Upper Four to get one of his paper talisman onto her face. He’d positioned himself behind her, and a crow came through the midst of the castle and told them the way to Muzan, where Kamado and Giyuu were already fighting him.

Iguro spared one last glance at the demon Yushiro before taking off to save Giyuu and Kamado Tanjiro.

They kept running, following the directions of what Iguro recognized to be Shinazugawa’s crow, just as another crow came cawing about the death of Upper Rank One and the slayers who killed it. 

“Shinazugawa brothers, Himejima, Tokitou!” Iguro gasped. “Are they alive?!” The crow responded with the two deaths that made Iguro find out he would never be able to meet Shinazugawa Genya, or see Tokitou Muichirou give another content smile that he’d only just gained.

Mitsuri shed some more tears before gaining an even more steely face, bursting through a paper wall and waving her sword around, Iguro zipping in right after her to grab Kamado out of the way before he could die.

He’d heard of Kamado’s miraculous Sun Breathing, which was too valuable a card to risk losing. “Okay, you annoying little brat. Fall back right now.”

Iguro could see Kamado tearing up underneath him through his peripheral vision. “Iguro-san… thank the gods you’re alive… and so is Kanroji-san.”

“You should worry about yourself first over others,” Iguro reprimanded, letting Kamado fall softly out of his grip as he stood up and glared at Muzan. Kaburamaru wrapped up tighter around him.

Iguro felt a smirk grow as Kibutsuji Muzan’s expression slowly changed as he looked between the two hashira and realised something was wrong with his little tool.

“What are you doing?! Nakime!”

----

The first thing Iguro did once they reached the real world was Breathe.

He felt the cool night winds on him, blowing his hair back and fluttering his haori, little holes made in it due to the rubble of the castle. The next thing he did was look around, viewing what looked to be a rather well-off town or city, then the stars shining brightly in the sky, along with the moon.

“Shit. Two hours at most.” Iguro cursed as he stared at the wreckage around him, searching for any familiar faces, turning instantly when he heard Mitsuri groaning and rubbing her head dizzily. Giyuu was picking himself up from the shattered wood and concrete, Kamado was also looking around.

He then saw The Mark on Giyuu’s left cheek.

He’d failed his goal. Giyuu had gotten The Mark, and to put more salt in the wound, Iguro hadn’t gotten his yet.

Then, he was tossed away.

Muzan looked enraged.

Another swing of the weird bone-blades came around, and he watched as Mitsuri and Giyuu also moved out of the way just in time, the things practically blurs for even a hashira. “So you plan to keep me here until dawn, huh?! Well, go right ahead! If you can!”

Iguro just kept running away, jumping and weaving through all the sword-sharp limbs. Was that how it felt for juniors during his training? He raced closer along with his friends, sword ready to strike at Muzan himself.

Iguro struck him. The third form of Snake Breathing sank into Kibutsuji Muzan’s neck, piercing halfway through before healing after Iguro’s cut, forcing a confused Snake Hashira to tug his sword out as Mitsuri and Giyuu also realised their cuts also didn’t do good damage.

It was obvious from what Himejima said that he wouldn’t die by decapitation, but if they’d cut his body into small enough pieces… but Iguro narrowed his eyes as he realised the Demon King regenerated too fast to do any lasting damage.

With all his thinking, Iguro figured out a core mistake. He and his friends had let themselves get too close to Muzan. Iguro raised his sword to block when a spray of blood hit him. He closed his eyes to block the blood, only to have a dawning horror that it wasn’t his, and it wasn’t just one person’s blood.

Three slayers had just sacrificed their lives to protect him. Iguro shoved another one out of the way as the junior’s back got slashed, Iguro glancing around in terror as he found that those weren’t the only slayers giving their lives for hashiras.

“Charge! Get in front of them!” No. What the fuck was he thinking? “Use your own bodies to protect the hashira! At least protect those who stand a chance!” Idiot. They needed numbers, not power! What were they thinking?!

“We’ve been saved by hashira so many times!” Now what was that girl thinking?! Someone had to object to them! “If it wasn’t for them, we would’ve died ages ago! Don’t lose courage! Fight!”

“Stop!” Mitsuri’s panicked screaming got onto the battlefield. “Stop it! Everyone stop! Please!”

Iguro kept blocking off attacks and saving the stupid swordsmen getting into his way. Iguro leapt over another slayer, pushing off a different one’s shoulder to get a good aim at Muzan. He was too fast. Iguro couldn’t Breathe properly, even with three hashiras present.

Some attacks grazed his shoulder and face as Iguro kept fighting. He saw Mitsuri stumble off to the side, blood leaking from wherever on her body. “ Mitsuri !”

“Just protect yourselves, please!” Pleaded Mitsuri as she waved her sword, making Muzan’s attack go another way, only to have it swing around back towards her.

Iguro felt like ice was just dumped on him in winter. He was too far away. Too slow. Too tired. Mitsuri was going to die.

A swing of metal through air changed that, as the demonic limb got cleaved in half, missing Mitsuri by a couple centimetres. Iguro’s eyes widened. “I apologise for my tardiness.” Himejima kept swinging his flail, protecting the sobbing Love Hashira.

Iguro’s eyes only widened more as he saw a blurry figure jump behind a mildly scared Muzan. He grinned again as a sword got raised to kill, slicing right down the middle of the Demon King.

Shinazugawa tossed some sort of bottles at Muzan, who instantly regenerated and sliced them down, splashing the liquids inside all over himself. Reaching into his uniform, Shinazugawa seemed to meet eyes with Muzan as he flicked a match and tossed it at the Demon King.

Iguro jumped back into action with the fiery display in front of them all. “That’s dirty.” Muzan wiped flames at his face.

“Perfect for a bastard like you.” Shinazugawa gracefully met the ground, taking a step forward as Iguro noticed a blazing mark on his cheek. “I’ll grind you to smithereens , punk-ass shithead .”

Iguro leapt forward, sword raised.

He kept charging on, watching as more wounds inflicted his body and the other four hashira’s, blood dripping as they leaped over diced-up bodies to try and inflict lasting damage, over and over to no avail.

It seemed useless. The burning had stopped, only to have Muzan’s attacks become fiercer. He couldn’t protect Himejima, who seemed like their best shot at Muzan. He’d soon stop moving due to the blood loss in no time… shit!

Shit.

A blood-curdling scream rang out, as Iguro twisted around to see a human arm fling by him, the white haori now drenched red. Iguro felt like he’d never run that fast in his life, sprinting towards Mitsuri as she fell to the ground.

Iguro picked her up the best he could with her surprise amputation and his sword still in hand, the blood making a path of death towards an alley where he called for a medic, a kakushi, a slayer, whatever. He ordered the slayer that came up to them to look for Yushiro, giving a quick description of him to her.

“Wait… I can… still fight.” Mitsuri heaved a breath. “I’ll make sure that I won’t hold anyone back this time.”

Iguro shook his head, Kaburamaru reaching for her. “It’s okay. You’ve done enough.”

“No. I wasn't useful to anyone.” Mitsuri sounded in pain with every word. “I can’t die like this.”

It physically pained Iguro to think of her gravestone. He turned to the other slayer. “Take care of the rest.”

She nodded and held Mitsuri closer to her as Iguro jumped upwards and back to battle.

“Wait!” Her breathing kept getting heavier as Mitsuri scrambled out of the girl’s grip. “I’m going too! Iguro!”

“Please!” She screeched, tears pouring all over her face. “Don’t die, Iguro! I don’t want anyone to die anymore!”

Iguro didn’t turn to look back as he kept running.

Demons. If demons didn’t exist in the world, he couldn’t imagine just how many people would still be alive.

If he and Mitsuri had met under more peaceful and carefree circumstances, one could only wonder what would’ve happened.

If Giyuu hadn’t bumped into him his first time there, Iguro couldn’t think what might have happened, if they would even have had a friendship.

His face was getting heavy. It was hard to breathe. He couldn’t think about that.

It was too late.

Iguro brought a hand up to the bandages soaked in blood and yanked them off, letting them fall gracefully to the ground behind him.

He had to die and swap out of a body flowing with impure blood to deserve a place next to Giyuu and Mitsuri, Shinazugawa and the other hashiras.

Mitsuri would never love someone coming from such a dirty family.

Iguro thought of what brought him to his place, swinging and slicing at Kibutsuji Muzan. The trays of exotic foods. The pair of petrifying eyes that checked on him in the early morning. The blood pouring into a cup. The stolen hairpiece that still sat in a drawer of his estate, wrapped in cloth. The dirt beneath his feet as he tripped and got cornered by the Snake Demon. Rengoku Ruka’s kind eyes offering him some homemade miso soup. The calluses on his hands from trying to spite a retired man.

Ocean blue eyes in a foreign hallway.

Iguro diced off Muzan’s arm, kicking it away to ensure he’d have to grow a new one instead of reattaching the old one. Iguro reached the ground only to leap up again, an attack reaching at his legs and everything around him.

They can’t lose. So many lives had just been lost…

And it looked like one more might happen. Iguro realised what had come into his way when half a sword dropped to his feet.

Iguro could make it. He could save Giyuu.

He churned out a form, blocking a slice reaching at his friend. Giyuu stood on shaky legs, haori ripped up as Iguro dashed away quickly to take another attack at Muzan. Giyuu’s sword was broken. How long had he been fighting with the bottom half of his sword?

“Don’t space out now, or I’ll murder your ass!” Shinazugawa yelled at what Iguro could guess was Giyuu.

And the poison… Muzan’s cells were infiltrating all of the hashira’s bodies, where too much could lead them to die. It was probably circulating faster in Iguro’s body due to his small size, fuck! 

Then, something landed on his arm. Looking down at it, Iguro saw a bottle filled with purple liquid break onto his skin, making the pulsing veins and tensing muscles underneath calm. Was it an antidote..? Shinazugawa yelled in determination, the two of them leading an attack as Himejima paused to process what had happened before going forward.

Muzan looked to almost be in physical pain as he muttered something, face towards the ground. Iguro felt a rabid grin reach his face as Muzan shot out the bone-attack, which he barely dodged. He’d contributed the least out of all the hashira in the battle. 

When a creatures’ life is on the brink of danger, they’d display an explosive amount of power. Even a powerless hand, which never held anything heavier than a chopstick, could break out of a cage with only a hairpin. 

Tokitou, a fourteen-year-old, made his blade turn red on the brink of death, according to Yuuan, where Iguro could only guess that it was purely because Tokitou had gripped his sword as strong as he could. The temperature must have increased because of the strong impact he made.

The blade was shining red, because his power activated on the brink of death.

Iguro felt something cold curl onto his forehead, almost like Kaburamaru, only he was still gripping onto his shoulder.

Iguro gritted his teeth. He was going to do it.

The grip power of a vise.

It had to be a mistake. Did he do something wrong?

That was what Iguro thought as he dodged out of the way from an attack, then let himself Breathe when he figured that because of his determination, he stopped Breathing and made his vision turn white from the lack of oxygen.

“Igurooo!” Shinazugawa shouted from somewhere behind him as Iguro ran away from another tendril. If one of them died, the burden on the others would increase. Attacks would be useless against Muzan.

He had to fight for Mitsuri’s share as well.

He felt numb everywhere except his hands.

“Iguro!” Giyuu shouted, new sword in hand as another swing went for them.

Iguro leapt. Higher than he thought was humanly possible.

Holy shit. He was at least eight stories in the air, only from the power of his legs.

He sliced through some of Muzan’s limbs to lessen the fall down, then going in for more attacks as he landed in the window of a damaged building, then jumping down to the ground before dashing towards Muzan.

Iguro skidded to a stop when Agatsuma suddenly appeared in front of him. “Aughhhh! I hate this!!!!” He screeched, bandages covering his face and blood scattered on his haori. Looking around, Iguro also spotted Tsuyuri and Hashibira on the battlefield, each covered in blood in a way Iguro felt unnatural.

Iguro sliced off an arm, getting some vengeance for the trio as it slowly started to come back.

“Slow! When he's cut by a red blade, his regeneration slows down!” Shinazugawa shared. Iguro used his yells as a distraction to cut off both arms, his katana fully turning red through it, spreading from just the lower half.

Iguro continuously pushed his attacks. Himejima’s flail and axe changed to red with a harsh bang, which he realised the heat from the friction, clashing together would also turn them red. Shinazugawa also seemed to realise it as he smashed his katana against Giyuu’s making both of theirs turn red.

Thank you, Tokitou-kun.

“Cawww! One hour, three minutes until dawn!” A bird with Yushiro’s seal came flying in. 

“More than enough time, we’ll shred you to tiny pieces!” Cackled Shinazugawa as he readied his sword with Giyuu. Iguro could feel Muzan’s cells entering his wounds, the poison entering the cursed bloodstream, a perfect match.

“Iguro! Focus on the body!” Himejima shouted at him. “Are you seeing things differently?! This is for everyone else too, but can you see through his body?!”

Iguro’s eyes widened as he focused on. What the… for an instant… his body was transparent? Through all the hashira’s confusion, Muzan released an attack, knocking Iguro back in a huge flash of pain.

----

Iguro came to. 

He tried to blink, but soon realised what he was hearing.

Kamado Tanjiro was struggling. And it sounded like he was the only one struggling against Muzan.

He regripped his blade, stumbling for a second before dashing off to where he heard the kid. Iguro pushed out an attack and made a grab for where he thought Kamado was, leaping far away from Muzan’s frustrated growl. “Iguro-sa…” Kamado paused as he realised whatever damage had happened to Iguro.

He couldn’t see, but he could feel pain in his face and blood dripping, meaning that Muzan had taken out his eyes, probably permanently even if he survived the battle. “Iguro-san, your eyes!” Kamado screeched in Iguro’s arms. “All because you protected me..!”

“They got injured a while ago.” Iguro explained. “You never shut up about other people.” he pushed off the side of a building to avoid an attack that had a sweep of wind before it.

“Iguro-san, I’ll get up and fight!” Kamado tried to wiggle out of his grip.

“My right eye was already weak before, and I was more or less blind with it.” It was yet another reason Kaneko pushed him away. “I don’t need your assistance. I have Kaburamaru with me.”

“Kaburamaru…” Kamado mumbled. 

“Are you fine now? Can I let you go?” Iguro dashed up a wall, releasing the boy when he’d run out of wall to run on, both of them in the air above Muzan.

“Iguro-san!” Kamado yelled as Iguro felt debris hit him, probably the house they were just running on got destroyed.

Kaburamaru hissed. Iguro released a form. 

“Stop!” Kamado screamed, as Kabuarmaru hissed again and had Iguro toss another form at Muzan, along with what he assumed was Kamado helping him out on the other side of Muzan. Iguro kept moving, dodging whenever he felt a gust of wind coming at him, slicing at whatever he could.

“Forty minutes until dawn!” Another crow flew by, screeching.

“He ran! Iguro-san, he ran! Muzan’s running away!” Kamado described. What? The coward was running?! Of course, he shouldn’t’ve been surprised. Muzan wasn’t a samurai with pride. He wasn’t a human who acted on emotion. Muzan was a life form whose only priority was to stay alive. Dawn was near and his life was in danger, he didn’t even hesitate to escape.

Iguro dashed onto the sides of buildings, Kabuaramaru hissing and letting him jump over cracks to get closer. He coiled tighter on Iguro’s arm, making Iguro leap from the roof with his katana blazing red, sinking it deep into Muzan’s flesh.

Footsteps came from behind as Kamado thrust an attack, making Iguro pull his sword away and get out of range from the attack. “Iguro-san, please take this! Use your vision with Kaburamaru and…” the two of them got out of the way from the tendrils, cutting them down with their attacks.

“Iguro-san, take three long strides to the right!” Kamado ordered. In no time, Iguro was there and feeling the ground for whatever it was Kamado threw. They were too small for him to find! “Come on, Kaburamaru!” Kamado screamed as a paper hit his wounded face.

Then, everything became clear. The sides were a bit fuzzy, but Iguro could see again, getting him a huge advantage. “Tanjiro. Thanks.” Iguro sprung forward with another form of Snake Breathing. “Pincer him! Move to constantly corner him! We can’t afford to let him escape! The two of us can do it together!”

“Okay!” Tanjiro’s Breathing form saved Iguro from an attack. They kept going, Iguro sparing a glance at where all the other hashira were, to breathe a sigh of relief when he saw Yushiro next to Giyuu tending to whatever injuries he had gotten from that attack.

“Thirty-five minutes until dawn!” A crow perched on the side of a building.

“Iguro-san, Muzan’s splitting apart!” Tanjiro explained. “He’s going to break himself into tiny pieces so that he can escape!”

If Iguro’s face was mostly intact, he would’ve given Tanjiro the most confused look of his life, but he couldn’t argue in the final battle. “He can’t, Tanjiro! Tamayo and Kochou’s drug stops that!” He ran to meet Tanjiro. “They developed a drug to help us kill Muzan.”

“The Hashira Training..!” Tanjiro remembered. “Kochou-san!”

They dashed away from each other to prevent him from escaping in one or more pieces. Iguro jumped forward as Muzan released another giant attack. Iguro got blasted away, landing in a heap of debris as the boar-headed Hashibira jumped out and pushed a speech towards Muzan, making Iguro’s stomach sink.

Half-half haori guy’s arm got cut off..?!

Giyuu… Giyuu! Fuck! Another one of his friends got their arm ripped off!

Agatsuma showed up to help Hashibira, as they both talked to Tanjiro, who got up to fight. Iguro tried to stumble upwards as another person limped past him.

Lifting up the paper, Iguro and Kaburamaru saw a maroon-red haori, which he realised used to be half green and yellow before. “Giyuu!”

“Stay down, Iguro.” Giyuu’s voice was deadly. “I’ll help them now.”

Iguro looked over to see Hashibira launching into a wall as Giyuu raised his sword and got into position to run. “Giyuu… thank you for finding me.”

“Thank you for becoming my friend, Iguro.” Giyuu didn’t turn around. “Total Concentration Breathing, Constant. Water Breathing, Twelfth Form. Slithering Hurricane of Passion .”

Iguro’s jaw dropped as the move formed, Giyuu dashing off in a flurry of twists, swords reaching at odd angles as he turned in circles, dashing at Muzan. It really did look like a hurricane, as Iguro realised it was also a tribute. Was that what he was perfecting in his estate?

Agatsuma leapt out of the way after launching some foreign Thunder Breathing form as Giyuu swept through, knocking off multiple of Muzan’s limbs and nicking his entire body. Tanjiro did some Sun Breathing, knocking Muzan into a different wall and stabbing him into place.

He’s too exhausted to do anymore attacks, Iguro noticed, so Tanjiro was going to hold Muzan in place for sunrise. Just then, someone snuck out of the alleyway as Muzan raised his arms to kill Tanjiro.

“Cut it out already, you big poopy-head!” Mitsuri shrieked, latching onto one of Muzan’s arms. She then tugged as hard as she could, and the thing came out of its own socket. Everyone looked at her with a bit of shock. Muzan raised one of his tendrils and swung it at her.

“Kanroji-san!” Tanjiro shouted.

“Mitsuri!” Giyuu and Iguro yelled.

Shinazugawa leapt from the air, dicing off Muzan’s other arm and tossing it to the side. “Shinazugawa-san!” Tanjiro gasped.

Muzan then opened his mouth. Or, opened his entire body to show an array of teeth, ready to devour Tanjiro. No. Iguro had to do more. He leapt up, dashing to block Muzan from Tanjiro with his own body, sword still in hand. His mouth grit in pain as they sunk down into his flesh and already open wounds, gripping his entire sword red.

“It’s dawn!” Giyuu screeched.

“Just keep holding it out!” Shinazugawa ordered.

Iguro got blasted back again. It seemed to be the third time, he noted, as he got flung into a brick wall and made it break under his force.

“Tanjiro!” Iguro heard a distant shout. Giyuu. How was he? Iguro heard more noise, more struggle. He had to get up. He had to do something. More shouting. Was that Shinazugawa? He was okay. At least two hashira were okay. Three, Iguro counted, as he heard Himejima’s groans from somewhere nearby. 

He got up, the paper almost fully soaked in his blood as Kaburamaru showed him the way. Total Concentration Breathing, Constant. Snake Breathing, Fourth Form. Twin Snake Heads.

It was no use. Everyone was at their limits. They couldn’t go further. 

Just then, Muzan’s strange form reared up and howled, disintegrating to ashes with each ray of sun. There was a lapse in sound, everyone going silent as the last bits of Muzan faded into the air.

Then, noise.

Everyone was celebrating, hugging, cheering, as Iguro limped away. 

Himejima. He passed by, the amazing hashira denied the medicine. He was going to die. 

Giyuu. He was getting helped up by kakushi, who were fussing over his wounds. He was okay.

Mitsuri. She lay on the ground, where both her arms were missing, heaving each Breath painfully. Iguro sank down with her, pulling her body up and taking off his haori, wrapping it around her.

She opened her eyes. The green eyes he loved so much looked funny with Kaburamaru’s vision. “Kaburamaru-kun… Iguro… we won?”

“We won.” Iguro confirmed. “Muzan’s dead.”

“That’s good…” she replied weakly. “My body doesn’t hurt at all… it looks like I’ll die very soon…”

“I’m probably going to die soon as well. You’re not alone.” Maybe he could hold her hand into the afterlife.

“I don’t want you to die, Iguro…” Tears formed in her eyes. “I’m sorry for not being of much use…”

“That’s not true.” Iguro shook his head. “Please don’t talk like that. Do you remember the day we met?”

“I was lost in the Ubuyashiki home… when you found me..!” Mitsuri gained a small smile.

“People getting lost in the Ubuyashiki Estate helped me a lot.” Iguro replied. “My first day there, I also got lost. Giyuu also helped me find the courtyard.”

“Really?” Mitsuri sighed contently.

“When we all met, you treated me normally.” Iguro explained. “You didn’t ask about the snake or the bandages, and you acted so normally, you made me feel normal.”

“I enjoyed spending time with the both of you. You made me feel normal.” Iguro repeated. “The kindness from you was infinite, so you’ve healed many people’s hearts. Hold your head high. I won’t let anyone complain about you.”

Mitsuri hiccuped as she started crying. “Waaaaa! I’m so happy! I… I really love you too, Iguro-san! I loved everything you did with us! The way you looked at me with those eyes was really sweet!”

“Iguro, Iguro, please.” She sobbed. “If we get reborn… as human beings… will you make me your wife?”

“Of course.” Iguro held her closer, dropping his sword to the ground. “If you want someone like me, then I will definitely make you happy. I won’t let you die next time, I will protect you for sure.”

The shine in Mitsuri’s eyes faded as the only tears on her face became ones that had already leaked out, and Iguro could tell she had passed on.

The paper fluttered away from his face, and Iguro could feel his body slump forward as all his senses disappeared and he left his body behind.

Goodbye… Giyuu.

----

Kouki hadn’t known what the corner shop was becoming.

He’d known that the art shop there had closed down six months ago, though nobody really liked the man who ran it, the entire place smelled like fish. 

It had been empty for about two weeks when someone had bought it, and everyone on the street had seen repairs being made, renovations for whatever new business was going to be set up.

Anticipation was building as time marched on, the windows still covered up with tarp as Kouki walked by. He was late to pick up his adopted son Yuuki from kendo, along with his boyfriend Kazato Mahiro.

Kouki turned the corner to the store, where he almost ran into a woman. He quickly stepped back, almost tripping over his feet as she reached over and grabbed his arm to prevent him from falling. “Kyaaa! I’m so sorry, sir!” She apologised, bowing deeply. Kouki instantly stepped back as he looked away from her… revealing outfit.

“I wasn’t looking, it’s my fault.” Kouki shook his head, flushing as he glanced her way, stepping around her. He took a step before turning around again, to see her head turning both directions and rolling the balls of her feet. “Are you lost?”

“Awawawa, no, I’m not!” The girl blushed, dashing up to the man. “I wanted to meet all the locals before I opened my restaurant, but I’m too scared!”

“Ah. You’re opening here?” Kouki eyed her pink and green hair as he fidgeted with his sleeve, the girl nodding when she noticed the snake on his shoulders.

“Uwaah, you have a snake!” She squealed. “What’s his name?”

“Kaburamaru.” Kouki answered, Kaburamaru hissing as he leaned towards the woman.

“I have pet cats, too, their names are Ama, and Satou, and Mochi!” She explained. “I also had a cat when I was little, her name was Hoshi!”

Yuuki would like a lot of cats, if Kaburamaru didn’t try to bite every single one they saw. She kept babbling along, Kouki nodding along as he felt the different vibes that he usually had with Yuuki, who was probably the only one he usually talked to, but not necessarily… bad.

She was even sort of pretty.

Kouki halted all thoughts when he realised what he had just thought, though the girl didn’t seem to notice as she started to talk about her otouto, who’s name was Manato, along with three other unnamed siblings that she doted over.

“-I’m not rambling, am I?” She seemed horrified with herself. “I’m so sorry for talking your ear off!”

“It’s fine. I like people talking to me.” Kouki shook his head. “Are you moving here?”

“Yes, upstairs!” She twirled excitedly. “How did you know?”

“I live just around the corner, Oosumi Kouki.” He introduced himself. She took a second to process it.

“You live here?!” She screamed, before stuttering a couple seconds. “My name is Aikyo Mihana! I look forward to living here with you, Oosumi-san!”

Kouki gave a small bow before heading his way, mind reeling at the deja-vu.

He could tell Yuuki and Mahiro about it later.

Maybe they should go back.

----