#sanemixoc

"Where is she?" Obanai hissed while his tempered gaze turned back toward the door. 

"I hope she's okay," Mitsuri's eyes began to well up with tears. 

A dark form quietly slipped into the back of the room, gaining stares from the other Hashira. 

"My apologies for being tardy. I escorted a swordsman to the butterfly village who accompanied me on my latest mission." A shroud of blue-black hair surrounded a petite figure that was now bowed at the waist, facing the front of the room. 

"Thank you for making sure they got back safe. Kiko Kurotsuki, are you injured?" The Master inquired with a forgiving smile on his face.

"Nothing that can't wait until after the meeting," Kiko said while holding her abdomen.  

The bowed Hashira rose to meet everyone's eyes, but her eyes were only focused on the Master. The room stilled, the only sound was a disapproving grunt that came from the Wind Hashira that sat at the front of the room. Kiko's eyes flicked over momentarily to his brooding form. Her eyes traced over his snatched waist and broad shoulders, finally landing on his amethyst eyes that were boring into her. She raised a manicured eyebrow at him while she clenched her jaw. 

Both of them directed their attention back to the Master, who was now asking Kiko to speak about her latest mission, where she gained intel about the next attack that the demons were orchestrating.

"Yes, Master. The demon that we killed, he was saying Muzan--" She started. 

"Can she not speak up? Nobody can hear a word she says. Ridiculous!" Sanemi boomed.

Kiko closed her eyes, her fingers clenching her knee in a vice grip. 

"Perhaps if you weren't so preoccupied with the sound of your own voice, then you would be able to hear me. It seems no one else is having difficulty." Shinobu snickered at Kiko's quick wit underneath her sleeve, while everyone else's face contorted into shock at her rebuttal. Sanemi's head snapped back toward her as his purple eyes narrowed. 

​​"Please continue, Kurotsuki-san." The Stone Hashira politely encouraged. Moments later, after Kiko finished debriefing the rest of the Hashira and the Master, they all dissipated.

She stepped outside into the blazing sun, and under the brightness of the rays, you could see the extent of her injuries. Her bloodied uniform clung to her abdominal muscles, where there was a large gash. 

"Oh, that looks bad. You need to come back with me right away." Shinobu's eyes hovered over Kiko's injury. There was a slight sheen of beaded sweat that Kiko had that wasn't there before. 

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." She said and began walking alongside the Insect Hashira to the butterfly mansion. 

Across the way, the rest of the Hashira were gathered. "Who does she think she is, talking to me like that? Look at her, she's just as weak as she speaks." Sanemi spat, his arms crossed against his wide chest. 

"Kurotsuki-san's a formidable opponent and very protective of the slayers that accompany her. The younger swordsmen respect her greatly!" Rengoku's voice boomed throughout the courtyard. 

Sanemi shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah, whatever." He turned on his heels and headed back to his estate.

Sanemi and Kiko's relationship could only be described as tenuous, more so than his relationships with the other Hashira. There was something about her that got under his skin. From the first moment, she was introduced to him as Tengen's tsuguko; he couldn't hide the look of disapproval that was written all over his face. Kiko had risen through the ranks slowly and diligently before becoming a Hashira. But in the last five years, as Tengen's tsuguko, things really took off for her. But Sanemi thought she looked too weak to be a Hashira. Her stature was no taller than Shinobu, with a quiet and demure nature that accompanied her. Perhaps it was because she reminded him of Tomioka. He seethed at the thought of the water Hashira. But even with his objection to her existence as a Hashira, there was curiosity about Kiko that Sanemi couldn't shake. 

________

Kiko knocked hollowly on Mitsuri's door, tugging at her new obi that was tightly wound around her yukata, which was suffocating her stitches. As Kiko continued to fidget with her clothing, Mitsuri swung open the door, nearly knocking Kiko backward down her steps. 

"Kiko-sama! Are you alright? I was so worried!" Mitsuri cried while embracing her friend and comrade. 

Kiko winced at the too-tight embrace and unwound Mitsuri's arms from around her neck. Mitsuri's face fell, but was quickly replaced with a wide smile when Kiko held up the bouquet that she brought for her friend.  

​​"Flowers! Oh, they are so beautiful! Come in, I just made pancakes, I know they are your favorite!"

Kiko's eyes lit up for the first time since she had returned from her mission. She hurried past the threshold and into Mitsuri's estate. 

Kiko and Mitsuri had a history together that she didn't have with any of the other Hashira. They bonded over their love of Western food and cats. Mitsuri saw through her observant and stoic personality to a person who was fiercely loyal and compassionate. But Kiko relished their relationship because she was the only person, besides Master and Tengen, to know about her complicated past. They spent their time laughing together while walking through local village markets, shopping, and eating.  

Kiko sat at the head of the table, eagerly awaiting her friend to serve her. Mitsuri turned the corner with enough food made for a small army for the two women to share. 

"Mr. Shinazugawa loves the sound of his own voice more than Lord Tengen." Kiko blurted out with a mouth full of pancake. Kanroji's face turned just as pink as her hair before she giggled behind her fork.

"Kiko-sama, you are so funny!" She stared at Kanroji for a few seconds before she began to laugh with her. Hours passed as the women continued to eat and talk, catching up for all the lost time that there was between them. 

"I should start heading back. I have to water my plants." Kiko said, sprouting up from the table. 

"Oh, Kiko-sama, I wish I weren't leaving for a mission tomorrow and we could go to the local market."

Kiko cocked her head to the side and smiled at her friend. "We will next time, I prom--". But Kiko stopped herself from saying the word that a Hashira should never speak. Promises sat like curses on their tongues. The next day was never promised. 

Mitsuri opened the door, and a crisp wind swept Kiko's hair behind her. The humid summer air was gone, and it was now a brisk summer night. Kiko closed her eyes, letting the dewy wind kiss her face. The sun set low on the horizon, casting wide shadows. Just as Kiko was about to say goodbye and hug her friend, a figure at her gate caught her attention. Kiko's hand instinctively went to the wisteria laced dagger that was placed on her thigh. But as the forms crept from out of the twilight shadows, she could make out snowy hair. She released the breath that she was holding and walked with Mitsuri to the gate. 

"Oh, looks like you have a brooding visitor. I hope he doesn't get too jealous since I had you all to myself today. " Kiko watched out of the corner of her eye as Mitsuri began to fidget with her hair and uniform. 

"You two were in there all day," Obanai said, his snake companion hissed toward Kiko. But Kiko's crow, Kage, swooped down and landed on a nearby tree, screeching a warning toward Obanai's companion. 

"Mr. Iguro, I have a treat to share with you, won't you come in?" Mitsuri asked. 

"Of course. See you later, Shinazugawa." 

Mitsuri grabbed Obanai's forearm to guide him into her estate as she gave him the rundown of her day. 

The silence was sharp and deafening as both the Wind Hashira and Kiko continued to stand there facing each other. Sanemi refused to look at Kiko, his eyes wandering to the forest that surrounded them. 

"You're a fool to sacrifice yourself for lower swordsmen. They only slow us down and get in the way." He said, his lip curling upward. 

She knew that a few of the Hashira had that mentality around lower-ranked swordsmen, but she never could understand it.

"They're not expendable, Mr. Shinazugawa. They are human beings." Kiko's voice was strong and unwavering. His shoulders rolled backward, broadening his chest. 

"Thinking that way is exactly why you came back from the mission injured!" He bit out. 

Sanemi expected his words to cut through Kiko, but they never did. In fact, they always seemed to roll right off of her, which irritated him even more. 

Before Sanemi could respond, Kiko pulled a manju from the sleeve. "Have you had these before?" She asked, holding it up toward him. 

He shook his head in disbelief. "What the fuck are you talking about, Kuro--?" Before he could finish his sentence, Kiko had shoved the delicious treat into his mouth. 

Visit my instagram to view the rest of the comic: www.instagram.com/chaudofu/ Its been a while since I’ve written anything, so I’m sorry if nothing makes sense. DSFGHJ

The Butterfly Mansion buzzed with slayers, all in various states of duress. But Kiko was there for only one slayer, Haru, whom she brought in one week ago with critical injuries. She navigated the halls of the mansion with a vase of flowers in her hand. This was her third time visiting him since his arrival. Her meek steps wandered down the last hallway and stopped at his room. Standing at the edge of his room with flowers weighing in her hand, Kiko's gaze lifted to see his body lying still in his bed. Still connected to various machines. Guilt lingered in the room like a shadow. 

Her foot slid to cross the threshold, only for her to slide back. Haru released a strangled exhale, jolting her backward. The flowers she was holding crashed to the ground, water pooling at her feet. The loud noise attracted the attention of a few slayers who were idling around. 

"Ms.Kurotsuki, are you alright?" one of them asked, reaching out for her shoulder. Instead of turning around, she dashed down the hall and out of the butterfly mansion. Only stopping once the balmy hot air singed her lungs. Kiko's head whipped back and forth, searching for solace but finding nothing that could take away her feeling of remorse. No one knew what she was still carrying from the last mission, except for Haru and her. 

"Ms. Kurotsuki, I see you are passing through again. How are you?" Shinobu asked, perched on a column, looking down at her. Kiko's head shot up in surprise as Shinobu floated down, not waiting for an answer before she spoke again.

"Aoi told me that you have been visiting Haru often. He's looking quite well now, despite still being unconscious. We're expecting him to wake up any day now." Shinobu affirmed.

The accumulated breath in her lungs dissipated into the air, like she could finally breathe again. Shinobu stalked over and pointed to Kiko's ribs, "I hope your injuries are healing well. Are you still using the cream that we sent you home with?"

Kiko absently nodded her head. Turning to walk away back to her estate. Hoops and hollers were her background as she trudged back the few miles. Kage, flying overhead, swooped down and perched on a nearby branch.

CAW.

"Several corps members will be going to the springs tonight. All the Hashira are going. You should go!" Kage squealed.

CAW.

Kiko halted her steps, throwing a glare toward her crow. "And where did you hear this from, Kage?" she asked. "You wouldn't have heard this from Ginko, would you?"

The crow flapped its wings before flying off into the air, silently orbiting as Kiko continued to walk back home. 

She had never been to the springs with other people, besides Tengen and his wives. Just the thought of being around other people in little to no clothing was enough for her heart to explode. Covered in shame, she shook her head at the idea of going. Especially if Sanemi was there. She knew that he would have a slick comment reserved for her, considering how she left their last conversation.

"Kurotsuki, getting some fresh air, I see!"

She turned to see Tengen and Rengoku cresting the hill in front of her, both eagerly approaching her. She beamed. Since becoming a Hashira, she hardly interacted with her Master except for the occasional sparring match.

They stopped within a few feet of her, sweat soaking their uniforms. "Some of the corps members and the Hashira will be going to the nearby springs this evening. Will you be joining us, Kurotsuki?" Rengoku's voice carried throughout the courtyard. Kage flew back down and perched on a nearby pillar, observing the interaction. 

Kiko stood there, motionless, frozen in place by the confrontation. Her fingertips began working the leg of her pants, hoping to ease the feeling of their watchful gaze. 

"Of course, she will be joining." Tengen declared, a strong hand coming down to slap Kiko on the back. 

She knew then she didn't have a choice. Her Master was counting on her showing up. An uneasy smile sprouted across her mouth. 

"Sure, Lord Tengen. I will be there."

"Good, we'll see you there." He said, walking away with Rengoku. 

CAW.

"Now you have to go. Get your swimsuit ready."

CAW. 

"Yeah, I guess I do." She whispered to herself, barely audible to her crow companion. 

_________

Mitsuri had a firm hold on Kiko's upper arm as they walked to the female side of the springs. This was after she had managed to talk her into staying for at least an hour. The steam curled around the hut where corps members changed. Beads of condensation clung to the walls. Inside, there were various stalls where they could rinse off before entering the springs after getting dressed.

"This will be good for you, Kurotsuki-sama. We have never seen you at the springs before." Mitsuri added. Shinobu walked out of one of the stalls, clad in a purple swimsuit, and exited the hut. 

Mitsuri had an idea why Kiko would always refuse to go to the springs with her and Shinobu. But Kiko wanted to keep the reason as hidden as possible. She was familiar with the stares, the whispers, and the questions from strangers, but not from people who were the closest to her. 

"Lord Tengen suggested that I attend since all the Hashira would be going," Kiko said, clutching her swimsuit between her hands, eyes nervously flipping between her friend and the changing stalls. 

Mitsuri smiled widely, "I'm glad that you took his advice." She said, disappearing behind a changing stall.

Kiko continued to stand there, clutching her swimsuit in her hands, seemingly deciding if she should stay or go. She waited until all the corps members emptied out of the stalls to change. Glancing at the mirror, her gaze drifted down to her legs that were filled with scars, large and small alike. Each one was a memory from her childhood that she was desperately trying to escape. She cleared her throat, took a deep breath, and headed toward the door that she thought was for the female corps members. With her eyes dropped down to the floor, she opened and closed the door. She was confused, not hearing her friend's voice; her eyes drifted up to see a dozen eyes on her. 

"Ms. Kurotsuki, you look beautiful!" Zenitsu bellowed, slicing through the silence. She was frozen in time, completely paralyzed by her mistake. Her hand searched for the doorknob behind her ferociously, but it wouldn't turn. 

"Will you shut up! I'm sure she is embarrassed enough already! This is why girls don't want you around!" Lord Tengen yelled. The air was tense with embarrassment for Kiko, so much so that she could feel her breath get more jagged as she continued to stand there. Sensing her embarrassment, Tanjiro and Giyu rushed to block her view. 

"It's locked. It's locked." Kiko kept repeating dumbly. Tears pooled behind her eyes and sweat on her brow as she wrestled with the door handle. Tanjiro turned to help her, but that meant that more of her body was visible.

"Young Kurotsuki, don't fret, there is nothing to be embarrassed about here. You would make any man looking for a wife more than happy with your well-endowed features and breedable stature." She knew that Lord Tengen meant well, but all she could focus on was the fact that he called her breedable and her features well-endowed as if she were an animal of good stock looking to be bought for a farm. She should be used to how he talks about women, but each time he said something more ridiculous than the last time. 

The door continued to stick as Tanjiro and Giyu tried to open the door but it seemed like something was blocking it. Kiko's body shrank into itself, feeling the weight of the stares on her back. 

"I agree, mistakes happen, and your body is that of a mighty warrior, show it off proudly, Kurotsuki!" Rengoku cheered from the springs while he watched all of them struggle with the door. 

Nothing was working, the door wasn't opening, and Kiko was preparing to make a dramatic exit. Tanjiro apologized profusely, and the longer she stood there, the quicker the blush rose to her face.

"Scars are something to be proud of, ask Shinazugawa," Rengoku added.

And that's when she realized that all the scars on her legs, thighs were more noticeable than they looked in the condensation-covered mirror. Her hand fell off the doorknob, and her head silently fell.

"Do you wanna get outta here, Kurotsuki?" Giyu asked. His calm and patient voice comforted her. She raised her watery navy eyes to his calm royal blue ones and nodded her head. Kiko wasn't one for overt displays of emotion in front of other people, but here she was trying to hold back the searing tears that were begging to fall.

Giyu swiftly gathered his haori and the towel from the rocks, then seized Kiko's hand, guiding her onto the hut's roof. Without hesitation, he draped his haori around her shoulders and threw the towel over his own. In one fluid motion, he lifted her into his arms, bridal style, and leapt from the rooftop, vanishing with her into the night.

The men's springs fell silent, stunned by the sudden scene until their attention shifted to the rattling doorknob. With a click, the door creaked open, and out stepped Muichiro Tokito, his signature vacant expression as unbothered as ever.

"Tokito, have you been trying to get out this entire time?" Obanai asked with a puzzled look on his face. 

"Yes, it was like the door was jammed or something." He said as he climbed into a small spring nearby, leaving them staring at each other in confusion.

"Tokito, didn't you hear all the commotion on the other side of the door?" Sanemi asked as he stood up in the spring. The warm water washed over his chiseled form. Tokito didn't respond. And Lord Tengen attempted to redirect the conversation back to himself and his latest battle so the night wasn't lost. 

"Getting out already, Shinazugawa?" Obanai asked. The rest of the Hashiras' eyes followed him.

Sanemi shrugged off the question and continued to walk off into the night. He fumed that Giyu had whisked away Kiko before he had time to say anything to her, especially after the last time he saw her. His fists clenched at his sides, thinking about the way Giyu rescued her from embarrassment and the prying stares of all the male Hashira. Sanemi grunted, thinking about why she would be ashamed of her scars to the point that she hid herself behind an oversized uniform, never shedding her clothing even during sparring on the hottest days. As he continued to walk into the night, he saw Giyu and Kiko up ahead in front of her mansion. He stood there as Kiko's head was on his chest. Sanemi stopped a few feet from them, her apparent sniffles drowning out the nagging feeling in him to rip into her. 

"You know I'm thinking this whole elusive personality you try to portray is actually a facade and you're just another attention-seeking girl," Sanemi said. He watched her head lift from Giyu's chest to glare at him. Her nose was red, just like her eyes were still filled with tears. Kiko pulled back from the embrace, exchanged the haori for the towel, and thanked Giyu before she went inside the gate.

Giyu shifted his weight to face Sanemi. His expression was devoid of any emotion. "Shinazugawa, you should learn to read a room or two; it might help you." 

Sanemi's cheeks heated at the almost insult. Giyu walked past him, most likely on his way back to his mansion for the evening. Sanemi walked after Kiko, who was now sitting on her roof, looking up at the sky. 

"Are you done being dramatic? Are you on your monthly or something?" He asked.

"I don't need your shit right now, Shinazugawa. Go bother someone else." Her voice had returned to calm and composed. Instead of heeding her warning, he climbed up and joined her, sitting on the roof. It was quiet between them; the only thing to be heard was the crickets chirping.

"I'm not dramatic, and I don't need to seek attention." Kiko bit out, toying with the edge of the towel. 

"Yeah, well, tonight seemed like--" Before he could finish his accusation, she cut him off.

"I grew up hiding beneath my clothes. My body...it's not pretty to look at and I know that." Sanemi sat back on his arm, his gaze latched onto her.

"Everyone has a story, Kiko." He was right, everyone did. But he had no idea what her story was; no one except her Master did. She scoffed at him and threw a pebble that was next to her, never turning to face him.

"Isn't it exhausting?" she asked. 

"What are you talking about, woman?" His voice was hostile now. Kiko turned to look at him with a serene expression on her face.

"Being so angry all the time. It must be so exhausting and lonely."

Sanemi was lost for words for the first time in his adult life as he stared into her hazy eyes. He averted his eyes away from her, looking at anything but her and the peeks of skin from under the towel. 

"Hmph, you wouldn't understand," he said gruffly. 

Kiko stood up, the towel still draped around her shoulders. "Seems like we don't understand each other, doesn't it? Well, I should get to bed, I have a mission coming up in the next few days. Safe travels home, Mr. Shinazugawa."

As she was about to jump down from the rafters, she heard a quiet raspy voice utter, "Your body is not bad to look at. Don't be an idiot and believe that." 

Old doodle, but I wanted to write this scene out for a while now.  Keep reading below..

Sanemi comes back from a mission to see Hotaru, but he has a really bad fever that hes been ignoring. Its been a month since hes seen her, so he missed her a ton. Hotaru runs to answer the door to see Sanemi. Something was off as he basically collapses onto her. She struggles for a bit to keep him up, but eventually carries him to her room. Her home is very simple with very minimal amounts of things as she is very frugal. She lays him down onto the futon and runs over to grab the Yukata she has for him when he stays over. Shes blushing, even though they have slept together she feels nervous undressing him when hes unconscious. Sanemi stirs in his sleep, but she manages to get him changed and under the covers. She also sent Juusaburou to retrieve fever medication from the Butterfly estate. The rest of the night Hotaru is caring for Sanemi and she ends up falling asleep curled up next to him, but on top of the sheets and not under. She hadn't plan to sleep yet, but sleep took over.

 In the morning Sanemi wakes up to see Hotaru curled up next to him. He realizes he made it Hotaru's but doesn't remember the rest of what happened. He reaches over to stroke her cheek and immediately moved her under the covers, poor girl is freezing cold. Hotaru stirs in her sleep, but doesn't quite wake up. Sanemi feeling a lot better with the rest goes to make breakfast for Hotaru who is still asleep. 

I guess I'm in a writing mood tonight. Picking out some old doodles that I had stories attached to. Its supposed to be a bit angsty, so I hope I get those feelings across. Whos gravestone is that? One of my other ocs. If you pay attention to my Instagram you might now who.