#i have too many swordsmen can you tell

[amjustagirl]

Chapter 1

pairing: hoshina soshiro x f! reader

genre: romance, angst

wc: 4k

summary: you've loved soshiro since you were seven. he will always place his duty above you.

chapt 1 / chapt 2 / chapt 3 / chapt 4 / chapt 5

Once a month, Hoshina Soshiro drops by your apartment for tea with you. 

It isn’t often that you both get the same day off. Him, with his vice captain duties that never end because Kaijus don’t deign to give him a break, as he often complains. You, spending hours if not days buried in the blade forgery at Izumo tech so much so your parents remark dryly that they’ve forgotten your face. But every so often, the universe smiles upon you and you get to spend an afternoon sitting on your narrow balcony with your oldest friend. 

It always begins like this.

He drops a plastic bag full of fizzy drinks on the table that only he drinks, whilst you brew a pot of tea. There’s dessert in the fridge that you get to feed his sweet tooth, and he’ll consume both because you’ll claim you have no appetite. After a few perfunctory questions about your wellbeing - the same as always, nothing’s changed, he’ll turn his mind to the sole focus in his life. 

“You gave the latest tech to my brother?!” he yells, outraged. ��His main weapon isn’t even a blade.” 

“Orders are orders”, you respond. “Besides, didn’t I just tweak your katanas last month?” 

“About that”, he grins at you, somewhat sheepishly. “I’ve got more ideas -” 

“Not again”, you groan. 

He’ll rattle off a long list of things he wants you to work on next month. Blades made out of some kaiju bone, just to test its mettle. A blade to be worked into his boots - an idea he cheekily admits stems from some stupid shounen manga he reads in his spare time. So many of his ideas belong in the trash bin, but you entertain him anyway, studiously jotting down each of his requests. 

“You’re lucky I put up with you”, you tell him. 

Lazily, he flops onto the floor, rolling to lie his head in your lap. “As if you wouldn’t”, he laughs, poking up at your cheek. 

You don’t get the chance to answer him. His phone goes off, as it always does, and he has to go. 

“Seeya next time”, he waves, without leaving you another glance. The sliver of sky between the buildings surrounding yours is dark when you get up from your seat to clear the cups. 

Your cheek still stings. 

Your family always had close ties to the Hoshina clan. The clan of swordsmiths sworn to the Hoshina clan of swordsmen. A tie that can be traced centuries back to the Edo period to today. Your father crafted his father’s blades in the fires of your family’s forge, yet another in your family’s lineage who were born to serve the generations of Hoshina swordsmen. 

Even though you were born a girl, you never accepted that it should be different for you.

You were only seven when you accompanied your father on a delivery to the Hoshina estate. Your stockinged feet echo in the wooden corridors that stretch out before you, seemingly without end. There are portraits of imposing swordsmen in every other room, blades displayed, their former owners’ eventual fate captioned beneath. You are too ashamed to admit that you’re afraid of one such painting with kaiju-like yellow eyes that seems to glare at you that you bolt when your father leaves you aside to talk business with the Hoshina patriarch.

Foolishly, you forget that the Hoshina estate dwarfs your family home. After the fifth rock garden you come across (which admittedly to your seven year old self, seems to blend into each other), you are well and truly lost, so you sit on the porch of some courtyard and wait to be found for a stern reprimand by your father. 

Clang. 

But you’re drawn by the sound of steel clashing, so you follow your ears, and your eyes thank you as you watch two boys spar with dull blades. 

The older, with silver hair, has a clear edge. He’s taller and stronger, so he bullies his younger opponent into a corner. The younger, with dark hair, doesn’t seem daunted, standing his ground with precise swings and savage slashes that his older opponent only manages to parry with difficulty. 

Though you hide yourself behind a pillar, the older boy spots you anyway, breaking off the fight to grab you by the front of your top. 

“Intruder”, he shouts, waving his blade at you.  

“I’m - I’m sorry!” you squeak. You panic, fearful that he’ll throw you out of the estate, because if you can’t even figure your way out around the compound, there’s no way you’re going to find your way back home across half of Osaka, so you hiccup and cry and beg to be let go - 

“Hey! You’re just looking for an excuse to get out of a losing fight.”

Courage has never been your strong suit. It’s easier for you to hide behind your father or older brother’s legs, so you’re taken aback by how quickly the younger boy jumps into the fray on your behalf, defiant even in the face of a larger opponent.  

Your captor’s nostrils flare. “What did you say?!” he demands, but he lets you go with a sneer. 

“Another round then”, the younger boy says, as he tugs you to your feet, brushing the dust off the pretty kimono your mother took the effort to dress you up in. “Maybe this time you’ll actually be serious -” 

His brother brandishes the blade at him. “I’ll beat you to a pulp, you insolent brat.” 

You spend the afternoon watching them from a safe distance until your father finds you, apologising to Hoshina-sama for his wayward daughter. 

You’re formally introduced then to the brothers - Sochiro the elder, who doesn’t even acknowledge you with a nod, and Soshiro the younger, who smiles like the sun when you tell him that he’s amazing in a fight. 

“I’ll show you more next time!!”, Soshiro says. His eyes remind you of violets blooming in spring. 

Your mother hears of your adventures in the Hoshina estate. 

She comes to brush your hair after your bath. “The Hoshina family sees ours as a vassal clan”, she states baldly, as the comb sticks on a particularly tricky tangle. At your noise of confusion (and pain, because she’s none-too-gentle at getting the snags out of your mane), she explains. “That means our family is bound to them by our usefulness in making katanas, the instruments of their success.”  

She clucks her tongue at your obtuseness, as you stare at her, uncomprehending. “We supply swords, not brides to them. There are no engagements between their sons and our daughters. If you wish to associate with the Hoshina boys, you must be of use to them.” 

Perhaps, in her ungentle way, your mother was trying to do you a kindness. 

But you took her warning as instruction instead. So, though you’ve always been afraid of the loud forge your father and older brother work in, you badgered your father for enough lessons in sword making, hovering over him every minute you have out of school so you can learn everything you can.  

It’s worth it, when Soshiro comments on the shiny scars on your forearms the next time you visit. 

“I’ve been learning how to make katanas”, you explain, suddenly shy. 

“Wow!” you catch another glimpse of violets through wide eyes. “You must’ve worked really hard!”  

You peek at the blooms of bruises on his shins, the angry red scratch across his face. “So have you”, you reply. 

He beams, dragging you off to play.  

More often than not, that devolves into him showing off his latest moves, and you applauding his every action. He revels in the attention, which you find strange because surely everyone with eyes should be able to discern that Hoshina Soshiro is wildly talented, even at the tender age of eight, but then whenever his brother surfaces with taunt regarding Soshiro’s swordsmanship, you can see the chip of his shoulder grow, an invisible burden that drags him into the ground.

As an outsider, it’s not your place to comment on the unfairness of being knocked around by a boy five years his senior, so you try your clumsy best to bandage Soshiro’s wounds and slip in an encouraging word or two. You never want to see the violets in his eyes wither and die. 

“I’ll make you the best blade in the world when we grow up”, you bump your elbow against his. “So you can beat him.” 

“Promise?” 

You loop your little finger around his. Half moons brighten into stars. 

// how abt a blade that can separate into 2 // 

// or or or // 

// maybe three?! // 

// would your ancestors roll in their grave //

You wake up to a text. Or three. 

<Gremlin>. You text back. <Soshiro-kun, go to sleep.> 

// you wound me // 

// seeya later // 

// visiting Izumo tech for my new suit!!! // 

// make sure you lend me your lunch discount at the cafeteria // 

You snort.

<Cheapskate>. The rhythm of your conversation thrums. <are you asking me to have lunch with you> 

// someone needs to keep me safe from my fangirls // 

// don’t leave me in their clutches // 

An eye roll. 

< Die >. You turn your phone facedown, resolutely refusing to respond. 

Despite your complaints, you end up eating lunch with him anyway. 

It’s difficult to concentrate on your meal when your childhood friend turned the most eligible bachelor in the Japan Defense Force sits across from you in a skintight uniform, your giggly co-workers sitting two rows down watching his every move. So you push your tray away and just watch him as he chatters away through a mouth full of food (something he’d never do back home because he’s been raised with manners befitting the second son of the esteemed Hoshina clan, but around you he seems to turn into a demented manchild), but you’ve always found it endearing how he’s his chaotic true self around you - 

“New recruits are coming in next month so I don’t know when we’ll have time to catch up -” 

“There’s nothing to catch up on when you keep text me in the middle of the night with your train of thoughts - “

“That’s all work related”, he says. “I want to know how you are doing.” 

You’re not about to tell him that your parents have informed you that they’re tired of you mooning after a man who’ll never love you back, and have started haranguing you via text to get your ass back to Osaka so you can meet suitable men your age who’d be willing to accept an unladylike wife with burn scars trailing up her forearms.  

“As if you really want to know”, you grumble. “You’re only interested in talking to me when it’s about your weapons and tech.” 

“You wound me”, he dramatically claps his hand to his chest, miming hurt. “You don’t believe that I care about my oldest friend?” 

“Nope.”

“Rude”, he sing-songs. “C’mon.”

“The only reason we’re even lunching is because you wanted more upgrades - plus, now you want a shield against your fan-girls, who, by the way, are going to mob me in the bathroom and make me recount for the thousandth time, why and how I know you, the - I quote - cutest guy in the Japanese Defense Force, though they really should get their eyesight checked out in my opinion -” 

“Oohhhh - people think I’m good-looking?” He runs his fingers through his hair like he’s in some 80’s shampoo commercial, throwing an exaggerated wink over his shoulder to the nearest fangirl. You hear a thump on the floor. You hope she didn’t hit her head too hard (but perhaps it might make her sole brain cell work a little better if she did). 

You tap his knuckles with the back of your chopsticks. “Get that ego on a leash.”

His grin is cheeky. “I can’t help it if people think I’m good-looking.” Your heavy sigh makes him pout. “You don’t think I’m good looking?” 

The lunch bell comes to your rescue. 

“I have to get back to work”, you tell him, all too ready to make your escape. 

“So do I”, he gobbles down the rest of his lunch. “Seeya around.”

“Stay safe”, you add. “Don’t let a Kaiju eat you up.” 

“Eat me up?!” he squawks with mock outrage. “Don’t you know I eat Kaijus for breakfast?” 

As if you don’t. In Tokyo, the third division is exceedingly popular. Captain Mina Ashiro of course, takes up most of the attention with her long, dark hair and prowess as the nation’s foremost sniper, but once in a while, the newspapers and magazines run features of Vice Captain Hoshina Soshiro, and you dutifully keep cuttings in a scrapbook that you hide under your bed. 

In every interview, he talks about how it’s patently untrue that there’s no space in the Japan Defense Force for those who prefer to wield a blade rather than a modern gun. “Captain Ashiro believes in me”, he says, so seriously that it’s hard to recognise your usual jovial friend. “For that, I’ll be thankful for every day.” 

He said the same thing to you the day of his promotion. 

“She believes in me when no one else did”, he tells you in disbelief. 

That’s a lie, you want to shout. You reminded him that there’s a snowball’s chance in hell that he’d fail the entrance exam into the Japan Defense Force, and he’d indeed pass with flying colours. You calculated his unleashed combat potential from your lab in Izumo Tech, saw him exceed and excel so much so that an exception was made for him to carry katanas which you spent sleepless nights crafting for him. He won his first promotion as platoon leader nary a year in after a stunning victory decapitating yonju across Tokyo, and your congratulatory text to him was ‘See, I knew you’d do it.’ 

So no, Mina Ashiro was not the first person who believed in Hoshina Soshiro. You are. 

Unless, in his eyes, you don’t count. 

<okaa-san>

<Yes, I’ll be glad to meet your friend’s son>

< No promises on anything more>

The date your parents arranged for you is a man with a pleasing smile who has as much romantic interest in you as you in him - which is to say, very little at all. “I’m too busy with my job, but my mother insisted”, he confesses.

You like him all the better for his honesty. “So did mine”, you respond with a wry chuckle. 

Yamamoto-san is good company, nonetheless, even if his only interest in life other than his demanding job as a corporate slave is tending to his houseplants, so since you both share an interest in getting your overbearing mothers off your backs, you agree to have lunch once a month just so you can say to your parents without lying that you’re seeing someone. 

A part of you that you tuck deep into your chest hopes that word gets around to Soshiro, who’ll come beat your front door down, demanding that you, instead, turn your eyes to him (as if you’ve ever looked elsewhere for as long as you’ve known him). And when Hoshina Sochiro, Captain of the Sixth Division, pops into your office for his own tweaks to his tech and rounds upon you with a wicked twinkle in his eye, you’re sure that whatever you share will be conveyed as salaciously as possible to his younger brother. 

“Soooo”, he drags each word out obnoxiously. “Your older brother mentioned that you’re seeing someone now who isn’t my younger brother.” 

You smile blandly. “Soshiro-kun and I have always been just friends.” 

“Just friends my arse”, he retorts. “You’ve had a planet sized crush on him since you were seven. It just can’t be helped that my brother’s got a katana up his arse.” 

You try your best not to wince. “Is there anything else I can do for you, Captain Hoshina?” you gesture at the door. “As you can see, the mountain of work that’s been piling up ever since you stopped by my office needs to be done, and I really don’t have time to sit around and gossip like old women.” 

“So grumpy”, he hops off your desk. “So, should I tell him that he’s missed the boat?”

“Tell him whatever you want.” You begin to type furiously on your laptop. “As if he’ll care.” 

Five minutes later. 

// u have a bf?! // 

// and i had to find out fr Sochiro?! // 

// AND u said there’s nothing to catch up on? // 

You lock your phone in the drawer beneath your desk. 

// are u ignoring me???? // 

“You ignored my texts!” 

This is a first. Hoshina Soshiro, cranky even when a stack of golden brown pancakes soaked in maple syrup wobbles enticingly in front of him. “I was busy at work”, you say. A flimsy excuse, one that fails to placate him as he continues to pout, childlike at you.

“So?” he demands, slicing right through the pancakes with his butter knife. “Is it true?” 

“Is what true?” 

His eyes narrow as he waves his knife accusingly at you. “You decided to tell Sochiro that you got a boyfriend before me?” 

You take a sip of coffee to steady your nerves. “You know I don’t talk to your brother unless he decides to invade my lab. But I guess he and my brother still text from time to time.” 

“Hrm.” he puffs out his cheeks, blows out a breath heavy enough to flutter his bangs. You restrain the urge to reach over and straighten his hair. “Fine.”

“I’m just seeing a guy that my parents set me up with.” You rehearsed exactly what you wanted to say, but your insides churn, the coffee you drank not doing you any favours. “I guess they’re just worried that no one will ever want me as I grow old and unmarriageable.” 

His chuckle is blithe, uncaring. “Parents are all the same, aren’t they? Just last week, my mother called me to ask if I’m interested in being set up on a date with someone - as if I’d ever be interested, I barely have time to sleep, let alone date, and besides, she probably just called because my older brother’s a master at dodging such calls -” 

You let him ramble on as you gather the remnants of your courage deep within your guts for a final advance. 

“Soshiro.”

“Hm?” he looks up, mid-chew. “Sup.”

“If I really did get a boyfriend, you wouldn’t mind, would you?” 

“Why would I mind?” He laughs, reaching over to prod at your cheek. “I mean, I guess as long as you don’t stop making me awesome katanas, and as long as he doesn’t mind that I text you my brilliant ideas on improvements -” 

Unknowingly, he cuts right through your heart. But in fairness to him, you offered your heart on a silver fucking platter, even handed him the blade to stab it with.

“I was just worried you’d be unhappy”, you mumble, blinking back tears furiously. 

Thankfully, he’s too focused on clearing his plate. “I thought you were going to ask me something serious”, he laughs. “What a silly question.” 

“Yeah”, you manage to croak. “What a silly question.” 

He goes on to fill the rest of the afternoon with chatter about his new recruits. You sit numbly and listen to his tales of a Shinomiya slip of a girl who blows all recorded numbers for a recruit out of the window, an old man who confounds his techs by registering a big fat zilch on their combat scales, but he entertains his candidacy because he’s a great source of entertainment. 

“You okay there?” he frowns, stopping mid-story. “You kinda look down.” 

“Indigestion”, you lie through gritted teeth. “Never you mind.” 

“You shouldn’t take milk in your coffee if you’re lactose intolerant, silly”, he teases, confiscating your iced latte. 

“I’m just an idiot”, you try your best to smile. Fortunately, he accepts a pained grimace. 

Your mother was both right and wrong. You know that Soshiro cares for you as a friend, because he could never be callous enough to reduce you to your usefulness to him, but it’s true that he has no space in his heart for you. 

A year or two ago, you piled yourself in a car with both Hoshina brothers to brave the Obon traffic to get back to Osaka for the holidays. You hadn’t been able to afford the jacked up prices for the shinkansen, and Soshiro only found out yesterday that Captain Ashiro took pity on him for missing consecutive New Year holidays that she gave him Obon off as a consolation price, so their parents nagged Sochiro into ferrying you both home. 

“Shouldn’t you have your own car?” Sochiro groused. 

“Why would I need a car if I’m on base 24/7”, Soshiro replied. “Why do you need a car? Unless the sixth division is slacking off -”

The car screeched to a halt. Sochiro kicked open the door, yanked Soshiro by his collar and shoved him into the driver’s seat. “To keep your smart mouth occupied, you can drive us the rest of the way to Osaka.” 

“Aren’t you scared I’ll crash?” 

“If you do, I’ll skin you alive.” 

Your forehead nearly split open from all the bickering. “Guys, I can drive -” 

“No!” Both brothers yelled at you in unison. It’s the first time they’ve probably agreed on anything in their life.

The bickering finally ended when Sochiro fell asleep in the back, head pillowed against the window glass on one side in a way that he’s bound to wake up with a neckache. Still, you’re forced in close proximity to Soshiro, the puffs of warm air from the overworking air-conditioner blending with the scent of steel and citrus, from the shampoo he probably uses, you mused half dizzy, head heavy - 

“If you puke in the car, Sochiro’ll make you lick it up.” 

You squeezed your eyes shut. “Talk to me so I don’t focus on your terrible driving.” 

By the time Soshiro’s done with his recounting of the last four fights he’s been involved in, the massive disappointment of this year’s recruitment exercise and his admiration for Captain Mina Ashiro (which made you want to scream, kick your foot through the windshield, perhaps), the afternoon sun is low to the ground, streetlights along the expressway flickering on. 

You couldn’t help but ask. “Do you ever think about anything other than your job?” 

“Nah.” he chuckled. “I don’t have time for anything else. I gotta spend time to train y’know, otherwise I’ll really die on the job.” 

“Soshiro!” 

“That’s why I got good life insurance”, he deadpanned. 

“I guess that was a silly question”, you slump back in your seat. 

“It really is”, he teased. “So, what else d’you wanna hear about my all consuming job?” 

The memory stings your eyes. 

You make up an excuse to return to your apartment without haste, waiting until he disappears around the corner before you give in to the tears that you’ve been keeping at bay all afternoon. Strangers on the train ride home give you a wide berth, because they certainly don’t want to catch whatever malady you’re clearly suffering from with your swollen eyes and hiccuped sniffles. You stumble into your shoebox apartment, kick your shoes off at the genkan.  

Tonight you’ll give yourself the grace to mourn the death of a dream.  

You crack open the beers he previously brought, one after another. Drunk, you sit on the balcony, the half-moon reminding you too much of a certain vice captain. You let your mother’s words flood your mind. You are meant to offer him blades, not a bride. In another lifetime, in every lifetime, perhaps, the noble born son of a samurai clan would never open his heart to the lowly daughter of a swordsmith. He would be raised to always put duty before love. 

You don’t know why you hoped for anything different. 

So when you roll off your sofa in the morning, you glare at yourself in the toilet mirror, eyes rimmed red, a hangover in full effect. 

“You are an idiot.” you slap your cheeks so hard it turns pink. 

You will not allow this to continue. Hoshina Soshiro is not yours, has never been yours, and will never be yours. You are pathetic for hoping otherwise, stupid for living in hopes that he’ll look at you some day, an utter idiot for letting every choice you’ve ever made in your life be guided by your infatuation with a boy who doesn’t have space in his heart for you.

You could’ve been like your older brother, been content with sticking to the family business of sword making instead spending every spare minute on your engineering studies so you’re well positioned to be snapped up by Izumo Tech as a weapons specialist. You had the leeway to be based in Osaka near your family, but accepted a position in Tokyo just to be closer to where Soshiro’s based. You could’ve had a social life, perhaps even friends outside of work, if you’ve not dedicated your life to your job, working after hours tirelessly, just so you secure promotion after promotion, cementing yourself as Izumo Tech (and by extension, the Defense Force) go-to for anything blade related, just so you fulfil the promise you made to Soshiro all those years ago. 

You cannot live the rest of your life this way.   

a/n: so...i know i've only ever written for the hq boys but the way hoshina soshiro grabbed my throat in a chokehold in that gym training scene just forced my gremlin brain to start typing and get to work on this story for him.

hope you guys like it <3

[rollinouttahere-writes]

After that one, I got another thought―

Platonic Yandere! Strawhats with Y/n likes to make DIY gifts? Like little bracelets with supportive and reassuring words, paper stars of different colors, handmade stickers and this kind of stuff?And one day , Y/n out of boredom made DIY gifts for each of crewmembers?

I swear, I even made samples.

Nami - Yellow paper ring with words "Best navigator"

Usopp - Paper bracelet with his name and with words "1# Sniper"

Chopper - Yellow with pink glitter paper medal with words "Best doctor"

Sanji - Another yellow paper medal but with golden glitter and with words "Best cook"

Zoro - Green thick paper bracelet with words "Best swordsmen"

Robin - Purple handmade paper bracelet with "Best archeologist"

Luffy - Red thick bracelet with words "The King of the Pirates"

This is super cute!

Nami loves her ring and only takes it off to keep it safe. She may have a preference towards high end clothing and accessories, but if anyone so much as looks at her ring funny, she's throwing hands with them. She'll buy you something in exchange, and she doesn't even add it to your debt to her!

Usopp, for all of his personal hype, is extremely caught off guard by this. Yeah, he tries to play it off that of course he's deserving of such a title, but he's self aware enough to know that he's got a long ways to go before he can live up to this. It takes a few tries, but he makes you a bracelet too. It says '#1 Usopp Pirate'.

Chopper is full on ugly crying from the medal. He loves it and hangs it up in the infirmary. As much as he wants to wear it, he's afraid that he would break it during a fight. He makes one for you too! It isn't perfect, and will be shedding glitter for its entire existence, but it's the thought that counts. He's very proud of it, so you better compliment the hell out of it.

Sanji is dead, you killed him. He's a crying lump on the floor while cradling the medal to his chest like it's his firstborn child. Once he recovers, you can expect to be fawned over (even more so than usual). You're getting all your favorite foods for the foreseeable future. He wears it constantly, only ever choosing to take it off when he bathes so the water doesn't damage it. He goes out of his way to make sure Zoro can see it while talking about how you made it for him.

Zoro looks at it, looks at you, back at it, then asks if you wanted him to give it to Mihawk or something because he knows he isn't the best swordsman yet. He's hesitant to take it even when you insist it's for him, but eventually caves when you suggest he can hold onto it until he can become the best swordsman. You never see him wearing it and question if he even kept it, but that changes when you see him fish it out of his pocket to look at when he thought no one was watching.

Robin smiles at the gift, but can't help but ask just how many archaeologists you know. She's just teasing though and absolutely cherishes it. You never see her without it after this. She makes you a very ornate bracelet herself that honestly makes yours look like it was made by a small child, but she still thinks the one you made is better regardless.

Luffy will never shut up about this. He wants everyone to see it and tells all of them that you made it. The bracelet is on the same level as his hat in terms of not wanting anything to happen to it... Which is unfortunate because he breaks it almost immediately. He is inconsolable, pitifully clutching whatever was left of it after he snapped it by stretching his arm. He doesn't emotionally recover from this tragedy until you make him a ribbon that can be added onto his hat saying the same thing. He makes you a bracelet too (with help), and while it may be the most misshapen thing you've ever seen, you can't help but wear your '#1 nakama' bracelet with pride.

[sadruru]

...Hey, I'm still alive! I've had a lot going on lately. Especially bad moments that have hit me hard mentally… But I'm feeling better now, and I'll share at least some fun artwork and a board game.

You can't have too many tieflings, right? I'm running a short Pathfinder board game called “Robbery in Absalom”. Fate has suddenly linked three thieflings from Absalom, one mysteriously tiefling from Cheliax, a beautiful white-haired tiefling girl, and three students from a fencing school. I so love the fact that these guys were invented by real people and play for them... It really sounds magical!

And I'll tell you a little bit about them.

I'll start with three swordsmen and a cute little girl: Alessio - no comments, just an IDEAL AT ALL aazimar from azat 👄💅 (only the others don't seem to agree with it), the main instigator in the company.

Dominic - a beautiful dark-haired guy, a daredevil, a noble swordsman and a burning simp Roslyn, because of such passionate love for her guys often make fun of him 🤣

Rael - a tiefling swashbuckler with a fire, screams funny from women, and loves to read books marked +800 about Queens of the Night (a group of four unique female demigoddesses) 🔥

Roslyn - an adorable tiefling who, as the story progresses, becomes a client for thieflings. She has a cute little mouse with a bow and a HUGE WEAPON FROM NUMERIA AND SHE'S A SNIPER!!! Constantly fending off Dominic's attention.🔫

Now let's start with the thieflings and their mysterious new acquaintance: Marishka (or Panochka) - an arcanist, gold digger and just a charming follower of Calistria who will appreciate you from head to toe. Familiar is a funny flying dinosaur. She is from Irrisen.

Oscar - a “tiefling” (aasimar undercover, no one has figured that out yet!), Grandma's* favorite grandchild. He's a very reasonable guy.

*If in Mendev, for example, sister Kerismei is in charge of the thieflings, then in our story in Absalom the Babushka (Grandmother) is in charge. She is a very sweet old lady who takes care of all her grandchildren, especially the little ones (they can easily get into the most difficult places) and feeds them all with pies.

Firuza - tiefling-cat (rakshasa), my street bully 🐈 Bloodrager with demonic heritage. Lives in Absalom, but judging by her slight accent she comes from the Empire of Kelesh. The brute force of the team and it's got a lot of intimidation! 💪🏻

Ruggiero* - an alchemist, also a client. A very charming, decent young tiefling from Cheliax with secrets of his own (HE'S WANTED IN TWO COUNTRIES AND BY THE HELLKNIGHTS!!!) 🧪

*Once I saw him at the game and his portrait, I screamed for a long time in my head... I probably don't need to explain that I have a weakness for dark-haired, curly-haired tieflings? Yes I'm a sinner 🗿

There will be a next post about Firuza, in case anyone was wondering ;D

[deathmetalunicorn1]

Hi there! Can I request Female Mihawk Reader with Yandere Lu Bu, Jack, Raiden, Buddha, Qin Shi Haung, Thor, Poseidon, Hercules, Loki, Hades, Rudra, Indra, Hajun and Sasaki?

Reader comes from another World and is revealed to be the ‘Strongest Swordswoman in the World’ with her God opponent being the God of Swords (Reader has Yoru, her Black Blade on her back) and has her Valkyrie Partner transform… to everyone’s shock into a small crucifix pendant, that’s actually a small dagger, which her God Opponent demands in annoyance what exactly is Reader’s game, only for Reader to explain “I’m not the the kind of beast who uses all her might when hunting down a mere rabbit” then has a condensing look as she ‘pitifully’ says “Unfortunately, this is apparently the smallest blade my Valkyrie Partner can turn into, so this will have to do”

Which makes all the Gods and Reader’s Opponent FURIOUS, believing Reader is to arrogant and stupid… until she proves them all wrong by DESTROYING her opponent (The fight ends similar to Zoro and Mihawk’s fight, but the only difference is Reader doesn’t use Yoru, as her calls her opponent ‘Too Weak’ and a ‘Disappointment’ to her, when she kills him, stabbing God’s heart with her tiny blade as he starts to disintegrate) and to add more salt to the Gods’ crippling egos, Reader admits this fight was just like every other fight she’s had “Boring and Unsatisfactory” as she leaves, just as stoic as she fought

However, to everyone’s surprise, Reader shows interest in Sasaki and tells him how he’s the only man worthy of her time (Reader can tell Sasaki is strong, especially since can adapt in battle) and even tells him that she’ll wait for him, no matter how long it takes for him, until he can surpass her, since both are Swordsmen with Honor (Everyone is jealous of Sasaki getting Reader’s attention) and she even asks him every day to spare with her

Reader even tells Sasaki that he should be honored that she uses Yoru when they spare (Sasaki feels honored that a woman like Reader gives an old man like him attention like this, and he could ‘Die a happy man’, which causes Reader to laugh, which is a shock to everyone since Reader is always stoic with a resting bitch face)

-You were regarded as the strongest sword user in the world, even as a woman, you were the strongest, your skills with swords were legendary.

-You enjoyed your time in Valhalla, able to live in quiet comfort, drinking wine, reading books, and meeting other legendary humans, one that you didn’t know, but that was because you were from another world entirely.

-When you died, being caught in a sudden explosion, you were brought here to Valhalla by Brunnhilde.

-This new world was unlike your own, the only people with unique powers were the gods themselves.

-You didn’t fuss with the gods much, getting your own quiet room and plenty of areas to choose from to train in.

-Many of the warriors you faced while training, both humans and gods, were very strong, giving you a challenge, but only for a short while.

-Your skills were too much for them, easily able to overpower most anyone who would challenge you.

-When Ragnarok was announced, you were one of the first people that Brunnhilde approached, asking you to fight against the gods themselves.

-Hoping for the challenge you were finally looking for, you agreed.

-You were fighting first, something you requested and Brunnhilde arranged it for you, and your opponent was announced first as the god of swords himself!

-You smirked for only a moment as you walked out, a massive sword strapped to your back, carrying it with ease.

-Your sharp golden hawk-eye like eyes pierced into your opponent as he was holding two large swords with ease, but everyone was stunned as you made no move to grab your massive sword.

-You touched the cross-shaped pendant hanging around your neck as your Valkyrie partner appeared beside you, “You’re sure this will work?”

-You glanced at her as she was hugging you around your neck, looking like a child, but you instantly pulled out, the tiniest sword that anyone had ever seen, more like a baby dagger!

-Your opponent’s eyelid twitched before he pointed a sword at you, “What the hell is that?!”

-You held your blade, your Volundr, ready to strike, “A weapon that is more than enough for you.” His eyelid twitched again before the gods were quick to yell at you, calling you a cocky human and that you should know your place.

-He shouted at you, charging you with his swords, demanding to know why you weren’t using your big sword, as he wanted to take it from you, seeing the quality.

-You looked almost bored, dodging his strikes before kicking him away from you, your foot in his stomach before you spoke, your voice cold, “I’m not the kind of beast who uses all her might to hunt down a mere rabbit. A pity-” as you looked down at him as if he were dirt, “-that this is the smallest blade my partner can transform into.”

-More shouting from the gods while the humans were in awe of your confidence.

-You rolled your eyes as he shouted out his most powerful attack, trying to take you out and you took a step to the left, dodging it completely, much to his shock as he had turned white, his eyes wide as he gawked at you.

-Your eyes narrowed slightly, “Such a disappointment.” You then slashed at him, cutting him down with an X shaped slash, winning easily.

-Gawking faces filled the arena before the humans went wild, seeing that you had defeated a god and you made it look so easy!!

-You sighed as your partner returned to her normal form, holding onto your hand, making her look like she was your child before you turned, looking up at Zeus, “Was that really the strongest god you had?”

-You ignored the fury of the gods, many who shouted at you, but they couldn’t argue that you did handle your match so easily, it was almost embarrassing for them!

-When Heimdall approached you, inquiring about your thoughts of the match, your words resonated with so many people, “Boring and unsatisfying.”

-The rest of Ragnarok came and went, wins and losses on both sides until humanity was standing in the winner’s circle, and to further prove they deserved their salvation, as you all got to choose one wish together, those who had been killed were brought back to life, both humans and gods.

-The smallest shade of a smile appeared on your lips as your arms folded under your chest, seeing the reunions all around.

-Many gods and humans now had more of a healthy respect of each other, knowing that humanity was indeed stronger than they had thought.

-You were unaware you were now being stared at by both gods and humans, who were taken by your power, wanting a chance to fight you themselves, to test your strength.

-The more they stared as you were speaking to your Valkyrie, Goll, and Brunnhilde, the more they wanted to know about you.

-You were a stunningly beautiful woman, intimidating almost, something even Aphrodite had to admit, but your strength paired with your beauty made you a truly highly sought after woman.

-However, you stunned all by stopping after you had been walking out of the arena, when you saw Kojiro approaching you.

-He offered you a bright grin, “Hey there Y/N! I haven’t seen you since your fight! You were amazing! I would ask for a fight but I would probably lose.” As he said this he scratched the back of his head, laughing lightly.

-You put a hand on his shoulder, meeting his eyes which widened in shock, “No- you’re wrong. Your adaptability in your own fight was very impressive. I’d be honored to spar with you, to see how strong you are now. I would wait centuries for you to surpass me, Kojiro.”

-He was stunned that you recognized him as strong, while many of your other self-proclaimed rivals, were seething with jealousy, as you hadn’t paid them any attention, at least with fights; you would talk with them, but as far as actual fighting, you refused, only willing to fight other sword users.

-You sparred with Kojiro every day, allowing him to train against someone very difficult, and your matches always drew a crowd, not that you minded, mainly because you couldn’t care less.

-As Kojiro laid on his back after another intense session, for him at least, he spoke, “I’m honored a woman like you would give an old man like me any attention. I could die happy.”

-A grin instantly appeared on your face before you threw your head back, laughing warmly, which everyone stared at with huge eyes, as you always had a RBF! You were absolutely stunning when you smiled.

-You reached a hand down to help him up, giving his own a soft squeeze as you spoke with a soft smirk, “It’s a special type of man to grab my attention like that.”

-The glares Kojiro received were well worth it. He had no regrets.

-Lu Bu- When he finally convinced you to spar with him, using his halberd against Yoru, he wanted to see who had the stronger strike, his Sky Eater or your Strongest Slash in the World. The damage as the two strikes hit was so immense, even more so than when Lu Bu fought with Thor, you both had to help clean up the arena after you trashed it. When the dust cleared, both of you were still standing, unharmed and you had to give him a small grin, seeing that he withstood your attack. He became another you fought on a regular basis and he always fought with such joy fighting you, saying you were the only woman he would respect. Thor and him were both strong drinkers, as they would invite you out all the time, which you didn’t mind, finding their antics amusing. It was nice to be able to fight without holding back.

-Jack- Was one of the few who actually didn’t want to fight you, more interested in just conversing with you, sharing tea or wine, playing chess together, and having intellectual discussions. You had to admit that you were a bit curious about his ability to see into your soul, describing the colors you displayed at any given time, it was unique as you had never heard about something like that before. Jack enjoyed his talks with you, never wanting you to leave, as he found you entrancing, from your looks to your strength to your complex personality. He wanted to see more and more.

-Raiden- Raiden was very enthusiastic in trying to convince you to fight him, to the point of chasing you down, running after you until he had you in his arms, like it was a children’s game of tag. You always refused him, as you weren’t a combat fighter, you only used your swords and if you fought him, either you would get hurt from his physical attacks or he would get cut to ribbons. Your words and reasoning did little to deter him as he kept seeking out, asking for a fight, carrying you around in his arms like you were a princess. He was very jolly and loud, but also pushy and sometimes annoying, but you felt like you couldn’t bring yourself to dislike him.

-Buddha- Buddha was another one who was quite pushy, not as in he wanted to fight you, as he was quite laid back, but he was always coming into your house, uninvited, bringing all sorts of snacks that he was willing to share with you. You could enter your home at any given time and find Buddha lounging on your couch, welcoming you home like he lived there. He picked up after himself so it wasn’t that big of a deal to you, and he was quite amusing when you gave him wine and got him drunk, he was a funny, cuddly drunk, which you teased him mercilessly about, but he didn’t care, as you were giving him attention.

-Qin Shi Huang- This cocky little shit irritated you, at first, when he tried to make demands of you like he was in charge of you. As time went on and you learned that was how he was a person, due to him being emperor, you gave him a bit of leniency. He was almost like a child with you, acting spoiled, wanting you to dote on him. He didn’t really want to fight you, although he was curious about your strength, he just liked your icy vibe, as he had seen you smile so brightly, he wanted to see what other sides there were to you.

-Thor- The god was respectful but also quite persistence, in getting you to fight him, as he wanted to see your strength for himself. He would ask you on the daily to fight, but would accept your no, unlike others who would keep asking, but then he would be back the next day to ask you again. You only accepted after you fought Lu Bu, willing to give him a match. Brunnhilde left a lump on your head, Thor’s head, and Lu Bu’s head, scolding all three of you after you and Thor destroyed the arena again. Thor respected your strength and loves to spar with you and Lu Bu both, as you could give them a challenge and they give you a challenge. Plus, they were fun drinking buddies as they were both very strong drinkers.

-Poseidon- Your strength and beauty was unrivaled, or so he thought, when you smiled and laughed, it was like he was being born again, seeing the world with new eyes, but only with you. Poseidon couldn’t stand that you were giving Kojiro the most attention, fury filling him that the older samurai had your attention. It made him want to do even more to get your attention on him. You weren’t bothered by his fancy gifts when he would try to give them to you, refusing them, but his tenacity is what caught your attention, not willing to give up and you finally accepted one of his gifts, a bottle of wine, but you made him sit and enjoy it with you, showing him that there were more sides to you than he originally thought.

-Hercules- This man- this god, was like a giant puppy with you, smiling so brightly when he would call out your name when he sees you around. He’s so respectful of you and your power, not taking anything lightly, which you appreciated, but he’s also super sweet with you, taking your groceries from you, “Let me carry those for you!” he treated you like a lady, but knew for a fact you could probably kick his ass easily, especially if you used Yoru. You enjoyed seeing Hercules, as he showed you all around Valhalla, and he would always be willing to fight you, if you wanted to spar, as he knew he didn’t need to hold back against you.

-Loki- This MF!! He is such a little gremlin and a tease, popping up at random places to try and scare you, wanting to see more emotions out of you, calling out your name so cheerfully. Loki was complicated, if you needed a word to describe him, he was annoying, teasing, perverted, loud, and obnoxious, but as you hated to admit it, if he hadn’t come around for a few days, you found yourself missing his antics. It was sometimes too quiet without Loki’s obnoxious self, popping up at random times. He nearly melted when you patted his head when he came back, asking if you missed him, and you patted his head lightly, adoring your affections.

-Hades- Was very impressed with your skills when he saw you fight, wanting to test you himself, and laughed warmly when you refused to fight him, instead offering him a glass of wine. The two of you became fast friends, as you were similar in personality, usually so serious and stoic, but you did have your soft sides, him with his siblings and you with children. Hades usually got jealous when someone else would try to take your attention off of him, but he was calm about it, choosing instead to just glare harshly while pouting, which you noticed, poking his cheek when you came back, teasing him which he tried to deny that he wasn’t pouting.

-Rudra- Was very soft with you, acting like a gentleman, asking to walk with you, taking anything that you might be holding other than your swords, it was amusing, but appreciated. You found Rudra relaxing to be around, as he was mellow, but you could sense his strength, his determination. You laughed warmly when he asked to hold Yoru, wanting to see how heavy it is, as you were carrying it around like nothing and swung it with such ease. Even with holding it with all four of his hands, Yoru fell to the ground as he could barely hold it up and he gawked before showering you with praise for your strength.

-Indra- Quite and cool, you found solstice with the Hindu god, as he was relaxing to be around, as he didn’t ask you for fights on the regular, only about once a week or so, and he would just sit with you, enjoying spending time together. You did dislike when he smoked, as you didn’t like the smell, but he always made sure to sit downwind from you, so you weren’t overly bothered. You did, however, find out that he was a weak drinker, after you offered to share your wine with him. You couldn’t help but poke his cheek, teasing him as he was nursing a headache afterwards, finding it amusing while he found your teasing side to be rather cute.

-Hajun- You had to discipline him when he tried to grab Yoru, wanting you to fight him, easily taking him out with your unsheathed sword. He was shocked with how easily you were able to take him out, impressed with you while you sat on his chest, but he was unbothered, finding you light, as he asked to fight you again. He was rather territorial with you, if he were to see you, he would hug you and try to keep everyone else away, not willing to share such a strong opponent with anyone else. As time went on however, he grew more territorial, not wanting anyone around you at all, which was more of a headache for you than you thought.

-Kojiro- Kojiro was the only man you gave any physical attention to, mainly because he was your lover now, something he still couldn’t believe. The swell of happiness that would fill his heart when your arms would encircle his neck, hugging gently could warm him all throughout winter. He never asked you for fights, you were the one to ask him, which you didn’t do for anyone else, something he noticed but wouldn’t mention as he would let you curl up in his lap, being doted on by him so gently, your arms around his neck as you both basked in your quiet affections with each other.

[todo-shotoroki]

1//: But now..

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“....Return to my parents’ home.. my old residence...find my little brother, Senjurō...tell him...to follow his heart....and to walk down the path..that he feels is right.....and..my father...”

He stopped..should he go on..he loved his father, so why was it so hard to continue with his next words.

“....tell my father that...that I want him to take care of himself....and-”

Rengoku had so much more to say...but he could feel his life quickly draining from his body...he had to make this quick..he had to make it count..

“Ren-Rengoku-San..please don’t talk anymore” Tanjiro didn’t want to hear anymore...he didn’t want to believe this was happening...how could this be happening...he..he fought so damn hard..he can’t die...he’s ..the hero...he can’t die..not now...h-how-

“Young Kamado, I’m going to tell you all I can while I can still talk so I need you to listen..” with only so much strength left..he needed Tanjiro to understand the passion he was putting into each of these last words...before it was too late.

“There’s someone else I need you to seek out...”

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It was a normal day for her..as normal as it could get in a world of blood-thirsty demons. She didn’t leave her work in the village until late in the night so she wasn’t able to see Kyōjurō off on his mission that morning, like she wanted...but this time was like many others. He would go off and fight, she would work through the night and they would reunite..soon enough, to be together again.

Kyōjurō didn’t like that she worked so late in the night though..its dangerous, you never know who lurks and stalks in the shadows waiting for that perfect opportunity..she used to think he was trying to scare her, but everything he said held true, there were no grounds to doubt his words...he never gave her reason to.

She’d always reassure him that she was safe though..walking on the path with the most street light..staying in populated areas as much as possible until she had to duck off through the forest because “It’s the quickest way”... he was always protective of her nevertheless, no matter how tough she tried to prove herself to be.

It was just his way of expressing his love for her..and she gladly excepted it.

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It was 12:17 in the afternoon when she finally opened her eyes to greet the rising sun..Kyōjurō..of course that would be her first thought as she is welcomed into the new day..He informed her that it wouldn’t..no..shouldn’t..take no more than 2 days...it was a well-planned mission...he didn’t want to worry her with the details that people were always going missing on the train that he would be boarding...that all the swordsmen that were sent to investigate, fell silent..and that initially, he would be fighting alone. No, there was no need to worry her with the obvious factor that dying was not an outlier in this mission.. He would do what he always did...He would fight for what’s right, she would work past daylight and they would reunite..soon enough, to be together again.

She expected Kyōjurō would be returning soon, and she didn’t have to work until much later. Surely she would be able to see him before she left. She did light cleaning, and prepped a meal for his return, although she hoped there wouldn’t be too much eating, she was prepared to hear all about his mission, from the moment he boarded the train right down to him stepping out the train and breathing in the fresh, crisp air of his home town.

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Maybe he could finally take her to see Senjurō after so long, hope he’s doing okay..and she wishes to see Rengoku-San again..even though he didn’t bless her and Kyōjurō’s relationship from the start..she still wishes to know how he’s holding up, that’s just who she was, and how she’s always been. So caring and passionate; that’s one of the reasons Kyōjurō fell in love with her. Just one.

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It was nearing 4:30 in the afternoon when the food continued to sit on the stove and the small pile of trash sat in the corner of their small common room; she remained positioned on the cushion, legs aching as it has been folded for some time now, awaiting the arrival of her Kyō.

She mentally cursed him because in 2 hours night would be approaching, she would be leaving for work and a new day would be among them, which would make 3 days he would have been gone. One day more than it would’ve..no, should’ve taken.

What exactly could be prolonging his trip. She searched her brain over the details that he had run by her that day, trying to recall if he had mentioned anything regarding his time immediately after his mission.

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“....-and there may be injuries that would call for immediate attention...file reports and-“

Injuries. Of course. Patrolling a train packed with over 200 people, and the awareness of a possible demon attack, there were bound to be some injuries, right? Surely he would do what he had to do and return to her.

This pondering was going to drive her crazy, as many times as she’d done this, as he had told her not to worry for him, it was completely inevitable. She loved the man, her man, he was hers, and it was alright for her to worry. But every time she approached the point of too much worrying, he would appear in her view, into her arms, once again..

Maybe she could go for another plate as she waited.

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It took Kyōjurōu a while, longer than he would like to admit to formulate the right

collection of words that would carry the same passion that he intends it to hold, even coming out of someone else’s mouth.

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How could he find the perfect words for the perfect woman..the woman that came into his life when he was not aware of the need of her very presence..he loved her...he loved her..and now he was leaving her..he remembers every little detail about the last time he’d seen her..2 days ago, 5:45 am, he remembered her complaining about not wanting to go to work that day just the night before, but knowing the small dining shop was already understaffed, it would be painfully difficult to get this day off on such short notice.

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He watched as she slept on their shared mattress, not making too much of an effort to take his leave quietly as he knows her to be the heaviest sleeper..he would be back soon enough, she should get her rest.

The early morning light, little that was, did no justice in capturing all that was her beauty, he knew better though.

He did what he had always done, he kissed her..her forehead..her nose..her cheek...he pulled away and smiled..he loved her. Yes, he would be back soon enough.

At the time he couldn’t pinpoint the moment that it suddenly hit him, he felt smaller in their room; it was rare, to say the least, their room was only so big. He gazed at the composition his mind had laid before him..it was like he was looking in on someone else’s life..he summed it up to be detachment, he was leaving, leaving her...of course it felt a little weird. He just didn’t know why it felt weirder now than any other time he’d left for a mission.

With a smile on his face, fire in his eyes he said to himself with confidence, “I’m off, but I’ll be back, so don’t miss me too much”

Something soft inside him almost persuaded him to turn to look at her again, kiss her nose again, cheek, forehead, lips. But, with his wide, bright eyes and passion in his heart..he continued out the door.

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Now more than ever he’s glad she wasn’t awake to see him off. To see the fire in his eyes as he walked out of that door that early morning, prepared for any and everything that was to come with this mission.

He’s trying to keep himself from thinking of her right now, but it’s proving to be damn near impossible. He did a good thing today. So what is this feeling in the deepest pit of his stomach?

He didn’t act irrationally. But what if there was something he could have done differently, could there have been a different outcome?

He kept the damage to as minimum as possible...and nobody died. Not yet anyway. He knew he was going to die. No amount of breathing techniques nor mental strength could stop the outflow of blood rushing from the hole in his body.

It was getting cold. Which seemed funny to him, given that he is the Flame Pillar...was..was the Flame Pillar. He needed to talk fast..his mind was both moving too fast to grasp anything and not fast enough....time..he was running out of time.

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“There’s someone else I need you to seek out...”

What do I say? He knows she would be sad. Broken, Devastated. Angry? At him for not returning to her like he had promised that night..his last night with her..their last night together...NO. What does he say?!

“...tell her..I’m sorry..”

She would know that he loved her...should he say it.?

“and that I love her..I’ve always loved her..so so much”

It’s really cold now..getting harder to breathe..the feeling in my legs is completely gone. My vision..I..I can’t-

“and..tell her”

Gods, he was going to miss her. Her smile, the way her eyes always lit up when he returned from a long mission, just to get tangle within each other in a hug that felt like it was never meant to end, the mere fact that they were created for each other, there was no doubt that she was made for him, and he for her..they were supposed to spend the rest of their precious lives together, get married, have kids. He wanted lots of kids, a big happy family, one that he never had. He deserved it. He deserved you.

He’s realizing that it was not going to happen..he hoped that you would forgive him..even if you say you aren’t angry with him...he hoped you knew he wanted to return..not only for him..but for you..to get to you.. he needed to return to you..hold you, kiss you, feel you..one.last.time..

before he could never do so again..

More than anything he wanted her to be happy.. because she deserved that..He wanted her to be happy with him of course, and only him..but-

“tell her...to be happy....to live on...head high..no matter h-how devastated she may be..”

..but just as his heart ached, and he wished it would continue to ache..it being the only thing tethering him to this life..just as it ached......his mind slowly became blank..he saw flashes of your smile, he heard the ring of his brothers’ laughter...his father was at his side..smiling..and...his mother?

Yes, his mother was there...looking upon him with the softest, most gentlest smile..

“You did well my son. I’m so proud of you”

As much as he wanted to long to be in your arms again.. He did the right thing...he fulfilled his destiny. He could go now.

and so he did.

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The wall clock read 5:16, it was well past the time she had planned to start getting ready for work, as she sighed for the 37th time since she woke up, she knew she had to get ready soon.

She pushed her body off the mattress, she guess she could take a shower, trying to prolong her time until she had to leave for work was stressful... especially when you’re waiting for someone to arrive..

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Startle by the sudden tapping at her door, her heart fell in her stomach and she was snapped out of her mental dreaded thinking.

See! All that worrying for nothing. He’s here.

The breath that she didn’t know she held was released and forgotten as she made her way to the door, swinging it open, making sure not to hit the swinging bulb above. Kyō said he would fix that.

She wasn’t met with sunshine, however..it was suddenly grey out, gloomy even..she looked at the boy in front of her door, and noticed two others in the distance, with their backs, turned away from her. Hm.

The boy tries to look her in the eye, but it seemed to be a struggle, he opens his mouth to speak anyway.

“Um, a-are you-“

She recognized his attire immediately. Just like Kyōjurō, he had to be a demon slayer. Younger though. She welcomed the young boy in.

He didn’t look like her Kyō however, not as bright, confident..happy? Was something wrong?

She started to think about saying something, but the boy began to talk. A heaviness hanging on each of his words.

“M-my name is Tanjiro Kamado. I am a member of the Demon Slayer Corps.”

She could tell he was holding up an act, but why. And where was Kyōjurō?

“I was sent to partake in a mission on the Mugen Train, along with 2 other swordsmen to join and assist-”

They were...on the same train? That can’t be right though...why haven’t Kyō come back...did something happen? where was -

“-Kyōjurō Rengoku, Flame Pillar of the Hishira.”

Wait.

“I am saddened to inform..y-you....that-“

Wait. WAIT.

“Rengoku-san....Kyojuro Rengoku...was killed in action...”

All at once, her body was frozen over and set ablaze by the worst of flames...was she falling? She has to wake up. This-THIS is a dream-a NIGHTMARE. No. She was snatched out of her body and forced back in..back to being in front of this..person. What did he just say?

“what?..” she asked with half a brain, not even sure if she was the one that asked it..it was so soft, she probably only thought it, but then she saw his mouth begin to move...were those..tears? He was crying. Was she crying? She can’t feel anything. She’s telling herself that somehow this isn’t real...but it is.

This isn’t happening right now...but it is.

This can’t be happening...it is..

This...it was unimaginable..that he could leave..me..he..Kyō..he would never leave me..what was this boy even saying?!

She knew all too well that she wasn’t hearing things..this was all too familiar to her..

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you say your goodbyes, wish them luck...and you hope like hell you see them again. Because if you don’t...something got screwed up. You’re stuck...alone..replaying every moment to see if somehow you messed up. Did I miss something?... Breaking down every detail, to find the one thing you could’ve done differently. You become obsessed over finding that mistake..

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Obsessed over that ONE mistake that could have changed this.. all of this. It’s not right! Not FAIR!

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Until it drives you out of your mind..because life comes with pain..but times doesn't stop and wait for you to pick yourself up when you’re ready to move on.

She’s alone again..she’s going to have to grieve alone again..pick herself up...and fight for a way out..again..alone...without Kyō ...

But she’s falling...she can feel it...she’s falling fast..

“Kyō...”

it was barely audible..but she felt the words leave her mouth...the sting of where the sentence was headed..she wished she could take it back, but it kept forming..

“Kyō..please..n-no..“

Was any of this real...was she real..She sure as hell felt real..this pain? Was real.. more real than she could ever think was possible..

“d-don’t..go..Kyō..”

Her voice was trembling at this point. That..boy, was turning into a fuzzy green..figure..she’s sure the floor had disappeared.. her legs too..and she could hear wind..loud wind and..leaves?

..yea..leaves..

.

.

.

It was the first day of Autumn, September 22nd..

Initially, it was her plan to take a walk through the park to see all the pretty leaves scattered on the ground. It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen it before, she loved Autumn, ever since she was a kid. She and her brother would argue over who got to rake up the leaves first, so they could be the first ones to jump into the freshly fallen leaves, to welcome the new season.

She wanted to walk with Kyō through the park..hand-and-hand, taking in the beautiful scenery. She looks up at him, but he was already gazing down at her...his face was so lovely.

She watched as he let go of her hand, and grabbed a handful of fallen autumn leaves, throwing them into the air with joy..

“I love this girl!!”

This hadn’t been the first time he had said this to her, but this had been the first time she felt more prepared than ever to say it back to him...with that same burning passion that he held in his heart. Her heart swelled with happiness; she didn’t think it was possible for a person to be this happy. It felt..wrong. Like she had just figured out the key to life.. its purpose...and she didn’t want to share it with anyone but him...she love him. She loved him.

“I love you too Kyōjurō!!”

Her body disobeyed her, and tears formed at her eyes and gliding down her tremble cheeks. It was the beginning of Autumn, she wasn’t cold..the excitement was to blame, she was so filled with euphoria that it almost made her dizzy.

The way he looked at her, like she was the only girl...no, the only person in the world..nothing else mattered but this moment, here.

.

.

.

She couldn’t feel anything..not anymore, even the pain was like a distant memory..she felt..empty..she was empty..how was she going to get through this..what was next...Kyō ..

She can’t...It’s just...her mind isn’t working...she needs him..why... Kyō ...

Kyō ..

She wants to drift..off of whatever surface she currently depending on...and float off into where ever...where ever he was....she wanted..more than anything..to be with him..

to see him...

to hold..

...

..

.

Kyō ..

.

..

...

She was always drawn to him. He was the most alive person she had ever known. He was good, he was kind.. and so gentle with her. She had lost her brother and father to the hands of a demon, and Kyōjurō carried her through and out of that pain. She still thinks about the family that she lost, she missed and loved them every day and every night but....she didn’t have to go through it alone anymore. She had Kyō.. He was her Pillar...of light...of warmth...the fire she needed when she surrounded herself by thick, icy walls...He was her flame that got her through that darkness....

.

.

but now...

.

.

.

.

Go ahead and live with your head held high. No matter how devastated you may be by your own weakness or uselessness, set your heart ablaze.

Grit your teeth and look straight ahead. Even if you stop and crouch down, the time won’t wait for you...or snuggle you and grieve along with you.

-Kyōjurō Rengoku💛❤️

[aritsukemo]

Paradise | Chapter Three - Sabito and Makomo | KNY

Summary: Sakonji Urokodaki's grueling training begins!

Warnings: Nothing much. Tanjiro, Y/n, and Sumiko are in pain for the majority of this chapter.

A/N: Here's chapter three that's been sitting in my drafts for like two to three months now! This is my first time doing a first pov so I hope my lack of expertise doesn't show too much!😅 I'm going to re-remind everyone once the next chapter comes out, but chapter four will be posted alongside the first oc profile! You'll only be able to read it over on Wattpad, but I hope everyone goes to give it a quick read whenever I post it! :D

Tagging: @overluvsick, @nursedflowers, @jspidey5 + anyone who wants to be tagged! <3

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Third Person Pov

Crickets and other noisy bugs converse loudly during the night. Tanjiro sits at a small table, a singular lamp by his side as his soft hand holds a brush—which bristles already stained in ink and are coloring symbols into the once clean sheet. The brush glides across the page until it comes to an abrupt stop and  goes back to the start, hovering over the next clean area of the paper. Tanjiro looks behind his shoulder. Nezuko sleeps peacefully on the futon behind him. Y/n sits propped up against the wall with one of her legs kicked up, her eyes closed, and silent snoring coming from her in steady breaths. Sumiko leans against her, also fast asleep.

Guess it's finally time to get some rest. After all, his first day of training begins tommorow.

Closing the book, the light shines on the book cover. It displays in big symbols and clean, black ink, "Journal" with his full name written in smaller characters below that. Tanjiro's hands leave the book at last after spending his final free day writing for hours without end..

First Person, Tanjiro's Pov

 "The Demon Slayer Corps has around several hundred members. It's an organization unrecognized by the government, yet it has existed since ancient times and continue to hunt demons today. As for the one leading the Demon Slayer Crops, however, that remains a mystery."

 "Demons. They mercilessly kill and feed on humans and their flesh. No one has a clue where or when they first appeared. Their physical prowess is remarkable. Wounds heal in the blink of an eye. Flesh is restored no matter what damage comes to it and limbs that are hacked off can easily regenerate. Some demons can shapeshift, others have otherwordly powers. The only ways to kill these heinous creatures are via sunlight or decapitation with a special sword."

 "The Demon Slayers battle demons with their mortal bodies. Since they're only human, they're wounds are slow to heal, and once lost, their limbs never grow back! Even so, they continue to selflessly fight to protect other humans!" Those were the first words Mr. Urokodaki spoke to us when our training to become demon slayer swordmen first began. As he was explaining everything, I couldn't help but look at her from the corner of my eye.

Y/n's face hid everything from me like an iron wall. Her scent opened a window for me to peer into, but whenever it did, it always left me puzzled. It always contradicted her in some way and that fact worries me.

I want to ask her so many questions. About these contradicting feelings, about her past that she for some reason refuses to tell.. I want to have a heart to heart with her like a brother and sister would..

But now's not the time for questions. For now, I need to focus on becoming a demon slayer so that I can start finding a cure to turn Nezuko back into a human!

 "I am a trainer. I literally train swordsmen," Urokodaki said to us that early morning, "There are many trainers like me all over Japan, and each of them train their pupils with their own regimen in their location."

 "To join the Demon Slayer Corps, you must survive the Final Selection process held on Mt. Fujikasane. Whether or not you're eligible for Final Selection is up to me," He explained. I remember thinking at the time, "Simple enough."

How naive I was..

 Starting today, I'm going to keep a journal for Nezuko.

 I'm decending the mountain again today. I'm going to train my hardest so that I don't die during Final Selection!

 After repeatedly descending the mountain, day after day, I'm starting to learn how to avoid most of the traps. I've become stronger and I'm even more adept at detecting scents than before. Even so..the traps are getting more and more difficult. At this point, I'm starting to believe he's actually trying to kill us! I nearly fell into a hidden pit of knives today..

 Despite the increase in difficulty, I seem to be the only one struggling to keep up. Y/n and Sumiko have cleared the mountain a couple times without problems. At first, Sumiko would trigger traps left and right fearlessly and would just narrowly dodge them. She really worried me for a while, but after some scolding from Mr. Urokodaki, she started trying to dodge them at last. I'm relieved that he stepped in before she got seriously injured.

 As for Y/n, she seems to be on a whole different level! She's quick on her feet—quicker than both me and Sumiko—and her natural senses manage to keep her from triggering most of the traps on the mountain. In only half a day, she had already managed to make it up and down the mountain three times! Seriously, how does she do that?

I run down the mountain as fast as I my legs can take me and leap over an oncoming rope. As soon as I planted my feet back onto the ground, a log comes swinging right at me! I barely dodged it and stumbled a bit. Because of that, I nearly triggered a trap..

Mr. Urokodaki's scent hits my nostrils and leads a clear trail to the next trap ahead. Knives fly from the trees and I find myself stopping to look. My heart skips as I swing my body out of the way, just bsrely dodging as the knives dig into the tree behind me.

My legs felt like jelly and I wobbled right into an obvious trap. I nearly twist my ankle catching myself before I fell completely into the hole—thank goodness for that, because under me were sharp knives, threatening to cut me open with even the slightest touch.

I gasped out in horror without realizing. But really, is a pit of knives really necessary?

As this was happening, Y/n and Sumiko shoot past me. Y/n is ahead, her face still like a stone as she hopped over ropes and other traps without so much as pausing for a breath. Sumiko mimcks her, taking wide leaps over everything until her foot steps down on her demise. A snap is heard and I suddenly see her dangling in the air by her foot.

 "Ah, Sumiko!" I manage to maneuver myself out of the way of the hole and crawl to my feet. I jog up to my little sister in need only to realize that the rope was just out of my reach. Oh no.

In the end, I accidentally triggered a trap trying to help her down and got myself stuck as well. Mr. Urokodaki had to cut us down and we both got a scolding for our slip ups..

 I made my descent down the mountain again today, sword in hand, but it really hampered my movements. I can't stop getting ensnared by traps! Sumiko seems to be having as much trouble as I am, if not worse. Her sense of balance has been thrown off entirely and she can't seem to dodge even the simplest of traps..

 Y/n started only a few days before we did, but she's already gotten the hang of her sword. She truly is amazing!

I run down the mountain, large sword hanging heavy on my hip and Sumiko by my side, and we simultaneously hop over a rope tied low to the ground. Urokodaki watches us in silence, arms crossed. And, although I can't see his face because of the mask, I know he's judging our every move.

Each trap I hop over, Sumiko lags behind, just barely being able to mimick my movements. She leaps after me, but she doesn't make it high enough to avoid a rope. I hear intense ruffling along with a small yelp and look over my shoulder to see that Sumiko's gone and there's a large pit where she used to stand.

 "Sumiko!" I find myself sliding to a stop, "Don't worry, I'll—" And then another snap echoes throughout the forest; a warning that I didn't process fast enough to heed. I fall back, but I wasn't even able to hit the ground before I'm snatched into the air..

We were kept stuck in our traps until Y/n finished her descent through the mountain. What makes things worse is that when Mr. Urokodaki cut me down, I fell right on my head..

 I swing my sword today. Well, it's not just today. After descending the mountain, I, along with Y/n and Sumiko, swing our swords until our arms nearly fall off. We do this every day.

 "Nine hundred ninety-one.. Nine hundred ninety-two..!" Numbers were shouted out in unison by all three of us as we stood side by side in a clearing at in the mountain. The evening glow shines down on us and our blades which causes them to gleam every time we swing downwards.

Every inch of my arm throbs with each tense of my muscles that are caused when I swing my sword. I've been clenching my teeth for so long that I'm scared they'll shatter if I don't ease up, but how am I supposed to do that? Even though they're beginning to numb over, my arms hurt so badly!

But at last, I can finally rest, "One thousand!" We all finally yell out, but immediately after we said that, Urokodaki gruffly follows up with his own shouting, "Five hundred more!" He told us.

And just as that demand reached my ears, I felt my tired soul completely shatter into pieces..

 "Swords break easily," That's what he told us beforehand. Though it's strong vertically, it's weak horizontally, so you need to apply the force straight along the blade. The blade's direction and the direction in which you apply force must be exactly the same. And that's when Urokodaki added, "If you ever damage the blade, in other words, break it, I'll snap your bones as well," in a very threatening tone of voice. Just thinking about it, makes me nervous all over again..

 Today, we did nothing but fall. We started training to break our falls and get up quickly from any position.

 We wield our swords, charging at Mr. Urokodaki, really trying to kill him. In contrast, Mr. Urokodaki is bare-handed and unarmed. Even so, he's ridiculously powerful! He flings me away and I roll on the ground every time..

 Even someone like Y/n seems to struggle when up against Mr. Urokodaki. She starts off good, getting up faster than me and Sumiko and manages to get a few swings in. None of them ever hit him, however, and in the end, she's always flung away just like me.

 Sumiko seems to have it the worse since she tends to charge at him with the intent on fighting bare-handed. Her sword gets in her way and she's always flipped or tossed away quicker than either of us. Every time it happens, my heart skips a beat thinking she'll accidentally land on her sword and hurt herself..

We stand before Mr. Urokodaki, swords in hand. I merely blink and in an instant, my world is flipped upside down! ..Literally. Before I even had the time to process that my feet were no longer planted on the ground, my face was already sliding against the gravel and my nose was already being invaded by the strong, muddy smell of the dirt that I had begun to grow used to.

As I crack my eyes open again, I spot Y/n running towards Mr. Urokodaki. She had already managed to regain her senses after the temprorary lapse and got up. How does she do that?

With her face scrunched in conentration, she charges forward and swings her blade when she's close enough. She immediately follows up with an upward slash attack after her intial strike misses. The movements of her swings are sharp, but I get the sense of aggression towards the tail end of every single strike. It's passive-aggressive which contrasts Mr. Urokodaki, who's movements are pretty lax as he dodges the majority of her swings by simply moving out of the way of her blade.

That relaxed air around his being leaves him for a mere moment as he goes on the offense. He suddenly charges forward and Y/n immediately raises her sword. She swings downwards with the intent of landing a singular strike, but he sidesteps her attack and I find myself having to tense and squint my eyes as to not miss Mr. Urokodaki's next movements. While she's still focused on her previous attack, Mr. Urokodaki steps behind her and lands a kick to the back of one of her knees which causes them to fold. She falls on one knee and Mr. Urokodaki waste no time in kicking her in the side and sending her tumbling away.

Both me and Sumiko get up at the same time, but I attack first. I run as fast as I can, mouth open and yelling as I hold my sword above my head..

And in less than a second, my view of the world was flipped upside down again and spinning like a wheel. I couldn't feel the ground anymore either which made it finally dawn on me what just happened; Mr. Urokodaki had flipped me into the air and the momentum of his throw had me rolling midair!

The revelation hits at the same time that I hit the ground. I land right on my chest which knocks the majority of the air outta my lungs in a loud gusp. Quickly after that, I hear light groans that signal Sumiko's defeat.

 "Again!" I hear Mr. Urokodaki demand and I catch myself groaning softly as I peel myself off the gravel. I don't know how long I can take being tossed around like this..

 Today, we learned breathing techniques and some forms. We'd get yelled at for not bracing our stomachs and clobbered to a plup..

 "Total Concentration breathing?" I questioned, my head instinctively tilting to the side a little.

 "That's right," Urokodaki said, "And I'm going to teach you three all ten of the Water Breathing forms."

 "Remember to take a long breath so the oxygen flows into every cell in your body," He told us, "This will enhance your body's natural healing power, and both stabilize and energize your spirit."

 "Relax your upper body.." He instructs and we do as he tells us to the best of our abilities, all of our shoulders' slumping, "..while bracing your lower half," I tense up my legs and feet. Y/n and Sumiko do the same.

 "All right, now breathe!" My head tilts back, and at a turtle's pace, I suck in as much air as I can. I exhale just as slowly, my whole body slumping..and then, bam! My eyes shoot open as pain shoots through my entire body and spit is propelled from my mouth and shot out in all directions.

Mr. Urokodaki had smacked me in the stomach and it felt horrible!

To try and ease the pain, my body curls into itself. I'm hunched over, shaking with my arms wrapped around my stomach and my knees bending when I hear Mr. Urokodaki yell, "Wrong!" And I hear groans. I guess Y/n and Sumiko had met a smiliar, painful fate.

 "Next! Forms!" Mr. Urokodaki shouts and we have no choice but to straighten back up. He didn't give us much to go off of, but I was determined and struck a pose anyways.

 "Right! Like this?" I ask, "Wrong!" He yells. And so, I snap into a different pose.

 "Like this?" I ask again only for him to repeat, "Wrong!" I change poses once again and promptly ignore the sideway looks of confusion, dissaproval, and embarrassment I get from my sisters—the latter two more apparent in the look Y/n gives me; the former one more accurately represented in Sumiko's dot-eyed expression—and yell out, "This?"

In an instant Mr. Urokodaki had popped me in the stomach once, then twice, then a third time, and unfortunately a fourth, fifth, and sixth which elicited a loud, whiny moan from me.

 After that, he told us to become one with the water.

We stood fairly high up on one of the ledges near the mountain we descend every morning as a warm up. Before us was a large waterfall that was so noisy that we struggled to hear each other despite standing side by side with one another. It loudly flowed it's abundance of water down to the bottom, which I couldn't really see all that well due to the constant stream blending together and crashing down producing a light steam at the bottom from the sheer coldness of the water..

And then, our demise rings out in the form of Mr. Urokodaki's voice, "What are you waiting for? Get in there!" And we're suddenly kicked off. Off instinct, I try to run away from my fate, but all it does is prolong the inevitable until gravity finally hits me and I go falling along with Y/n and Sumiko.

My stomach flutters in an uneasy sorta way at the airy feeling of falling from such a high vantage point. I scream, going to call out for the first person that pops into my head, "Nezuko..!" I drawl until I finally hit the water with a loud splash!

After a moment of floating along the stream, we all manage to pick ourselves up and huddle under the waterfall. As the heavy water comes relentlessly crashing down onto us, we stay firmly planted with our hands mashed together as if we were praying.

 "Nezuko..!" I find myself yelling, my voice being carried in the wind. Echoing and bouncing off the rushing waterfall, "I...! ..Am...! ..Water..!"

My constant yelling must've really irked Y/n, because after a while, she shouted at me, her voice strained but angry, "Could you..! Shut up..! ..For one second..?"

 As of now, it's been six months since Nezuko was last awake. Mr. Urokodaki summoned a doctor right away and had him examine her, but he found nothing wrong.

 But it's not normal for her to stay asleep like this.. I'm scared. Scared that one morning, I'll wake up to find her dead. Not a day goes by that I don't worry..

 Sumiko had begun staying up later and later at night. I think she's also worried about that possibility and it's causing her to fear sleeping. I try to soothe her nerves as best I can, but I fail to do much.. At least she seems to be getting along with Mr. Urokodaki well. I sometimes catch them talking late at night when they assume everyone's asleep. I have no idea what their talks could be about, but soon after their late night talks began, Mr. Urokodaki had started supplying her with books. She tends to stay up all night reading them now and it got to the point where catching her fast asleep, face first in a book was a common sight we all saw of her in the mornings.

 Whenever we talk about Nezuko, Y/n's face scrunches and she always says that it's only a matter of time. It upsets me badly to hear that she has no faith in Nezuko ever awaking up again, but now that I think on it, this is probably her way of coping with the situation herself. I think she's trying to be overly pessimistic in case of the worst happening so that she doesn't fall apart. Looking back on it, she acted like that for a while when dad's health started to decline and he was bedridden..

 My descents are getting more dangerous and the air's even thinner since we've started descending from a higher point in the mountain. Time and time again, I think I might die, but at the same time, I've felt that, not just I, but all three of us have gotten stronger! Under Mr. Urokodaki's steady, stern guidance, we've all grown and I was sure at the time that we'd reach unspeakable heights with his help! ..And then it happened.. }

 "As of today, I have nothing more to teach you. The rest is up to you!"

 A year after we arrived at Mt. Sagiri, he told me that all of a sudden after I descended the mountain. I remember that initial feeling of surprise that struck me followed quickly by fear. After all, when he said that, it was just me there. I was the last out of the three of us to make it down the mountain. My first assumption was that this was some kind of punishment because of my own shortcomings, but then he told me to follow him. We walked for a long while—long enough for the air around us to grow colder and the snow to finally start falling—before we finally made it to a wide clearing with..a boulder in the center of it..

I found myself staring on in awe. Before me, was the largest boulder I had ever seen in my life. It was taller than both me and Mr. Urokodaki and wide to boot! That being said, it was surprising to see that a rope with long shide attached to it was wrapped all the way around it.

 "If you can slice this boulder, I will allow you to enter Final Selection," Mr. Urokodaki said after a while of my gawking. Without blinking, my eyes glide over to look at him and I only move my head a little to gaze at him for a moment before my head slid back in place and my eyes found itself on the large rock again.

I found myself thinking, "Is a boulder, especially on so big..even capable of being sliced with a sword? ..I don't think I can.." I barely noticed it, but my hand had made it's way to wrap around my sheathed katana, just under the hilt, "My sword will snap, no question!"

During my silent distress, Mr. Urokodaki stayed just as silent. Without any advice or tips or instructions, he turned on his heel and began walking away from me, "Mr. Urokodaki, please wait! ..Mr. Urokodaki!" I called his name again and again, but he just kept walking without turning back or saying anything to acknowledge my calls, leaving me alone with the tough boulder and the soft snow falling around me.. 

 After that, Mr. Urokodaki never taught me anything again. Not just me, he apparently did the same thing to Sumiko and Y/n, taking them to one of the many designated clearings in the mountain and giving them the same task before leaving. That thought comforted me a little knowing that I wasn't alone in this.

 Every day after that, I practiced what Mr. Urokodaki taught us over and over by myself. I was able to go over the basics like holding my breath and flexibility without trouble thanks to the notes I'd written down in this journal. But, even after six months had passed, I still couldn't slice the boulder. I felt frustrated. I wasn't training hard enough and it showed every single day I failed..

 But, just when the despair of the situation started to set in, he appeared..

A loud clank rang, echoing my failure throughout the area. I stood there with my sword laid against the boulder after having smacked my blade against the thick rock. My head hung low under the evening's bright, yellow glow and I huffed softly, unable to catch my breath.

 "Am I hopeless?" The thought stained my mind like ink on paper. It spread, inviting similar thoughts into my head until it plagued my brain entirely.

 "Have Y/n and Sumiko already sliced their boulders in half? Will they go on to become demon slayers without me?"

 "Is Nezuko going to die without ever waking up?"

Those thoughts made me anxious which made it hard to shake them away easily. They were dark, like black paint and had smeared itself all over and made it hard to think of anything else aside from this heavy feeling that had already begun to sink to the bottom of my gut; that depressing feeling of self-dissatisfaction.

But I can't give up! I've spent all this time training! It can't all be for nothing! I won't allow it to all be for nothing! This is for Nezuko!

Using those small pebbles of determination, I clench my teeth, move my sword out of the way, and headbutt the boulder. All while yelling words of encouragement into the air.

 "Keep working, Tanjiro!" I told myself, "You can do it! You have to!" And then landed another headbutt to the boulder. That seemed to anger it, because after that second headbutt, it screamed at me, "Shut up!"

..Wait, that wasn't the boulder. Looking up, my eyes immediately lock on a fox mask and I feel my brows scrunching from confusion. Sitting atop the boulder with his leg kicked up, was a kid seemingly around my age. His pink hair reminded me of a ripe peach and blended well with our surroundings, which were colored in orange and yellow to match the sky above. That said, his kimono top and calf leggings were covered in clashing, bright, yellow and green shapes that had me racking my brain from how familiar the pattern was.

 "A man shouldn't whine. It's unseemly," His voice caught me off guard because of how much deeper it was compared to my own. However, it wasn't gruff like Mr. Urokodaki's and still held this certain smoothness of youth that kept me from thinking he was older than me.

His sudden appearance raised questions that temporarily shushed the loud, disheartening thoughts screaming and running amok in my head. There was no scent to him which formed some of my biggest questions. Never in my life have I never been able to catch the scent of someone. Never.

 "No matter how much your suffer, a man should always bear it in silence," He got to his feet, and that finally made me take notice of the wooden sword in his hand, "That is, if you call yourself a man," And with that, he gracefully lept into the air. His plain, white haori raised, floating in the wind just like his hair. It distracted me, and because of that distraction, I wasn't able to process the shift in the air when he flipped. If it wasn't for my instincts, I would've also missed the raising of his wooden sword before it was brought down onto me with a sudden force.

His blade clanged against my metal hilt and before I was able to take in the fact that he was suddenly attacking me, the boy landed another attack on me. This time twisting to land a kick to my chin that had me flying back and landing on my head.

 "Slow. Weak. Immature. None of those are qualities of a man," He said and I found myself growing angry. Not because of his petty insult, but because of the fact that he attacked me without reason.

 "What are you doing?" I asked him only for him to mimic me and ask, "I'd like to know what you think you're doing."

 "What do you mean? I'm training," I told him, but he replied with a mean, "Hardly."

 "Now, how long do you plan to sit on your butt and not take a stance?" I don't know why, but when he said that, my body immediately moved. The authority in his tone was terrifyingly familiar so maybe that was the reason.

In so many ways..he reminds me of Mr. Urokodaki. I guess that's why my body jumped to do as he said.

He raises his hand and gestures me closer, "Come on. Come at me," He said, but I found myself hesitating.

 "But I have a real sword and you don't! What if you get hurt?" The question made him pause. I thought that was because it finally dawned on him how crazy he sounded for suggesting me to attack him wih an actual sword, but that didn't seem to be the case. Instead, his shoulders—no, his entire body shook and he threw his head back, laughing as if I had said the funniest joke in the world.

 "Well aren't you considerate! Thank you for worrying about me," He said, but the way he said it didn't sound the least bit grateful. He then said, "So, you think you're actually going to injure me?" And then he was suddenly in front of me. I stepped back on instinct with my blade raised halfway—a good move on my part, because he immediately brought his blade down on me and I was fast enough to meet him the rest of the way and block him.

He was strong. Even though he was fighting me with a wooden, practice sword, I still found my body shaking, quivering under the power he's putting against my actual sword. I remember it shocked me along with his next words, "Well, you have absolutely nothing to worry about!" He so confidently said to me, "I'm far more powerful than you! After all, I've already sliced my boulder!"

Those words echoed in my ears as they were slowly injested. He..sliced a boulder? The thought shocked me as much as it sparked hope in me. The fact that it's not impossible made a tiny weight lift off my heart.

But I had no time to dwell in that feeling, because the masked boy jumped into the air. As dust kicked up where he previously stood, I found my eyes closing—an almost deadly mistake. I was lucky enough that time to feel the shift in the wind. I turn at the last second, just fast enough to throw my sword up to block the boy's incoming attack from above. It didn't faze him at all. He jumped back and immediately jumped into the air again.

His speed was incredible. I could just barely catch the aftermath of his jumps as he zipped around me. I could only assume that he would touch the ground whenever he passed a tree because I could never catch him touching the ground. It was almost as if he was flying and it left me looking around like a chicken without its head.

Then suddenly, he was right beside me. I was able to see him at last, but him being right at my shoulder didn't process fast enough. In the end, all I had time to do was turn my head to look at him—with a look that probably told everything I was thinking in that moment—before the thunder of my first defeat was sounded and I was suddenly on the floor, my face and body stinging and shaking a little..

 "You've learned nothing," He stood behind me, totally composed aside from his voice that sounded pretty upset, kinda like Urokodaki when he used to scold me for my mistakes, "You haven't mastered a single thing! Certainly not the breathing technique taught by Mr. Urokodaki; Total Concentration Breathing!"

That caught my attention most out of everything else he said. It made waves of confusion and surprise wash over me and temporarily redirected me from the pain he inflicted on me, "He knew Mr Urokodaki? The breathing technique too?" Were the questions that intially surfaced, but his identity is still on the top of my list of questions for him.

As I turned my body to face him and sat up, he continued, "All you did was memorize it as fact!" He lifts his sword and points it at me, "Your body has no clue what it needs to do!"

 "Just what the hell were you doing for a whole year and a half?" The question rang out extra loud just as his sword clanged against my steel, "You need to slam it into your flesh!" He shouted as he broke away as did I only to immediately clash our blades again.

 "More!" As he picked up speed, I tried to do the same, trying my hardest to replicate his movements. Thankfully, I was just fast enough that his blade met mine continuously instead of my battered skin, "More!" I took the defensive, staying strong as he slammed and hammered his blade against mine in a quick succession, "More!" A particularly strong hit sends me back but I plant my feet into the ground and manage to still myself before he closes the distance and I was forced to go on the offensive once again, "So that you become the embodiment of what Mr. Urokodaki taught you!"

He sends me back again and I recover quick enough to watch him ready his next attack and swing it at me, all while screaming at me, "Pound it all into the marrow of your bones!" 

 "I'm trying!" I found myself crying out the next time our blades met, "Every single day! I'm trying with everything I got!"

 "..But I'm not making any headway!" As my own words sunk in like a rock falling to the bottom of a lake, I found my voice slowly cracking apart just as my resolve has been these past six months, and I finally admitted aloud, "I just can't go any further!"

Despite that all he did was tell me as he lunged at me, "Don't 'try', just do it! If you're a man.." And then he quickly landed his attack on me, smacking me in the chest. I clench my teeth as the striking pain begun to spread and my feet left the ground for just a moment before they're forced back down as he harshly slammed his sword down onto my arm, "..If you call yourself a man!" And just as I raised my sword to attack him back, he spins and his sword hits my chest again, but at an angle this time.

 "There's no other way to go but forward!" I stumbled back, my feet uncomfortably light which made me tip and sway in different directions. The boy followed after me as if he was chasing down a fleeing wild animal. Our blades clashed again and he shouted, "Bring it on!"

 "Show me what you're capable of!" He swings at me, but this time I'm quick enough to completely jump out of the way. His words had an extra surge of adrenline shoot through me and I found my mouth falling open and letting out a loud scream of my own. No words, just a strong yell that came from the core of my chest—from the depths of my heart—where all my pent up frustration resided.

But then I miss my swing and my second defeat is sounded in an instant. It's painful, moreso physically as I watched his arm swing up and I felt his wooden sword collide with my chin. It was an extra powerful swing, one that had me flying several inches off the ground when it hit me. My entire jaw immediately numbed over in a desperate attempt to soothe the searing pain that shot through it and up my cheeks.

And then, suddenly all I could feel was that pain as my vision slowly faded. I had passed out, but what made matters worse was that I hadn't even hit the floor before everything went black..

The next time I opened my eyes, I was met with the sight of the crescent moon peaking through cracks made by thin clouds. All the pain in my face had dulled aside from my chin which stung like a bad bee sting. Everything around me had a blue-tinted screen over it that matched sky, signalling that nighttime had arrived. My eyes widen at the realization.

 "Are you alright?" A voice asked. It was soothing to my ears, kinda like putting a cool cloth on a bad bruise. It was nothing like his voice.

I shot up, immediately turning my head to be met face to face with eyes that match the night sky above. Despite her sudden presence, the only question I asked her was, "Did you see that?" She tilted her head, signalling to me her confusion but I continued regardless, my eyes blown wide.

 "That was an incredible blow! Not a single bit of unwasted motion! It was beautiful!" I praised. It really was amazing and my words could hardly explain it in a way that gave it proper justice which is probably why I started moving my hands and shaking my head to further exaggerate my point.

Now that I look back on that moment, I probably looked really silly to her.

 "I want to become a swordsman like that!" I exclaimed and then I asked her, "Do you think I can become like him?" And I watch as her lips widen into a smile. One without a hint of underlying doubt or hidden skepticism. It was a completely pure and trusting smile that she gave me as she spoke in a soft voice.

 "I'm sure you can..since I'll be looking after you from now on," She told me. And it was only then, when her thick eyelashes fluttered and her eyes closed, and that pure, trusting smile of hers widened that I realized just how pretty the girl before me was..

But who was she? It was then that it dawned on me that I didn't even ask. And so, with my cheeks tingly and warm and my heavy jaw having my bottom lip hung low, I mumbled out, "Who are you?"

 That night, she told me her name, Makomo, as well the name of the boy I sparred with, Sabito.

 Makomo points out the defects in my style. Throughout countless days, she corrected my unnecessary movements and my bad habits.. I found myself wondering, why? Why is she doing this for me? Where did she come from? I once asked her, but she didn't tell me anything. Something in me refrained me from asking the others about her or Sabito..

 Speaking of which, Makomo often said, "We love Mr. Urokodaki very much." It was her favorite phrase. She said that Sabito and her weren't siblings and that Mr. Urokodaki raised them after they'd been orphaned.

 "They're other children besides us. They're always around, watching you, Tanjiro," was something she said to me once. You see, I've come to realize that Makomo is a bit of a strange girl. Her way of speaking is abstract and dreamy and she says things in a weird way..

 "See, Total Concentration Breathing accelerates your blood circulation and your heart rate. That causes your temperature to shoot up and makes you strong like a demon despite still being human," She explained, "You expand your lungs and bring lots of air into your blood and when it gets excited, your bones and muscles scurry to heat up and grow stronger!"

 "..Huh?" Was all I could say, my face twisted into a puzzled expression. Maybe it was the words she used to explain it, but I didn't understand the majority of what she said. And so, I asked her, "How can I do that?"

And she looked at me with that kind, angelic smile and told me in the nicest voice ever, "Train to death. At the end of the day, I don't think there's anything else you can do."

 I swung my sword over and over so hard until my arms and legs felt like they were going to fall off.. Until my lungs were ready to burst into flames, I did that for so long..but even then, I just couldn't beat Sabito.

 I would train hard under Makomo's gentle guidance until it felt like I was going to just kneel over and die on the spot, but he still always got the better of me. It was only until six months later, and six months after Y/n cut her boulder, when the snow coated every speck of grass and every wilting tree in sight..

I stood before Sabito once again. The sun was out, but you wouldn't be able to tell by looking due to the thick clouds that covered it and made snow fall in all ways and directions. The wind was icy against my dirtied skin—colder than when I first stood before him and the boulder—but I didn't flinch even when it blew so strong that my hair flailed it's grown out lengths wildly.

 When I challenged him that day, Sabito was wielding a real sword..

 "After six months, finally, you have the look of a man," I watched his movements as he gripped the scabbard and used his other hand to grab ahold of the hilt. The eerie sound of the steel sliding out didn't scare me and neither did the sight of his blade gleaming under the dim lighting as it was pulled out and pointed at me.

I had long pulled my sword from it's scabbard and gotten into my stance, my brows creasing downwards and scrunched into my dirt-covered skin, "Today's the day I win!"

 The head-on battle was simple. Who ever was stronger and faster wins.

My mouth opens as wide as a small crack—just wide enough for air to enter my mouth. Slowly, I breathe in. My chest steadily rises as my lungs swell with air. I then close my mouth, my grip tightening on the hilt of my katana..and dash forward at the same time Sabito does.

 The battle was over in an instant..

We immediately found ourselves closing the gap. Both of our swords were raised the entire time, and it was in that fraction of a second that I swung down with all my might..

 On that day, in that moment, for the first time, my blade reached Sabito first.

With a hollow clack, his mask split and fell on either side of him, suspended on the sides of his neck by that thick, red rope that was tied to it. His face..didn't match anything I had pictured originally. His eyes were a foggy purple and gentle like the falling snow around us. It contrasted that peach pink hair of his which barely covered the sides of his face so I saw that large, spiky scar that hiked up at an angle and covered the majority of his otherwise smooth skin. And his smile.. That smile that he gave me as his brows scrunched together..was so full of relief.

 That moment I won, Sabito smiled. It seemed like a sad smile to me at the time, but looking back on it, it seemed more proud and reassuring than somber..

 "Tanjiro.." I was so encaptured by him and that smile of his that it took Makomo's gentle voice to pull me back down to earth which, seemed much foggier than when I left it a mere moment ago. I find myself blinking, as if what I was seeing was an illusion or hallucination, but the thick fog never disappeared.

 "You did great," Her praise is what made me finally turn my head her way. Her body was steadily disappearing in the fog and I found myself looking on in silence, at a loss for words for what I was witnessing..

 The next thing I knew, Sabito and Makomo were gone..

 "Don't forget what you just did and win against them, okay? Beat that guy too," And she was gone, disappearing into the shrouding fog as if she was never there to begin with..

 ..And my sword, which I was sure had slashed Sabito's mask..

I turn my head back, but Sabito was gone too. Leaving me to gaze at the thick fog and watching as it slowly cleared away into nothing. Sabito and Makomo were still nowhere to be found, but that wasn't what made my eyes widen. What made my eyes grow wide like a bug's was the fact that I was gazing through a rocky opening  just narrow enough that only my blade could slip through.

 ..had sliced the boulder in half.

Y/n Kamado | *Arms crossed* So, you actually managed to do it..

Tanjiro Kamado | *Smiles with hands on his hips* Yeah! I was shocked, too! I never imagined I'd be able to cut a boulder like that! I couldn't have done it without Sabito and Makomo. I can't thank them enough.

Y/n Kamado | ..Who are they?

Tanjiro Kamado | *Speechless by his own slip up*

Y/n Kamado | ..Well? Who are—

Tanjiro Kamado | *Panicked* Uh- Now, It's time for a Taisho Era Secret!

Y/n Kamado | Wait, you haven't answered my—

Tanjiro Kamado | *Leans in and whispers* Why does Mr. Urokodaki wear a mask? I heard that's because demons used to make fun of him for looking too kind.

Y/n Kamado | *Visibly irked* Hey! Don't ignore me! Answer—!

Tanjiro Kamado | Everyone, we'll continue working hard to find a cure for Nezuko! And Ms. Ari, I hope that you make a full recovery soon!

Y/n Kamado | Who the hell is that? And who are you talking to—

Tanjiro Kamado | Next time, chapter four, "Final Selection"! Bye everyone! *Runs away*

Y/n Kamado | Tanjiro..! Get your ass back here and answer me! *Runs after him*

Dividers were made by me, pictures used are from Pinterest, post formatting is inspired by @xxsabitoxx

[tokyo-1842]

Happy Holidays! This ask is platonic; I wanted to ask if you could write a one-shot about a young woman who's Zoro's half-sister? I'm thinking like their sibling relationship is giving brains and brawn, like Zoro is the super over protective brother who inherited all the muscle, while reader is the very smart, pretty much brainiac, alchemist of the strawhats? Reader is very snarky and takes every chance she can to either one up her brother or flex her intellect. For a story scenario, maybe the crew docked on a new island that had a specific ingredient reader needed and she forced Zoro to tag along with her because she needed him to help carry it back. Zoro begrudgingly agrees but he ends up getting lost because reader stepped away from him while he was distracted. Reader and the crew search for him, eventually finds him and then reader sasses him for not paying attention. Maybe she comments about putting a tracker in him, and the crew laughs until they notice she isn't because she's actually contemplating how she'll do it, with Franky's help 🙏🏽 IM SORRY TGAT TURNED INTO A YAP FEST

ZEHAHAHAHAHA ITS OK I LOVE LONG REQUESTヽ(´∀`。)ﾉ ☆(≧∀≦*)ﾉ

COMING RIGHT UP

——————————————————————————-

SIBLING RIVALRY

ZORO X F!READER PLATONIC

Not many warnings, some cursing, a tensie wensie bit of angst i think, just fluffies🤸🏻

You and Zoro were like crossed fingers, yin and Yang, partners in crime, two peas in a pod. Ehh well sort of. You two had a relationship ship that was like:

You can have my kidney to survive but I won’t share my snacks with you. Your relationship doesn’t exactly make sense but hey not everything has to be explained.

-

“Hey Usopp Island up ahead!” Luffy shouted, looking through a spy glass. The sniper barely looking up from his fishing rod spoke, “That’s great Luffy…hm I feel like im forgetting something…”

“To tell Y/N we are about to dock long nose.” Zoro said as he woke up from his nap beside the pair. “That’s it! She needed that weed for her weird nerd potion.” Usopp said. “Oi im the only one allowed to call her nerd.” The swordsman said. “WAIT WHO ARE YOU CALLING LONG NOSE!?”

“Alright everyone this island has a marine base so no fooling around alright!” Nami said as she was getting ready to explore the island. “Zoro with Y/N, Sanji with Luffy, Me with Robin, and Chopper on his own to find herbs!” The navigator hopped off the ship and everyone else followed suit.

“CANT believe im stuck with you out of all people.” Zoro muttered under his breath. “I didn’t quite catch that seaweed look alike.” You said through your teeth. “Blegh you sound like Sanji what did I tell you about hanging around him.”

The island was fairly small with two small villages. It was known for exotic plants. You spotted a small shop with interesting trinkets and told Zoro to stay put outside.

Of course didn’t.

“Wow they had a bunch of interesting stuff and I found that herb I needed! Alright let’s go-“ You were cut off as you noticed the spot the swordsmen was last in was empty.

“ZOOOORRRRRROOOO!!!” You yelled, in fact so loud a few birds flew away.

*Zoros pov*

“Great I look away and now she got lost on me, how did I end up in the forest anyways.”

A faint “ZOOOORRRRRROOOO!!!” was heard.

“What type of animal was that?” He said heading deeper into the forest.

-

BONK!

“HOW COULD YOU LET HIM GET LOST!” Nami screamed. “Yes that was quite careless Y/N” Robin chuckled. “You guys don’t have to rub it in im worried too!” You muttered rubbing the spot where Nami hit.

“The sun is setting let’s just look for him now that marines are looking for us.” Usopp said hiding behind Sanji. “Oh please you don’t even have the guts too! YOUR LITERALLY HIDING!” Nami yelled. “Adfenture!” Luffy said with his mouth full of meat.

-

“ZORO!” Branches in your way were ripped of their trees, “ZORO! Ugh I’ll never find him this way…” A idea popped into your head and you walked into a clearing in the forest.

“THIS IS WHY IM BETTER THAN YOU ZORO! AND SMARTER! AND STRONGER!”

You gave it a moment then bushes were heard rustling, the familiar green haired man stepped out then spoke. “Yo.” “DONT YO ME IDOIT!” “You said you were stronger than me huh?”

BONK!

Zoro was crouched down on the floor holding the giant red lump on his head biting his lip to prevent screaming. “YOU DONT KNOW HOW WORRIED I WAS! MARINES ARE EVERYWHERE!”

You grabbed him by the collar and headed towards the ship. “And yes im stronger than you…” You said under your breath.

-

Everyone eventually returned to the ship and was relieved to find Zoro made it back safe.

“That was a risky move mosshead, you could’ve gotten killed don’t you think?” Sanji said before taking a drag of his cigarette. “Oh please just because im not a scared cat like you doesn’t mean I don’t think.” The swordsman replied. “WHAT DID YOU SAY!?” The cook got into a fighting stance. “Not again…” Usopp said in disbelief.

“Hm I think I might put a tracker on Zoro..” Everyone laughed but it slowly died out as they realized you weren’t joking. (Except Sanji he’s still laughing his ass off😭)

“Not a bad idea! Get him a harness too!” The blonde said while helping Nami and Robin onto the ship. “SHUT IT ERO COOK!”

You would have to visit Frank later…

——————————————————————————

SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG I WAS JUST BEING LAZY 😭

some gifs

HAVE A NICE DAY/NIGHT (σ´∀`)σ

[slayfics]

Behind the Mask

Inosuke x Reader

Inosuke is need of your help after restringing form a mission, and you have to decide how to explain your feelings to him.

Chapter 9

You prepared the bath and made sure to add extra soap for bubbles. You weren’t sure how well you’d be able to focus without them. As you prepared the bath you tried not to think about what had just happened in the quartyard in front of everyone. However, the immense embarrassment you felt was starting to shed away and be replaced by concern for Inosuke’s injuries.  

You helped Inosuke into the bath while trying not to look. You weren’t used to being this flustered about your job before. You’ve helped many injured demon slayers bathe before it was just part of being a helper, but this time it was different.  

He sat down and appeared to be out of it. It was hard to tell with his mask on. Just as you were about to take it off, he reached up and placed it on the floor next to the bath. It was a shock to you, you had never seen him take his mask off on his own unless it was to eat.   

He looked at you with curiosity on his face, and the sight of him without his mask was painful to take in. His eyes were completely bloodshot and dried blood was everywhere on his face. You began right away working on cleaning and bandaging up his wounds.   

You were thinking hard of how to start with what you wanted to say. How do you say all the things that have been running through your mind since he had been gone. It doesn't matter you just had to start somewhere.  

“Inosuke I...” Just as you began to speak Inosuke moved suddenly, taking you by surprise. He moved his face up to yours but too quickly and violently that he headbutted you and knocked you back. You touched your nose and realized it was bleeding.  

“I’M SORRY!” He yelled. “I was trying to do what you did earlier.”  

All concern about your nose bleeding melted away with his words. He was what? Trying to do what you did before? So, he was trying to kiss you??  

“Oh... you were... trying to kiss me?” You asked, wiping the blood from your nose.  

“If that’s what you did then yes. Here let me help.” He said trying to move closer to you but then grunted in pain.  

“It’s ok Inosuke, you’re bleeding in a lot more places than me right now.” You said getting back up and working on his wounds again.  

“I’m really sorry.”  

“Shh it’s ok don’t worry about it. See it’s already stopped.” You responded and gently kissed his cheek. When you pulled away, he tried to move closer but was stopped again by pain.  

“Why don’t we focus on getting you better first ok?” You said. He didn’t look happy with that response but didn’t argue.  

“Then I can kiss you more?” He asked.  

You felt your cheeks get warm and it felt hard to breathe, all you could muster up was a pathetic nod. You wet a towel and began to wash off some of the dried blood around his wounds. You knew you had a lot to say but words seemed to be escaping you. You had to tell him though you promised Mitsuri.  

“I missed you while you were gone.” You began. He watched you intensely as you cleaned his wounds. You found it hard to look at him, so you stayed focused on his wounds and didn’t look up. “When I heard that there was an upper demon in the Entertainment District... I didn’t think you were coming back...” You felt your eyes start to fill with tears remembering how painful it was believing you already had your last moments with Inosuke. “And I guess it was then that I realized... how I feel about you. You’re so stubborn and a pain in the ass to deal with sometimes but also, I’ve never met anyone like you. There is something really endearing about you."  

“I think I almost died, and when I was dying something happened. A lot of memories came to me... some I don’t understand but one was what you said about all the swordsmen who hadn’t come back, and it made me try even harder... to fight and come back. I wanted to see you again.”

You couldn’t help the tears beginning to fall at everything Inosuke had said. He really thought of you while he was out there?? And not just that... thinking of you had helped him fight even harder?? It was too much to take in. Not only was Insouke back alive but here he was telling you that he felt the same way you did.  

“You’re crying, is what I said bad?”  

“No!” You managed to say through your tears. “I’m just so happy.” You said and Inosuke smiled.  

“I know I don’t understand a lot of things but when I...” His eyes had studently closed, and he sunk deeper into the bath. Inosuke had passed out.  

“Inosuke?” You called, but the swordsmen did not respond.   

You felt so foolish, how could you have let yourself get caught up and not stayed focused on fixing all his wounds first. You felt your hands begin to shake and more tears fell down your face. Were you really going to lose him this time?  

[moscnios]

Hey Mange!! May I get a Zoro x crewmate where his friend is a kind person who wields a sword and never uses them for wrong, until he loses control of his feelings and lashes out, almost hurting somebody in the crew

After such a thing happened reader’s been too scared to wield a weapon again, they cant spar or defend themselves because they don’t have any trust in themselves that it wont happen again and they dont wanna hurt anyone

Just Zoro comforting them, telling them to have some trust and such

Hope u have a good life please and tyyy!

⟡    ֺ   𓂂  now playing  ,  lost and found.

!!     pairing! . . .  gn!reader x roronoa zoro.

!!     type of love! . . .  for you to decide :)

!!     cw(s)! . . .  mentions of violence. mishandling of a weapon. no pronouns used. not proofread.

!!     wc! . . .  0.9k.

!!     notes! . . .  wasn’t sure if this was meant to be platonic or romantic, so it can be read either way. but i really liked this request !! thank you so much for requesting !!

!!     this has happened a few times so i want to address it here in case you see it again, please don’t call me mange, that’s a skin disease that mammals have 😭😭 zuko or z is fine !!

You did it, you finally blew it all over again. Freezing up in a fight, nearly getting yourself killed. And that is what would have happened had Zoro not jumped in front of you, taking down your opponent with ease. He wasted no time to turn on his heel, facing you. You could make out many different emotions in his expression. A little confusion, a bit of anger, and even some disappointment.

He opened his mouth to say something. To ask you what the hell was wrong with you. To ask why you didn't move, why you didn't pick up your sword and defend yourself as a swordsman should!

But he stopped himself as he saw your face. That frightened look in your eyes, tears of fear welling in the corners, as if you'd seen a ghost.

You hadn't stopped thinking about the incident since it happened. To be a swordsman is to always remain in control of yourself and the blade, to never lash out and lose sight, or else things could go very wrong. And that day, things did very wrong.

You lost control of the blade, nearly gouging out one of your captain's eyes. Your own saving grace was Luffy himself, being able to react fast enough.

You'd never forgive yourself, retiring your blade to the corner of the training room. You haven't touched it since and you never planned on picking it up again. Luffy was alive and well, smiling and hopping from wall to wall like he always did. But he almost lost an eye because of you, that was nothing something you could just let fade away.

Rather than training as you used to, you'd spend your afternoons in the back of the Sunny, leaning against the railings as you looked out at the sights that the Grand Line had to offer. Just anything to take your mind off of the incident even if it was for a brief moment.

"Are you going to talk about what happened or are you just going to continue to sulk by yourself?" The green-haired swordsmen's voice sounded from behind you.

You didn't even answer. Your head fell in shame, in disappointment. You wondered if he was still disappointed in you as well, too afraid to look him in the eye as you recalled his expression after he saved your ass.

Zoro took his place right next to you, letting his back rest against the railing. He folded his arms across his broad chest, letting his head fall slightly, closing his eye.

There was a silence between the two of you. The only sound that could be heard were the high winds from above and the sounds of the waves crashing against the ship from below. It felt like you were waiting forever for him to say something, anything was better than this cruel silence. You had no idea what he was thinking, if his opinion of you had changed, if he had even considered you a friend anymore.

Out of the corner of your eye, you see him move, picking his head up and opening his eye, looking up at the white clouds. "Talk to me, ( y/n )," He began, finally looking at you, "Whatever it is you're feeling, what you're going through right now...just tell me."

Slowly you picked your head up, facing your fear of seeing the disappointment in his gaze. But there was no disappointment, there was no anger. There was worry, there was concern, there was care. Expressions of which you haven't seen much from him. He was always so calm and collected, a man to admire. But the Zoro before you, you had yet to see.

"I feel...lost," You started, looking down at your hands, "I feel like...I don't know who I am anymore. I...I almost hurt...Luffy. I can never forgive myself for that."

"Accidents happen. They happen to all of us. You are not a bad person for making a mistake. You are human," He noted.

You shook your head, "I lashed out. I lost control. And it almost took someone else's life! And then when I stop using my sword, I freeze up and I'm utterly helpless! I'm no better than a fish out of the water! I'm too much of a risk to be a part of this crew. You all have done nothing but care about me...and this is thanks I give you all."

Hot tears ran down your face. You were angry at yourself for all of this. "Everything would just be better if I left―"

"Don't finish that sentence." His voice was firm, "Never say that about yourself. We would not be the same without you. I wouldn't be the same without you. Mistakes happen. It is up to you whether or not you allow it to define who you are. And if you asked me, I know that you are better than that. You're a great swordsman and an even greater person. Never, ever forget that."

His words were warm and comforting. The look in his eye confirmed that he was genuine.

"Thank you for listening to me. I can't even begin to tell you how much it means to me," You thanked him with a small sniffle, wiping away the streams of tears from your face with the back of your hand.

He shrugged his shoulders, "Don't mention it. And ( y/n ), don't rush yourself to pick back up where you left off. Don't feel pressured to pick your sword back up just yet."

"How do you know if I'm going to pick it back up at all?"

He thought for a moment, "Call it a hunch. All you need to do is find yourself and your trust in yourself. Take it easy until then and don't be so hard on yourself, yeah?"

You nodded.

Zoro placed his hand on top of your head, a small smile forming, "I believe in you."

© MANGEKYUOU — do not copy, repost, or translate my works.

[mirror-to-the-past]

Xingqiu fans are dining excellently with all the references to him and lore regarding the Guhua Clan being spotlighted via Chenyu Vale's "A Wangshan Walk to Remember." The comparisons that can be made between Xingqiu and his predecessors is also very fascinating...

The Grand Master Guhua truly did live out the life of idealized dignity and transparency just as Xingqiu desires for himself. There's something very touching and heartbreaking about the fact that Guhua's life was one deemed heroic, but he was only able to have his legacy carried on by Boxuan who cast his own name aside to exhalt the name of the deceased Guhua.

And then right after briefly recounting the life and works of Master Guhua, Wen brings up Xingqiu, reemphasizing the lofty ideal/hope that he can respark the dying flame of the Guhua (no pressure) and potentially act as a parallel to the founder of the art himself. It's made all the more poignant, considering that we could easily draw the connection that Chongyun could be considered Xingqiu's potential Boxuan equivalent, a fellow young practitioner of martial arts who acts as a peer and supporter of Xingqiu's arts (although lets hope Xingqiu doesn't die preemptively like Guhua did).

I don't have snippets of the dialogue for it or screenshots, but those books in the archive room were just so lovely to see. The fact that many of the old disciples of Guhua were just nerds like Xingqiu and enamored with wuxia novels, shelving their discussions of them among all of the records they held in their library was so sweet.

Additionally, the person who invented the Rain Cutter technique that Xingqiu uses now was the one involved with the hidden Wangshan chambers that had the really forboding message about the heavens rejecting humanity and whatnot... very mysterious stuff.

Additionally, those 5 swords scattered around Chenyu Vale, the first of which you find at the outskirts of the Wangshan Chamber....while not necessarily all individuals of the Guhua Clan, it made me oddly emotional to see how the years that went by, depicted by each sword's material- from a blade to a crude sword shaped stick- and yet they all had in common a very poetic observation of their goals and the world about them that could easily flow as a singular nature/travelling-based poem. And that spirit of poetry intertwined with swordsmanship flourishing across the ages still continues on with this one dorky rich boy. It's honestly wonderful worldbuilding, that through environmental storytelling and the mere mentions of a character who was never even present for the entirety of the world quest, all of these stories and records of Guhua disciples and swordsmen before him tell me all I need to know about Xingqiu as a character, too.

[signedeclipse]

emergency request, if they're open:

my pet rabbit recently passed away due to bone cancer. He was 11 years old, and I had him since he was under a year old and I was 7, so it's been rough being without him

Could I get headcanons of giyu comforting reader after losing a beloved pet? If not that's ok, please have a nice day and thank you for considering this request

Giyuu [X Reader]

In which Giyuu comforts his s/o after they lost a beloved pet.

Unlike many seasoned swordsmen, it was very easy to deeply affect him with the loss of something close to him

This is rooted in his past, after experiencing so many tragedies

While most would wall off, Giyuu becomes extremely sympathetic, if not a little empathetic

Especially when it comes to you, someone he holds such high regards to

Don't be surprised if he tears up a bit when you cry

It reminds him a lot of his own moments, in which he feels even worse thinking about how you must feel and how helpless it can be

For comfort, he would spend the first few days trying to give you a scheduled so there's less time to spend thinking deeply about it

Asking you if you could grate the garlic for the lunch he's making, or peel the carrots

Oh, he forgot to water the plants but the jug is full of water if you wouldn't mind giving them a quick drop or two

His haori? He must have forgot it in the room, if you want to wear it feel free to go and grab it

That way when you start to drop, it happens all at once rather than in small bursts, so you can get the emotions out and have him there to hold your hand and assure you, or hold onto you and listen to everything you have to say

Whatever you need to do to mourn he will support you through it

Considering it's your pet, it was probably his for some point too, since you spend so much time together

So when you aren't looking, he's definitely feeling the same hole somewhere in his heart

Eventually when he does go out on a mission, he might get little memorabilia that look like your pet to comfort you

A small clay figurine for the windowsill, a stuffed animal for the bed, a portrait he commissioned from a street artist and described every detail of

Anything to make you feel comfortable again, for as long as you need

Authors Note - I can't imagine the pain of losing something near to you for so long, but I am certain you gave him such a fulfilling and happy live! Most rabbits only hit 8, so this tells me you took the best care of him you possibly could! I hope these help you feel better, anon <3

[mythical-song-wolf]

Swordswoman Anne Halford AU Actual Plot of the anime now

Anne heads off to Lewiston par usual to canon until the point where she would be at the fairy market

Anne looks through the market, a neutral expression on her face

Some merchants try to goad her into buying a fairy from them, after basically all of the merchants have pestered her, she asks if someone was selling any warrior fairies. She needs an escort for her trip to Lewiston

They do and that's when Anne meets Shall

She makes up a lie of needing to double check her finances to see if she can afford to buy him

That night, the fairies are all freed by the one other free fairies call the Silver Sword, because Anne and Emma both smelt of silver sugar and fairies notice it

Getting Shall's wing back was the hardest, but thanks to the fairy Anne freed as just Anne Halford, Mithril Lid Pod, they manage to give him his wing back too

The fairies scatter in clusters into the wilds. Some in awe, fear, or hatred for the Silver Sword

The only one who stays is Shall, because he though he knew how humans are, but clearly he didn't. Because this scarecrow of a girl is not only capable with a sword- and well too- but she risked being ganged up several dozen angry merchants and fairy hunters to free them

"I give my name to no one, but the fairies have referred to me as the Silver Sword, if you wish to use that title for me, so be it."

Even the girl's voice sounded different, a sense of cold authority, yet something about her sent makes him feel warm

He stalks the swordsmen back to her cart, and it wasn't an easy task given how she weaved through the forest several times over in an attempt to lose anyone tailing her

"I know you are there, fairy, and I request you leave me be and enjoy your freedom. You can probably catch up with the smaller ones to protect them if you so wish. But best not to loiter around town, least they steal your wing again."

"Why did you let me follow you for so long then?"

"Because I thought you would give up, at the very least the rat stalking us both seems to be winded now."

"You noticed too, then?"

The one tailing the pair is swiftly... dealt with

Shall and Anne talk back in her cart about her reasoning. It's a strange mirror, they are on equal footing but both are being cold and aloof

Mama always told her to not get attached to the fairies they free, because they probably don't want to stay near humans, yet two fairies she's saved today have decided to follow her

Mithril, she understood because she saved him as Anne

But Shall is an enigma, because there's a reason mama and her wore cloaks and dark clothing, to conceal themselves for their own safety and to put distance between them and those they might encounter and usually answering their questions would be enough for most

But the few fairies that offered to aid them were put under the royal family's protection. Their wing still their own as they went onto investigating the bigger and darker fairy markets

Shall Fenn Shall was different from other warrior fairies Anne has saved

One he was so pretty that many would assume him a companion fairy over a warrior fairy

Two, despite a clear distrust for humans, he insists on sticking with Anne over becoming part of the secret fairy squad the royal family has

Three, his blade is the highest quality blade she's ever seen on a warrior fairy. Being obsidian would only make him and his blade more durable but the craftsmanship tells her that he is no ordinary gemstone fairy

In the end, Shall stays with her even once they enter the Bloody Highway

Anne can fend for herself, but it's nice to have someone alongside her for the battle

(this is probably less coherent than the last aus I've made because brain is Mush)

[depressedhatakekakashi]

Kakashi helped Gai as a rival as much as Gai helped Kakashi.

I understand why people would think only Gai did something for Kakashi, but they overlook the real reason why this rivalry thing happened: Kakashi inspires Gai.

The man is a genius and a prodigy, and yet he never stops training. Never stops improving himself. He's hard-working even if he already has great talent, and that's something that inspires Gai and makes him admire Kakashi.

He also reminds Gai of what he strives for. He doesn't sugarcoats the truth, and, most of all, never shows pity towards him. Gai, in his childhood, had his own moments of doubt, and he wasn't as happy-go-lucky like how he is now. Kakashi was there to remind him of what his Dad was trying to teach him, and what a great (person) Shinobi he was.

I believe that many times Gai looks too much towards the future, and Kakashi certainly looks too much to the past, so both balance and help each other to pay attention to the present.

Now, in terms of skill, you can bet that having Kakashi as an opponent made Gai improve not only his Taijutsu (which Kakashi is great at) but also his strategy and awereness in battle.

@godtierwallpaper made an awesome post about two scenes from Naruto, where Kakashi (against 2 of the Mist Shinobis) was talking about how by following Gai's movements he could practically see the battlefield and fight, and Gai (in the other scene) was telling Lee that he could see 1000 moves ahead when fighting Kakashi.

And like, yeah! It makes sense. Kakashi is extremely tricky and smart, and he would definetely pull wild moves against Gai, jumping around and creating strategies in a second that would make Gai develop a sharp mind to keep up. Gai is already smart on his own, being Kakashi's rival made sure that he became even better, and so that sharp mind was able to be applied to outside battles.

Taking into account that Kakashi can be really playful (and a Troll), I can imagine him attacking with random things (outside of ninjutsu, just like in the race across Konoha) and in random ways so Gai just has to learn to adapt quickly to abrupt changes in situations or plans (and suddenly a spar becomes a challenge because they are both dorks and goofy idiots that share a braincell when not in battle).

Seriously, they are Rivals for a reason. They benefit of each other just as much as they enjoy each others company. People need to give Gai some credit for choosing Kakashi 😑.

Sorry, I love your posts defending Kakashi, so this is mostly a rant of how many people believe only Kakashi got something out of his rivalry with Gai.

I'm sorry if my rant was too intense. Love your blog!!!

Anon you are 100% correct!

Kakashi and Gai give and take. They support each other and Gain from each other.

Kakashi improves his Taijutsu exponentially being Gai’s rival and in many fights we see him using Gai’s moves (or at least Taijutsu signiture moves). He adjusts well to battles where he can’t use Ninjitsu because being Gai’s rival has forced him to improve his taijutsu.

Against Kakazu we see Him use the primary lotus.

We see how he easily keeps pace with Gai in the war not just by following Gai’s movements (like in the battle against the 2 swordsmen) but by being speedy as well.

Abd vice versa, Gai improves his quick thinking and determination with Kakashi’s support. Yes he was always determined but as you said, we see him doubt himself as a kid and when he makes that doubt known to Kakashi, Kakashi uplifts him and reminds him that no matter how many people seem to be against him, Kakashi has his back.

The two of them also save each other. It’s not just gai saving Kakashi all the time (which i see a lot of in fandom)

Kakashi saves Gai by slicing lightning in half

Gai saves Kakashi by showing up against Itachi snd Kisame

Gai and Kakashi save each other multiple times in the war. Heck, Kakashi became blinded because he took a hit to protect Gai

When Gai sent an SOS turtle Kakashi dropped EVERYTHING to go to him.

They are the best rivals in the series (in my opinion) because it’s not just about trying to beat each other. They want to push each other firward

Gai wants Kakashi to see that there’s more to do in life than chase an early death, and he fights for Kakashi tooth and nail to save him from himself.

Kakashi wants Gai to always know someone believes in him. Someone understands his determination and see’s his worth.

They’re perfect together, as just friends or more, because they compliment and support each other so well.

[pirunika]

ok. i need to compare Astraeus (Lovestruck) to Blade (WIP - Shepherds of Haven) bc as i was trying to make them on Black Desert Mobile i noticed they r pretty similar in... looks

both black haired / eyed with a sort of cropped hairstyle (one is 5'9 and the other is 6'3" tho)

both swordsmen

both given an east Asian... design. I mean Astraeus downright uses a katana as his main weapon and his theme is cherry flowers (which...i still don't know why as he s a Greek mythological figure but *shrug* im used to it now), Blade less so I suppose, i mean his last name is apparently a Welsh name but its just... here and there you get the sense that's the main inspiration for his culture - food, words, style whatever - which i dont like, tbh, making the emotionless, brutal species Like That but I can head-canon around it all I like its the canon (for now) world-building

this i like :D 1 is from an app that shut down.. like 2 years ago and the other is from a WIP work, not all out yet

both have older brothers, though Astraeus surely suffered more in his hands, having served him for years if not decades and it ends with a death... We dont know what that particular thing gonna go with Blade but I think it wont be that brutal.

Both sort of leaders, Astraeus is to titan army (or whats left of it more like) and Blade to Shepherds militia.

THEIR RELATIONSHIP W THE MC: Astraeus pretty much starts in love with the MC, he's low-key a stalker (i mean high key he did kidnap her...) and they have this... connection. Immediately. With Blade... it's... so not that. It's a slow process. Just as strong but slow and steady against.. whatever the fuck was up with Astraeus at one point (and yall kno he s my #1)

Astraeus is very chaotic, the MC says at one point chaos 'thrives within him' (or around him) he's a titan god after all and Blade is.. once again. Not that. Astraeus wears his heart on his sleeve. That's my favorite thing about him actually, he's one of the closest examples I saw to the male femme fatale idea. He's seductive and emotional and acts according to his heart. Blade falls a bit dull against that because we just have…. too many of the emotionless warrior guys, though I gotta give its due, he does his category well - say.. compared to Adam from Wayhaven Chronicles (and there I do love Ava, I know they are the same person but listen almost no female character is Like That) and you can tell he starts caring for the mc - obviously, which makes him much more appealing then the rest of the so called macho guys.

Astraeus is a poet. Blade points out he likes reading poetry. Does he write? I don't know but its surely not a corner of his personality I feel

They also both like gardening, once again Astraeus is more passionate about it, growing a tree in a land where nothing grows (Tartarus) Blade mentioned it but it's not like.. his thing - so far

Overall this made me realize maybe we don't know Blade well, despite the countless asks n everything or that he needs a certain.. something. Not everyone has to be passionate and emotional of course but like uhm... He's a bit too perfect and bland, WHICH is maybe his flaw I mean other characters do call him boring and dour and again the story is far from over so we'll see!

[serotonin-h]

“Power is a curious thing, my lord. Perchance you have considered the riddle I posed you that day in the inn?”

“It has crossed my mind a time or two,” Tyrion admitted. “The king, the priest, the rich man—who lives and who dies? Who will the swordsman obey? It’s a riddle without an answer, or rather, too many answers. All depends on the man with the sword.”

“And yet he is no one,” Varys said. “He has neither crown nor gold nor favor of the gods, only a piece of pointed steel.”

“That piece of steel is the power of life and death.”

“Just so… yet if it is the swordsmen who rule us in truth, why do we pretend our kings hold the power? Why should a strong man with a sword ever obey a child king like Joffrey, or a wine-sodden oaf like his father?”

“Because these child kings and drunken oafs can call other strong men, with other swords.”

“Then these other swordsmen have the true power. Or do they?” Varys smiled. “Some say knowledge is power. Some tell us that all power comes from the gods. Others say it derives from law. Yet that day on the steps of Baelor’s Sept, our godly High Septon and the lawful Queen Regent and your ever-so-knowledgeable servant were as powerless as any cobbler or cooper in the crowd. Who truly killed Eddard Stark, do you think? Joffrey, who gave the command? Ser Ilyn Payne, who swung the sword? Or… another?”

Tyrion cocked his head sideways. “Did you mean to answer your damned riddle, or only to make my head ache worse?”

Varys smiled. “Here, then. Power resides where men believe it resides. No more and no less.”

“So power is a mummer’s trick?”

“A shadow on the wall,” Varys murmured, “yet shadows can kill. And ofttimes a very small man can cast a very large shadow.”

[fllagellant]

I have to post this so I don’ t forget it by the morning but Lol. lmao even . Didn’ t even save as draft i just fell asleep Tumblr open post half typed . Anyways here’ s a thought I need to flesh out into a full piece soon .

Wyll waking up middle of the night and noticing Giilvas is out of his little hay bale bed. Everyone else sleeps- or deeply meditates- soundly and Wyll’s lingering tiredness almost pulls him back under until he hears the faintest sound of a violin, a soft and careful pull of a bow across the strings. It isn’t hard to put two things together.

Sitting by the abandoned chicken coops, uncaring about the muck, is Giilvas. His eyes are shut and his breathing is slow. The only sign he isn’t resting is the careful, precise notes and slow melodies that he plays. He doesn’t see Wyll coming.

Wyll is careful, not wanting to scare anything awake- the Owlbear cub sleeps by Giilvas’ feet, and Wyll would feel awful if he startled Giilvas and, in turn, frightened the poor Cub awake- choosing instead to watch from the entrance of the coup pen. The night air is crisp, and doesn’t try to chill his bones.

At some point, Giilvas starts to half hum, half mumble some words to the tune he’s been working on this night. Wyll tries to pull all his attention to hear each word, but when he easily recognizes the moniker of “ the Blade of Frontiers “ he can’t help but blush and try to tell himself he must be hearing wrong. Beyond that, he’s just a bit too tired, still ready to lapse back into sleep, that any word not instantly recognizable and well known to him isn’t picked up bt his ears.

He still stays, listening to the song that Giilvas is trying to prefect. He keeps repeating bars, looping the same one again and again before starting from the top again. It’s a work in progress, and Wyll would easily admit that he loves the process.

Wyll doesn’t get away with being a silent audience for long. He shifts his weight, so focused and enamoured by the sight before him, that he doesn’t realize he’s about to step down on a small collection of half rotten wood from the old pen fencing. It creaks more than it snaps, but it’s still enough of a noise to pull Giilvas out of his practice. He seems almost bashful, to be caught like this. Wyll wonders how many nights he’s done this without anyone waking up.

They both try to apologize. Wyll, for not letting Giilvas know he was watching. And Giilvas, for possibly being the reason why Wyll woke up in the first place. Neither of them think the other has anything to apologize for. The Owlbear hoots in his sleep, cutting their small debate off. No one wants to wake the baby, not when it’s been sleeping so well recently.

They share a silence for a moment or two, Wyll looks at the stars overhead. A view he missed for so long. Giilvas watches him, a view he’ll never get over. Wyll is the first to break the silence, curiosity and the heat on his cheeks pushing him to ask;

“What were you singing about?”

And Giilvas starts to answer, but his voice trails into a mumble. A bright red across his own face.

Wyll nudges him again, and he tries very hard not to let Giilvas know how utterly sweet he’s finding this. He can guess what the song is about, based on enough context clues and just knowing Giilvas.

There’s the feeling, like a tapping at his front door, that let’s him know Giilvas can show him what he’s singing about. Wyll doesn’t laugh at the realization that words are failing the bard of their group, but he knows Giilvas can feel the amusement.

he doesn’t think twice about letting Giilvas in, and even though he knew the song was going to involve him in some capacity, he can’t help but feel a bit starstruck. He hasn’t seen himself through Giilvas’ eyes, hadn’t felt the full thrum of Giilvas’ feelings for him. Until then.

He was a hero, the sword, the shield. Placing himself between danger and friend, teaching whoever he can how to keep themselves safe. He was an elegant swordsmen and a terrifying crack of magic on whatever battlefield he finds himself on. He was knowing you’ll be okay, and he was the first to make sure you were. He was the sun over the horizon, warm and light and knowing there was always going to be a tomorrow. He’s all Giilvas wants to protect, he’s all Giilvas wants to memorialize forever, he’s all Giilvas wants.

Wyll cannot help the tears that fall, the emotions and images so vivid and so touching, it catches in his throat and it blooms in his chest. Giilvas- slow, careful, gentle- rises from his spot, violin left to wait for him, and pulls Wyll into an embrace. One hand rubs along Wyll’s back, Wyll can almost feel the callouses from years of playing and fighting. Wyll isn’t scared of cuffing Giilvas with his horns, not anymore, as he leans into the other man.

“It’s been forever since I’ve had a hero to sing about.”