Jackie

Tomioka Giyuu doesn't find out about the rumor when it starts, he doesn't find out until it's been circulating for months.

"Where's your partner? Did she leave on a mission?"

The question catches him so off guard that he stares at the kakushi for several seconds, unable to fully process the words he just heard. He even wonders if he heard correctly.

"My what?"

"Your partner, the Moon Hashira."

The man says it so confidently that, for a moment, Giyuu wonders if he's missed something important. It feels like everyone else had a conversation he was never told about.

"We're not a couple," he says quickly.

"Oh."

The response is brief, but the expression on the kakushi's face speaks for itself, making it painfully obvious that he doesn't believe him at all.

Giyuu doesn't think much of it at the time. He makes the mistake of assuming it's a one-time thing, but it happens again, and then again, and again. Every time you show up, every time someone sees the two of you talking for more than a few minutes, every time you end up sitting beside him during a meeting, every time someone finds you sharing a quiet conversation in a secluded corner of headquarters…

At first, it's just passing comments, knowing looks, and amused smiles, small hints that Giyuu simply ignores, but as the days go by, they become far too frequent to overlook.

The most confusing part is that nobody seems to question it. Even Shinobu has joined this mission to drive the Water Hashira insane, and every time she approaches him, it's only to say something about you.

One afternoon, after hearing a question related to you for the fifth time that week, he finally frowns slightly.

"Why does everyone think that?" The question slips from his lips before he can stop it.

The kakushi standing in front of him blinks.

"Think what?"

"That the Moon Hashira and I are together."

The man raises his eyebrows and looks at him as if he's just asked the most ridiculous question in the world.

"Well…" the kakushi rubs the back of his neck. "It's pretty obvious, Tomioka-sama. You're very affectionate with each other, and Koucho-sama said the other day that she saw you kissing…"

Giyuu goes completely still. The world seems to stop around him, and the kakushi's words replay endlessly inside his head. His jaw tightens ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly, but enough to reveal that something in his usual patience has begun to crack.

"That's not true."

The kakushi opens his mouth as though he wants to insist, but something in Giyuu's expression stops him. He leaves with a quick, awkward bow, leaving Giyuu alone with his thoughts.

Giyuu lightly curls his fingers inside the sleeves of his haori as he starts walking at an unhurried pace, though his steps now have a much clearer destination.

He finds Shinobu shortly afterward, and of course he finds her smiling peacefully. She's sitting beneath the shade of a tree, reviewing medical reports, and she doesn't even seem surprised when he stops in front of her.

"Good afternoon, Tomioka-san."

"Kochou."

She looks up.

"Do you need something?"

"Of course I do," he growls.

Shinobu's smile widens just a little.

"Really? And what would that be?"

"Why did you tell people that [Name] and I kissed?"

Shinobu's expression shifts into something far more amused, and Giyuu is convinced she knew all along that they would eventually have this conversation.

"Oh, did you find out?"

"So it was you," Giyuu says, his hand unconsciously brushing the hilt of his sword as Shinobu immediately raises both hands in surrender.

"Well, maybe."

"Kochou."

"It was an innocent joke, Tomioka-san," she dismisses with a gentle wave of her hand.

"It wasn't funny," he snaps.

"I laughed."

Giyuu feels a vein pulse in his forehead, and Shinobu lets out a quiet giggle. Even he doesn't know how he's managed to tolerate the other Hashira and fight alongside them for so long, though you're the exception. He prefers every mission to be with you, where he only has to deal with your jokes or complaints.

At least yours are adorable. Shinobu's only seem to test his patience.

"It's not like people needed much help anyway. You two are very obvious, you know?" Shinobu shrugs, returning her attention to the reports.

"We're not dating."

"Of course," she agrees, but Giyuu can hear the sarcasm.

Without question, Shinobu wins the title of most annoying Hashira. It's impossible to have a conversation with her, and every time he does, he feels like he ages a little faster.

"Anyway, if you want the rumors to disappear, you should talk to her."

Giyuu freezes. His cheeks flush faintly, and he clears his throat while looking away. It hadn't occurred to him to talk to you about the rumors. After all, it's embarrassing, no matter how much he tries to deny it. Maybe you don't know about them, or maybe you do and simply don't care.

"And how would that solve anything? People will keep talking," he mutters.

Shinobu studies him over the top of her reports for a few seconds.

"Yeah, probably."

"Then there's no point." Giyuu frowns.

"Then keep pretending you don't understand why the rumors started." Shinobu begins gathering her papers.

"I already told you I don't understand."

The Insect Hashira sighs dramatically.

"You're even denser than I thought, Tomioka-san."

Giyuu takes offense and tries to speak, but Shinobu continues.

"The other day, [Name] came back with three cracked ribs and a mild head injury."

Giyuu immediately straightens.

"What?"

"There it is." She smiles.

"I only care because she's my partner and she was hurt." Giyuu takes a step back, jaw tightening.

"Of course."

"Anyone would react like that."

Shinobu's smile becomes unbearably sweet.

"Do you know how many slayers came in injured last month?" The question leaves Giyuu speechless, but Shinobu doesn't stop. "How many of them did you ask about? Do you know how many times you showed up at the infirmary to check whether she'd woken up?"

Giyuu doesn't answer, and Shinobu stands up, delicately dusting off her haori.

"Three times in a single afternoon. By the third time, you didn't even bother pretending to have an excuse."

Shinobu walks a few steps away, then turns back to look at him.

"So do us all a favor and go talk to her, okay?"

So that's exactly what he does.

He goes looking for you at your estate. He walks stiffly, and people stare as he passes, but he doesn't even notice, too uneasy about having to discuss this with you.

You're sitting on the edge of the engawa with a cup of tea in your hands, your gaze lost in the garden. Your eyes brighten the moment you see him, and you motion for him to come over and sit beside you.

"Giyuu," you say as he sits down.

Something in his expression makes you tilt your head slightly.

"Did something happen?"

"Yes."

"Something bad?"

Without thinking, you place one of your hands over his, and Giyuu startles slightly.

"I don't know."

That only confuses you more, and you frown a little.

"Giyuu, tell me what's wrong. Give me something more than one-word answers…"

"People think we're dating," he blurts out.

You fall silent for several seconds, completely speechless. You blink a few times in surprise before bursting into laughter. Giyuu looks at you as though you've suddenly grown a second head, and it's adorable.

"What's so funny?" he whispers, feeling his stomach twist.

The idea that you find it amusing to imagine the two of you as a couple makes him feel sick.

"You didn't know?" you ask, wiping away a tear forming at the corner of your eye.

"No."

That only makes you laugh harder.

"Giyuu, people have been saying that for months."

"I've noticed that now," he says with a grimace.

"I thought you knew and just didn't care." Your eyes widen dramatically. "How is it possible that you never heard them before?"

You cover your mouth with one hand, trying to contain your laughter.

"I'm sorry," you attempt to apologize, but you don't sound sincere at all.

When you finally calm down, there's still a smile lingering on your lips. You look at Giyuu fondly and tighten your hold on his hand. This is the moment you've been waiting for. You thought you didn't have a chance because Giyuu never seemed interested, but if the only reason was that he hadn't heard the rumors…

"Well, I guess it makes sense," you begin, scratching your cheek.

"It doesn't," he denies, frowning.

"Of course it does."

Seeing Giyuu so stubbornly in denial almost makes you consider backing out and forgetting the whole thing, but you need to get these feelings off your chest and finally breathe a little easier.

"Why?" Giyuu holds his breath, and you give him a small smile.

"Do you really not realize it?"

Giyuu shakes his head, unable to find the strength to answer. Suddenly, a strange feeling overtakes him. The weight of his own body crashes down on him with overwhelming intensity, crushing him little by little, as though an invisible force is anchoring him in place and preventing him from taking even a single step or changing his posture.

"I like you," you whisper shyly, lowering your gaze to your joined hands.

You squeeze your eyes shut, waiting for a reaction, but nothing happens. He doesn't pull his hand away, he doesn't move back, and he doesn't answer. You can only feel his gaze fixed on the top of your head. Your cheeks slowly redden until your face feels like it's on fire, and you finally lift your head just enough to look at him through your lashes.

He's staring at you as though he didn't understand what you just said, but he understood perfectly. The problem is that his mind seems incapable of moving past those words.

You like him.

You like him.

Part of Giyuu had always assumed his feelings were doomed to remain exactly where they were. He'd learned to live with them long before he ever found a name for them. He liked spending time with you, sought out your company even when he had no reason to, and found a strange sense of peace in your presence. He'd accepted all of it without expecting anything in return.

Expecting something would've been too much, because in his eyes, you're far beyond his reach, far beyond anything that would allow him to hope for a place by your side. That's why your confession hits him with a force he wasn't prepared for.

His fingers tighten slightly around yours.

"You… like me?"

The question leaves his mouth before he can stop it. He needs to hear it again to convince himself he didn't imagine it.

You lift your head completely, inhaling sharply.

"Yes," you say without hesitation, and something inside Giyuu suddenly loosens.

He hadn't realized how much tension he'd been carrying until that moment. He closes his eyes, feeling his heart race wildly inside his chest.

You're the first to look away.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't…"

"No."

Giyuu interrupts you so quickly that both of you are surprised.

"No, it's not that."

He intertwines his fingers with yours and rests his forehead against yours, closing his eyes.

"I'm just trying to understand how I didn't realize it sooner."

And when your eyes meet his again, the smile that appears on your face makes his heart lurch so suddenly and so painfully that he almost doesn't know what to do with himself.

Because no matter how difficult it is to admit, he's starting to suspect that Shinobu is going to laugh at him for the rest of his life, and for the first time, he's not entirely sure he can say he doesn't deserve it.

Upper rank two, Douma

Douma has spent centuries without ever understanding human emotions. He observes them and imitates them perfectly, like someone studying a strange species from behind glass. He has seen love, pain, rage, fear and despair thousands of times, in every gaze, tone of voice, breath and even in the way human hearts beat, but recognizing something has never been the same as feeling it.

With you, something happens that doesn't fit into any of his knowledge.

You are the only constant variable that keeps escaping his understanding, the only person who still manages to surprise him. To Douma, it feels irritating, but also fascinating.

He hears about your mission long before you ever get the chance to mention it. Of course it does, Douma always finds out about everything somehow.

However, this time he doesn't react as you expected: he doesn't laugh or make any mocking comment about your chances of survival, he simply disappears for several hours without warning you or leaving any trace.

You wait for him uneasily, pacing around his room. You're not worried about him, since as a slayer you should be more concerned about who he is with, but his behavior is abnormal for him. You'd been sent to the Entertainment District with another Hashira to deal with an Upper Moon demon, you leave early tomorrow morning, so you expected to spend a few hours with Douma before leaving.

When he finally appears, night has already fallen over the temple. The air is cool and silent, and moonlight comes in through the open windows, spilling over the wooden floor like a river of silver.

You find him sitting next to one of the windows in his room, you startle because he came in so silently you didn't even hear him. He has one leg bent and an arm resting on the frame while he watches the darkness outside with unusual focus. The moonlight paints his pale hair silver and softens the contours of his figure.

Your shoulders relax when you see him back, and he turns to look at you when he hears your footsteps approaching.

Douma smiles, but it's not his usual one, that overly friendly smile that seems fake, but a darker one you have only seen a few times, and when you see it the hairs on your arms stand up. Tonight Douma makes no effort to hide it.

"So you're leaving tomorrow."

You walk over until you're standing beside him.

"That's right," you whisper, looking away from him and fixing your gaze on the full moon.

Douma stares at the darkness outside for a few seconds before answering.

"It seems like quite a dangerous mission."

"It is," you nod.

"You could die," he says it so normally it unsettles you, like someone talking about the weather, but something in his voice feels strange.

"I'm a Hashira, I know, Douma," you frown, not understanding where he's going with this, he's never shown interest in your missions, you don't understand why he would now.

A soft laugh leaves his lips, although there is no amusement in it, only a kind of resignation that doesn't fit him at all.

"Of course you know."

Silence settles between you both. Douma rests his cheek on one hand and watches you, as if he's trying to engrave every detail of you into his memory: the curve of your smile, the way the moonlight falls on your face, the sound of your breathing… as if something inside him insists he should remember all of it.

"Do you know?" he says finally, tilting his head to the side. "I think I'll miss you."

His words settle softly between you. You freeze, not expecting such a display of vulnerability from Douma. You know that if anyone finds out about this, if Muzan finds out, it will be the end for both of you.

Douma pulls away from the window and comes closer to you, grabs your wrist and drags one of his claws along your arm, leaving just a faint pink line that will disappear in minutes. Having Douma this close always makes you nervous and you lick your lips in a habit you can't control, Douma's eyes follow the movement and narrow.

"That's quite inconvenient."

Your body goes rigid. "Inconvenient how?"

He exhales slowly through his nose.

"Being this distracted by someone," for a moment he seems like he wants to add something else, but stops at the last moment. "Come."

He pulls your arm toward his futon, you fall onto it with your hair messy against the pillow. Of course, that's what he came for after all, to enjoy spending a pleasant night with his demon as if it were the last one.

Douma positions himself on top of you, his rainbow eyes looking at you in the dark with a predatory glint that makes you tremble in anticipation. He lowers his head toward you, capturing your lips in a slow kiss with no rush. You're used to it, since Douma never hurries when something bores him.

Maybe it was fast and desperate the first time, eager to explore every corner of your body, a novelty that kept him entertained for the rest of the night, but after that he lost interest. You're not sure, it's been almost ten years since you met him.

Your hand slides into his hair, your fingers getting lost in Douma's strands as the kiss deepens. You moan already aroused and he laughs, pulling back slightly.

His fingers brush your flushed cheek with an almost deceptive tenderness while he tilts his head slightly.

"How strange…" he murmurs, never taking his eyes off you. "I thought I'd end up getting tired of you sooner or later."

A slow smile forms on his lips.

"But you keep surprising me."

Heat rises immediately to your cheeks, turning them an even deeper red. Your heart beats so strongly you're convinced Douma can hear it. The dim light softens the contours of his face, but it doesn't reduce the intensity of his gaze. He watches you with an almost unsettling attention, as if you're the only thing in the entire room capable of awakening and holding his interest.

It's such a strange feeling that you prefer not to analyze it. You can't afford to believe in fantasies, after all, this is nothing more than sex. Douma doesn't want anything else, and part of you knows that when he gets bored, he might even try to kill you. Although, if that day comes, you'll make sure you're the one who cuts his head off first.

Still, the thought leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, so you push it away before it starts to hurt.

Douma seems to notice you're not paying attention. Without warning, he slides his lips along your neck, stopping at your throat to leave a series of marks on your skin. His fangs pierce your skin and the pain makes you shiver slightly, you hear him swallowing your blood and although it hurts, you feel your pussy starts to get wet.

You both take off your clothes while kissing and the next thing you know your legs are open and Douma's fingers are buried in your pussy, moving in a desperately slow rhythm. You're a mess and you can't speak, you only moan and pull Douma back every time he pulls away to keep kissing him. When you're that deep in pleasure, you love wet kisses.

"Look at you," Douma smiles. "So perfect for me, my cute and fragile human."

"D-Douma… f-faster…" you moan, moving your hips to speed up his hand, but he stops you with his free hand.

"Ah, no, you didn't ask properly."

You give him an irritated look, but Douma doesn't seem intimidated at all, in fact his smile grows wider and you give in.

"Okay… p-please?"

You put your pride aside, even if it weighs on you to admit it. You know perfectly well how much Douma enjoys seeing you like this: vulnerable, dependent, obedient to every word he says. He loves having power and feeling adored and worshiped, as if he's above everyone else.

That's why you normally do everything you can to oppose him, denying him that satisfaction has become a small personal victory, but this time the situation is different and Douma knows it.

With almost cruel patience, he takes control of the situation and pushes you exactly where he wants, manipulating your reactions with the certainty that he'll get his way.

"But you won't cum with my fingers," he pulls his fingers out of your pussy abruptly and you moan at the loss.

You don't have time to fully process it before he thrusts his cock inside you. The air gets stuck in your throat and your eyes widen in surprise. Douma doesn't give you space to recover, his rhythm is firm, determined, almost impatient, although controlled enough not to hurt you, even in the heat of the moment he doesn't forget you're only human.

"Douma!" you scream with a broken voice.

He lets out a low broken laugh, as if he's on the edge of losing control but enjoying every second of it. His hands hold you firmly, anchoring you to him, making sure you can't pull away.

"Fuck…" he groans, speeding up his thrusts. "I'm going to lose it."

A confused sound escapes you and try to focus on him, but Douma doesn't return your gaze, staring at where his cock disappears inside your pussy.

"It shouldn't matter to me if you die… if you never come back," his tone turns cold. "I should have killed you the first time I saw you."

The words hit you like an arrow to the chest, mixing with the closeness and the chaos of sensations around you, you feel something inside you shrink, even so you can feel your orgasm approaching and you cling to Douma's back, digging your blunt nails into his skin.

Your eyes get watery, but you don't look away, because if you did, you'd break; if you let go even for a second, you'd fall apart under everything you're feeling.

Douma looks at you again, measuring the effect of every word on you, and as if something inside him breaks too, he continues.

"I'll kill all the moons if any of them even tries to touch a single hair on your head."

The emotion overwhelms you without permission, too strong and sudden. The world tightens, becoming blurry at the edges, all you can feel is being completely trapped in him, like prey in the territory of a predator who doesn't know if it wants to escape or go deeper into the darkness.

A burning orgasm floods your body. You press your thighs around Douma's hips as you lean back, trembling completely overwhelmed. Douma groans, feeling you tighten around his cock as he keeps thrusting, you're his human, his pet, his to claim, the only one who can see you fall apart like this.

He cums with a groan, filling your inner walls with his seed. He collapses on top of you breathing heavily and you melt into the futon, still feeling the waves of your orgasm.

Your eyelids flutter tiredly, you breathe with difficulty, still amazed by the sex you just had, it has never been this intense.

The times you had sex before, you weren't even sure Douma liked doing it with you, since his movements were slow, almost boring, as if everything was under his control, both his pleasure and yours.

An uncomfortable thought hits you: it wasn't just desire. There was something else in the way he looked at you, in how he held you, as if time was about to run out.

Douma pulls away from you and cleans himself first, then takes a damp cloth with warm water and carefully wipes between your legs.

When he finishes, he seems ready to leave quickly, as if staying another second would be unnecessary after getting what he wanted, but your voice stops him before he reaches the door.

"Were you serious?" you whisper in a very low voice, heavy with sleep.

Douma stops and looks back at you, raising an eyebrow. "About what?"

"That you'd kill all the moons for me."

The silence that follows isn't uncomfortable, but it's heavy. Douma comes closer again and sits beside you slowly. He lets out a small laugh, almost affectionate, while running his fingers through your hair, gently moving some strands aside.

You relax under his touch, caught in his charm.

"Oh, darling…" his fingers tangle in your locks and tighten his grip, but without hurting you. "It would be boring if someone else broke you."

That's what he says, but he doesn't leave your side all night, already planning how to make sure you returned to him unharmed.

•——————•°•✿•°•——————•

Upper rank three, Akaza

Akaza doesn't fully understand what he has with you.

When you are close, his body stops being completely tense. The internal war he has lived with for centuries doesn't disappear, but it eases, as if he doesn't have to stay alert all the time, always preparing for the next strike.

The night before the mission, Akaza is quieter than usual.

You told him you’d been sent on a dangerous mission in the mountains, alone. Akaza wouldn't mind accompanying you and protecting you if it was necessary, but at that moment he has another mission in his hands, a direct order from Muzan that he can't ignore.

You step out of the bathroom after washing your face and find him the same as before, sitting on a chair, completely still, staring at an undefined point on the wall. You sigh, frowning, lately, you’ve been trying to figure out your feelings and you have realized that you like each other, but neither of you has taken the step.

At least you are scared of what starting a relationship will mean and turning it into something more than just sex, but you have no idea what is going on in Akaza's mind.

You are setting up the futon when Akaza's voice stops your movements.

"Are you scared?"

It is so direct that you flinch slightly, although deep down it shouldn't surprise you. Akaza has never known how to circle around things or soften what he thinks before saying it.

He stares at you and you hesitate before answering, knowing what he means. He is asking you, a human, mortal and completely fragile compared to what he is.

"A little," you say, shrugging your shoulders. "But it's my job."

It doesn't seem like Akaza liked your answer much, since he clicks his tongue and stands up from the chair, slowly approaching you.

"You don't have anything to worry about," he says finally, his voice lower than usual. "Nothing is going to happen to you."

He stops one step away from you. He is so close that you have to tilt your head slightly back to look at him properly. His eyes don't leave yours for a single moment.

"I won't allow it," he finishes.

"You say that like it's easy," you murmur, trying not to let your voice give away too much of what having him this close does to you.

Akaza doesn't respond immediately, he takes another step toward you and raises a hand, but stops halfway through the gesture, hesitating for just a moment before taking a strand of your hair and rolling it between his fingers.

"I can," he says. "If you are in danger, I can take care of it."

You cross your arms, feeling offended, you are a demon Slayer, one who is close to becoming a Hashira, no one questions your power, not even your enemies, but there he is, that demon treating you like you are a fragile flower that is easy to step on.

"Akaza, it's not that easy, it's not like you can be there all the time," you move his hand away from your hair, annoyed. "Besides, I'm a Kinoe, don't underestimate me."

Akaza doesn't pull his hand away immediately when you remove his fingers from your hair, instead he looks at his hand with a frown, not understanding why your rejection has irritated him so much.

"I'm not underestimating you," he says, looking back at you, your faces are only a few centimeters apart and you don't know when you got so close. "I know what you are."

He takes a small step back, just enough to give you a bit of space, but he doesn't fully move away, his presence still fills the room and you take the moment to try to calm your heartbeat.

"But that doesn't change what you are to them," he continues. "Or what can happen."

You laugh softly, although there is no real humor in it.

"Something can always happen," you snap. "That's part of the job too. You can't control everything, Akaza."

He tenses when he hears you say his name so sharply, you immediately regret treating him like that, and you move closer to take his hand.

"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have spoken to you like that," you whisper, stroking the back of his hand with your thumb.

Akaza doesn't pull his hand away when you take it. On the contrary, his fingers stay still under your touch. His eyes drop to your hands for a moment, following the movement of your thumb on his skin, then return to your face with a slow almost careful motion.

"You haven't done anything wrong," he answers, although his voice sounds less firm than before.

His fingers flex slightly under your hand, not fully used to being touched like this without fighting, testing strength, or challenging him.

"I don't want to keep talking about this, tomorrow I have to leave early and-"

Akaza interrupts you by holding your chin and joining your lips in a slow kiss. Your breath stops for a moment from the surprise and the hand you had on his stays suspended between the two of you, not knowing where to go, while the rest of the world seems to shrink to the kiss.

His hands move down to your hips and you jump, wrapping your legs around his waist. Akaza walks you toward the futon and you fall onto it without breaking the kiss. You touch everything you can of Akaza, his hair, his face, his neck… As you take off your clothes, Akaza makes sure to leave marks all over your neck and neckline.

His head disappears between your legs and you arch your back, feeling him lick your clit eagerly and stroke your thighs with skilled hands. You bring a hand to your mouth to muffle your moans and Akaza pulls back with a wet sound, staring intensely at you and speaking.

"Don't hide, I want to hear you," his voice has gone deeper with need and you get even wetter.

You do what he tells you and he sinks back into your pussy with a satisfied expression. He opens you patiently with his fingers, even when his movements are a little desperate.

"A-Akaza… I'm ready, please…" you beg, trying to control your imminent orgasm.

"First I want to make you come once…"

"No," you interrupt him and he flinches. "I need you now."

You don't know where that vulnerability comes from, maybe the moment, the situation and the emotions are making you show a side of yourself you keep hidden from Akaza. He realizes it, and without arguing he pulls his fingers out and places his cock at the entrance, wanting nothing other than to please you.

Akaza enters slowly, you moan feeling him go in centimeter by centimeter. Once he is inside he starts moving slowly and your eyes get watery, you always become especially sensitive when you are joined like this, but knowing you won't come back for a while, and without wanting to think about the possibility of not returning, it is inevitable that you feel like crying.

You moan when Akaza brushes a sensitive spot inside you and he places your bent legs against your chest to make sure he keeps hitting that point that makes your toes curl. Your mind goes blank and you open your mouth, Akaza takes the chance to lean in and kiss you, much more intense than before. His tongue wraps around yours in a battle inside your mouths.

"Are you okay?" Akaza breaks the kiss to look into your eyes.

"Y-Yes, perfectly."

Those words are the green light he needed to increase the rhythm and range of his thrusts, now hitting his hips faster,making your moans grow louder.

Akaza can feel how the inside of your pussy squeezes him tightly, forcing him to adjust his movements, your thighs tremble, noticing how your orgasm is approaching again but at a rapidly increasing pace.

"I'm close," you pant, pressing your hands on Akaza's shoulders.

"Come for me, love," he whispers near your ear, brushing you with his warm breath.

You don't hear anything else after that. You let out a small cry while the heat spreads inside you,your ears ring as pleasure crashes through you while at some point Akaza gives a final thrust before spilling inside you. He stays buried inside, moaning while his cock contracts, and the heat spills into your womb.

You stay silent catching your breath. You rest your head shyly on his chest and he traces spirals on your shoulder with his claw.

"We should clean ourselves," Akaza says, but he doesn't make any effort to move.

You nod timidly, without moving your head from his chest, your body is too exhausted to do anything else. Akaza notices it and it's him who pulls away ignoring your soft protests, he disappears into the bathroom and comes back with a cloth, unsure whether to clean you himself or hand it to you so you can do it, but he sees you're already falling asleep, so he does it himself.

"Thanks…" you murmur sleepily.

"Don't get used to it," he snorts.

You laugh before falling asleep. Akaza sits next to the futon, watching your figure. He doesn't move when your breathing gets slower, nor when silence spreads through the room. He leans slightly toward you, observing your face, there's no tension in your brow anymore, no resistance in your expression, just rest.

That should have made him feel calm, but the thought of your mission keeps tormenting him.

He stays by your side all night, without taking his eyes off you, as if you would stop breathing if he did.

The mission is supposed to last two days.

Iguro Obanai has it all perfectly planned out: arrive at the village, investigate the reports, eliminate the demon, and return before sunset on the second day. However, four days pass, four entire days without any news from you.

It's not something that worries him too much, or at least that's what he tries to tell himself. He knows you're capable of defending yourself. They've worked together enough times for him to know exactly what you're capable of. Even so, the fact that you've disappeared without sending a messenger crow is starting to irritate him.

Raindrops drum steadily against the roof of the estate while Obanai sits beneath the wooden eaves. The atmosphere is peaceful, but he can't bring himself to enjoy it.

It's not like you to disappear without saying anything.

Night has already fallen completely when he hears the sound of footsteps approaching from the main road. Instinctively, he looks up, and you emerge through the curtain of rain completely soaked, your uniform stained with mud, dry leaves tangled in your hair, and to make matters worse, you're smiling.

Obanai feels part of the tension that's been building over those days disappear the moment he sees that you're safe and unharmed. The rest immediately turns into irritation, because it's impossible for someone who has just returned after disappearing for several days to look so pleased with themselves.

"You're late," Obanai says with a frown once you step through the sliding doors.

"I know," you sing softly, pulling a leaf away from your forehead with a grimace.

"Four days late."

"I know that too."

Obanai's frown deepens. "And are you planning to explain that?"

"Well..." The hesitation in your voice is enough to put him on alert.

As you get closer, he starts noticing small details: the way you walk seems slightly uncomfortable, your arms remain stiffly pressed against your sides, and the haori draped over your shoulders looks strangely bulky.

Something is wrong. Obanai's irritation grows, because experience has taught him that when it comes to you, 'something is wrong' usually means you're about to give him a headache.

Then something moves beneath your haori, a small lump, then another one moves.

Obanai's eyes narrow, and you remain completely still, hoping somehow he didn't see that.

The hope doesn't last long because a tiny brown head appears from between the folds of the fabric, followed by two more.

The silence stretches.

"No," Obanai finally breaks it.

"No what?" you ask with a frown.

"You're not doing this."

"I don't understand." You tilt your head with fake confusion. "Doing what?"

"Whatever it is you're thinking," Obanai accuses, pointing a finger at you. "I'm warning you, animals are responsibilities, care, problems, noise..."

The sentence trails off because the puppies climb down onto the ground, their tails wagging. You let out a soft sound as you crouch down to pet one of them on the head. Cute things are your weakness, and Obanai knows that perfectly well, unfortunately.

"I found them near the forest," you explain quickly. "They were alone, freezing, and starving."

"It's still a no."

"But they don't have a mother. I found her dead not far from where they were..." Your lips form a pout as you continue gently petting the puppy.

"I already told you, we don't have time to take care of them. Puppies that young need constant attention, and we're always out on missions." Obanai crosses his arms.

You hate that he's right, but you still can't just leave them behind.

"Just for a little while, please, until we find them a home. Kanroji-san can look after them while we're gone."

One of the puppies chooses that moment to approach Obanai, who watches it with obvious suspicion. Kaburamaru tenses on his shoulders and hisses at the furry creature as it sits beside Obanai’s feet.

It's small, ridiculously small. Its paws are far too big for its body, and it walks with the clumsy awkwardness typical of young animals. Then the puppy seems to make a decision and offers him its paw.

Obanai stares at the paw in disbelief, and you press a hand over your mouth to stop yourself from laughing and ruining the moment.

"What is it doing?" he mutters as the puppy lowers its paw and tries again.

"I think he wants to say hello," you finally let out a small laugh.

Obanai looks offended. "I don't want to say hello."

The scene is so absurdly innocent that it's irritating. Obanai holds the animal's gaze for several seconds, trying to stand firm by reminding himself of every reason why this is a terrible idea. Logic is completely on his side.

The puppy keeps wagging its tail anyway.

They're small movements, slow and hopeful, as if it's completely convinced everything will work out.

Obanai makes the mistake of looking at you and discovers you're watching him with exactly the same expression. You have the same confidence that he'll eventually give in, and the worst part is that you're almost always right.

A resigned sigh escapes his lips.

"Two weeks."

Your eyes light up.

"Two weeks?" you repeat, unable to hide the excitement in your voice.

"Only two," he emphasizes.

"And what if they find a home before then?"

"Perfect."

"And what if they don't?" you murmur, too afraid of that possibility.

"They will."

"And what if—"

"They will," he interrupts.

You stop and give him a small smile. Clearly, he would never be able to get rid of animals like these so easily, otherwise you wouldn't have chosen him as your boyfriend.

You crouched down to pick up one of the puppies, pressing a loud kiss to its head while completely ignoring the sound of Obanai gagging in the background. They're dirty, but nothing a bath can't fix.

"Did you hear that? You have permission now."

As if the puppy understands, it immediately starts licking your cheek, making you laugh.

"It doesn't have permission."

Yet, completely contradicting his own words, he ends up crouching down and running his fingers over the puppy's head.

"Don't do that, dog. You're already causing enough trouble." He scoffs, pushing the puppy away from your face with one hand while avoiding looking at you directly.

"Obanai!" you complain. "Of course they have permission, at least temporary permission."

Obanai is about to respond when Kaburamaru slowly slides down Obanai's arm toward the puppy. You swallow hard as you look at the size difference between the snake and the puppy. If Kaburamaru wanted to, he could swallow it whole in a single bite, but you trust him just as much as you trust Obanai.

The two animals remain still, staring at one another until the puppy sneezes and Kaburamaru quickly pulls back.

Obanai sighs again and walks a few steps away. You pass by him on your way to the bath with the puppies in your arms and give him a small kiss on the cheek in thanks.

Even though he'll never admit it out loud, the battle was lost from the moment you appeared walking through the rain with three puppies hidden beneath your haori, and once again Obanai realizes that the real problem isn't you.

It's himself, because he's never learned how to tell you no when you look at him like that.

He only says that, as dry as always. You slightly furrow your brows, but when you step closer to examine a wound on his neck, Giyuu doesn't step back like you'd expect, he also doesn't look away.

"Was it difficult?" you murmur, carefully bringing your hand closer to brush the swollen area.

For a few seconds you think Giyuu isn't going to answer, but then he sighs.

"Yes."

It's barely a murmur that you almost don't hear, he suddenly looks so tired that it was enough to understand how much he's endured.

You take the liberty of pulling his hand toward his room and you change his bandages in a strangely comfortable silence, although that only makes your heart race in a way that brings color to your cheeks.

Giyuu has never been one to seek comfort when in a bad mood, so when everything is finished and you stand up, you briefly say goodbye to leave him alone, but before you can take a step, you feel a tug on your sleeve and you turn around surprised. Giyuu looks just as surprised as you, holding onto the sleeve.

"Stay," he says, although he loosens his grip in case you decide to run away because of his boldness.

Instead, you give him a small smile.

"Alright."

≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

Iguro Obanai

Complicated missions always leave Obanai in a bad mood and this one was no exception.

When you get to where he is, he has already argued with three slayers and is dangerously close to arguing with a fourth, you.

"You’re injured, Obanai."

"It's not serious," he waves his arm in front of you irritably, as if to prove the truth of his words.

"You’ve got your arm injured."

"But I still have an arm."

Kaburamaru hisses softly from his shoulders, as if he’s just as irritated as his owner. You sigh feeling the annoyance grow in your chest, but you try to control it since you know Obanai acts like this because he hates worrying people, and even more if it's you. That’s why he tries to leave before you can keep insisting.

"If you leave, I'm going to follow you," you challenge, lifting your chin.

He stops and turns to look at you.

"You're so troublesome."

"I learned it from someone," you shrug and Obanai lets out a faint sound of displeasure. "Come on... please?"

Obanai looks at you silently for a few seconds before he gestures for you to follow him to his room. You give a triumphant smile as you stand by his side. Obanai avoids looking at you the whole way to his room and while you treat his wounds, you notice his cheeks are flushed.

"Are you okay? Do you have a fever?"

Obanai startles and looks at you wide-eyed.

"Of course not! Are you done already?" he pulls away quickly and you let him escape without resistance.

Now he looks uncomfortable and you regret having asked him those questions, although you don't know why he reacts like that. Obanai seems to notice your mood, because he comes closer again.

"It's just..." he starts, clenching and unclenching his fists nervously. "Every time I come back from a dangerous mission and see you here waiting for me like this... I remember everything I could lose."

You gasp, surprised, "Obanai..."

"And it's something I hate more than any wound."

≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

Shinazugawa Sanemi

Sanemi comes back covered in blood, you see him from a distance while the people around him step aside in fear. It doesn’t seem like that blood is his, but that doesn’t reassure you at all.

You try to approach him, but Sanemi dodges you with a furrowed brow.

“Sit down,” you say, trying to take him by the shoulder, but he shakes off your grip.

“No.”

“Sanemi.”

“I’m busy, get lost,” he tries to leave again and you step right in front of him with your arms crossed.

“Doing what?”

Sanemi doesn’t answer, he looks away and you sigh, tired of his childish behaviour. He doesn’t answer because you both know it’s a lie.

He ends up dropping down onto the engawa with clear irritation while you clean a cut above his eyebrow.

For a while, nobody speaks. Sanemi stares at the garden and you focus on treating his wounds.

“We lost several.”

You stop your movements completely, intrigued, waiting for him to continue.

“I didn’t make it in time,” he murmurs, bringing his hands to his face in frustration.

You sit down beside him, exhaling slowly and resting a hand on his arm, you feel him tense up before relaxing under your touch. You bite your lip in uncertainty, not sure if he needs a response or not. You choose the first option.

“It wasn’t your fault, you did everything you could.”

“I could’ve done better.”

“No,” Sanemi lowers his hands from his face and looks at you, you see something in his eyes that looks like desperation, and you tighten your grip to comfort him. “You can’t save everyone, we’re strong enough to protect ourselves, we know the risks that come with being a demon slayer, no one here blames you.”

Sanemi doesn’t respond, he just clicks his tongue and looks away, so you don’t push him, absentmindedly run your thumb over the spot where your hand is resting and when you’re about to leave, you notice Sanemi take the hand that’s resting on his arm and interlace his fingers with yours, you flinch slightly, but don’t pull away.

You decide to stay a little longer.

≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

Rengoku Kyojuro

The news that the mission is over reaches the estate before he does, and that’s strange, because Kyojuro is always the first one to return.

That’s why, when he comes back to the estate very late while you’re waiting at the door biting your nails with anxiety, it doesn’t take you long to notice that something has happened.

Kyojuro walks up smiling, as always, but you notice a strange heaviness in his shoulders and something behind his eyes.

“I’m back, little flame!” he shouts with his usual energy, the kind that always comforts you in hard moments.

You step closer to greet him and see bandages wrapped around several parts of his body.

“Kyojuro,” you gasp, worried. “You should go rest.”

“I will,” he nods.

“Right now.”

“Later.”

As stubborn as always. He must see your thoughts on your face, since he laughs loudly and lets himself drop onto the engawa.

“I’ll bring clean bandages,” when you come back, Kyojuro has his eyes closed and a serious expression. “What’s wrong?”

Kyojuro opens his eyes and makes eye contact with you, giving you a smile, but much smaller and less bright than before.

“I’m glad to see you again, little flame,” you sit down beside him and before you can complain about the change of topic, he leans in until his shoulders brush yours. You snap your mouth shut, embarrassed. “I thought I wouldn’t make it back.”

Your lips start to tremble, you hadn’t thought about the possibility of Kyojuro not coming back, he always returns. That’s why hearing those words makes something painfully tighten in your chest. Without thinking too much, you lean your head against his shoulder, needing to feel him close, alive.

“But there was someone waiting for me, I couldn’t let them down,” Kyojuro continues, his hand moving carefully, brushing a strand of your hair away from your face.

The engawa creaks softly under your shared weight, and the night air feels colder than usual, but his presence makes it bearable. You realize your breathing isn’t as uneven as before and that the fear doesn’t feel as big when he’s there.

Kyojuro exhales slowly.

“I’m here,” he murmurs too softly, almost to himself. “I made it back.”