霞刃

"hey, i didn't mean anything by that, i just thought..." he sighed as he ran a hand down his face. he really was bad at this friendship thing, wasn't he? "sorry.."

when genya began to speak, he was shifted out of his thoughts. he blinks, tilting his head while looking at genya. "...why are you sorry? my nee-chan used to tell me not to eat like a rodent. he would even smack me." he looked troubled still and muchiro scooted over to him and held his hand. "it's okay." muichiro assures him.

"never thought i'd see you eat like a rodent." he thought it was amusing.

he stops at the comment. it was a flash of his brothers words. 'don't eat like a rodent.' "a rodent..." he doesn't say much else but this time he shoves the entire cookie in his mouth. once he is done, he sits there looking up at the sky not saying much else but his brothers words that echoed.

"i'm just..so glad that my brother survived.."

“don’t cry, idiot. he’s a lot stronger than he looks.”

"here."

"hey hey!" he recoiled the bag. "if you want one, you should ask!" he would have offered him a cookie, but he was going about it the wrong way.

he stares as genya snatches the bag away. his brow raised slightly looking at him. "shinobu-san said if i have to ask. then the person not sharing, is stingy." he replies but now that he thinks about it. has he ever asked for food before? the answer is no. "rengoku-san usually gives me food but... if he can't, sanemi-san does."

"you don't have to worry about that, you're my best friend, muichiro."

“why don’t you want to kiss me? am i not good enough?” he says looking angry again. there was a pause before he starts to smile slowly. “good, then genya. i heard you got cookies from the flower hashira.” no doubt he was already pawing at the pouch of cookies.

"there's a difference between boyfriend and friend, muichiro." how did he even explain this to him? "see, boyfriend means a relationship, like...kissing and stuff. but you are my friend! one of the best friends i could ask for! i've never looked down on you ever, i swear! you're super strong and the fact that you're a hashira and you're younger than me? that's so fuckin' amazing!"

"you better not call anyone else, your best friend. as long as i'm around."

"muichiro! you are my friend! you've been my friend since we fought back at the swords smith village!" he said through his laughter, holding a hand to his lips to help stifle his chuckles. "why did you think we weren't friends?"

"because you said tanjiro-san was your boyfriend & not me. like i said is it because i am not good enough? do you look down on me?"

"you...want to be my boyfriend?" he couldn't read this guy at all, the expression on his face didn't match his tone in the slightest, and that's what worried him the most.

"..." muichiro just stares at him for a long time. the silence was stretching before he finally answers. "yes, i am a boy & i can be your friend. am i not good enough to be friends with he mighty genya-san?" his voice becoming more deeper than before. "tanjiro-san is already best friends with the blonde guy & the crazy boar."

he  doesn't  move  from  his  spot  at  first  ,  feeling  the  weight  of  one's  head  against  one  of  his  arm  .  with  a  sigh  ,  he  brings  his  free  top  to  rest  atop  the  young  hashira's  head  ,  patting  it  once  before  ruffling  his  hair  .  “  are  you  back  from  another  mission  ?  it's  better  to  rest  back  at  the  butterfly  state  ”

the gentle pats was what he wanted but he never could express them. there was silence before he finally opened his mouth. “it’s noisy there..” he simple says & looks up at himejima. he was like a giant cuddly bear. “and the swallow isn’t happy, so she keeps chirping away angrily.” he often referred to the other hashira’s by animals.

he doesn’t say anything just stares up at the man. there was not food but he didn’t come here for a free meal. instead, muichiro curls up next to himejima’s side & rests his small head against him. it was like a was a small kitten, seeking warmth. when he closes his eyes, he slips into sleep right away.