#incinxrate

What was he thinking, acting in the spur of the moment like that?

Thinking that he could be the one that ending…everything. In one moment…he should have followed him. He should have watched him from afar. He should have sent for him as well…he should have done a great many things, but he did none of them, instead he charged ahead and the opportunity they have all been waiting for, has slipped through their fingers.

THE DEMON KING …

How it could have ended if his brother…just waited for him. No matter where he looked within this village, he could find no trace of the demon. If his brother was true to his word…then the demon would have been close to death, unable to regenerate…unable to defend itself and yet…it had still managed to escape…impressive…as he remained kneeled down as he rested his hand on the ground. A slow shake of his head…this was not going to end the way his brother thought.

“He is not here, you allowed him to escape.”

HE WISHED HE COULD HAVE BEEN THERE TO SEE IT FOR HIMSELF …

To see his brethren’s movements, how effortlessly it must have been for him, to carve the demon lord up and have him at his feet, begging for mercy, but he should not have hesitated. He should not have wasted a moment of his time, he should have killed the demon there and then…this mistake…was a stain…and it would not be removed. He was…going to see…what the demon slayers truly are inside…failure like this was not something even they would tolerate. There family name was already in the mud, now it was going to be forever tarnished.

“And the other, you allowed her to leave, what on earth were you thinking!”

THE FEMALE DEMON …

Why did he not at least kill her and deliver a crushing blow to the demons. He had the two strongest demons in the land, at his mercy and both of them…got away. He was finished. He was done. If they didn’t ask for his head, they would banish him and strip him of every single good noble deed he has ever done. They would score his name out of their books, they would erase him from everything. As he would slowly stand. His hand resting on bridge of his nose…fingers moving as he rubbed his eyes. This was…unfortunate. A mess of a situation. 

As the small trickle of blood would run down the corner of his lips, as he quickly cleaned it with his sleeve.

“Don’t change the subject, you have dragged me off my death bed, for this –"

He could not hunt the demon lord. There was nothing here. Not a single trace of him, or the woman as well. He could not find a trail, he could not find anything at all. It was as if it had never even happened in the first place. Others would come…people had seen his brother…the fight…if you could even call it that…word would spread…the demon slayers would know soon enough and they would summon him and deal with his failures.

“YOU CAN’T…” PROMPTS // accepting!

Boar eyes stared daggers at the young man. A mix of confusion and frustration tainted the dead irises, the creature almost coming to life with the emotions of the boy beneath it.

"Hah?! Who cares about some snow? I've survived tons of snow season up on my mountain, and I didn't die! I'm not spending the night locked up in here with you, old man! I've got some demons to kill!"

"Some snow" was quite the understatement. A blizzard raged outside the shoddy cabin, the cold wind seeping through the numerous holes in the wooden walls. It was a mystery how the windows hadn't shattered to pieces yet.

The gusts threatened to put out the small fire that kept the night a little more bearable. As much as Inosuke claimed not to fear the cold, his thick skin was covered in goosebumps. Even the skin of his bandage-covered arm seemed to crawl.

"Listen, old man. If you really think I'm gonna sit here and waste the night away, you're wrong. My arm feels better now, so I'm going out! And you can't stop me!"

@incinxrate​~

This almost didn’t seem real. How long has Tamayo been chained to Muzan’s side like a dog, forced to do his bidding and stand by as he ruined homes and families and entire communities like he did to hers.?? Far too long, so long that every fiber of her being screamed in hatred for the man. He needed to die. She wanted to be part of his demise. And yet, never in a million years did she think she would come this close to experiencing his death...but no. He got away. Of course he got away.

She tried not to think too bitterly about this. The man who attacked him did it with such ease, not a hint of struggle shown as he obliterated her captor. If he did it once, surely he could do it again. Tamayo wanted to repay him for freeing her as he did... She wanted to help him defeat Muzan once and for all, but how.?? She hadn’t interacted with a human since she herself was one, and she couldn’t really even remember such a time. It felt odd to walk beside someone whose blood and flesh smelled delightful, but the woman was in far more control than that. Besides, she never wanted to attack a human ever again.

『 ⚛ ∞ 』 ━ Yoriichi is someone who Muzan enjoys breaking.. piece by piece. Or at least that’s what he tells himself. Since the other’s capture he’s done many things to him--physical, mental--all of it torture. All of it meant to hurt. But he’s always made sure to be very kind afterwards... and that seems to be what breaks him more than anything else. It’s almost funny, watching him flail and try to figure out his emotions.

The quiet, the serene outside, hiding a maelstrom underneath--something that threatens to break free every once in a while. He can almost see him lose control. And that’s what he wants. That tiny bit of reaction is what he lives for.

Though lately, he’s gotten soft.

And thus, when Yoriichi finally sleeps, he takes the favored, tiny flute from his clothing, and takes it to Kokushibo. Who snaps it in two and proceeds to say that such is unworthy. That he’s simply a blight--that he hates him. And for a moment, Muzan wonders--why? Is it because Kokushibo’s afraid of him? Is it because he fears his own brother? But then he delves in his thoughts. The hate, the jealousy. It’s almost drowning.

He leaves them and picks up the flute, turning the broken pieces up in his hand. It can be fixed. And he’ll do so--after he shows it to Yoriichi. The other is awake now--searching through his things, looking. Muzan takes in this almost-panic. One of the few things he’s allowed--that Muzan allows him, has been taken away and broken.

“I wished to see you and your brother reconcile,” it’s a lie. But why can’t he stand to see him hurt--? After all this, is he truly as soft as he thinks he is? “I brought the flute to him as proof of your continued attachment.”

He shows both pieces, broken.

“I will fix it, myself,” he finally says. “In my lab. I shall allow you to accompany me. Perhaps even to gaze upon and hold your sword. Perhaps for a night.”

That’s about as good of an apology as he’s going to get from him.━  『 ∞ ⚛ 』

『☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ』 ───── @incinxrate​ // plotted starter────── 『･ﾟ⋆*･⋆*･ﾟ☽』

『☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ』 ── It was another beach day--one where they brought their wooden swords to practice between time in the waves. Astra was twelve, Atreus was nine--it was about the age where they were expected to know their family’s sword style. They were expected to somewhat know how to run their home. Chores and responsibilities--they were beginning to learn them.

But Astra had already learned that due to how quickly she grew up-- mostly due to her mother.

Astra was far more proficient with more things than Atreus and had been named heir, regardless of her gender. She was good... at pretty much anything. Except putting pencil to paper and figuring things out that way. Mathematically, anyway. Astra was the type to be able to do things--Atreus--he excelled in figuring out how to do them.

But this day was different.

Astra noticed a boy standing at the edge of the dunes, his eyes on her father and Atreus--and she approached him. It was strange that he was there, even more so that he was alone. This was their stretch of beach and had never had any visitors before. Other than the Rengoku, but they were practically family.

“My father is teaching my brother a few of our family techniques today,” she said, “We brought lunch--in the basket--and we’re planning on getting in the water later. If you want to join.”

Her eyes caught on his earrings. They were pretty. “Your earrings are pretty.”

She hoped he didn’t think they were strange--her father still had an accent from China and a lot of their food and clothing still called of their home. Astra, herself, was bilingual, being able to speak both languages equally well. And... the scar on her arm, lightning, spanning from the tip of her middle finger to the top of her shoulder--not that he could see the full thing.

But most other children were off-put by it. She’d learned to cover it up. But she didn’t that day because it was just her, her father and brother. “I promise it’ll be okay if you join us. My name’s Atria Astra. But I’d prefer it if you just called me Astra.” ── 『･ﾟ⋆*･⋆*･ﾟ☽』

That they have finally reached this level…only to know that they will die young. He will never grow old with his wife. He will never see his sons become men. His daughters become women. 

He will never see what will become of this land without them…

He will never become stronger…

He could feel it now. 

His strength. It was leaving him. His body was failing him. 

The curse.

Without his brother, pushing him, helping him, taking his hand and leading him forward, he would have never have awakened it on his own, but…it had doomed him. He could defeat everyone, everything, but not this. Death would come for him…and claim him the same as his brother…before he had the chance to surpass him. To fight him…to see who was the strongest of the two of them.

“Without us, the demons will win this war. You cannot do it all on your own, you need me .. and I cannot help you.”

There was fear within his words. 

He was concerned…that without them…without his brother…the demons would take control of this land. All those they loved, all those they fought for. Would be slaughtered like mere lambs. 

His brothers foolish believes…to pass on strength? 

It was wasteful, everyone else was too weak…they were insulting what they had created. What his brother had achieved…was being watered down…

“There is nothing…but darkness now, even if you end this, I will still die like the others.”

He glanced down for a moment. 

He was afraid…

He didn’t want to die…he didn’t want to perish, as he was now. Before surpassing him, before finally showing his brother…the man he truly was. The strongest. The oldest…was meant to protect…the older brother, was meant to be strong enough to protect his younger brother…and yet…he had never once…had to do anything for him, he had never once…had to be a bigger brother to him…he had failed, in his duties, to be that man he needed. He had left, everything in his hands and not been able…to come anywhere close to him.

Michikatsu: *Answers phone.* Hello? Yoriichi : It's Yoriichi . Michikatsu: What did they do this time? Yoriichi : No, it's me, Michikatsu. It's actually me. Michikatsu: What did you do this time?

Michikatsu: Met a dumbass today. Awful. Yoriichi : You looked in a mirror? Michikatsu: someday you will have to answer for your actions and god may not be so merciful.

Yoriichi : We’re all in this together. If one of us falls, we all fall. Nobody is expendable on this team. Michikatsu: Sounds fake but ok.

Michikatsu: Yoriichi , we tried things your way. Yoriichi : No, we didn't. Michikatsu: I did it in my head and it didn't work.

Yoriichi : I'd roast you, but my mom says you can't burn trash. Yoriichi : *slow-mo walks out of the room*

Michikatsu: I’m 80% awesome 20% water and 100% handsome. Yoriichi : That’s 200%. Michikatsu: I’m twice the man you’ll ever be.

Michikatsu: *running towards Yoriichi with open arms* Yoriichi : *moves out of the way* Michikatsu: Hey, why'd you move?! Yoriichi : I thought you were going to attack me. Michikatsu: I was going to hug you! Yoriichi : Why would you hug me? Michikatsu: WHY WOULD I ATTACK YOU!?

BECOMING A DEMON SLAYER BROTHER, YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH TO DO IT.

Had he known this was what it meant to be a demon slayer.

To be surrounded by idiots, to take commands from a blind man who did not know how to hold a sword themselves.

All the lords he had served under on his path as a samurai and this was the worst of them all. This felt like a charity.

His brother training and teaching those who had no potential or skill.

Days spent….doing what? Hunting shadows. Demons who were nothing more, than peasants, farmers….nothing.

They held no skill, no weapons, just sharp teeth and claws, and like any wild animal, once you learn to hunt it, the rest falls into place, easily.

This was frustrating now. Days spent, helping people? Building homes for those who had lost them. Cooking and cleaning. Tending to people and being generous and at night, running through forests and across the countryside, hunting down demons who offered no trouble to them, cut down with ease as the others lagged behind them

This was not what he was promised.

As a heavy sigh would leave him as he leaned back into the warmth of the hot spring water. Letting it at least ease and tension and try and lift the pain of his body. Every single day the same, good little charitable actions and at night, hunting demons. It was becoming, as if they were running in circles.

“You force these deeds upon me brother.”

He thought….

There journey would have been them and no other. Them training together, seeking out stronger demons, hunting them down and killing them, this was the opposite. They all leaned so hard onto his brother, turned to him and constantly needed his aid and teaching. He was guiding them, then why was he not the leader? All he had to do was reach and take it.

Who was going to stop them.

“If you had not asked me, I would have not done it.”

Samurai….don’t do such things, they fight for there brothers, for there lord, but not this. He was starting to see, he had bitten off more than he can chew. To be a pillar and still, have to lower himself down and….help people? Train people?

If you were not strong, when you were at this age, then you have no hope, no chance, no potential. They could do this on there own, they didn’t need anyone else, they only needed themselves, it was enough, everyone else was slowing them down.