XXI. THE HANGED MAN

"--he steals such things away," for she knows from far too much experience. Even her expression becomes sympathetic, "...before my curse were broken, I thought I recalled my past well, but came to learn that he had mangled my memories to use them against me." Manipulated even from within her own mind: nothing were safe, to her very cells she had been nothing more than a tool.

and the worst part of it all, was that akaza knew not of what he wanted. spending the entirety of the life he did remember was spent in service to muzan, and he was sure he was doing something right. even if it was only efficiency, that was beneficial to someone — and he clung to the notion of being able to give to someone.

anyone.

"It's okay," the reassurance is easy to give, for despite the pain thrumming through him, Yoriichi is not truly upset. He knows Akaza didn't mean to, and he doesn't wish for him to feel any guilt for an accident no less. "--I have felt more pain, so please do not worry. I know I'll be able to handle it."

and a long stretch of silence befalls the two; awkward and uncomfortable. sometimes akaza was prone to black outs, where he’d simply act on instinct — the instinct was usually violent. anxiously, he shifts from one foot to the other.

"I did not claim... that it was you... who had."

Ko had stumbled upon Akaza staring at a broken vase. The demon had been asked to help move some boxes that were buried somewhere near his family's territory. The two had opened a box and found the vase broken.

and tenseness seems to leave him. good — ko did not suspect him. not that there was any reason to, no. truth be told, the vase seemed to be intact one second and broken the next — perhaps it was a bad omen...?

"I'm not interested in the religion of it, if that's what you're worried of."

-> A pause.

and there’s a notable pause from upper three. kokushibō knew them? metaphorical hackles flatten.

“—good,” an awkward clear of his throat — much too human for someone like him. internally, he already berates himself for showing such a weakness, “—she’s… kind. kinder than her husband deserves.”