Kny Smut - Tumblr Posts

Subby whiny boys who cry so pathetically for you :(((

Featuring: Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Kyojuro, Satoru, Suguru, Megumi, Itadori, Choso, Izuku, Denki, Kiri, Denji, Jean, Connie, Armin, + any of your faves!

MDNI, smut/NSFW under the cut.

It’s mean, the way you’re jerking him off so quickly, flicking your wrist every time you get to the leaky tip. His hips stutter and press back into the mattress, trying to wiggle away from your ruthless handjob. He’s already came twice, the overstimulation beginning to get to him as tears spill from his eyes, whiny moans and whimpers leaving his bruised lips. “B-baby please, can’t cum anymore. ‘S too much.” And you only hum in response, licking the tears rolling down his cheeks, running your thumb over his tip and kissing his nose. “Aww, but you’re doing so good for me, sweetheart. You can gimme another, can’t you? Be my good boy and cum one more time? I’ll let you eat me out after, honey. I promise. That sound good?” He lets put a pitiful whine as your hand speeds up, but his cock twitches at the promise of eating you out. Getting to taste your pretty pussy, get your juices all over his face, make you cum all over his tongue. You tighten your hand around the base of his dick and he whimpers, letting his head fall against the pillows as his eyes roll back. His mouth falls open and his hands fall to your shoulders, lightly pushing you away like he wants you to ease up, only for his hips to move in time with your hand. No sounds come from him until he’s shooting thin ropes of cum, a loud, strangled moan echoing in the room as his load lands all over your hand and his stomach, as pitiful as it was. Less than the two other times, but just as powerful, since it leaves him twitching and his thighs shaking. Pressing a kiss to his drool soaked lips, he whimpers when your thumb grazes his sensitive tip, whining against your lips. “Y-you promised.” Cooing softly, your free hand rubs his thigh, feeling it tense when your hand wraps around his dick again. “‘M sorry baby, can’t help myself. You’re just so pretty when you cum. I promise this is the last one, okay? Just wanna see your pretty face one more time.”

She ain't talkin' 'bout burgers

‼️MDNI- smut below the cut‼️

Not proofread, afab reader.

~

“Aww, look at her. Poor thing. ‘S too much for ya, baby? Pretty little pussy can’t take it? You’ve still got four more of us to go, angel. C’mon, you can do it.”

Different pairs of hands run all along your body, squeezing and feeling your softness in their much rougher hands. The man talking, giving you mock sympathy, mimics your pout, listening to you whine and watching you squirm when his cock rubs against the spongey spot inside you. His own hands grab at your hips, eyes darting down to watch his length sink into your pretty little cunt over and over, your slick coating your thighs and part of his pelvis. It’s messy, it’s frenzied. It’s hot. So fucking hot. Watching one man shove his tongue down your throat, your hands being guided to stroke two other cocks, another man’s tongue flicking over your pebbled nipples, and his cock disappear between your glistening folds. Watching you go dumb between the five men, seeing the submissive state you’re in, babbling nonsense when the man kissing you finally lets up. A dark chuckle comes from the man fucking you, a hiss escaping him when you clench so tightly around his length. “Gonna cum for me, baby? Do it. I wanna see you creaming all over my dick.” A groan echoes in the room — mixed with your mewls, deep grunts, and squelching sounds — as he picks up his tempo, losing the rhythm he had in favor of pounding into your sweet cunt. One of his hands darts between your thighs to rub your clit, swollen from the countless times the five men in the room had made you cum on their faces. He watches with rapt intensity as your jaw goes slack, feeling your pussy clench impossibly tighter had his own orgasm crashing over him. When you cry out his name, his own moans mingle with yours, curses tumbling from his lips. “Oh shit — fuck yes! Ahh, fuck! Good girl, fuuuck, good job, baby.” When he slowly drift back down, his eyes meet yours and he grins down at you, pulling out of your fluttering hole. “Number two?”

~

KNY- Hashira men: Gyoumei, Sanemi, Tengen, Kyojuro, Giyuu, Obanai, etc.

AOT- Eren, Armin, Levi, Reiner, Jean, etc.

JJK- Gojo, Getou, Nanami, Sukuna, Toji, etc.

+ any of your faves <3

MDNI- SMUT under the cut

I didn't know there was a character limit for a paragraph?? I also had Gojo in mind for this but feel free to insert anyone you'd like.

TW: marking, manhandling, BDSM - use of gags + restraints, spit play, some crying, degrading, cum eating/play, cumming without being touched (is there a word for that?), spanking, might be missing some

Not proofread.

Spreading apart muscular thighs, toned and defined from years of hard work, gliding your tongue along heated skin, feeling your lover's body tense when your wet muscle slowly inches closer to his throbbing dick. Pushing his legs back more, his face heats up, embarrassment creeping in as he's exposed more and more. His body jolts when you sink your teeth into his flesh, a choked sound rumbling from the back of his throat, hands bound behind his back. A punishment. His teeth dig into the ball gag between his lips, no doubt leaving indents in the poor rubber. Dragging your tongue along the teeth marks left on his skin, you hum in response to his quiet whimper, sensitive and always so responsive for you. Reaching up, your hand wraps around his aching dick and the few pumps you grant him have him whining and bucking his hips. Clicking your tongue, you glide your finger across his leaky tip, smearing his pre, before you go back to stroking his length lazily. Your mouth latches onto his inner thigh, sucking and licking the skin there as your hand continues to pump his throbbing dick. Leaving dark marks all along his skin, you watch as his hips buck skywards, a choked sound leaving him as your thumb swipes along his leaky tip. Flicking your wrist at a particular pump, your lover hisses around the gag, thighs twitching as his eyes become glossy with tears. "Mmf- puhleash. W'nna cum-mmm!" His head falls back with a dull thud against the headboard as your tongue slowly glides across his tip, tasting the pre that threatens to slide down. Swirling your tongue around the flushed tip, your eyes meet just before his own roll back, his dick throbbing so much it hurts. Muffled pleas fill your ears as you work your tongue along his shaft, gliding along the prominent veins that throb against your wet muscle. Moving your head back up, you wrap your lips around his tip, sucking softly on it, before you begin taking the entirety of his length into your warm mouth, pushing forward until your lips are pressing against the trimmed hairs of his pelvis. A choked sob is the only warning you get before his load spills down your throat, warm and sticky as it fills your mouth and dribbles out from the corners. Gagging around his dick, you pull back, watching as strands of pearly cum stick to your lips and his tip. Licking the remaining cum from your lover's dick, you shift into a sitting position, your pussy hovering over his twitching length, and remove the gag from his mouth, tossing it aside for now. Ragged breaths fill your ears but your eyes take in his disheveled form; his messy hair sticks to his forehead, widened, glossy eyes, puffy lips that glisten with his saliva, and flushed skin. Humming to yourself, you move forward and let the mixture of your spit and his cum fall right into his mouth, watching as globs of the mixture slowly roll down his tongue, listening to his hum of both contentment and embarrassment. "Look at you, so weak and pathetic. I thought you were supposed to be strong? With godlike power? Hm? And here you are, letting me spit all over you. Letting me treat you like a slut." At your harsh words, he swallows thickly, his hips shifting beneath yours as his cock stirs back to life again. His teary eyes meet yours, his teeth chewing on his lower lip as he stares up at you, his chest rising and falling quickly as your hands move to untie his wrists. "That's what you are, isn't it? A slut? A toy for me to use? What would people think? Seeing their little hero like this? Below me, begging to cum, begging for me to treat him like the nobody he is, hm? You think that you can get whatever you want just because you're powerful, right?" As you continue throwing insult after insult, fracturing his ego bit by bit, his hands fly to your hips, gripping them tightly as a broken, pitiful, whiny moan escapes his parted lips. "C-cumming!" Ropes of cum shot out from his dick, splattering across your thighs and your slick cunt, making you grin as you watch him come undone beneath you.

Just before you can insult him further, the hands that were gripping your hips tighten their hold on you. Suddenly you're flipped over and pinned beneath a wall of muscle, his sweaty chest pressing against your back, his palms colliding with the fat of your ass, spreading them apart for his crazed eyes to see. He lets a fat glob of his spit fall onto your glistening pussy, his hips shifting to rub his hard dick along your folds, spreading them apart to nudge your clit repeatedly. "I know I'm powerful, maybe it's time I remind you just how powerful I really am, pretty. What do ya say?"

~

Big beefy men...sighhhh

MDNI: smut ahead (18+), not proofread, I wanted to write something and this was the best I could do :(

Big beefy men who take up the entirety of doorframes, who have to lower their heads to walk into your home. Big beefy men whose muscles strain against their clothes, their biceps stretching the material of their sleeves, their thighs being shown off in their pants.

Big muscles just begging to be set free, thick, and defined by years of use. So big that both your hands just barely enclose around their forearm, much less their bicep. Big beefy men who let you hand from said biceps whenever they flex, strong enough to lift you off the ground with ease, hardly breaking a sweat as they grin down at you, proud of how easily they can carry you around. How simple it is to maneuver you this way and that.

They love showing off for you, picking up heavy things, taking the groceries inside for you - big hands able to carry multiple bags at once - grabbing things up on high shelves for you, and so much more. He loves hearing you coo at him, telling him how big and strong he is, adoration dancing across your pretty eyes, his own shining with pride and his cheeks tinged a light pink.

Big beefy men who adore holding you, molding your softer body to his harder one, a strong arm wrapped around your middle, keeping you pressed close to him. His free hand tangled in your hair, fingers combing through the strands slowly, nails scratching your scalp lightly as he watches your eyes flutter, fighting off your sleepiness.

Big beefy men who adore being held by you just as much, if not more. Their faces pressed into your chest, one of your legs hooked over him, keeping him close as your fingers toy with his hair or trace shapes upon his broad back. His arms are wrapped around your waist, face buried into your chest, occasionally trailing ticklish kisses from one side to the other.

They adore being wrapped in your embrace, the size difference making their minds hazy with want, feeling how much smaller you were compared to them. It made their brain go fuzzy, scenarios flashing through their mind, images of you being pinned beneath them, struggling and squirming when the angry tip of his cock nudges through your soaked folds, rutting against your clit like a wild animal in heat.

It was only logical that he fulfill his fantasies, he knows you wouldn't deny him, especially if he spoke so softly towards you. If he tugged on your shirt and pouted up at you, batting his lashes and rubbing his nose against your chest and throat, like a puppy begging for attention. He mouths at your pulse point, licking and sucking different-sized marks across your skin, his hands pushing up your shirt to expose more of your softness to him.

When your fingers tangle in his hair, he merely groans as he latches onto a nipple, licking and sucking harshly while his fingers toy with the other, pinching and rolling it as his free hand travels south. When his hand reaches your panties, he tugs them down your legs, bunching the fabric in his hands before he pushes the ruined garment into your mouth, listening to you whine and feeling you squirm against him.

His mouth leaves your nipple briefly, pressing a kiss to the bud before he latches onto the other, giving it the same treatment as its twin, his hands pushing apart your legs, holding them down against the bed as he shifts onto his knees. Sitting upright, he stares down at you, eyes full of the same adoration you have for him, his gaze flickering between your marked neck, your pretty nipples, and your drooling pussy.

He can't help himself, not when you look absolutely ravishing spread out for him like this. So, he dips down, pushing his hips into the mattress for relief, and pushes his tongue between your folds, dragging his tongue from your fluttering hole to your throbbing clit. Licking up your slick, he groans into your pussy, muttering something about how sweet you are before he's burying his face into your cunt, arms locking around your thighs to pull you flush against his mouth.

He's messy, uncaring about how your slick and his drool drips down his chin, the only thought bouncing around his head is you - how good your skin feels against his hands, how fucking delicious you taste, how pretty your muffled moans sound. His cock throbs, it aches when he glances up at you, eyes locking on your expression, watching your eyes flutter and your chest heave. When your fingers tug on his hair, he struggles to swallow down a moan, his fingers digging into your plush thighs, his tongue dipping into your hole, slurping up whatever your pussy drools for him.

When your orgasm crashes over you, your body thrashes against the mattress, your hips pushing back into the plush bed, hands shoving at his head and shoulder, desperate to get away from him; or at least make him ease up from his licking and sucking. Your attempts are futile, however, with the way his arms lock around your thighs, uncaring about his lack of oxygen - even forcing your thighs to close around his head with his big arms, he continues to slurp messily, making out with your gushing pussy until he's finished.

When he does finally pull away, his hands are grabbing your hips to flip you over, forcing your back to arch as he pulls your drenched panties from your mouth. His hands fumble to push his sweats down, hissing through gritted teeth as his cock springs free, swollen and leaking pre from an angry tip. His hands grab the fat of your ass, kneading the plush skin with his big palms, hips canting forward to rub against your pussy, feeling you twitch and whine, still reeling from your powerful orgasm.

When he deems himself slick enough, he grabs the base of his dick with one hand, nudging your entrance with a grunt, his other hand on your hip, keeping you in place as he begins pushing into your sensitive pussy. Listening to you whine and feeling you trying to squirm away from him, he huffs, grabbing you by the crooks of your elbows and pulling you up slightly, fingers digging into your skin as he continues pushing his angry dick into you.

Your whines only grow louder, breathless moans leaving your bitten lips by the deliciously painful stretch, your pussy spasming around his thick cock. His groans and pathetic little moans leave your mind hazy, paired with the familiar burn of being stretched out by your lover, you can hardly think straight. When your hips rock back impatiently, his mind reels, and his hips snap forward, forcing the rest of his dick into your clenching pussy, a shiver running down his spine at the beautiful mewl that leaves your lips.

His hands pull you back to meet each ruthless snap of his strong hips, his nails leaving indents in your skin as your hands clench, your back arching as your head falls forward, your mind a foggy haze of building pleasure. The loud squelching sounds of your pussy rival the loud moans leaving the both of you, the creak of your poor bed, and the headboard hitting the wall with each brutal thrust.

Sweat rolls down his temple as he mouths at your neck and shoulder, biting down when your pussy clamps around him, stifling a ragged moan as his thrusts become increasingly rough. He lets go of your arms, letting you fall forward onto the mattress, big hands grabbing your waist and pushing down, forcing your arch even deeper as his balls smack against your sensitive clit, his knees pushing your thighs apart.

It's animalistic, the way he thrusts into you, like an animal in heat, chasing release with a bruising hold on you. Your poor body jolts against the bed, pitiful moans and whines leaving you as your hands fist the sheets beneath you, the pressure in your lower tummy becoming too much for you to handle. Your babbles only serve to drive him madder, his hips shifting to hit that spot inside your gummy walls, groaning when he feels you tightening around his cock.

He grits his teeth, staring down at your body when he pushes you over the edge, your orgasm crashing over you in powerful waves, pussy gushing onto the sheets, your face buried into the pillows, muffling your sobs as your entire body shakes and jolts, thrashing beneath your lover who refuses to let up; absolutely enamored by the sight of you falling apart on his cock.

It doesn't take much longer for his cock to twitch, the familiar sign of his impending release. Pathetic mewls leave your lips, eyes glossy and unfocused as he grits his teeth, leaning over to press onto you, his hands on either side of your head, fisting the sheets as his body keeps you pressed down on the mattress, his hips just rutting into you now.

His head falls forward into the crook of your neck, desperate kisses are pressed to your sweaty skin, his body going rigid as spurts of cum shoot into your poor pussy, his hips simply grinding into your ass now, drawn-out moans muffled into your neck, his knuckles going white with the grip he has on the sheets, veins visible along his forearms and hands as his hips finally still, the last spurts of cum painting your gummy walls.

Panting fills the room, both yours and his, your legs trembling and your body twitching through the aftershocks of such violent orgasms. Tender kisses are pressed to your sweaty temple and messy hair, his hands smoothing over your waist and hips, murmuring about how good you were to him as he slowly withdrawals from your addicting pussy. His eyes are immediately drawn to your cunt, his mouth falling open to let out a sinful groan as he watches his cum slowly spill from your spent pussy.

The sight alone has his dick stirring to life once more, greedy hands turning you over, shoving a pillow under your hips to aide you, despite your weak protests, his hands already grabbing your legs to put over his broad shoulders, apologies leaving his lips as he glides his angry tip through your folds once more.

Big beefy men who are insatiable animals when it comes to you.

KNY: Kyojuro, Sanemi...

JJK: Gojo, Geto...

AOT: Jean, Armin...

MHA: Keigo...

COD: Konig, Soap (Johnny)

+ more

big beefy men part two?? but... they're subs???? bigger sigh...

A/N: I finally finished it!! I hope you guys enjoy it, I certainly enjoyed writing it >:3 I couldn't figure out who else to put so perhaps you guys could help me out and lmk for sure! I yap too much so enjoy! (I read it over once so there might be typos, pls ignore them O_o)

Big beefy men who look like they could crush you without much effort. Except... they're the biggest sweethearts you've ever met. Whose hands envelop both of yours - including your wrists - and who love to bear hug you from behind, especially when you don't expect it. They're the perfect size for it too!

Sneaking up behind you when you're getting a snack from the pantry or fridge, footsteps silent despite their big frame, a shadow slowly creeping up your back, a cheeky smile making its way onto their handsome face. Standing just inches away from your body, they watch in amusement as the hairs on the back of your neck begin to stand, your body telling you that something is there, yet you never quite learn your lesson.

So, when big arms wrap around your waist, squeezing your plush body against their chest, his hands squeezing whatever they can get - which is a lot - you squeal, your precious snack falling from your grasp. You can huff and squirm as much as you like, though your efforts to escape are futile - as you've come to accept -and your lover only finds it amusing, watching you battle with his arms in a war you'll never win.

Your scent surrounds him, much like his entire stature surrounds you, and he can't help but bury his face into the crook of your neck, breathing your heavenly smell like it's the last breath he'll ever take. You can feel his muscles flexing, straining against fabric in a way that has your mouth watering, your mind running wild as your feet leave the ground.

It's not his fault, not really, or that's what he tells you at least, when you can no longer feel solid ground beneath you. You're so much smaller than he is, his back hurts often, having to lean down to hug or kiss you. Or bend you over any solid surface.

You can squirm and huff all you want, complaining about not being on the ground, but he knows you better than that. He knows you only complain because your panties grow increasingly uncomfortable, getting sticky since your pussy began drooling for the brute of a man you call your lover the minute his arms wrapped around your middle.

He knows you squirm against his form - the solid wall of absolute muscle, carved by the gods themselves - because if you stop and stay still for even a second, your focus will be on how your clit throbs, on how heat pools low in your tummy, how your nipples begin hardening under the shirt you're wearing...he knows.

It's not like you can help it either, not when he's so handsome and his body rivals that of a movie star - but you know he'd put models, bodybuilders, and actors to shame if he really wanted to. No, you can't truly help it, and with the way he's looking at you now - with wide eyes and pouty lips, his hands sliding up to squeeze your tits, pinching your sensitive nipples - it really isn't helping.

Despite still being in the air, his hands still squeezing and playing with your tits, you know you're the one who truly holds power. He may be big and strong, but you know with the right coaxing and pretty words, he's putty in your hands. So, when you shift your hips up slightly, dragging your ass along the length of his hardening cock, you bite back a smirk when he groans softly, boarding a moan.

His hands squeeze your tits harder, trying to ground himself desperately, yet his hips have a mind of their own, because they roll forward, trying to set a rhythm that would ease some of the discomfort. However, he is thoroughly disappointed when your hips stop their movement, and he whines against your throat where his face is buried.

Your hands push against his forearms, signaling him to let you go, which he reluctantly does, missing your warmth seconds after setting you back onto the ground. His eyes met yours, blown out and unfocused, his hands clenching at his side, while your eyes drift down to eye the bulge straining against his sweatpants, the fabric outlining the shape of his cock deliciously.

Your hands move up to push against his stomach, coaxing him to lean back onto the counter, before they travel lower, tugging on the waistband of those sweatpants and watching him swallow down the saliva pooling in his mouth. His eyes dart down to watch your hands push the offending fabric down his hips, watching at the elastic stretches over the toned muscles of his sharp hips and thick thighs - it's enchanting really.

Your mouth waters when his dick springs free from its confinements, bobbing up and down slowly, the sight making your pussy drool even more than before. Thick and heavy, just barely being able to stay upright, threatening to hang with the sheer weight of it. Veins decorate the shaft, his tip colored an angry shade of pinkish red, trimmed hair at his navel leading you down to the delicious sight of your lover's dick.

Pre beads at his tip, making your mouth water as you lean forward and wrap your lips around the angry tip, dragging your tongue along his slit slowly, your eyes locked on his expression. Watching as his jaw goes slack the moment your heavenly mouth is on him, his eyes struggling to stay open, and his hands hovering over your head - wanting to touch you, yet knowing he didn't have your permission yet.

Humming around his tip, you pull back, spitting onto the area your mouth had just been, before peering up at your lover intently, voice silky smooth and teasing at the same time. "Baby, gotta get you wetter. Help me out?" Your hand wraps around the base of his aching dick and he struggles to choke back a broken whine as he watches your tongue loll out, waiting patiently for his help.

His head dips forward slightly, chin tilted down as his lips pucker briefly, watching as a thick glob of spit lands on your awaiting tongue. his ears catching the pleased purr that rumbles from your chest. When you move forward, letting your combined saliva slowly roll down your tongue, he swears he dies right then and there, because the moment the warm, stickiness of your mixed spit feels like heaven against his aching hot dick.

You barely manage to wrap your lips around his angry tip before his thighs are tensing and he's crying out. "C-cumming! Oh fuck, 'm cumming!" The moans falling from his lips are sinful, drawn out and raspy, his mouth having fallen agape to let them fall freely, his eyes watery and locked on the way your cheeks puff with his load.

Hia hands find their way into your hair, having been brave enough to finally touch you, his fingers tangling in the strands and pushing your head down whilst his hips shift forward, forcing more of his throbbing and twitching cock into the heavenly warmth of your mouth. Your own arms move up to wrap around his thighs, squeezing tight and making your own eyes water when his tip pushes further down your throat.

Cum and spit dribbles from the corner of your mouth, only to be scooped up by his fingers after he detangles a hand from your hair, popping the digits into his mouth seconds later, moaning at the taste of his cum and your spit. His head tilts to the side slightly, eyes watching your throat work as you swallow down his thick load, thighs twitching beneath your arms and his chest heaving with each ragged breath he takes.

When the last of his cum is swallowed, he's pushing your head away and moving onto the floor, ripping your clothes from your delectable body in his haste to return the favor. "Please please, let me fuck you. I'll be good, I'll fuck you really good. Wanna be inside your pretty pussy. Please, baby? Promise I'll be good for you, I really wanna make you feel good too."

And how can you deny him? With his beautiful puppy eyes, the pout playing at his lips, and the furrow of his brows, greedy hands squeezing your tit, your stomach, waist, the fat of your ass, and your thighs, until he's cupping your soaked pussy, panties merely shoved aside to expose you to him.

His free hand wraps around his shaft, pumping himself quickly as his eyes roam over your plush body, fingers toying with your clit and dipping into your cunt, teasing the both of you. It's only when you nod that he shifts closer, knees nudging your thighs further apart, a pathetic cry leaving his puffy lips.

An endless string of breathless 'thank you's fill your ear as he drags his sensitive tip through your folds, tears rolling down his cheeks when he finally sinks into your heavenly pussy, back hunching over your body as he buries his face into your neck. A shaky sigh leaves him, as if it pained him to be without your pussy, gummy walls wrapped around his cock and squeezing him in a way only you were able to do.

Desperate, wet kisses are pressed against your throat as his arm wraps around your shoulders, keeping you still against him, his other hand squeezing your tit when his hips finally reel back only to slam forward, both of your cries echoing in your kitchen. Apologies leave his lips, frantic kisses matching the frantic pace of his thrusts, his tip grazing that spot in your gummy walls, each brutal thrust knocking the air out of you.

Pathetic cries of your name are muffled against your collarbone, fat tears dripping onto your skin, his hips never faltering, even when he sits up and grabs your thighs, hooking your legs over his arms, squeezing the plushness of them and letting his head fall back with a loud moan. Your own cries rise in volume and pitch at the change in angle, his tip hitting that gummy spot dead on now, your hands clenching, unable to grab onto anything.

His nails dig into your thighs now, balls smacking against your ass, the sound of your squelching pussy and your combined moans a sinful melody that has his mind reeling, leaving him hazy, only focused on the way your pussy swallows each inch of his cock with each brutal thrust. It's maddening perfection, and it has his orgasm rapidly approaching.

Babbles leave his lips, unintelligible sentences being strung together by the bulk of a man, usually so composed - yet reduced to nothing but a pussy drunk animal. "S-so good! Feels so good, baby! W-wanna cum with you, please? Let me cum with you." His body moves forward, hunching over you once more, folding you in half with your legs thrown over his broad shoulders. At yet another change in angle, your hands fly to his shoulders, digging your nails into the muscles, making him moan pathetically and increase his pace, pumping into you with his hands braced beside your head.

His mouth crashes onto yours, tongue tangling messily with yours, drool coating both your lips and chins, his moans and whines muffled with each drag of your tongue, brows furrowing as his orgasm steadily approaches, dangling in front of him teasingly. When he feels your pussy begin clenching around his cock, his fingers fly to your clit, rubbing the little bundle of nerves with a desperation like no other. Your cries get muffled by his shoulder when he ducks his head into your neck, crying out into your skin when your orgasm crashes over you.

His own orgasm is pulled from him suddenly, just seconds after yours, thick ropes of cum flooding your clenching pussy, sensitive walls milking him dry. With a few more ruts into you, his hips finally still, his body twitching above yours as his grip on you finally loosens, letting your legs fall to his hips, his dick pulsating in your heavenly pussy, the last few spurts and clenching of your walls making him whimper against your throat.

When he finally lifts his head from your neck, it's to peer intently at you, his eyes shiny with tears and pure adoration, his forehead slick with sweat, his hands moving up and down your sides until they find yours, his fingers lacing with yours, his spit-slicked lips parting to whisper weakly.

"Did I do good?"

KNY: Kyojuro, Sanemi...

JJK: Gojo, Geto, Choso...

AOT: Jean, Armin, Eren...

MHA: Keigo...

COD: Konig, Soap (Johnny)...

Haikyuu: Bokuto...

+ more

Imagine watching Tengen jerk off OHMYGOD I WENT FERAL >.<

18+||MINORS DNI

You’re on your knees, red-faced and sitting politely with your hands in your lap as you try your best not to drool at the sight in front of you. Tengen’s tall frame towers above your own as you watch his hand slide skillfully up and down his cock.

You seem more embarrassed than he is, even though you’re the one who’s fully clothed and decent, but how could you not be embarrassed when you can see the pre-cum starting to drip from his slit and hear every heavy breath he lets out?

Tengen doesn’t seem embarrassed at all, simply reveling in your admiration of him with his signature grin gracing his handsome features (of course, he needs to be flashy, even at a time like this.)

“Like what you see, sweetheart? Mm, I think you’re enjoying this even more than I am. It’s cute how obedient you are, but the way you’re sitting there so quietly is so un-flashy! Looks like I need to train you a bit.”

𝑯𝑶𝑾 𝑻𝑯𝑬𝒀 𝑴𝑨𝑲𝑬 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑺𝑸𝑼𝑰𝑹𝑻

— Tengen Uzui, Kyojuro Rengoku, Giyu Tomioka, Sanemi Shinazugawa, Shinobu Kocho x f!reader

cw. squirting, doggy, fingering, oral, mating press, clit slapping, nipple playing, dacryphilia, riding — rbs are appreciated — m.list

TENGEN UZUI

You sob into the pillow when he angles his hips and begins to fuck against your sweet spot, your dripping walls wrap him so tight that Tengen can’t hold back a gasp, “uhu why are you crying? is this too much for you?” he asks with a grin on his face.

You feel so close, the sheets are soft as you cling, your legs are soft and your arms won’t hold you up, your ass in the air and the lewd sounds of his heavy balls slamming into your swollen, aching nub fill the room.

“Please let me cum,” you moan dropping your face to the pillow. He grunts with each thrust, his grip is rough on your ass as he pushes against you, “you better make a mess, then” he chuckles surrounding your clit with two fingers and rubbing it rough.

You can’t hold back when you’re over the edge, your mouth snaps open as you moan lewdly, “c-cumming…” as you gush around his thick cock, wetting your thighs and the sheets beneath you.

“Shit, that’s it, come on baby one more” Uzui grunts forcing more spurts slamming his thick head into your wet nub, his hands holding you firmly by the ass as you shudder and try to catch your breath.

Keep reading

Deep Anime Thoughts w/ Strawbear

You know how there are theories about multiple unverses just no way to reach them? Now theoretically speaking there could be many, many alternate universes where anime men actually exists..........

well we horny ass mfs will never get what we want until we to these AU's where they exist.🥺😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🥱

Aizetsu headconons?

𝙲𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚍𝚢'𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚎: 𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚒 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚂𝙾 𝙼𝚄𝙲𝙷 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚂𝚎𝚔𝚒𝚍𝚘! 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚒 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙰𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚝𝚜𝚞! 𝙰𝚗𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚋𝚎 𝚙𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚜!

𝙵𝚎𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛

𝙱𝚝𝚠 𝙰𝚐𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚜 𝚍𝚗𝚒!

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

𝙰𝚑𝚑... 𝙰𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚝𝚜𝚞.

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜.

𝙷𝚎𝚜 𝚊 𝚜𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚊 𝚍𝚘𝚖 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚒𝚝.

𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚞𝚖𝚜, 𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜.

𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚑𝚎𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚊 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚒𝚖.

𝙷𝚎𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚜𝚝. 𝙱𝚞𝚝.. 𝙷𝚎 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔.

𝙷𝚎𝚜 6 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚘𝚏𝚝. 8 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍. 𝙷𝚎𝚜 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚜𝚝. 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚒𝚜𝚗𝚝 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚜... 𝙼𝙷𝙼..

𝙷𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚖𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚖.

"𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎.. 𝚂𝚝𝚘𝚙 𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐.. 𝙸𝚝𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚍.. "

𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚛𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐.

𝙷𝚎𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚊 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚋𝚊𝚍 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝚅𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍.

𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚘 𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚝. 𝙷𝚎𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚊 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚏𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚞𝚜𝚜𝚢.

𝙷𝚎𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚊 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚖 𝚋𝚊𝚝𝚑.

𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚊 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚔.

𝙷𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚓𝚎𝚛𝚔𝚜 𝚘𝚏𝚏 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞.

𝙷𝚎 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚘.. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠?

𝙷𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚛𝚢 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚜𝚘.

"𝙸𝚖 𝚜𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢... 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞" 𝙿𝚘𝚘𝚛 𝙰𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚝𝚜𝚞, 𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚊𝚍 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚍. 𝙲𝚞𝚖 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚙𝚞𝚜𝚜𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚞𝚝. "𝙸𝚝𝚜... 𝙾𝚔" 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚊𝚢. 𝙷𝚎 𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚞𝚙 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚞𝚗 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚖 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊 𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚋𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛. 𝙷𝚎 𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚝𝚒𝚝𝚜.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚢 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 80 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚜 💙 𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚜𝚖🌨💙✨

These men's favorite spot to kiss you is your pussy. They way you whimper when you feel their lips over your clit, look down at them with frustration in your eyes as a small hint of blush spreads across your face? Yeah they're obsessed. You needy little thing, acting all shy and innocent when it comes to sex; then how come are you begging them to make out with your cunt as you're pushing their head down on your crotch, huh? Fucking slut. Their slut. No one has any right to see this side of you, your vulnerability, your pretty little pussy. It feeds their ego when you moan their name asking for more as you buck up your hips to meet their mouth halfway. Alright alright, they can't refuse their precious darling, can they? Not when you're looking at them with your pretty glassy eyes and wet, long eyelashes. So the urge to enjoy their meal properly kicks in, and they start French kissing with your cunt as their tongue explores every part of your soft juicy meat inch by inch. They smirk when you cry as their finger starts roaming around your rosy bud, and pauses when it reaches your entrance. You're too tight, but their finger is also long and slender; so, it's a match made in heaven, right? "Look at you baby, all spread out for me. You poor thing, want more of my touch? Awww, never knew you were this much of a whore for me. Stop moving around so much baby girl. Stay still for me yeah? Wanna make you feel high tonight. You'll scream my name when you release, won't you? C'mon sweet girl, come on my tongue. Let me have a taste of that sweet, addictive savour of yours"

DAZAI, Tachihara, CHUUYA, Yosano, Ranpo, Fyodor, NIKOLAI, Tsukishima, Daichi, OSAMU, ATSUMU, Sugawara, KUROO, SUNA, Iwaizumi, Oikawa, Inosuke, Genya, GOJO, TOJI, SUKUNA, Geto, Todo, MELLO, Light, Vanitas

A wide smirk finds its way to his face when he sees how your face twitches with pain as you struggle to get up. You look so cute, trying to suck it up and act all tough; but with the way his eyes are surveying you? You won't get your way out of this one.

"Awwww, is my darling feeling a bit sore?"

His voice is so lively and vivid that you don't have to bother to know that he's enjoying himself, and from how his playful smile is getting wider and wider.

He chuckles when you throw him a blanket- which he catches in the air with no attempt-, and when you finally feel motivated enough to get off the bed, his hands suddenly pull you back down, caging you in his arms as he presses your face on his chest.

"Well, I'm sorry love; but you're the one who was begging for more after all, remember? You can't possibly think that I'll hold myself back when you look at me with your pretty eyes like that, hmm?"

You know you should kick him and get away from his stupid smug ass; but, it's just that... He feels so warm, so comfortable when he pulls the blanket up to your neck again and presses you in his arms harder. His soft lip peppering your neck is not helping at all; it only makes you face the reality of how much you crave his touch, his attention, anything that comes from him.

So you swallow your pride, hide your face in the crook of his neck as you let out a small sigh. There's nothing else you can do when his embrace feels this safe and welcoming, right?

His hand runs through your hair as he presses one last kiss to your forehead, making your heart flutter at how caring he actually is.

"Stay with me a bit more, sweetheart. Then we'll go and take a bath together, hmm? How does that sound? I know you love it when I wash your hair in the shower. If you behave well I might as well give you a relaxing massage. I mean, I should take responsibility for the mess I made out of you, shouldn't I?"

DAZAI, DAZAI, DAZAI, NIKOLAI, Fyodor, Chuuya, Ranpo, Tachihara, MORI, Suga, KUROO OMG-, Atsumu, Suna, Iwaizumi, OIKAWA, GOJO, Toji, Sukuna, Geto, Light, MELLO, Vanitas, Inosuke, Shinazugawa

'𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐄!'

This request is just so mwah 🌹

Request!:""here me out,,,,, nsfw of douma and afab!reader of overstim, public(in front of Muzan), while the reader is a hashira but like he has to keep going, and temp play with ice?????"" Muzan could join to

Warnings!: Dom!douma,sub!fem!reader,Dom! muzan,mean!douma,mean!muzan,size kink,belly bulge,monster fucking,slight non con?(reader got kidnapped) dubious con, double penetration,blowjob mention, ice play, temperature play

A/n:this is my longest work so far 🍷

(little backround)

You had been out on a mission to seek out a location by the name of "internal paradise cult'' It was led by a demon you had to hunt down. 'Douma'. "Are you sure you can go alone?" Shinobu asked you while preparing your med kit in case you injure yourself on the journey. "There's no demon I can't take!" You said proudly. You've worked your ass off to claim your spot as a hashira, shinobu left you some extra food in case. She secured your basket and sent you off, your journey awaited you as you stepped into the forest. You had your head up high, your mind was set on this journey.

You grew to become tired and slumped yourself on a log and opened your prepared basket. You took a sip of water from your small jug. As you twisted the lid shut you heard something in the far distance.

Snap!

You quickly rose in defense and scanned the area for any threat. To your surprise it was just a small animal passing by. You sighed and placed your sword back on your side, you were about to depart but you sensed the presence of something behind you. Your head snapped to look at what was behind and your eyes widened.

"hello there.."

There stood a shadow looming over your small form, you immediately charged towards it and raised your sword to strike an attack but to your disadvantage your ankle had been grabbed by a strong force. You helped as the shadow revealed itself as the one and only.

Douma.

"looking for something? You seem puzzled dear!"

The demon let a stifled laugh, you struggled against his grip. You tried kicking him, you reached for your sword it was just out of reach. The demon noticed you reaching for your sword and smiled. "Aww you want this?"

Douma took your sword and threw it almost as far as a yard away. You were in a fit of fear, you fought for your release but the demon only sat you on his lap and toyed with your uniform. "Let me go!"

You cried as the demon unbuttoned your uniform slowly, the demon only ignored your pleas and continued. He licked his pale lips as your laced bra was revealed. You shuddered at the cold air hitting your warm skin, you hated how the demon had so much control over you. "Not so feisty now huh?"

Douma teased as he removed your black laced bra and freed your breasts from the confinement, you tried to cover your breast but your arms were put behind your back in order to restrain you. Douma took your hardened nipple in his mouth rolling the bud against his tongue. His warm tongue was making you go feral, he switched to your other nipple releasing with a small pop!

He gave the same treatment to the other and grinned at your reactions. Douma lifted your chin with his index and placed his lips on your warm ones. You tried to pull away but douma held you in place keeping you still. He bit your bottom lip harshly demanding entrance into your mouth. You refused. You kept your fighting spirit, you couldn't give in.

Douma saw right through you and bit harsher, it made you whimper and leave your mouth agape for doumas tongue to slip in. He moaned into your mouth sending a warm fuzzy feeling to your core. You felt a wetness form in your panties. Your body was failing you, you couldn't be aroused! This a demon we are talking about for crying out loud!

Douma smirked and pulled away from the steamy kiss. "Someone's excited..you're gonna have to wait darling~"

Douma pecked your lips once more before your vision went black.

"did you find her?" Muzan asked douma as he was sitting on his throne head titled down.

"yes Lord muzan" douma replied bowing before the demon king, douma had brought you in due to muzan's orders. Of course douma found you fascinating and wanted you all to himself but it was his master's order.

"bring her in"

Douma rose from his knees and exited the room to retrieve you from your so called "room" douma had given you. You were still fast asleep when douma carried you in. You had taken a harsh blow to the head.

After five minutes had passed by you had awoken from your slumber, your vision was blurry and your leg had been wounded from what seemed nails. You rubbed your eye lids and opened your eyes to see from what it seemed the demon king. You were terrified at this point, you would have never thought you would come across muzan. Well not now in time at least, you were trembling at this point. Your lips quivered, "why am I here..?" You dared to question muzan. "No one gave you permission to speak."

Muzan spoke and glared at you with those red beaming eyes. His eye intimidated you, just a glare made you shiver.

"give her a punishment douma."

Muzan sat still in his chair eyes directed at you never leaving your body. "With pleasure~"

Douma purred as he got closer to you. He picked you up from the cold hard floor and placed you on the bed. You pleaded for him not to hurt you but your pleas went on deaf ears as douma harshly discarded your clothing leaving you on full display.

Douma kneeled at the edge of the bed and gripped your thighs and scooted you more towards the edge. Douma blew cold air against your wet fold making you gasp. Douma used his blood demon art and made a small icicle. "W-wait no please!" You begged him not to put it in you. He stroked your thigh and kissed the soft flesh. "It won't hurt dear""

At this point you didn't have anyone to believe so you stopped complaining hoping all of this would end. He slowly inserted the icicle into your sopping hole. The coldness made you shriek, douma used his tongue to push it farther in. He used this advantage and started licking fat stripes along your cold pussy.

Muzan sat and watched douma toy with you. He had a growing bulge in his pants from just the sight of you. Douma lifted his head from in between your legs and removed his pants and boxers. You were in a trance unable to think or say. The only thing that made it out of your mouth was only short babbles and moans.

Douma slapped his dick against your pussy and smiled, he leaned close to your ear and whispered sweet nothings. He slowly slipped it in not giving you time to adjust.

You screamed out loud and clawed at his back, he moaned out from the feeling and thrusted faster into you. The sound of slapping ringed in muzan's ears. He smirked at the faces you were making as douma harshly pounded into your tight pussy.

After about 15 minutes douma let out his fifth load into you. You already had two orgasms already your body was shaking from the overwhelming pleasure. Doumas thrusts were becoming sloppy, the bulge on your stomach was showing as he let out one last thrust.

"so pretty ~"

Douma cooed as he pulled out of you watching his cum ooze out your pussy. Soon after you didn't realize muzan was now sitting at the edge of the bed as well. "Douma fuck her mouth"

Muzan ordered. Douma scooted over to where your head rested and smiled sweetly masking his lewd intentions. Muzan already had his pants removed and lined himself at your entrance. He slammed without warning which made you yelp. "Fucking whore"

Muzan spat as douma plunged his cock in your mouth closing your airway. You gagged in his size. You couldn't help but swirl your tongue against him. His tip hit your throat many times but to doumas surprise your gag reflex was impressive. Muzan's pace was godly he had no intention of stopping. He was rearranging your insides at this point. He hit your cervix which made you go over the edge. You squirted all over his cock which made him harden.

Douma moaned as you sent vibrations to his cock from your own moans. He finally came in your mouth which you immediately swallowed.

Muzan pulled out of you and sat on the edge of the bed.

"douma get over here"

Muzan ordered. Douma sat on his knees before muzan and fanned himself. "You completed your mission bringing the hashira to me. I'll pity you and give you some of my blood in return." Muzan stopped for a moment.

"at one cost." Muzan started. Douma looked at muzan with doe eyes. "Please me."

They are just so augh- 🍷

Ty for requesting love 🌺

Being Douma's Pretty New Maid

Pairing: Douma x Fem!Reader

Tags: nsfw, smut, handjob, marks, worship, degradation, rough sex

A/N: He is a cult leader and has a creepy side to him so this fits.

Being Douma's new personal maid seemed like the highest honor a woman could hope for. Seeing him naked and with his hard cock in his hand was a little more then you hoped for on your first day on the job, "What are you looking at? Never seen a man's dick before? Get in here and close the door behind you, unless you want to give everyone a show?" He smiled, his fangs exposed in the candle light.

"Lord Douma, I'm only here to check up on... you." Your eyes kept glancing down at his cock, your body reacting to him despite your duties.

"You do what I tell you to do." His smile softened, hand beckoning you closer, you following in an obedient trance. Once you were within arms reach he pulled you down on the floor, tearing your clothes to shreds in a blur, "What a pretty body. You'll do nicely for what I need."

As he stripped his clothes away you realized what it was that he wanted from you, "But my Lord, I'm... just a maid. I'm not worthy of being your- mn!" His hand shot out to clamp around your mouth, his claws leaving marks on your cheeks.

"I said, you do what I tell you to. If I tell you to open your legs and be my whore you do it, no questions asked." His cock pushes through your folds, the bulbous head rubbing against your clit, "From this day on, until you break, when you're not doing your other duties you will be my obedient cumdump. A pretty, little set of holes for my cock, taking it morning, noon and night."

"B-But... what if- I get-" You feel Douma's cock pushing inside, stretching your walls on his girth, rough right of the bat, his hands cupping your ass to angle your hips slightly upwards.

He chuckled, "You think I'd have offspring with a whore like you? Maybe after I make you into a good woman. For now, trust me when I say you don't need to worry about such things. You trust your Lord do you not?"

"Y-Yes."

"Good girl, my sweet, obedient girl. You're in my hands now. Let me embrace you fully." His arms wrapped around your back, lifting your body against his, your heart beating out of your chest, "That heart beat is... tantalizing. Are you afraid, or perhaps excited by this?" His hand pulled your hair, exposing your neck, making your body react, pussy clamping down on his cock, "I suppose that's one way to reply to me. I like it. Reply like that more often, and only when you're spoken to."

Douma's keept you on his cock all night, not letting you get a wink of rest, not letting your pussy get any rest from the sheer pounding of his cock or his cum.

𖤐 — nsfw, vaginal sex, unsafe sex, kyo’s the ONLY man i’d go domestic for fr

Kyojuro Rengoku fucks you so soft and with so much passion that you can quite literally feel his love for you as he fucks it into you, every aching drag of his cock along your pussy making you grip harder at his back and hair, wishing for it ground you as he pushes into your core. He has you gasping for even one breath of air when he starts to toy with your clit, his rough and warm hand wedged between the two of your bodies where you both meet to play with the little bud of nerves. You start to gasp out slurs of “Kyo”’s and “oh”’s and he knows he’s got you, your grip tightened around him even tighter than before and your pussy is so tight around him he doesn’t even try to move as you cum around his cock, your legs going around his waist to keep him close, and leaving him no other choice but to cum inside your ruined pussy— not like he would want to cum anywhere else.

masterlist

if i do i’ll make a character/kink list!!

Your catgirl reader fic, but roles are reversed. Dog hybrid Tanjiro who goes in heat, and goes completely feral. He's pouncing on you, begging to let him fill you up with his puppies! Of course, you let him, because what kind of owner are you if you don't make sure to take care of your pet? It's so unlike him to be rough and growling, snapping his teeth and hissing dirty words in your ear. (Just a lil brain rot I had because i am a ✨ whore ✨ for rough Tanjiro <3) Signed: 💫 Anon

My Good Boy

NSFW!! Minors and ageless blogs, do not interact!!!

Everyone is above 18.

Don’t mind me as I get carried away with feral Tanjiro. Thank you for your ask, 💫 Anon!

Cuddling with sweet Dog Hybrid!Tanjiro who’s the most loyal, the most gentle, most innocent being you could ever know. Scratching just behind his ears that makes his tail thump! thump! thump! on the couch, makes his legs kick instinctively as though he’s the one scratching himself.

He’s already so hard. Whining and whimpering, beginning to drool until you’re suddenly caught off guard by the doorbell ringing!

“A visitor!” he shouts, ears perking up, tail wagging. But he doesn’t get off of you.

“Tanji-! Honey, let me get the door!” you laugh, but the sweet thing grips onto your leg. He’s so huge now! Growing up with him since he was a puppy, it’s hard to drag your leg as the big doggy holds onto you.

“Hello!” you pant as you reach the door.

“Hi, Y/n,” your friend greets, and Tanjiro is caught off guard by the new smell that hits his nose. Who’s the new dog?

“Is this the one you wanted me to watch over for today?” you ask your friend, looking down to the nervous wolf hybrid!Genya, who glances up at you nervously before tensing and looking away.

But Tanjiro catches his big tail wagging.

“It sure is!” your friend answers, “This is Genya! He’s a little shy, but he’s a sweetheart. Isn’t that right, boy?” Your friend ruffles his hair playfully.

Tanjiro gulps. Genya is a much bigger hybrid than he is.

“Then I’m sure Tanjiro and I will get along so well with him! Tanjiro is such a good boy!” Tanjiro looks up to you, forgetting the jealousy that was just growing inside of himself, basking in your praise as he nuzzles into your thigh.

But his heart shatters when Genya walks in, sitting right in the middle of the room, sniffing and looking around. And his tail thumps along the wooden floor. Tanjiro glares.

Apparently, you’re going to be dog sitting for the afternoon.

“So play nice,” you say, already knowing Tanjiro would behave.

“Are you hungry, Genya?” you ask and Tanjiro doesn’t like just how much Genya’s big ears perk up when you call him. He’s got lots of scars, evidence that he’s a fighter- and a winner.

Genya could father excellent pups…

He’s so lost in thought that he misses the moment you gently pat his head and scratch his chin. The low, content hum of a voice so deep it makes the ground tremble under his paws, and Tanjiro whips his head to look at Genya.

Genya loves you.

Genya rolls onto his back and exposes his stomach. You take the opportunity to rub and scratch him. Genya whines and his eyes roll to the back of his head.

Don’t you realize what he’s doing? Every time he rubs up against you, licks your hand, rolls onto his back…

He does it to show you.

Genya is doing that to show you his hard cock.

But you’re so innocent. Of course you don’t realize the real reason why Genya is panting so hard, why he keeps on rolling onto his side or his back, raising a leg to show you his throbbing meat.

“Aww,” you coo, “You’re just too sweet.”

Tanjiro can smell the pheromones. He can smell the pheromones Genya is radiating. Trying to coax you into getting closer, lying down.

Tanjiro won’t stand for this.

Leaving to the bathroom, Tanjiro glances at Genya one more time. He’s a panting, tail-wagging, drooling mess.

“She’s ovulating,” Genya salivates, inhaling deeply with a shiver.

“I know,” Tanjiro snaps, “My Y/n is ovulating.”

“She smells nice,” Genya adds.

“I know.”

“She scratches me so well.”

“She scratches me perfectly.” Tanjiro retaliates.

“I want to fill her with pups…”

Tanjiro snarls. Fur standing on end, fangs bared, claws extended, tail stiff.

Before the fight can begin, however, the doorbell rings.

“Coming!” you call, drying your hands as you rush to the door. The two dogs immediately calm themselves, sitting politely.

It’s time for Genya to go. He whines and whimpers, holding onto you tightly as your friend urges him to let go. Leaving kisses and licks on your cheek fervently as your friend apologizes.

“No, no, it’s okay,” you reassure, “He’s just a little excited.”

“He’s never gotten that way with me,” your friend pouts.

Saying your goodbyes, you sigh as you plop back onto the couch.

“That was fun,” you giggle, patting your lap as you motion Tanjiro over, “Did you like Genya? He doesn’t live too far away. We can always visit him if you want.”

For the first time. In a long time. Tanjiro doesn’t come forward.

Tanjiro growls.

Eyes snapping open.

“Tanjiro?” you ask, absolutely terrified, “What’s wrong, sweetie?”

Kneeling in front of him, seeing his red eyes glowing, his paws digging into his pants, you gently try to shush him down.

“Tanjiro,” you coo, “Oh, honey, what’s wrong? Why are you upset? Hmm?”

“I’m your good boy, right?” Tanjiro asks with pleading eyes.

“Of course you are! You’re my beloved, sweet, strong, wonderful, best boy ever! I love you so much!” you praise him.

And he pounces on you. Tanjiro was always gentle when it came to playtime. He always let you win. Always let you pin him down. That’s just how pups were raised.

But now you’re caged underneath him. Never realizing just how strong Tanjiro is until you attempt to squirm under him, only to realize you’re perfectly trapped.

He lowers himself down to your neck and inhales deeply.

“Y/n,” he says in a low voice, “I have to breed you. Please.”

The way you can feel his breath hitch as he grinds himself against you, how the hand that pins both of your wrists begins to squeeze, how his free hand roams down your body. You can’t help but get heated yourself.

“Y/n,” he calls, “I wanted to be patient, but, I need you. I need to fill you with pups so bad!” He rubs your stomach as he adds, “I want you…I want you to mother my pups! Please!”

“Okay, honey,” you coo, no longer able to hide the desire leaking out of your pussy. Tanjiro’s tail wags. Drooling as he tears apart your clothes effortlessly with his claws, always being so careful to ensure that he never hurts you.

Stripping himself, you can see just how swollen his cock is. How the head of his dick is practically crying pre-cum as he stares at your naked body.

“I’ve always wanted to see you up close,” he growls, eyes raking over the exposed skin of your neck, the softness of your breasts, the smoothness of your tummy, the wideness of your hips.

Licking your cheek, he’s going to bathe you in drool to get rid of Genya’s spit. Cleaning off the cheek he dared to kiss, sliding his tongue down your neck, nipping every so often whenever he remembers how Genya wanted to do this to you.

“I love you,” he coos, kissing you deeply, whining when your fingers tangle in his locks, scratching behind his ears. He instinctively ruts against you, gasping as his cock slides through your soaked folds.

“Oh, gods…” he whimpers, shoulders trembling as he moves down to your pussy. You’re so embarrassed that you cover yourself with your hands.

But Tanjiro whimpers. “Please, Y/n. I’ve seen her before. She’s so pretty. I’ve always wanted to see her up close. Always…” he’s taking your hands away as he brings his head between your thighs as he adds, “…always wanted to taste her.”

And it’s true. Catching you when you’re about to shower. Touching himself as you disrobe. And if he’s really lucky, getting to watch you play with yourself, muffled whimpers sounding scarily close to his name.

“I peeked through the keyhole,” he confesses, lapping through your folds with a long, slow swipe of his tongue, “I do it every time you go shower. I’m sorry, Y/n! I’ve been a bad boy, haven’t I? I’ll make it up to you!”

His regret makes him lick faster, his long tongue pushing into your hole, big arms curling around your thighs as he plunges his face into your pussy.

Whimpering as the sweet taste of your arousal coats his tongue, the hormones you’re giving off are filled with lust and love, the most dangerous combination.

He devours you. Diving his tongue into your pussy, sucking and flicking your clit with such urgency and with such a fast pace, you can’t catch your breath.

“T-Tanji! Tanjiro!” you cry out, “It’s! It’s too much-too much! I-!” Thighs clenching around his head as you cum. He lets out a cry of his own, tail stiffening as he swallows every precious drop of your juices.

But he doesn’t stop. You have to push his head away, fight him with shaky arms as he desperately tries to return to your cunt. Groaning as your slick runs down his chin, babbling as he begs to eat you out again.

He growls and lifts your legs to your chest, eyes burning with ferocity and desire.

“Tanjiro,” you gasp, and his ears twitch. Suddenly realizing how perfectly you were positioned.

Tanjiro grins.

“I’m going to fill you so well, my love,” he coos, aligning himself with your hole. But that confidence begins to disappear as he sinks his cock into you. Your moans and mewls only making his eyes roll back as he inches deeper into you.

One last push and he hisses, your cervix meeting his pulsating tip.

“Oh, Y/n,” he moans, lowering himself to kiss you as he begins to pound into you.

“I’ve wanted to fuck you for so fucking long!”

“Wanted to bend you over that table, over that counter-mmph!”

“That wolf made me so mad!” Tanjiro growls, teeth snapping as his hips move at a rougher pace, your whole body jiggling by the sheer force of it.

“He wanted you,” he snarls, grip on the back of your knees tightening, “He wanted to give you his pups. But you’d never let him, right? You love me, right? You want me to fill you up? Don’t you? Please tell me you do!!”

“Of course I-ahhhhh,” you moan as he bites your neck, “I want you to. Only you, my good-my best-!” You can’t bring yourself to continue. Tanjiro lost control of his movements, battering into your poor pussy ruthlessly, the growls and moans of his husky voice rumbling against both of your chests as he pressed himself further into you.

“I only want your pups, Tanjiro. Because, I love you. You’re the best boy I could ever love.”

His hips stop for a moment. Ears pointed and alert.

One hand slides between your sweaty bodies and finds your clit.

“Don’t worry, love,” he coos, “I know just the way you like it.” He’s memorized how you swirl your fingers around your bud, and gathered knowledge from the other hybrids on how to please their owners.

Your back arches and you let out a cry as you feel that next orgasm rapidly approaching. But there’s something else you can feel.

Tanjiro’s knot. Huge and thick. And with how you’re tightening around his cock, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to thrust in and out of you. But he’s strong. He can do it.

You’re falling apart underneath him. And in Tanjiro’s eyes, it’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.

“Oh, Y/n,” he pants, “I love you so much. You’re the best girl in the whole world! I love you! I love you! I love you, Y/n!” His eyes roll to the ceiling as his hips thrust as far as he can, his knot keeping him trapped deep inside of you.

The two of you cumming hard. Moaning and crying out each other’s names. Hot gooey ropes of cum fill your womb, and his knot ensures it’ll stay there for a while.

Panting as he rests on his elbows, keeping himself lifted off of you, Tanjiro whimpers.

“I’m sorry,” he apologizes, “That was mean of me, wasn’t it?”

“No, honey,” you reassure, kissing his scar as you rub down his shoulders, “You were-You are the best boy in the world.”

Thump! Thump! Thump! goes his tail.

“I love you so much, Tanjiro.”

“I love you so much too, Y/n.”

Pulling his head down to your breasts, you let him rest there, scratching his ears as he leaves gentle kisses along your chest.

“You’re my good boy.”

Synopsis: Kyoujuro likes seeing his wife in his merch and only his merch.

Warning: Actor Au, fem!reader, edging, fingering, mirror sex (implied), biting, daddy kink

Word Count: 1.7K

Pairing: Kyoujuro Rengoku x Fem!reader

Tagging the rengoku girlies(gn): @bakugosbratx @renhoeku @glz-100 @herohibiscus @potofstewie @comatosebunny09 @cherryblossomsenpai @linpunny @unknownspecies @yeahitzally @taisho-era-secrets @auraee @diorsbrando @kyojuro-my-wuv @wanderingfaee and the network @tokyometronetwork

Join the Rengoku girlies: https://forms.gle/YGTATcvxh2oAUc3o9

You sat on the couch, watching your husband’s latest movie. He had warned you that he would be dying in this film, but it did nothing to prepare you for how brutal his death scene was. You screamed at the TV as the demon punched a hole through your soulmate’s stomach. 

Tears swelled in your eyes as I watched his students cry for him as he gave his final speech. Your tears fell down your face as you watched the sweet, happy smile spread over his face as he saw the ghost of his mother telling him how she was proud of him.

The need to turn the movie off before you were forced to witness Kyoujuro’s final breath hit you hard, but you  needed to finish the movie. You  were crying along with the other actors as yor beloved slowly lowered his head as he took in his last dying breath, blood pooling around him from the large wound in his stomach. 

You hugged your Kyou plushies closer to your chest as you  continued watching each of the other hashira’s reaction to hearing about Kyoujuro’s death. By the time the ending credits were playing, you were sobbing and holding onto your plushie for dear life. 

Pushing your Kyoujuro blanket down off yourlap, you wrapped his hashira cape closer around your naked body. You had asked the production team if you could keep the haori as a memento of his best selling movie and thankfully they agreed. You loved wearing the cloak around the house so much. It drove Kyoujuro insane when you would wear it.

Walking into the kitchen, you grabbed some fruit to snack on while you waited for Kyoujro to come home from a recent shoot. Season two of the show he was a part of was airing soon and by popular demand, he was getting a special original episode and a televised premiere of his movie with extra scenes.

Checking the clock, you saw that it was nearly ten at night. Kyoujuro should be home soon. You  left the kitchen to go to our bedroom to put some clothing on. You did not need him trying to pounce on you while wearing your  prized haori.

You put on one of his hoodies that looked like his demon slayer outfit from the movie. What could you say? You would forever support your husband by buying every little bit of merch that comes out of him.  You loved to support his career. You had a whole room dedicated to all his figures and posters.

A smile tilted at your face as you heard the front door to the house open and Kyoujuro tiredly announced that he was home. You stepped out of the bedroom to go greet him happily. Wrapping your arms around his neck and kissing him soundly on the lips.

 “My hero is home.” you said, your voice a happy chirp as you referred to one of the movies you acted together in and he was your savior. It was how the two of you actually met.

Kyoujuro chuckled as he tiredly returned your kiss, wrapping his arms around your waist and hugging you gently. He missed his wife so much. Shooting all those new scenes for the upcoming show was tiresome.

 And having to refilm his death scene left a bitter taste in his mouth. He was happy that his fans wanted to see more of him, but having that fake arm shoved through his stomach for the second time was uncomfortable and the actor who played Akaza messed up the shoot three times this time when he had gotten it perfect the first time.

He arched a brow when he pulled away and took notice of your current attire. “Love, why are you wearing that?” He asked, feeling his cock stir the longer he looked at you wearing his merch. You knew what it does to him seeing you covered in his items. Especially when they draped down your body and made you seem even smaller in his eyes.

You pulled at the neck of the hoodie before giving him an innocent smile. “It's just some of your merch. I was watching the Mugen Train before you came.” you smiled up at him and you backed up so he could see your full attire. You gave him a little spin, the hood of the jacket flaring out some with the movement. “Aren’t I cute?”

“Baby girl...” he said, softly under his breath, his head lowered. While he knew that you had to have cried while watching that movie. You always did this. Make herself cry while watching his movies. 

He knew that his one in particular would make you cry hard because his character had just been introduced in the show only to be killed off in a movie. “Why do you do this to yourself?” He asked, grabbing your arm and pulling you to his chest.

“Hmm?” You hummed as you sunk into his warm enbrace. “I'm just a masochist and I think the demon is hot.” you giggled when he suddenly started to tickle me. “Kyoujuro!” you squealed as his fingers assaulted your sides. 

You tried to wriggle away, but he would not let you, his strong arms holding you in place. “I’m sorry!” you said through laughing so hard, tears were coming down your face. “I was kidding! I only looked at you the whole movie, I swear!”

Kyoujuro hummed as he continued to tickle his wife. “Good girl.” He praised, but didn’t stop his seeking fingers as that danced along your sides, producing more of your melodious laughter. He truly missed you these past few weeks while he was stuck on set with the crew filming these episodes. 

So, he was going to enjoy as much time with you as he could. “My little fireball.” He purred as he finally stopped his attack and pressed you closer to his body, his hands smoothing over the fabric of the hoodie you wore.

You wapped your arms around his neck, leaning in to kiss him softly. “I’m not wearing anything under this hoodie.” you whispered in his ear. “I was sitting on the couch, your hashira cloak draped over my shoulders, with your blanket over my legs.” 

You described everything you did while he was on screen; how you touched your body – eyes closed as you listened to the sound of his voice. “Do you know how hard I ache for you when we have different sets to go to and when you have to stay late for reshoots.” you took his hand and guided it to your legs and under the hoodie where your aching and dripping cunt was. “This much.”

His eyebrow arched when his fingertips were almost instantly drenched in your slick when he touched your throbbing pussy. “You ache that badly, wife?”  He spun you around so that you were facing the large mirror the two of you had over the couch. Pulling the hoodie up to expose your naked body, he had you hold the end of it between your teeth. “Then watch me as I fuck you tonight, my darling.”

You let out a small whimper at Kyoujuro’s lewd words as his fingers dipped inside your clenching hole. His other hand grabbed your thigh, lifting your leg to spread them apart so that you could see his thick fingers slipping in and out. You leaned your head back against his shoulder as the lewd sounds of his pleasuring you filling the living room.

His lips slid over to your ear as his deep voice rumbled yor spine as he told you to keep watch on the mirror. You  had not even noticed that your eyes had closed, lost in the feelings he was stiring within you.

“Keep those pretty eyes open for me and watch as my fingers disappear within you, baby.” He sped up the thrust of his digits, plunging them in and out, the squelching noises increasing. He could tell that you were close and smiled into your neck as he immediately slowed the pace until he was shallowly touching you with the tips of his fingers, softly circling your clit. A chuckle left Kyoujuro at your whine and he bit down on your exposed neck. “Watch me then, pretty girl.”

You opened your eyes and looked at your reflection in the mirror, your face heating with embarrassment from the lewd, erotic sight.Your leg held up in the crook of his elbow while his other hand covered your pussy as his fingers thrust in and out at a leisurely pace.

 “Kyou...” you pleaded, your voice a keening whine as you reached behind you to wrap your arm around his neck. “I'm watching, please?” you could feel the piece of the hoodie that was clenched in yor teeth grow damp from my saliva.

Kyoujuro glanced down at his wife, your body trembling in his hold as he pressed his hips against yours. “Such a pretty thing when you beg.” He turned his head and pressed his lips against your forehead, kissing it softly. The sweet act betreaying the movement of his fingers as he fucked you on them. 

“You’re so tight and wet, my love. Just look at how your pussy is devouring my fingers. Like it can’t get enough.” His eyes never left your face as he watched you witness yourself come undone by his fingers alone. “That’s right, my beautiful wife. Cum. Cum all over daddy’s fingers.”

You bit down harder on the fabric in your mouth, probably tearing a hole in it in the process. Your body shook violently as Kyoujuro thumbed at your clit to speed up your orgasm. You felt lightheaded as you  creamed on his fingers, your walls fluttering; clenching and unclenching tightly. “So good, daddy.” your voice was still muffled by the cloth as saliva dripped out of the corners of your mouth as tears of pleasure burned at your eyes.

 You were slightly surprised when he suddenly yanked the hoodie off of your body, spinning you back around, picking you up so that my legs were wrapped around his waist, and his lips on mine.

Kyoujuro hungrily kissed his wife. He needed you so badly, but something was missing. Setting you back down on your feet, he motioned with his head to the bedroom. “Go put on my Hashira haori.”

At your confused look, he smiled. “I want to fuck you while you’re wearing my merch and what better than my one of a kind haori?” Kyoujuro gave you a light spank as he guided you in the direction of your shared room, where he knew that’s where you stored the cloak.

©️2022-23 nymphoheretic - I do not give permission to copy, edit, alter, or distribute my work. Do not adverse on tiktok. Do not repost on any other platform.

THE GREAT WAR

PART I ♤ SECRET PREGNANCY AU

A/N: After seven months, it's finally here. Part I of Giyuu's Bundle of Joy. This fic involved a ton of research and tears. I hope you all enjoy. Special shout-out to @squishybabei @kentohours @homo-homini-lupus-est-1701 @ghost-1-y and @xxsabitoxx for letting me bombard your DMs with endless snippets from this fic for feedback. Note that this is a multi-part fic, and it will be a non-linear story.

CW: explicit sexual content ☼ MDNI ☼ loss of virginity ☼ unprotected sex ☼ protective/possessive Giyuu ☼ canon-typical violence

LISTEN TO THE PLAYLIST HERE

January, 1915

The moon’s rays filtered through the sparse canopy of the trees from above, bathing that small portion of the forest in its silvery glow. There, about twenty paces ahead, Giyuu locked eyes on his target.

A demon; one he’d been pursuing through the dense forest separating his Manor from the base of a great mountain for the last several miles

The demon had yet to notice him, for it was focused entirely on its own prey — a human woman, who was frantically zigzagging as she ran in a desperate effort to evade its clutches. 

She was succeeding rather well in her endeavor, managing to dart out of the beast’s reach right as it snapped its sharp, deadly claws at her back. But the girl then miscalculated her movements and stumbled over something — whether it was a tree root or her own feet, he could not say — and she went airborne. For one, sickening moment, Giyuu feared he would not be fast enough to save her from falling victim to the demon he was readying to kill.

The girl squealed as she fell, just narrowly managing to avoid the swipe of the beast’s claws as they cut uselessly at the air where her back had been only seconds before. Something long and wooden flew from her hand as she sprawled across the forest floor – a broom.

Odd. 

Steps quick and even, Giyuu’s thumb flicked his sword free from its scabbard. Within seconds of him drawing his weapon, the Slayer’s blade sliced seamlessly through the demon’s neck, its head thudding pathetically to the forest floor before the beast could comprehend the threat.

He landed swiftly on the balls of his feet, the Water Pillar quickly shaking his blade free of the demon’s blackened, rotted blood before sheathing it at his hip. A quick job – that was how he liked it; free of fuss. 

Behind him, he heard the leaves coating the frozen ground of the forest shift and crack as the human girl he’d rescued rose to her feet. He grimaced; while helping rid the world of the blight inflicted upon it by demons was his life’s sole and true purpose, and one he fulfilled without hesitation, he was little more than a fish out of water when it came to talking to those he helped. 

The girl had yet to flee; Giyuu suspected she might be in shock, if not a bit simple, and he sought to prod her along. After all, the sooner she left the forest, the less likely she’d end up a demon’s meal and waste his efforts in preserving her life. 

“You should be fine now. Please return to your ho-,” The dark-haired Slayer’s words were cut off with a sputter as the head of the woman’s broom whacked him sharply up the side of his skull. 

Giyuu stood there for a moment, dazed and slightly confused as he turned towards the woman whose life he’d just preserved. 

The Water Pillar had not paid her much mind upon discovering her seconds away from becoming the slain horned demon’s newest meal, his attention having been entirely focused on eliminating his target. But now, without the distracting threat of a man-eating beast, he could see she was clad in the traditional attire worn by Shinto priestesses, though she looked far too young to have achieved such a status. Instead, she appeared to be much closer to himself in age. The front of her red hakama pants were streaked in mud and dirt from her fall, and several strands of hair had fallen loose from where they’d been gathered in a ribbon just below her shoulders. 

And she was glaring at him. 

“What are you?” She demanded, and the Water Pillar noted the faint tremor in her voice that she worked to conceal behind her defensive stance, her broom braced in front of her like a blade. 

A slow blink. “I am Tomioka.” 

It baffled him that he let his name slide so freely when he’d never been one particularly keen on sharing it. Yet, he’d thought that perhaps the exchange of names would get the wild woman before him to calm, and perhaps lower the sweeping tool —-

“What the hell is a Tomioka?” 

Giyuu wondered whether the — Miko, that was what young priestesses in training were called — had hit her head in the fall. “My name.” 

A faint dusting of red spread across the Miko’s cheeks as she realized the absurdity of her mistake, though she still did not lower her weapon. Rather, she jutted it towards him in what Giyuu thought may have been an attempt to be threatening. 

“And what was that thing just now, Tomioka? And what are you?”  Quickly, her eyes swept behind him, scanning. “Are there more?”

Idly, Giyuu wondered why he was bothering to indulge in such a silly conversation to begin with, chalking it up to the mere fact that they were still in a dark forest, with dawn still several hours away. 

The foolish girl would end up a snack for another demon if she did not turn around and go home. 

“It was a demon. I’d been tracking it for several miles when it stumbled across you. You can count yourself lucky — do not hit me again.” He cut off with a warning, eyes narrowing as the Miko drew the broom back up over her head. 

There was a tense moment as the two regarded one another, Giyuu’s eyes locked on the Miko’s trembling arm as she stared distrustfully back at him. 

The girl’s hands twitched as the broom cleaved through the air once more, but Giyuu knocked it easily away, sending the cleaning tool flying uselessly to the side where it rolled under a bush. 

“Are you finished?” Giyuu asked, irritation creeping into his tone as he stared coolly at the flustered Miko. 

“You’ve stripped me of my only weapon, so I suppose I have no choice,” the young woman sniffed, her tone as frosty as his glare. 

Giyuu grimaced. “You would not have lost the privilege had you simply done as I asked.” 

The Miko folded her arms stubbornly across her chest and glowered at him. “You would truly leave a woman defenseless in the woods? With nothing to protect herself?”

Giyuu scoffed. “You are not a woman; you are a menace.” 

The young woman’s mouth opened and closed several times as her face flushed several shades deeper. “Y-you!” 

A crack! somewhere in the woods made the sputtering Miko fall silent with a small squeak, and Giyuu was bemused to find that the woman’s hands shot to him for safety, when only moments before she’d tried to clobber him away from her. 

“You said that…that thing earlier was a demon, yes?” She whispered and Giyuu nodded, tense as his eyes swept through the shadowy line of the trees, searching. 

“Do you think there are more?”

“So long as we continue sitting here like a pair of lame ducks, more are bound to come sniffing.” The wary Pillar replied. “Which is why I suggest you return home — without bludgeoning me further.”

The young Priestess continued to cling to his arm, her eyes wide and anxious. Giyuu cleared this throat, and when the woman’s attention snapped back to him, he pointedly glanced down at her white-knuckled grip on the sleeve of his haori. 

“Apologies,” the Miko blushed, and her hands quickly relinquished their hold on his sleeve. She wrung her hands nervously before her. “Might you escort me back to my Shrine? It’s not far from here – less than two kilometers.” 

Still within his territory — albeit at the opposite end of the forest where is own Manor stood. He grimaced, but nodded stiffly. His efforts to save the woman’s life would be in vain if she walked away from him and straight into the waiting, eager claws of another beast that lurked in the shadows.

The Miko smiled brightly at him and offered her name. Giyuu elected not to reply, and the girl settled into step at his side, a small frown pulling at her lips.

“I’m sorry for earlier — for hitting you with my broom.” The girl — Y/N — said a short while later, the faintest trace of shyness in her tone. 

Giyuu did not think the apology warranted a response, and so he gave none, but the chatty little devil prodded him once more. 

“Did I injure you?” She gestured to the side of his head where her broom had caught him. 

Giyuu snorted, raising an eyebrow at her. “The day I am hurt by a mere broom is the day I retire from the Demon Slayer Corps.” 

Y/N hummed in contemplation. “And what exactly is the great and mysterious Demon Slayer Corps?” 

The Water Pillar’s eyes remained forward. “I should think the name is self-explanatory. There are demons who eat humans. We slay them.” 

Inwardly, Giyuu cringed at the harshness of his words. It did not happen often, but there were times when he wished he was better with them, when he wished he did not come off quite as aloof and callous — 

“You do not know how to talk to people very well, do you Tomioka-sama?” Y/N’s tone was not judgmental; it rather had a mild curiosity to it, as though she were merely commenting on the weather or the quality of a cup of tea. 

But the Water Pillar did not know how to answer her. Kocho once told him that others disliked him, but Giyuu wasn’t sure that was entirely true; after all, no one had ever said so much to his face. 

Then again, if the young shrine maiden’s words were anything to go by, then perhaps the Insect Pillar’s scathing assessment hadn’t been too far off the mark. 

“What even brought you into the forest so late at night?”  Giyuu did not know why the question needled at him, but he found the pressing silence of the trees more disconcerting than the Miko’s voice, and so he was desperate for the distraction. “And why a broom?”

Y/N herself seemed surprised at his sudden interest. “Night-blooming herbs,” she said plainly, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. “They are critical for certain rites and medications. And I cannot collect them any other time. The broom was for protection, obviously.” 

“I wasn’t aware shrines still performed rituals,” Giyuu pushed an errant tree branch out of their way, and ahead, faint lights began to swim into view. The Shrine. “Are you not a mere relic of a time long since-passed?” 

“I’ll have you know that we still perform basic cleansing rites for those in the village,” Y/N bristled. “And we provide medical aid, since there is no hospital nearby.”

She shot him a cold look. “Modern medicine would not have developed but for ancient practices such as ours.”

Giyuu frowned. He hadn’t meant to insult the woman. “Be that as it may,” he said flatly. “Demons prowl at night. You wandering into the forest none the wiser  is akin to you waltzing into their territory with a giant sign that says ‘Eat me.’”

Y/N grimaced. “Then what would you have me do? Neglect my duties?” 

He could sympathize with that. “No, I’m not saying you should forsake your obligations,” he furrowed his eyebrows at the thought. “Perhaps it is simply a risk you must take. But you should at least be aware of your surroundings.”

Y/N looked upon him with a miserable expression. “You’re of little help, you know that?” 

Giyuu only frowned, perplexed as to why she couldn’t understand the import of his words.

An awkward silence ensued, punctured only by the faint hoot of an owl. For that, the established swordsman was grateful; noise meant the absence of predators, which meant they were safe – for now. 

“You mentioned tracking the demon earlier – how long had you been doing so?” 

“A while.” 

The girl was relentless. “And you just so happened to track it here? Where it was conveniently chasing me?” 

“I patrol this region. Your rescue was nothing more than coincidence and luck on your part.” 

“My gratitude is endless,” the shrine maiden said drily. “Forgive me for not falling to the ground in prostration.”

At that, Giyuu fell silent and refused to engage in any further conversation. The shrine maiden, for her part, seemed to take his cue that he had no interest in her or exchanging meaningless pleasantries, and so she too, went quiet. 

The forest floor eventually began to slope gradually up, and before long, Giyuu found himself walking along a carved rock path that curved through the trees until it widened at a great set of stone stairs. At the very top of the steep incline, he could spot a great Torii gate.

Y/N turned to him with a beaming smile. “Allow me to introduce you to the Shrine." Tomioka opened his mouth to protest, but she quickly added, “You should at least know who it is you have dedicated your life to protecting.” 

“I’d rather not.”

But she was already leading him up the stairs, his wrist pinched delicately between two of her fingers. Realistically, Giyuu knew it would take him no effort to shake the woman’s hold and disappear into the night. But to his own bemusement, he allowed her to tote him behind her as though he were little more than a useless pet. 

The pair passed under the Torrii and into a sprawling courtyard. Though night sky was a deep, inky black, the perimeter of the courtyard was dotted with several stone lanterns -- toro -- each of which had been lit with a generous flame. Giyuu's quick perusal of the Shrine, however, was cut short as the Miko led him into the Shrine's main structure -- the honden -- and tugged him down a narrow hallway. Based on his rough appraisal of the building, Giyuu surmised she was taking him to the center of the honden, likely where the girl's master was.

His theory was proven correct when Y/N drew up to a great slat of shoji panneling. The Miko knocked softly on one of the wooden beams before she slid the door aside, revealing a great, open room that was littered with scrolls, half-dried pots of ink, and burned incense sticks. There, in the center of the room, knelt the head Priestess of the Shrine. She was an old, shriveled, wrinkled thing. The white hair that she’d gathered into a knot at her neck was as wispy as the thinnest clouds, and a quick glance over her hands revealed swollen joints covered by skin spotted with age.

But the Priestess did not appear to be a gentle elder by any means; her thin mouth was curled down into a sneer that was directed at the Miko at his side, and her eyes were hard and cold.  

"Head Priestess," Y/N bowed to her elder. "This man is called Tomioka, and he helped save me tonight in the forest."

Giyuu resisted the urge to snort. Helped, indeed.

The old woman's eyes shone bright with an emotion he could not name as the Miko continued. "A creature attacked me as I was returning home. Tomioka says he is a swordsman whose occupation --"

“I know what he is, girl,” the Priestess snapped at her student before she turned those beady eyes to him. “A member of the Demon Slayer Corps will always be welcome at this Shrine – particularly one as esteemed as yourself.” 

The Water Pillar straightened at the old woman’s casual mention of the Corps. “I was not aware that of any Shrines so affiliated with the Corps.” 

“There was a time when the Demon Slayer Corps would partner with shrines such as this to carry out its mission,” the Priestess replied evenly. From his periphery, Giyuu spotted Y/N’s head snap toward her mentor, her jaw slack. “Once, priestesses were akin to shamans who offered a variety of rituals for cleansing and protection. You slayers relied on our connection with our communities to operate more effectively, and we in turn, counted on your protection to fight what we could not.”

Despite the distinct scent of sake that clung to the elderly shrine keeper like a cloud, her eyes remained sharp and fixed upon him, and her wrinkled mouth pulled into a rueful smile. “Now, it seems, our wise and benevolent government has forced us both to retreat to the shadows to operate in secret.”

She bowed her head. “You have nothing but my respect, Lord Hashira. You are always welcome here.” 

Giyuu did not respond, but he inclined his head toward the Priestess in polite acknowledgement. 

Y/N gaped at her Master. "Lord --?"

The old woman poured another generous serving of sake and brought the choko to her lips. “Though we are honored by your visit, young Lord, I’m afraid your presence is nothing more than a calculated effort by this one,” she nodded pointedly at the young shrine maiden at his side, whose cheeks pinkened. “To keep herself out of trouble. My apprentice was not permitted to leave the grounds, you see.” 

“Oh hush you old drunk,” Giyuu’s eyes snapped to the irate Miko in surprise. “I told you earlier I was going to the village market –” 

“Telling me while I am in the middle of lessons with the younger girls and sprinting off before I can respond is hardly me giving you permission,” the Priestess’s mouth curled into a sneer. “You’ve defied me for the last time, girl.” 

The old Priestess turned away from her apprentice, dismissive. “You will take the rice bundles and hang them in the drying shed – every last one, for the next three days.” 

“You hag!” Y/N fumed, her face pinched in outrage. “I was on rice duty all last week without an ounce of assistance –” 

“And you apparently have yet to learn your lesson,” the old woman retorted bitterly, shooting the seething Shrine Maiden a withering glare. “Considering you still think it seemly to mouth off at any and every opportunity –” 

The Miko spat a curse at the elder Priestess so filthy and colorful that even Giyuu could not mask his surprise, raising his eyebrow. But if Y/N’s outburst shocked the Shrine’s head, the old woman gave no sign. Instead, she only glowered at the young woman as the latter turned and shoved the shoji door harshly to the side. Giyuu, ever the unwilling observer, was left to be pulled by his wrist back into the hall behind the young Miko before she whipped around to face her senior once more. 

Giyuu had thought himself stunned by the crassness of the Shrine Miaden’s language before, but nothing prepared him for the sight of the obscene gesture she made at the old woman before she slammed the door firmly shut. 

A telling crash on the other side of the wall signaled the Elder Priestess had hurled her empty sake dish at the door with all her might. “And work on your aim!” Y/N snapped before turning sharply on her heel to stomp out of the honden, tugging the Water Pillar helplessly behind her. 

“She seems unstable.” said Giyuu once they were a safe distance away from the main Honden. 

Y/N brushed aside his concern with a flippant waive of her hand. “Granny is harmless. As her charge, I suppose I instigate her nearly as much as she torments me.” 

Granny. It made sense, then, the curious affection the girl held for the rancorous head Priestess, even if he could not bring himself to fully understand it. 

“You are more than welcome to stay the night,” the Miko’s mood lightened considerably the more she put distance between herself and the drunken head Priestess. “We serve breakfast at sunrise, but of course, you’re not obligated to attend.” 

The ravenette’s mouth quirked down in a faint grimace, the only sign of his discomfort. “I should return to my own home.” 

“It’s quite late,” Y/N glanced up at the night sky, now awash with stars that surrounded the fat, glowing moon like thousands of glittering jewels. She turned back to him with a radiant grin. “At least allow me to show you around.”

—

If anyone had asked him, Giyuu Tomioka would not have been able to explain the series of events that had led him here. 

He distinctly remembered telling the vexatious young Shrine Maiden no, that he could not stay the night, yet somehow he’d found himself in the Shrine’s old, musty guest house, already prepared for his stay, a lantern flickering merrily in the corner. 

He glanced warily at the fresh sleeping kimono folded beside his futon. The possibility of him actually sleeping in such an unfamiliar place was nil and while the Water Pillar certainly had no issue in appearing impolite to others, he thought that perhaps the Shrine was affiliated with the connection of Wisteria Houses dotted throughout the land, and he didn’t want to risk offending the head Priestess and cause her to shut her gates to other slayers in need of lodging. 

So, Giyuu paced the floor of the small guest house, restless. Though his eyes remained carefully trained on the window of his room, waiting for the slightest hint of movement that would give him an excuse to leave without offending his hosts, no sign of either his crow or any demonic threat  manifested. Though, he supposed with a frown, it shouldn’t surprise him that he’d not heard from Kanzaburo; the ancient bird was likely flitting about the forest, lost.

He continued to pace until finally, the sky in the East began to lighten signaling that dawn was fast approaching. Stealthily, he slipped out of the small hut that had served as his temporary accommodations and made his way toward the Torii under which he and that Miko — Y/N — had passed upon their arrival.

He’d almost cleared the gate when he saw the elder Priestess standing beside the Torii, apparently waiting for him. Giyuu nodded his head at her, the only expression of courtesy he was willing to give, but he was halted as the old woman flung out a single arm in front of him, her hand flat and palm turned up, waiting.

And that was how Giyuu learned the Shrine was not, in fact, a Wisteria House; not as he was forced to fork over a considerable sum of his earnings into the Priestess’s expectant hand. 

Wisteria Houses meant Corps Members stayed free of charge; the price the Shrine’s keeper demanded in exchange for his brief stay bordered extortion.

At least he’d had the money; if he’d been of any lower rank, the old woman would have cleaned him out.  

He scowled as he departed but his irritation quickly fell away as he finally laid eyes on Kanzaburo, who nearly collided with his Master’s head as he struggled to pant out his orders. 

And so, as the Water Pillar trekked through the forest and toward his new assignment, the view of the Shrine faded behind the dense canopy of the mountain forest, and so too, did any final, sparing thoughts of it, or its inhabitants.

———-

Nearly a month passed since Giyuu stumbled across the strange shrine maiden in the forest separating his Estate from the old Shrine, and the Miko had nearly faded from his memory. Not that such a feat was difficult; the raven-haired Pillar’s mind was far more occupied with tasks like patrol and chasing down leads that could potentially lead the Corps to an Upper Rank demon to focus on much else. 

He’d intended only to find a decent meal and then depart the village before nightfall to investigate rumors of women disappearing in a small town to the south. Night was rapidly approaching, however, and he’d yet to find any vendor that sold anything he liked, much to his chagrin. He was about to cut his losses and continue on, when he spied a familiar blur of white and red idly perusing one of the stalls, apparently oblivious to the impending sunset. 

Without thought, his feet carried him toward her, his annoyance sparking to life. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” 

The Miko’s – Y/N’s – head turned back and her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the Pillar standing behind her. 

“Tomioka-sama,” she greeted with a polite bow. “I did not expect to see you so soon.” 

He ignored her greeting, choosing instead to take a step closer. “I asked what you were doing.” 

If she was taken aback by his terseness, she didn’t show it. “I am returning to my shrine after an afternoon of errands,” she replied smoothly. “As is usual for me.” 

“It is nearly dark.” 

“An astute observation,” and to his annoyance, he saw an amused twinkle in her eye. “Do you also know that tonight is also a full moon?” 

Said moon had already made an appearance above them, growing brighter and brighter as the sky faded from twilight to night. 

Giyuu had never been one for rolling his eyes, but the young woman’s knowing smirk grated at something inside him, made him feel as he often did whenever Kocho would make a sly comment with that smile of hers, that for some reason made him feel like he was the butt of some joke only she knew. 

He grimaced. Teasing; that’s what the shrine maiden was doing. She was teasing him. 

“It is nearly dark,” he repeated. “And I did not think you’d be naive enough to risk traveling after sunset.” 

“I believe it was you who insisted I did not have to ignore my duties, so long as I paid attention to my surroundings.” She replied coolly. “So that is exactly what I am doing.”

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Fine. If the stubborn girl wanted to be bait for whatever awaited her in the forest once the sun finally set, then that was her choice. He’d saved her once, and he’d given her sufficient warning; what she did from then on did not concern him. 

He was about to bade her farewell when a slurred, boisterous voice boomed her name from across the market. Several heads turned toward the source, including Giyuu's, until he found a round faced, piggish man stumbling away from a sake stand, his cheeks flushed a bright red.

The man repeated the Miko's name in that grating, sing-song voice of his. "Whe're you goin' all by yourself so late?"

He didn't know what possessed him to ask, but Tomioka turned to the shrine maiden. "A friend?"

“His name is Susumo,” she said airily, though she could not conceal her scowl as the man drew closer. “He’s merely the village drunk who forgets to keep his hands to himself.”

The shrine maiden’s eyes narrowed accusingly at the villager, and the Miko remarked, in a raised voice, “And he is not welcome at the Shrine, though he pretends to forget otherwise.”

Susumo only held his hands up, as though in surrender. “You can’t blame a man for wanting to know what lies under all those layers,” and as if the implication of his lechery wasn’t clear enough, he gave the Miko a leering once-over. “Can’t say I was disappointed.” 

“But your friend is right,” he slurred, a smirk forming on his lips. “The dark is too dangerous for a pretty thing like you to risk walking back alone —“

“I shall escort her,” Tomioka said abruptly and she whipped back to him, her mouth falling open. “After all, I’m welcome at the Shrine.” 

Susumo, too, gaped at the Swordsman. The Miko recovered quickly however, unwilling to allow the opportunity to pass or for the Slayer to suddenly come to his senses and realize he’d rather leave her to fend for herself in the forest. 

“You have my gratitude, Tomioka-sama,” and she gave him a small bow of her head. Relieved, she flipped her braid over her shoulder and smiled warmly up at her raven-haired companion. “Shall we?”

She did not wait for Tomioka to answer, nor did she give any further acknowledgment to Susumo, who only continued to stare at the Hashira, his face bright red. With a feigned indifference, she breezed past him, but a sudden yelp from behind caused her to snap back in alarm. 

The first thing she noticed was the proximity of the back of a dual-patterned haori as it stood between her and the village drunkard. The Water Pillar’s shroud nearly brushed the tip of her nose, forcing her to step back. Cautiously, she peered around Tomioka’s rigid form, and her eyes widened at the sight before her. 

Susumo, it appeared, had tried to grab her, only to be cut off by the Water Pillar himself, who snatched him by his wrist. Though it did not appear that Tomioka was using a great deal of effort to restrain him, it was clear Susumo was struggling — greatly so — against the ferocity of the Slayer’s hold, given how a vein bulged in his forehead, his face,  rapidly turning purple. 

Her gaze flicked to the Swordsman’s hand, and she felt herself blanch at the odd angle of Susumo’s wrist. 

She was no doctor, but she knew wrists weren’t meant to twist as his did in Tomioka’s crushing grip. 

“Leave.” the Water Pillar ordered coldly, and there was a darkness in his eyes that matched the brutality of his hold. “Your presence is unnecessary and unwanted.”

“Y-you! Susumo sputtered.

But Tomioka’s grip only tightened. “Now.”

And then he released him, Susumo half-stumbling back from the Swordsman. His eyes were wide with both fear and loathing, and he muttered incoherently under his breath as he massaged his rapidly-swelling wrist.

The Water Pillar, however, did not pay any more attention to the red-faced villager. He turned only to the shrine maiden, who remained frozen in place, her eyes wide. "Shall we?"

Numbly, Y/N nodded and the two set off down the path that led back to the Shrine. Dimly, the Miko noted that the Slayer kept noticeably close to her as they walked, as though he was unwilling to let her wander too far away. The air between them as they traveled was thick and tense. She was on edge enough thanks to Susumo and his oily words, and she was desperate to do anything to distract herself from the buzzing mounting under her skin. 

She cast a sly, sidelong glance at the Swordsman walking at her side. He’d not been receptive to her small-talk the last time he’d escorted her back to her Shrine, but saying something — anything — would be better than this stifling quiet threatening to choke her.

“How old are you?” Before the Swordsman could decide whether to answer, she continued on. “If I had to guess, I would suspect you’re around my age, and I just passed my nineteenth birthday.”

She hummed aloud. “You seem quite young, yet you’ve achieved some level of status as a swordsman, according to Granny.” Her eyes fell to the blade secured at his hip before she lifted them back to his profile. “Yet you’re as withdrawn and taciturn as an old man.” 

Her words, thankfully, seemed to irritate him into responding. “Are you always so forthright?”  

The Miko grinned. “Perhaps I am like you, Lord – what was it? Hashiba?”

“Hashira.” 

“Yes, that. Perhaps I am like you, Lord Hashira – utterly lacking in social ability.” There was a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she brushed her shoulder against his bicep. “But at least I make up for it by talking.” 

“Talking is a distraction,” Tomioka monotoned, his eyes fixed resolutely on the hidden path of the forest before them. “It only serves as an interference to one’s duties.” He looked pointedly at the Miko’s profile, but inexplicably found himself unable to look away. “Or an excuse to ignore them.” 

But she was unflappable. “And yet you are the one who decided to escort me all the way back to my Shrine – so who is the one ignoring their duties, Tomioka-sama?” 

“I think you enjoy diverting my attention,” the Water Pillar retorted, though Y/N could see the rising annoyance in his eyes. 

She felt his gaze bear into her as she flipped her loose hair behind her shoulder. “It’s not possible to distract someone unless they find the diversion in question captivating, Tomioka-sama.” 

The Water Pillar almost looked amused. “And you are certainly that, Y/N.” 

The Miko ducked her head to avoid that piercing gaze, so that the ravenette would not see the faint rosy blush creeping across her cheeks. “I did not think you had the constitution for teasing, Lord Hashira.” 

Tomioka looked at her fully then, a frown tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I do not jest.” He hesitated for a moment, eyebrows furrowed as he scrutinized her. “Nor do I lie.” 

Y/N’s lips parted. There was something about the way the Swordsman beheld her that made her stomach flutter. In her last encounter with the enigmatic Slayer, she’d been so rattled by her close encounter with the demon, that she hadn’t truly noticed much about the man who’d saved her life, apart from his bland detachment and rather unfortunate social skills. 

But now, the Miko was struck by how handsome the raven-haired Hashira was; she was mesmerized by the deep azure of his eyes, as vast and deep as the sea. His skin was a delicate alabaster, and, contrasted with the flesh of his hands which were calloused and scarred, his face had not a blemish in sight.

She blinked, clearing away some of the fog that had crept into her mind, put there by the vexatious Slayer. “I must return to my duties,” she said softly.

They spent the remainder of their journey back to the Shrine in silence. She was quick to break away from him the moment they passed under the Torii, though not before she muttered that he was welcome to stay, should he so choose.

She busied herself with her duties, but even the neediest obligations could not fully distract her from feeling the burning heat of his stare as the Water Pillar’s watched her fiercely from across the courtyard. And nothing, nothing at all could have prepared her for how he eventually  joined her in carrying out her duties, 

The Water Pillar stayed the night once more, departing sharply at daybreak. Later, as Y/N swept the courtyard free of loose brush and clutter long after his departure, she noticed a crow sitting high in a tree, its black eyes watching her every movement. Though its gaze was sharp, the presence of the great, sleek bird did not disturb her, though not as much of a feather twitched from its perch upon the branch as the Miko continued through her day. 

As she’d readied for bed later that night, she realized she’d felt oddly comforted by the crow. She imagined it a silent protector, a new guardian of the Shrine, no different than the statues of the gods which dotted its grounds. 

She settled into her futon with a great yawn, the image of a certain dark-haired Swordsman flickering in the back of her conscience until she was swept into sleep’s sweet embrace.

Just outside the Shrine’s sleeping quarters, the bird remained, eyes carefully tracking every shift in the shadows, waiting. 

And then the first light of dawn broke over the horizon, and the threat of night receded once more.

But the crow remained. 

———

Spring, 1915

The crow became a permanent fixture at the Shrine, though it always seemed to keep strictly to a single tree at the edge of the property, one that gave it a full view of the courtyard and structures surrounding the main honden.

Despite the bird's constant presence, more than a month passed before the Water Pillar returned, though he'd seemed even more sullen and withdrawn than he'd been during their previous two encounters. Y/N did not consider herself a friend to Tomioka by any means, but she was the only one brave enough to approach him as he'd lingered by the Torii, apparently unsure whether he should seek out their hospitality or return to the forest.

"You are welcome to come and sit for a hot meal," she called cordially, though she maintained a tentative distance. She frowned when he did not respond. Instead, the Water Pillar continued to stare unseeingly at the cracked stone path leading to the Shrine's courtyard.

"Tomioka-sama?" She pressed gently and the Swordsman's attention finally snapped to her, as though he'd just become aware of her presence.

The haunted look in his eyes sent a chill up her spine. The Miko cast one, cautious glance up at the sky, and her eyes narrowed at the wall of black clouds steadily rolling in from the east. A shift in the wind brought forth the distinct, metallic scent of rain, and if she listened hard enough, she swore she could hear the distant rumbles of thunder. “You know, there will be a storm tonight — please consider waiting it out here, where it’s safe.”

Tomioka only stared at her for a moment before he nodded. His hand twitched into a vague gesture inviting her to lead the way, and Y/N escorted him to the Shrine's elder, in search of her permission.

Granny Priestess agreed to let him stay, but on the condition he paid for his imposition. The Water Pillar had silently agreed, producing one small money bag from his pocket and placing it squarely in the Priestess’s outstretched, waiting hand. 

The heft of the bag had made Y/N frown; it seemed a great sum in comparison to their meager lodging offerings, but the Swordsman did not object, so she held her tongue. To comment would only serve to irritate her Master, and the old hag was scornful enough to assign her to duties that would isolate her from the raven-haired Slayer.

Only after the old Priestess sauntered off, leaving behind nothing but the lingering, bitter stench of sake, did the Miko speak again. 

“I’m glad to see you in good health, Tomioka-sama,” she bowed, though she thought she spied the corner of his mouth twitch down at her formal greeting. “I trust your patrol went smoothly?” 

The Water Pillar’s expression was tight; dark. “It did not. The demon I was tracking managed to get away.” His jaw clenched tight. “But not before it slaughtered an entire family in the mountains.” 

All at once, the world around her seemed to slow. It had been easy to assume the dark-haired Swordsman before her always managed to find his target just in time, before it could slaughter its victim. Now, as she beheld the lethal coldness that had settled over his features, Y/N knew her assumptions had been wrong. 

Perhaps, she noted with a shudder, her rescue had been the exception and not the rule. 

Beneath the icy stoicism limning the Water Pillar’s eyes, the shrine maiden noted a distinct heaviness that weighed down his shoulders; made them curl slightly forward, defeated.

She resisted the urge to reach out to him, in comfort. “I won’t offer you empty platitudes,” she murmured. “But I can invite you to offer your prayers for those who were lost.” 

He looked at her, brows drawn, and she knew his instinct was to decline, so she added, “I will do it regardless of whether you join me.”

All at once, any protest he had was snuffed out within him. Instead, he was left with a curious softness as he regarded the shrine maiden, so assured and earnest in her invitation. 

He didn’t know why he’d sought out the Shrine.

He’s been angry; angry at himself for not being faster, for allowing innocent people to die on his account of his failure.

He still felt angry. Yet, as he followed Y/N into the Shrine’s haiden to light incense, he also felt a solemn gratitude for the Miko, who’d not let him indulge in his self-loathing but instead requested he act, and act with her. 

So he had; and somehow, the weight on his chest, the one that threatened to suffocate him, lightened bit by bit until Giyuu felt like he could breathe once more. 

Later that night, Giyuu spotted the shrine maiden from his window as she darted around the courtyard to light the tōrō to illuminate the Shrine grounds. A deep rumble of thunder, however, signaled the spring storm had finally arrived. Y/N, however, only continued with her task, huddling over herself to strike the matches needed to finish lighting the lanterns as rain began to dampen the landscape around her.

He was about to go outside and demand she return to the warm, dry haven that was the girls’ sleeping quarters lest she catch a cold, but then the last of the lanterns were lit and the shrine maiden straightened.

And then she tilted her face up toward the sky, allowing the rain to wash over her. 

And she grinned. And Giyuu was mesmerized; so much so, that he had not stopped staring at where she’d stood, laughing in the rain, even long after the Miko retired to bed.

-

Y/N awoke well before sunrise the following morning and spent hours laboring over the hot stoves in the kitchen. By the time the sky finally lightened, she'd only just finished her task and was in the process of boxing up her creation when she spotted one of her fellow shrine maidens passing by the entryway.

The Miko called out her name. "Has Lord Tomioka awoken yet?"

Her sister trainee lingered in the doorway. "Oh yes, he's been up for a while," and the girl looked back over her shoulder. “But he is already on his way out —“

The Miko swore viciously under her breath as she slammed a lid atop the small bento and hastily wrapped it in the small cloth she’d swiped from the laundry. 

“Move,” she barked at a small group of trainees that had gathered in the hallway outside the kitchen. The girls flattened themselves against the wall as Y/N sped by. She hurtled up the stairs, nearly tripping in her haste. Just as she burst into the courtyard from the honden, panting and winded, she spotted him.

“Tomioka-sama!” Y/N called, hurrying after the retreating form of the Water Pillar before he could pass through the shrine gates. “I have something for you!” 

The raven-haired slayer turned back to her, his face neutral, though Y/N could tell, by the slightest raise of his brow, that she’d piqued his interest. 

“Thank goodness you hadn’t left yet,” the Miko said brightly, holding out a small bundle wrapped in furoshiki cloth. “I was worried this wouldn’t be ready before you did.”

Tomioka’s eyes dropped to the parcel in her hands. “What is it?” 

Y/N motioned for him to take it, and to her slight surprise he did, holding it slightly in front of him as though it were liable to burst open. “A meal for the road. Granny and I prepared it this morning — as thanks, for everything you’ve done.” 

But the Water Pillar was already shaking his head, trying to press the package back into the shrine maiden’s hands. “I need no thanks; I do my job, and your shrine happens to be part of it.” 

If his words disappointed her, Y/N did not show it. “And yet we are grateful all the same,” she said firmly, arms crossing in front of her chest to avoid taking the small bento back. “Besides, it’s salmon; it will only go bad if you don’t eat it.” 

Had she not been watching him, Y/N would have missed the slight widening of his eyes, or the way his hand twitched back towards himself, bringing the packed lunch closer to him. 

Cerulean eyes watched her for a long moment, before dropping as Tomioka tucked the bento into his pocket. 

“Thank you,” was all he said before he turned away and continued through the gates of the shrine, setting off on the path which would lead him through the forest. 

If she hadn’t known better, she would’ve sworn the Water Pillar looked happy as he departed. 

———

The Slayer returned exactly one week after she’d given him the home-cooked salmon – but he did not return empty-handed. For there, wrapped in the same furoshiki cloth, was a strange, oblong object, sitting in the palm of his hand though if he thought it heavy, Tomioka gave no indication. 

“What’s this?” Y/N leaned curiously over the Pillar’s outstretched hand and squinted, trying to discern what the cloth could have been concealing. 

Tomioka pushed his hand toward her, beseeching her to take the parcel from him. “A knife.” 

The Shrine Maiden looked up at him in alarm, pulling away from the Water Pillar. “Why on earth would I need a knife?” 

He rolled his eyes. “Protection.” 

“From what?” The Miko wrinkled her nose down at his offering, though there was a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “As I recall, I walloped you just fine with my broom.”

Tomioka shot her a dull look. “Be that as it may, cleaning tools are useless against demons. Without the sun, the only thing that works against them is decapitation with this — its metal is unique.” 

He parted the folds of the cloth to reveal a simple blade, though Y/N found it daunting all the same. The hilt was basic, an unembellished metal handle wrapped in plain black leather. The blade itself was an unassuming silver, slightly longer than her hand. 

The Slayer motioned for her to take it, though she only shrunk away. “You know how to use one, yes?” 

The Miko’s eyes met his, wide and anxious. “For domestic uses, of course, but not –” 

Tomioka’s fingers closed around her wrist and lifted, guiding her hand toward the dagger. His hand moved to cover hers, wrapping them both around the hilt of the blade before squeezing. “Grip it like this,” he held their joined hands up for her to inspect. “Keep your hand in a fist; do not lift your fingers away from the grip – that’s the best way to injure yourself instead of your target.” 

But the shrine maiden could hardly focus on the Pillar’s instructions. Her attention was directed entirely at the way her hand was swallowed by his, his skin warm and his grasp firm. She studied how his calluses – thick and forged from years of brutal sword training – pressed against hers; how, despite the roughness of his fingers and palms, and his solid hold still remained gentle. 

“-- and thrust like this,” he remained oblivious to her distraction as moved her arm in a sharp jab, a second and then a third time, before dropping her hand.  “Now do it yourself.” 

His command startled her out of her trance, a heat creeping up her neck from beneath the collar of her kosode. She held out the blade awkwardly before her as scrambled to recall the Water Pillar’s words. To her dismay, all she was able to conjure was the memory of his touch, and how cold she suddenly felt without it. 

Lamely, she mimed jutting the knife at an invisible enemy, the blade gracelessly wobbling through the air. Though she was by no means a swordsman, even she knew something was off, her movements disjointed and clumsy.

She glanced shyly back to the raven-haired Demon Slayer and deflated as she was met only with bemused resignation.

Tomioka shook his head in disdain. “Perhaps you would fare better with a broom.” 

The Miko bristled. “I am not a swordsman —“

“You’ve made that abundantly apparent.” 

“— and I do not have the basics you seem to take for granted.” She finished, glaring indignantly at her raven-haired companion. “So teach me.”

The Water Pillar considered her for a moment before he gave her the slightest, almost imperceptible nod of his head. 

“Watch me.” He turned his body toward the Miko and mimed getting into a defensive stance — feet ajar, his weight evenly distributed on each leg, and bent. 

He looked back to the Shrine Maiden expectantly, and she parroted his movements, crouching into what she imagined was the perfect mirror of his position.

It wasn’t.

“No — you need to—“ Tomioka straightened and huffed, impatient. He moved quickly behind her, and without thinking, his hands shot to grip her hips to guide them into the proper stance, until her weight was evenly distributed on both feet. 

“Like that — now bend your knees.” The ravenette pushed down on her hips until her legs bent, apparently oblivious to the way the Miko flushed crimson.

He was close; far, far too close. She’d never been touched the way the Water Pillar touched her. Tomioka’s hands were twin brands, burning her skin even through the layers of her shrine attire, and it sent every nerve beneath her skin buzzing.

She was aware of every inch of him pressed against her; of his arms, caging her in, his hands twin brands against her hips as he turned and pulled her into the proper stance. She was aware of how warm he was, of how formidable his presence felt, even though to her, he posed no threat. Every movement of his was precise and fluid, like the water he’d claimed to style his techniques after.

And if his touch wasn’t distracting enough, his scent threatened to overwhelm every last bit of sense she’d clung onto. Y/N didn’t know how she hadn’t noticed how good he smelled — like mahogany and citrus — so rich and so warm; a stark contrast to his otherwise cold and aloof nature mask.

The swordsman, however, appeared to remain oblivious. “There,” he finally said, having satisfied that she’d achieved proper form. For moment, the two of them lingered there, with Tomioka’s chest against the shrine maiden’s back, his hands remaining steady in place on her hips. It was as though they’d frozen: Y/N, out of a mixture of shock and red-cheeked embarrassment, and Tomioka out of utter cluelessness.

Another beat passed before the Water Pillar finally realized the compromising nature of their position. His hands dropped quickly from her hips, and there was a rush of air at Y/N’s back as he swiftly stepped away, putting distance between them once more. 

The raven-haired Slayer gruffly cleared his throat. “You should also keep wisteria on you.” And Y/N gulped down her embarrassment to turn back toward him. 

Tomioka kept his face neutral and cool, but the tips of his ears had turned pink. “Check your perfumes for it or ask one of the other shrine girls if you can borrow theirs – oil would be better. More concentrated”

Any residual awkwardness that may have lingered fell quickly away. The Miko only stared blankly at him, her head tilted slightly to the side as her eyebrows pinched together. “Perfume?”

Tomioka blinked. “Yes. As all women have.” 

It was an effort to fight off the smile twitching at the corners of her lips. “Exactly how many women do you know, Tomioka-sama? Such that you would know their perfumery habits, that is.” 

His mouth thinned into a firm line. “Enough.” 

And though Y/N supposed he’d meant to sound self-assured and confident, the Slayer was betrayed by the slight doubt in his voice, as though he’d been questioning his own answer. 

The shrine maiden only continued to look at him, her eyebrow slightly raised, amused. The longer the silence stretched between them,the more awkward the ravenette grew, his discomfort plain from the way he shifted under her stare. 

“You seem like someone who would use it.” He finally offered, after another moment of quiet.

It was her turn to blink, taken aback. Her smirk quickly slid from her face and with a grimace, she felt her right eye twitch, ever so slightly. “Apologies, then, for disappointing you.” 

Tomioka frowned and he made like he was going to respond, but the Miko squared her shoulders and stalked briskly past him. 

“I must return to my duties, and I’m sure you need to do the same,” she paused in the doorway of the garden hut and cast one, sidelong glance back to where he stood, clueless. “Until next time, Tomioka-sama. Thank you for the blade.”

With that, the Miko paced briskly away from the garden hut, her spine stiff. The Water Pillar remained in place for a moment, stupefied, before he collected himself once more, before setting off back toward the forest; to his Manor.

And as Giyuu retreated through the rusting Torii gate, he could not quite shake the distinct impression he’d done something wrong, though he knew not what. 

–

The Water Pillar returned the following week, though to a decidedly cooler greeting than that which he’d steadily grown accustomed to receiving. 

That wasn’t entirely true — the majority of the Shrine’s residents had welcomed him warmly, their kindness always far more than he thought he deserved. Only one hadn’t greeted him as enthusiastically as the others, and to his annoyance, that one was the only person whose opinion of him mattered, even if he couldn’t quite articulate why.

She hardly stopped to acknowledge his arrival, only gracing him with a brisk nod, though she’d refused to meet his eyes. Bemused, Giyuu followed her across the courtyard as she made her way to the Shrine’s small storeroom. He leaned against the doorway and watched as the Miko began pulling jars of dried herbs from the rickety shelves lining the walls and stacked them on a sizeable work counter that cut halfway across the room. All the while, she continued pointedly ignoring him, humming lightly under her breath as though she could not see or hear him as he shifted against the doorframe, waiting.

Her obstinate silence grated at him. “May I assist you?”

“No, no, I am perfectly fine, thank you.” She turned away to browse the shelves once more, before finding what she needed: a stone mortar and pestle.

The grinder settled against the wooden counter with a heavy thud and the shrine maiden snatched up one of the jars she’d stacked and dumped its contents into the bowl, followed by another bottle of herbs. Pestle in hand, she set to work grinding the leaves together, mixing in a vial of fragrant oil she’d kept in her pocket to create a thick paste.

Giyuu watched her quietly as she worked. “You’re…” he frowned. “You’re behaving strangely.”

Y/N glanced up at him. “In what way?” 

“You’re trying to avoid me.” 

“Am I?” She straightened, rolling her shoulders. “Only because I’ve not yet bathed today. I didn’t want to risk offending you with my stench.” 

Giyuu paused. “Why would that matter?” 

“You made sure to point out you thought I needed perfume during your last visit.” 

He pushed off the doorframe, eyebrows knit together. “For protection.” 

The shrine maiden rolled her eyes. “Yes, and apparently, because you believe I am the type to need it.” When Giyuu only continued to stare at her with that same, mildly lost expression, Y/N groaned, exasperated. “You implied I stink.” 

The Water Pillar’s jaw slackened as he gaped at her. “That is not –” 

“It is what you implied,” she repeated, turning away from him to focus on her task of grinding herbs, though the force with which she ground the pestle was perhaps greater than necessary.

Giyuu rounded the small countertop of the Shrine’s storeroom to face her head-on. “I like how you smell.” He insisted. “It’s nice.” 

The Miko’s irritated churning of the stone paused and her eyes finally lifted to his. For a long moment, she watched him, head slightly cocked. 

“You are very odd, Tomioka-sama.” 

But she said it with a small smile that he almost wanted to return. 

Before long, things between them returned to normal once more, with the Miko directing him to collect her gathering basket from where she’d left it in the Shrine’s infirmary and bring it to her. Once he returned, he helped her grind charcoal to make incense sticks as she chatted happily away. 

Surprisingly, Giyuu found himself not only engaged in her musings about daily life at the Shrine, but offering her small personal anecdotes of his own, though he was not nearly as proficient as she when it came to story-telling.  

Once the sun began setting once more, and he received no new orders from Headquarters, he simply sought out the Shrine’s head Priestess and silently passed her a small money bag. 

And then Giyuu retired to the guest’s quarters for the night. 

—--

As spring warmed into summer, the Water Pillar began making bi-weekly visits to the Shrine that quickly melted into habit; expectation. Once a fortnight, a thrill would settle over the young maidens in anticipation of the arrival of the stoic yet handsome Slayer, with girls of all ages eagerly looking toward the Shrine gates in hopes of spying him the moment he crossed beneath the Torii. The elder employees of the Shrine had learned to time Tomioka’s arrival by listening for their excited gasps, exhaled as a collective as brooms and rices sacks were dropped where their handlers stood, the girls far too interested in rushing to greet the exalted Slayer than they were in completing their tasks. 

“I do not see the reason for such excitement,” she sniffed, though even she wasn’t stupid enough to think her fellow trainees bought her bluff. “He is only a swordsman.” 

“A handsome one,” a wispy trainee named Miyoko sighed dreamily. “And no doubt strong and capable.”

The group of maidens dissolved into another fit of giggles, concealing their blushes behind their hands.

“His face is attractive, but his hair is odd,” another commented. “It looks like he’s hacked at it with his own blade.” 

“Oh, who cares about his hair? I’m far more interested in what’s beneath that uniform —“

“Enough,” Y/N snapped. While her friendship with the Water Pillar was tenuous  at best, the suggestive way her sisters-in-training spoke of him left her feeling decidedly discomforted.

Though, if she were honest with herself, she’d admit that she, too, wondered whether Tomioka’s strength was the product of a finely-hewn tuned physique. But she wasn’t, so she bottled that thought up and tucked it tightly away, where it belonged. 

Slowly, her cohorts all turned to look at her.

“You seem to spend a great deal of time with him, Sister,” Miyoko directed at Y/N, who felt her cheeks heat. “Is there anything you’d like to share?”

“Tomioka-sama always asks where Sister Y/N is, the moment he arrives!” A tiny voice chimed, and Y/N’s eyes slid shut in an effort to fight off a wince.  “Sometimes they even do chores by themselves!”

Komatsu. At only ten, she was the Shrine’s youngest trainee, and followed Y/N around like a shadow. Not that the shrine maiden minded all that much; she tended to spoil the girl a bit, when she could. But as pure as the girl’s intentions surely were, she’d yet to lose that childlike earnestness that made her prone to revealing information that Y/N rather remained a secret. 

“Alone with a man?” Miyoko repeated, her eyes shining with malicious glee. “How scandalous — even for someone without a family to embarass, dear Y/N.”

“Careful, Miyoko,” she warned softly. “Don’t go speaking on matters of which you know nothing.” 

“Or what? What would you do?” 

As fond as Y/N was of her sisters-in-training, one did not make it through the Shrine’s rigorous education and training without learning how to trade in the kind of currency young women valued most.

Information; specifically, gossip. 

So the shrine maiden only leveled Miyoko’s own smug smirk with one of her own. “Or I shall tell Granny how you spend your afternoons kissing the boys from the village, rather than tending to your lessons.” 

The other girls gasped, their stares turning back to the gossiping shrine maiden. She savored how quickly the girl’s prideful grin slipped from her face as the weight of the threat settled. 

While Y/N, parentless and thus without anyone to truly care about her propriety, was being primed to take over Granny Priestess’s position overseeing the shrine, her position was unique. She was parentless and thus, without anyone to truly care about her propriety or whatever other ridiculous expectations of modesty that were often attached to other young women her age. In being no one, Y/N was relatively free to do as she pleased, and that freedom almost made up for her lack of belonging.

But the other girls residing at the Shrine were different. Families across the region sent their daughters to the Shrine for training, not only in their cultural practices and arts, but also for education; to become well-rounded women who would then serve to be valuable marriage prospects once they returned home. 

Scandal would not affect her; but it would affect someone like Miyoko.

“How do you think your parents would feel, to know their heir was behaving so brazenly in public? Risking her reputation on the marriage market before she’s even entered it?”

Truthfully, she liked Miyoko; had gotten along well with her, in fact. But she would not risk those sacred few moments she spent with the Water Pillar in an effort to keep the peace with another trainee. Not when those few instances she spent in his company were the only times she’d felt connection — true, human connection and belonging. 

Her sister-in-training ruefully fell silent, and Y/N savored her victory. Later, when she was left with nothing but the company of her own thoughts, however, the exchange played back in her mind.

In all her posturing, she’d managed to avoid having to answer for Miyoko’s lofty observation. 

You seem to spend a great deal of time with him, Sister. 

She did; and, to her slight horror, she realized that she had no interest in stopping. 

She only wanted more.

–

It was past dawn when Giyuu trudged under the great Torii gate of the Shrine, exhausted and aching. 

It had been a long while since a demon was last capable of wounding him, but he’d been blown backward by a delayed attack that hit after he’d beheaded the damn thing. As a result, he’d been sent flying back, slamming through a dilapidated wall of the abandoned hut he’d tracked the creature to, resulting in a sizeable gash to his shoulder. 

He grit his teeth in mild annoyance. He would need some treatment of his wounds — not that they were deep by any means, but they were substantial enough that he knew infection could spell trouble for him, should it spread. 

Some small, irate voice in his head snidely reminded him he could have just as easily gone to the Butterfly Mansion for treatment — that, in fact, the Insect Pillar’s estate had been much closer to the location of his mission than the Shrine had been. He’d rationed that, as much as he admired and respected Kocho, he was still a bit raw from her mocking about how unliked he truly was among his comrades. 

Besides, he groused. Kocho was not the one he really wanted to see, anyway. 

He found Y/N in the Shrine’s storeroom, seated upon the floor with a detailed ledger spread out before her as she took inventory of various scrolls and texts.

Giyuu did not bother to announce himself. “You have medical training, do you not?”  

The Miko startled, the charcoal stick she’d been using to tally the ledger clattering to the floor. She blinked up at him in surprise. “Tomioka-sama — welcome, it’s been a few weeks — forgive me, I did not see you come in.” She quickly rose to her feet, shutting the store ledger and tucking it under her arm. 

Her eyes found the blood-stained shoulder of his hair and widened. “I have some; I can stitch and dress wounds —“

He nodded. “Then I require your assistance.” 

—-

Y/N led him to a small office inside the honden that served as the Shrine’s unofficial infirmary.  “Take a seat,” she nodded at a small stool that sat under the room’s solitary window, right by a modest working table. “Let me see what we have.” 

Tomioka sat upon the stool with his back to her as she busied herself sifting through cupboards in search of supplies. “What sort of wound is it?”

She turned back and nearly dropped a tin of medicinal salve she’d located as she beheld the Water Pillar strip himself of his clothing from the waist up. 

There, across his right shoulder blade, she saw it — saw his blood. Quickly, she located thread and a needle and she grabbed a roll of cloth that could double as wrappings and she crossed back across the room.  

She spread her bounty out across the table, right beside the neatly folded pile of his clothing. Silently, she set to work cleaning the gash, and she breathed a quiet sigh of relief when she saw that it was little more than a shallow flesh wound.

“Lucky you, this won’t need stitching,” she said lightly as she wiped away the last of the dried blood from the Water Pillar’s skin. “But I shall need to wrap it so it won’t become infected.”

Tomioka only gave her a curt nod. She stepped back to work open her tin of medical salve, and as she warmed the substance in her hands, she let herself fully examine the Swordsman sitting before her. Her eyes trailed over the sculpted planes of his back. It surprised her how muscular he was, given his leanness. Yet, without the layers of his uniform shirt and haori, she could see he was well-built, each muscle defined. 

She didn’t know why it surprised her that there was a man beneath the mask of the Slayer, but what a man he was. Her mouth went dry at the thought. It was an effort not to allow her eyes to wander lower; to ponder what he might look like under his uniform pants, stripped and fully bare before her — 

“What is that scent?” Tomioka’s sudden question startled her away from her increasingly treacherous thoughts. 

She’d never been more grateful to be facing away from him. That way, he could not see the blush coloring her cheeks as she hastily slathered the salve across his wound. “Anti-septic; I know it’s rather stringent, but — ”

The Water Pillar shook his head. “I know what antiseptic smells like. I mean you. The scent you wear.” 

She pursed her lips for a moment before she recalled the distinctly floral scent of her cleansing oils. “Sakaki blooms, I suppose.”

“What properties does it have — what are its effects on others?” He pressed. She was surprised at how insistent he seemed, and there was almost an urgency in his tone that unsettled her. 

“None, to my knowledge — why do you ask?”

The tips of Tomioka’s ears turned pink and he turned away from her, lips pressed into a firm line. “Forget I said anything.” he muttered after a moment, his shoulders and spine stiff.

Neither one of them spoke again as Y/N finished treating the Water Pillar’s  injury and wrapped it. 

“You're done,” she said after a moment, tapping him lightly on his other shoulder. 

“You have my thanks,” Tomioka quickly refastened the buttons of his uniform shirt as the Miko stepped aside, pointedly wiping her hands clean with a small cloth. She only looked at him once he lifted his haori from where he’d carefully laid it atop the small examination table, but her eyes narrowed as he rose from the stool, shrugging the material back over his shoulders. “I am happy to pay you for the resources you used —“ 

Y/N did not appear to be listening, not as she leaned forward and pinched the sleeve of his haori between her thumb and index finger. 

“You have a tear,” she frowned, rubbing the fabric between her fingers. “Right here, see?” 

There, on the side bearing his sister’s half of his haori, right where his sleeve met his shoulder, was indeed a small hole, the threads around it broken and shifting slightly in the wind. 

The Miko’s hand fell away, and she squared her shoulders, mouth set in a firm but determined line. “If you’ll give me a moment, I assure you I can have it repaired in no time –” 

“Not necessary,” the Swordsman said abruptly, twisting back from her. “I can figure it out on my own.” He would not part with it, would not so much as let another put their hands on it and risk ruining his most cherished possession. 

Y/N only stepped toward him, ignoring his attempt at distance. “There’s no need to be prideful,” she huffed impatiently. “Truly, it would take no effort at all –”

“No.”

“Why are you being so difficult?” She snapped, but her hands continued reaching for him, for his sleeve – 

Tomioka snatched her wrist mid-air and held it there, halting her. “No one touches this. Understand?” 

Y/N’s lips parted in faint surprise at the Water Pillar’s severity. Her eyes darted to where his fingers were locked tight – uncomfortably tight – around her wrist. When she glanced back at the stone-faced Slayer, she felt a chill lick down her spine. She’d known he could be intimidating against threats, even without saying a word. It was his eyes – his eyes would harden, with the lapiz hue of his irises darkening to something more akin to indigo, as he stared down an opponent. She’d witnessed it the very first night she’d met him. 

She just hadn’t thought she would ever be on the receiving end of such a cold glare. 

“I understand,” she said softly, and she began flexing her wrist against his grip in an effort to work herself free from his hold. “Please forgive my indiscretion, Tomioka-sama. I overstepped.” 

The raven-haired Slayer blinked and quickly let her go, her wrist falling limply back to her side. Just outside the infirmary’s small window, he heard the familiar, urgent cry of a crow.

He’d never been more grateful for a distraction.  “I must be on my way.” His tone was stiff; clipped. 

“But — you’ve only just arrived —“ 

“Farewell, Y/N.” Giyuu gave her a curt nod.

Helplessly, the Miko watched as the Water Pillar stalked out of the small office, his hands curled into fists at his sides. He did not so much as spare a glance back, leaving Y/N to wonder whether she would see that odd patterned haori again.

The thought she might not made something cold and heavy sink into her gut.

—-

(One week later)

It wasn’t often that Giyuu Tomioka found himself annoyed, much less angry. He much preferred channeling his existing emotions into slaying demons, allowing them to taste a fraction of the rage and hatred he felt deep within, a vicious fire he so rarely let bubble up to his service.

Until that evening. After the fiasco that was Mount Natagumo and the subsequent chaos at the Master’s mansion as a result of the Kamado boy and his demon sister, Giyuu had finally noticed that the previous day’s trials had resulted in the tear along the shoulder of his haori that he knew could no longer be ignored. 

He grit his teeth; the battle against the Lower Moon spider demon had hardly required him to exert any energy — yet the demon’s last ditch attempt to preserve its life had managed to enlarge the small hole in his most prized possession, and the Water Pillar was utterly without the skill to repair it. 

So, he’d been forced to sit through the meeting with the Master, the hole in his haori feeling more like a gaping wound that only festered with every passing moment, until finally, finally they’d been dismissed. 

Giyuu hadn’t wasted any time departing swiftly from his Master’s estate, though that hadn’t stopped him from catching the tail end of Shinazugawa’s biting remark of how fuckin’ typical it was for him to leave without so much as a farewell to his comrades. He tried not to let the Wind Pillar’s words get to him; but he was unworthy of their company regardless, so he supposed it really didn’t matter what they thought of him. It shouldn’t. 

And so, that was how Giyuu found himself padding silently along the cracked, stone pathway which led to the Shrine at the edge of his designated territory, ready to eat crow and ask for assistance from a particular Miko whom he felt certain would not hesitate to remind him of how he’d coolly rejected her help only days earlier. 

Hence, his irritation. 

So, his movements stiff and his mouth twisted into a firm grimace, Giyuu stalked under the Torii and into the main courtyard of the old Shrine. It was coming upon midday, though there was a thick cover of clouds overhead that threatened that open up at any moment and shower rain across the region. He ignored the respectful bows of the Shrine’s various inhabitants and staff, eyes sweeping over faces in search of her. 

He located her near the storehouse, chatting with one of her fellow trainees as the pair worked to clean vegetables. Giyuu trudged over to her, eyes locked unwaveringly on her serene, easy smile, as he tried to ignore the way it made something in his gut clench and churn. 

He drew to a stop right before her and her Shrine-sister, the latter looking up at him with wide eyes, her hands stilling over her work as she looked up to the Slayer in awe. 

Giyuu cleared his throat but Y/N only continued wiping the dirt from carrots with her cloth. 

The ravenette tried again. “I am in need of your assistance.” 

Y/N’s comrade nudged her with her elbow, but the Miko only continued to clean, pointedly ignoring them both. 

Giyuu pursed his lips. “With my haori. The tear has grown larger —“

“I am busy.” Y/N’s tone was clipped. “Perhaps there are others who might assist you.”

“Please.” 

The Shrine Maiden’s hands finally stilled and she lifted her chin to face him. The moment she beheld the pleading sincerity in his eyes, coupled with the hard set of his jaw that betrayed just how desperate he was, her gaze softened.

She sighed. “Very well then,” she rose, brushing her hands free of any residual dirt. She held her chin high and squared her shoulders, determined not to show him how he’d bruised her ego; how he’d frightened her. “Follow me.”

—

The Shrine sat at the base of a great mountain. But, nearly half a kilometer up the winding, twisting path leading up the mountain and carved into its side, was a grassy hilltop that then plateaued into a small overlook that boasted a phenomenal aerial view of the Shrine below. 

The summer grass had turned a vibrant shade of emerald, broken up only by dots of tiny white and blue wildflowers that had gathered in small clusters sprinkled throughout the overlook. At the back of the clearing stood an ancient willow tree, its trunk gnarled and knotted with age, its wisps swaying lazily in the wind.   

It was her favorite spot; a little ways away from the hustle and bustle of the Shrine, which meant they would have some privacy as she worked. Y/N settled down against the grass and pulled a needle and a spool of thread from her pocket. She turned her face up toward the Water Pillar where he stood over her. “I’ll take that haori, now, if you’ll please.” 

Wordlessly, Tomioka carefully slid the garment from his shoulders and handed it to her, though he hesitated in letting go as she took it gingerly into her hands. 

It was clearly very important to the Slayer, and perhaps that was why she felt the need to reassure him. “I promise to take care of it.”

He nodded stiffly and let go of the fabric and the Miko quickly set to work repairing its torn shoulder. The Water Pillar lingered awkwardly beside her for a moment longer before he too, sat in the grass next to her, though his back remained straight, his posture rigid.

She glanced at him as her needle wove the haori’s fabric back together. “I suppose this happened because of your occupation?” 

It was faint, but the shrine maiden swore she saw his mouth twitch into something reminiscent of a grimace. “Yes.”

“You should be lucky it wasn’t your flesh.”

At that, Tomioka scoffed. “I would not allow such a weakling to get close enough to try.”

“My, I’d not pegged you as the boastful sort, Tomioka-sama.”

“It’s not boasting; I speak only the truth.” He retorted evenly. 

The shrine maiden only hummed as she worked. “And what of your family? Do they support your path as a Slayer?”

The Water Pillar turned his head away, his form stiff. For a moment, the Miko feared she would be left to repair his haori in silence, with nothing but the faint whistling of birds to keep her company. 

“I have none,” Tomioka’s voice was soft, nearly swallowed by the wind. “There is no one left to object, even if they wanted to.”

Y/N’s hands paused their work as she thought. “You are alone?”

It would be nice, she supposed, to find another who, like her, belonged to no one; a kindred spirit of sorts.

“I suppose,” Tomioka spoke up after a moment, his eyes squinted in thought. “I have a mentor. But it was he who trained me to join the Corps.” 

“I should hope he’s more sober than mine,” Y/N drawled. “And less irritating.” 

The Miko’s attention was so fixed on her careful stitching along the hole in his haori, that she didn’t see his faint smile at her words. 

——

The Slayer and the shrine maiden continued talking long after she’d finished repairing the tear in his haori. It was only when Tomioka had realized nightfall was a mere hour away that the two reluctantly descended the hillside to return to the Shrine.

“I almost forgot.” The Water Pillar said, halting in front of the honden as Y/N escorted him back to the Shrine’s entrance. He dug into his pockets and pulled something free. “Here. For you.” 

The Miko gaped down at the fat red fruit that sat heavily in his palm. “This is -“ she said breathlessly, “A pomegranate!” 

He nodded, arm still outstretched towards her as he waited to drop the ruby fruit into her hand. 

She shook her head. “No, Tomioka-san, I cannot accept something so expensive-“

“I insist.” The Water Pillar withdrew a small knife and split the fruit in half, staining his hands crimson with the juice that spilled over its soft flesh.

Hesitantly, the young Miko accepted the half he offered her, and thumbed some of the fat, glistening jewels loose. The moment she brought them to her lips, Y/N sighed, contentedly, and for some reason, Giyuu found his cheeks heating as he watched her savor the sweet fruit. 

She lazily opened her eyes after swallowing her first mouthful, but she was startled to see the Hashira staring at her, unwaveringly, and she realized he’d moved closer towards her than he had been only seconds earlier. 

Tomioka’s azure eyes were fixed hard on her lips, as he leaned in close to her, Y/N flushing as he drew nearer. 

Is he going to kiss me? Her traitorous heart thundered at the idea, and it caused her no short amount of grief to know she was uncertain whether she wanted him to do so. As her emotions warred with her logic, the Water Pillar’s gentle fingers cupped under her chin, and his thumb brushed delicately across her lower lip. 

“Pomegranate juice,” he said, but Y/N could still feel the warmth of his breath still as his hand lingered under her chin. His eyes were wide as though he, too, could not believe what he’d just done. 

“Yes,” she breathed, before she felt her cheeks heat. “I – I mean, thank you.”

The Water Pillar’s gaze dropped to her lips and her stomach twisted violently. All at once, awareness seemed to come crashing down upon him, and he then stepped back, his hand falling from its hold on her face and back to his side.

The shrine maiden remained frozen in place for a heartbeat longer. “Are you certain you’re unable to be our guest tonight?” Her voice was little more than a pitiful squeak.

Her eyes lifted to his and she knew the answer before he spoke it. “I cannot,” and to her surprise, he almost looked as disappointed as she felt, but he added hastily, “But I will be back. Soon.”

“Soon,” she echoed, feeling rather dazed. “Yes. Of course. I — we — look forward to it.”

She was thankful that Tomioka had already turned away from her as he made his way down the long, winding steps that led to the main route out of the forest; that way, he could not see the way her cheeks burned crimson, or how she buried her face in her hands as she cursed her own embarrassment.

—

Giyuu was grateful his back was to the young Miko as he retreated through the Shrine’s gates and back to the path which would lead him home. It meant she could not see as he stared at his thumb – the thumb he’d used to clear away the small bead of pomegranate juice from her lips – or how his eyebrows pinched together. It meant she could not hear his heart as it beat wildly in his chest at the memory of how soft and full her lip had been beneath the pad of his thumb, soft enough that some treacherous part of his brain had urged him to lean in, to see if her lips would feel as good against his – 

He shook his head, trying desperately to dispel his wild intrusive thoughts. It was ludicrous; he did not think of the young shrine maiden in that way. Not when she frequently sought to needle him, not when she frustrated him to no end. 

His collar suddenly felt tight; his skin, far too hot. His gaze dropped back down to the hand that had touched her, and it clenched. 

A pomegranate. It was only a pomegranate; nothing more. 

“It was a thank you gift,” Giyuu declared, as though speaking the words out loud gave them more force. “It is nothing more than an expression of gratitude.”

And even his crow, ancient and dull as he was, scoffed at the obviousness of the lie.

——

Late Summer, 1915

Summer blazed hot and humid. But neither the sweltering heat of the sun nor the most arduous missions he took exhausted Giyuu more than the complicated, tangled mess of feelings that had taken root within him. Because with every day that passed, the Miko of the Shrine at the edge of the forest occupied more and more of his mind. And Giyuu did not know what it meant or what he should do about it. 

She’d not just repaired his haori or made him salmon; she’d somehow wormed her way into his every waking thought, and to his great confusion, he found himself almost unwilling to think of anything but her. 

Admittedly, Giyuu Tomioka did not have the requisite tools in his social arsenal to successfully navigate human interaction. He hadn’t quite known the extent of his ineptitude however, until the Insect Pillar had so cheerfully pointed out that none of his comrades, in fact, liked him. That revelation had made him doubt every interaction he’d had since, made him wonder whether even the lower ranked Slayers viewed him with the same apathy, if not the same outright hostility toward him shared by Shinazugawa and Iguro.

He’d come to doubt them all — except her.

Y/N was different; at the end of each visit to the Shrine, the Water Pillar did not find himself feeling drained or unwanted.  He felt lighter; rejuvenated, even. She was a breath of fresh air that Giyuu found more difficult to go without with each passing day. 

She still picked at him, but she did so without the malice he’d normally come to expect, even from those he considered friends, like the Kocho. The young Miko had a way of teasing him that did not leave him feeling decidedly othered. Rather, her japes only spurred him to respond with his own, though admittedly, they tended to fall flat.

He’d known, from the moment she’d attempted to bludgeon him with her broom, that there was more to the Miko than met the eye; but he hadn’t imagined he’d find himself as drawn to her as he was, unable to tolerate going more than a handful of weeks without paying her a visit.

And, given the way she’d blushed after he’d thanked her for repairing his haori, perhaps she was drawn to him, too. Perhaps he hoped she was.

But he would have to wait to find out, for his obligations to the Corps had taken him to a village a considerable distance away from his designated territory. He’d been tasked with investigating a series of disappearances of young women in the region, but his orders had come abruptly enough that he’d not been able to spare a visit to the Shrine before he departed.

He was anxious — eager — to return, though not before he took care of the demon likely behind the mystery plaguing the village he now patrolled.

Nightfall was still a little ways off, and so Giyuu found himself wandering the streets to pass the time. He made his way to a sizeable outdoor market, still packed with shoppers oohing and ahhing over vibrant displays of silk, crafted jewelry, and sugary confectioneries.

Idly, he too, joined other patrons in browsing the small vending stands that lined the bustling village streets, though his perusal was disinterested, if not bored. But his eyes snagged on one small bauble displayed on the merchant’s small stand upon a swath of silk. It was small; unassuming. But the carefully crafted decoration was painted in a startling shade of crimson that he found hard to ignore. 

The image of a certain Miko flashed through his mind. He couldn’t leave without it. he wouldn’t; not when its paint so perfectly matched the color of Y/N’s hakama trousers.

I spend the year longing for autumn. That was what she’d told him, that day on the hillside after she’d repaired his haori. 

He almost smiled to himself. This would be a way for her to enjoy her favorite season even in the scorching heat of summer or the biting cold of winter. 

He waited for the merchant to notice his presence, his fingers twisting around the small money sack he kept tucked in his pocket. His eyes flickered back to the small trinket. Idly, Giyuu wondered when he’d begun associating the color red with the shrine maiden and not with the blood he’d always imagined stained his hands. 

He continued to stare the merchant down until he finally managed to catch the vendor’s eye, who flinched at the intensity of his unblinking stare.   

Giyuu jutted his chin toward the small token. “How much?” 

—-

He found the Miko a few mornings later, relaxing on the hillside overlooking the Shrine. She laid amongst the late summer wildflowers that had bloomed, her form framed against the grass with petals of soft blue and bright marigold. 

Giyuu wordlessly settled beside her, and he tried to ignore the thunderous beat of his heart against his sternum as she rolled her head toward him to greet him with a sleepy smile. They exchanged pleasantries and settled into a comfortable silence, both content to watch the sun rise higher over the horizon.

Easy; it was so easy for him to sit beside her, like it was the most natural thing in the world. 

“So, you are to take over the Shrine, one day?”

Y/N’s head turned to the Water Pillar in surprise; though he’d grown steadily more talkative over the months since she’d met him, it wasn’t often that he initiated conversation. 

She settled back against the cool grass of the hilltop overlooking the Shrine, enjoying the precious few moments of quiet in the early morning before the chaos of the day called her away. “Yes,” though there was a slight uncertainty in her voice. “I’m sure it’s the expectation, after all. I have to repay Granny for her kindness.”

Giyuu frowned. “But is that what you want?”

“What I want is irrelevant,” the Miko folded her arms behind her head and tilted her face up toward the sky. Her eyes tracked the great, fluffy clouds that drifted lazily by, though the Water Pillar suspected she was attempting to avoid having to meet his eye. 

“It’s not irrelevant,” he countered. “If nothing else, you should be allowed to consider other possibilities.”

She did not answer him, and the silence between them stretched enough that he thought to drop the subject, not wanting to press her any further. 

“I think,” she said in that faraway voice that Giyuu had come to learn meant she was trying to conceal some deeply felt emotion. “I think should like to belong somewhere.” Her eyes shone. “No, that’s not it — I want someone to belong to me, and I to them. 

“A husband.” He said flatly. 

The Miko shook her head. “I have never belonged to anywhere or to anyone. I’ve no family to call my own - only an old woman who took pity on me as an infant and raised me. I wonder — what must it be like?” She laid back on the grass and closed her eyes. “That is the one thing I would change. I belong nowhere because I’m no one — nobody’s.” 

Giyuu frowned. “I don’t think that’s true—“

“It is true,” she insisted, though she said it with such ease and conviction, like it was the most obvious and natural thing in the world. “I am here for a moment and then I will be gone, and no one will ever know or remember that there once was a shrine maiden named Y/N here. I’ve made peace with that.”

I would, Giyuu wanted to tell her. I would remember and I would tell them all. 

“I am nobody as well,” Giyuu admitted quietly after a moment. “And I have no one left to belong to.” 

The image of her face, so kind and sad and full of understanding at his words, had stayed with him for the rest of the morning and even as he settled in for a few hours of sleep in the Shrine’s guest wing.  

And in his dreams, her face remained a constant.

—

The sky had turned a vivid shade of orange by the time the Water Pillar emerged from his guest lodgings, ready to depart and resume his duties.  Y/N had been helping another shrine maiden tote firewood across the courtyard when she heard a quiet call of her name.

She turned and saw the raven-haired Swordsman standing near the great Torii gate. 

She looked back to her fellow trainee, who waved her off with a knowing smile, and Y/N brushed her hands clean against her hakama pants before she approached him. 

“Leaving so soon?” And she tried to mask her disappointment at the shortness of his visit. 

Giyuu nodded. “We’ve been stretched thin, in light of a few…changes to our ranks.”

The Miko nodded grimly. He’d told her that a fellow Hashira had been slain a few months prior, and another had retired following a rather violent battle that had destroyed part of a far off city.

“But I wanted to give you this.”

She glanced down to his outstretched hand, where a small parcel was wrapped in plain furoshiki cloth. Stunned, she took the package from him, her eyes flicking between it and the Water Pillar watching her intently.

Gingerly, she unfolded the bundle and unveiled a long, but fragile metal and wood reed.

A hairpin, she realized with a soft gasp. Y/N could scarcely bring her fingers to run over the exquisitely crafted ridges of the leaves that adorned the top portion of the pin, afraid that even the slightest pressure from her touch would cause the Water Pillar’s precious gift to her to crumble. 

I spend the year longing for autumn, she’d told him. She hadn’t thought he’d been particularly interested in listening to her talk; but as Y/N cradled the delicate ornament between her palms, she felt a blush begin to creep across her cheeks. 

As her fingers traced across the delicate ridges of a cluster of maple leaves, lacquered in a thick coat of scarlet paint — a perfect match to the hue of her traditional Miko hakama pants — Y/N realized that perhaps Tomioka had been paying more attention to her than she’d realized. 

For the Water Pillar had given her a piece of autumn to hold onto year-round. 

“Tomioka-san, you do not-“ 

“Giyuu.” The ravenette interrupted her. “Please, call me by my name; it’s Giyuu.” 

Y/N’s mouth closed, but she smiled softly, considering. “Alright. Giyuu — please, you do not need to feel obligated to bring gifts for us — it was only salmon.” 

But Giyuu only shook his head. “I don’t bring gifts for everyone; just you.” 

Y/N turned scarlet. 

“Please, just-“ Giyuu frowned, and Y/N could have sworn she saw the faintest glow of pink coloring the Hashira’s cheeks. “Just take it.” 

“Okay,” her voice resembled a mouse’s squeak as she cradled the pin delicately between her hands. “Thank you. It’s beautiful.” 

“And it wasn’t just salmon.” 

Y/N looked to him in surprise, her head cocked in curiosity. “Pardon?” 

Giyuu exhaled harshly through his nose before stepping closer to her. “This is not only because you made salmon.” Her eyes tracked his hand as it rose to grip the front fold of his haori in his fist. “This – this is all I have left of my family.” 

“My sister,” he gestured to the red half of his haori. “She died protecting me.” His hand drifted to the green and orange patterned half of the garment. “And this belonged to a dear friend. He also perished protecting me – and others.”

The Miko’s lips parted, understanding and sorrow flooding her eyes. “Tomioka-san — Giyuu — I had no idea —“

“They both died because of demons – because I could not help them. And now this is all I have left to remember them by.” And then he did the unthinkable; he grabbed her hand and pressed it against the checkered portion of his haori, right over his heart. His hand was warm and firm. Gentle, though she could feel his callouses against her knuckles as he held it in place. “So it wasn’t just salmon.” He repeated, and there was a heat in his eyes Y/N had not seen before, one that stoked a fire in her belly. “And you are not just anyone.” 

A soft exhale blew past her lips at the sincerity of his words. For the first time in all her nineteen years, she wondered if this was what it meant to mean something to someone.

“Thank you,” she breathed, eyes wide and sparkling with unshed emotion. “I will treasure it.”

She swore she saw a faint blush creep across the Water Pillar’s cheeks, but she brushed it aside as nothing more than the shadows of the sky as twilight darkened the horizon. 

Tomioka nodded. “I must get going now; I will see you soon.”

She did not want him to go.

But the shrine maiden concealed the pang she felt in her chest with a breezy smile. “Farewell, Tomio-“

“Giyuu.” 

She blushed. “Yes — Giyuu. Until next time.”

—

“I cannot believe he lets the old woman charge him an arm and a leg to stay a single night,” Miyoko said in awe as the pair watched the retreating form of the Water Pillar through the shrine house gates. 

The hairpin clutched tightly in her hands suddenly felt like a stone weight. “I’m sure he stays here only for convenience’s sake,” Y/N replied airily, turning sharply away from the egress to the shrine to hide her warming cheeks.  

Miyoko snorted. “Hardly. The Demon Slayer Corps has tons of safehouses throughout the country. Corps members get medical treatment, hot meals, and lodging free of charge.” Y/N’s sister-in-training grunted as she heaved a hefty bag of rice flour from the storeroom to the girls’ side, no doubt hauling it out to prepare the evening meal. 

“I’ve heard of at least four such houses in this region alone. As a Hashira, Tomioka-sama could go to any one of them and be treated far more kindly than he is here.” 

Y/N frowned. “I wonder why, then, he continues to return here so often? Surely our shrine is some distance from his home, given that he stays the night each time.” 

Miyoko shot the young shrine maiden a knowing glance. “Perhaps he tolerates the Granny’s abuse because he is fond of the company.” 

Y/N only felt her face grow hotter as she ducked down, though she felt Miyoko’s amused stare burn through her back. 

—-

The Water Pillar had returned from his intel assignment and promptly journeyed to the Shrine, its inhabitants abuzz as they prepared for the arrival of autumn and the colder months, now only mere weeks away. 

He found the shrine maiden of his interest inside the main wing of the manor, back in the kitchen as she prepared herbs to be incorporated into various salves and medications. Y/N smiled brightly at him as he’d sidled up beside her, taking a handful of dried greenery from the bunch next to her and deftly pulling the leaves from the stem and handing them to her. 

“Is it your day off?” The Miko gratefully accepted the leaves he’d stripped and dumped them into the rocky mortar to join the others. 

Giyuu felt his stomach clench as his fingers brushed against hers. “I have completed my duties for the time being, yes.”

"You're welcome to help me, as long as you do not mind a bit of busy work."

He didn't; of course he didn't. In fact, as he accepted the heavy stone pestle from the Miko and set to work mashing the leaves she handed them into the mortar, Giyuu rather supposed he would do just about anything to remain in the shrine maiden's company, even if that meant assisting her in a task as banal as grinding medicinal herbs. And though the Slayer and the Miko fell into their well-practiced habit of quietly tending to Y/N's duties side by side, there was a notable absence of the bright chatter he'd grown accustomed to hearing during his visits.

The Water Pillar frowned. “You’re quiet.” It was not a question. “There is something on your mind.” 

“Is there?” Y/N hummed loftily, her hands continuing to strip leaves from their stems. “Perhaps I am simply focused.” 

Giyuu found his eyes wandering to the side to study the Miko’s face more often than usual. Though she maintained a pleasant smile as they worked, he could see that it did not fully reach her eyes. And even her sage expression could not conceal the way the troubled look in her eyes, hands pausing their work as she stared at something behind the walls of the small shrine kitchen. 

“Something is bothering you.” Giyuu took the bundle of herbs clutched in her hands and replaced them with his pestle, allowing her to work her frustrations over the paste forming at the bottom of the stone bowl. 

She blushed and refocused her gaze, grinding the pestle hard. “Nothing is wrong!” She chirped. 

“You are a dreadful liar.”

The Miko replied with an airy laugh that made his throat tighten. “So I’ve been told — often, in fact.” 

“There is…trouble in the village,” Y/N said carefully, though she kept her hands busy as she continued to grind herbs into a thick paste. “It is nothing we can’t handle, but it has put many of us on edge. Particularly Granny.” 

Giyuu frowned as he handed the shrine maiden another bunch of leaves from her basket. “What sort of trouble?” 

She hesitated. “It is petty village drama, nothing more.”

“You won’t give any further details?” 

The Water Pillar could not explain it, but he found himself troubled by the way the Shrine Maiden forced a smile and a far too casual shrug of her shoulders. “There are none worth re-hashing.” 

He frowned, but he did not press her further, resolving instead to poke around later. Perhaps he would see whether the Shrine’s head Priestess’s tongue was as loose with information as it was with vulgarity once she’d properly indulged in her sake; he’d make certain she was well-stocked in advance. 

Giyuu furtively glanced back at the shrine maiden’s profile, in part to see whether he could deduce anything from her expressions, but he found himself instead studying her, puzzling over a change in her appearance he hadn’t noticed before.

Sensing his stare, the Miko turned to him with a light smile that then  faltered. “What –?”

“You changed your hair.” It took everything within him not to reach out, to see if her hair would feel as silky in his fingers as it looked shifting softly in the wind. “I’ve never seen it down.” 

“Oh!” Her smile turned bashful, a pretty pink dusting spreading across her cheeks. “I wanted to wear my hairpin – see?” 

She turned her head, the long curtain of her hair rippling smoothly with the movement. With her back to him, Giyuu could see the pin he’d given her neatly tucked into the long strands of her hair, pinning half of it back. The red of the pin’s maple leaves posed a lovely contrast with the hue of her hair. 

Y/N was already quite beautiful, but with her hair partially down, he thought she looked softer; younger. She peeked over her shoulder at him, fingers nervously combing through her tresses. “It’s not practical for every day, of course, but I thought since you’d likely be arriving soon –” 

His eyes widened and Giyuu became acutely aware that his heart now thumped wildly in his throat as Y/N choked off with a squeak, apparently realizing what she’d revealed. Though she hurriedly turned back around, Giyuu could see how the tips of her ears burned bright red. 

Despite her efforts, her admission hung like a cloud in the air between them. She’d worn it – the hairpin – for him. 

Giyuu swallowed thickly. “I like it.” He cleared his throat and turned, allowing his own unruly hair to obscure his face. “On you, that is.” 

For once, the Miko had neither a quick remark nor barb to lob back at him. Instead, she only turned back to her task of grinding her herbs, a thick curtain of her hair concealing her face from his sight.

Once she'd finished bottling up her new medicinal salves, Giyuu helped her carry the tins to the Shrine's storage house, directly across the courtyard from its main wing. The shrine maiden remained curiously quiet, even in spite of his own lame attempts to converse with her. He'd finally given up after his dry comment about the weather went ignored. But every so often, he let his eyes wander to her as they returned to the honden, and that nagging feeling returned as he watched her gnaw incessantly at her bottom lip, a faraway look in her eyes. 

Giyuu was not a nosy man, but the Miko's clear distraction unsettled him. He was about to pull her aside, to demand she tell him exactly what it was that had chased away the smile he so longed to see when they were approached by Y/N's haughty Master.

“Lord Tomioka,” the head Priestess nodded curtly at him in greeting. “I am glad to have run into you — I am in need of your assistance.”

The old Priestess turned to her young protégée. “Go assist the younger ones; they need to give their offerings before dinner.” 

Y/N’s mouth opened to protest but the head Priestess cut her off. “Now.”

To his surprise, the shrine maiden did not argue with her Master, only turning to him to give him a helpless shrug before she began to make her way toward the Shrine’s honden. 

The Water Pillar grimaced. He tried to convince himself the pit in his stomach was only because her odd behavior gnawed at him; that he was only curious to learn what it was that troubled her.  But as the Miko cast one last, reluctant look over her shoulder at him, Giyuu found that he was as unwilling to watch her go as she was to leave. 

If the Shrine’s head priestess noticed his inner anguish, she paid it no mind. “You will accompany me in the kitchen.”

—-

The first thing he noticed was the conspicuous absence of the scent of sake, which he’d grown accustomed to following the Priestess around like a pungent cloud of perfume. He resisted the urge to scowl; he would have to find another way to get the old woman to talk.

Giyuu followed the woman into the small structure that stood adjacent to the honden that served as the Shrine’s kitchen. He watched silently as she pulled a cleaver, large and deadly sharp, free from where it was stored in a cabinet and laid it atop a butcher’s block. The elder stepped outside of the kitchen and returned a moment later, a recently de-feathered and skinned chicken in hand.

“Things around here seem…tense,” Giyuu observed carefully  as the old woman slapped the chicken on the counter for preparation. 

“Tense is one word for it, I reckon,” she bit, taking up her cleaver. “The world we live in is dark. I should think you would know that better than most.”

The corner of his mouth dipped down. “But even your girls seem unusually subdued; distracted.” 

Her eyes flashed to his, piercing and sharp. “You mean Y/N.”

It wasn’t a question. 

“She is always restless this time of year,” the old woman sighed. “Though she loves autumn, she despises winter — or, rather, she despises how it reminds her of what she does not have. And winter is well on its way.” 

He nodded, recalling what the shrine maiden had revealed to him that day, on the hillside.

“But your observation is correct — that is not all of the reason she is so distracted,” the old Priestess said darkly, and Giyuu was surprised to see how alert and focused the normally soused elder seemed. “A man from the village — Susumo — has been following her. Demanding her.” 

Giyyu straightened. “What do you mean by ‘demand?’” 

The haggard woman cursed below her breath as she broke down the chicken’s body. “I mean in the way that men often feel entitled to women — especially angry drunks like him.” 

Every hair on Giyuu’s body stood straight as the weight of the Priestess’ warning settled. 

“I have forbidden her from venturing out in the dark alone,” the Granny continued, harshly wrenching a joint on the fowl. 

“She is a Priestess in training; surely that status affords her some protection?” Giyuu’s knuckles turned white where his fists clenched at his sides. 

“I’m not sure the shrine is enough to keep him out for much longer. He’s been lingering — and threatening consequences, if I do not agree to hand her over to him for marriage.” The old Priestess grimaced. “Her status does her no good if he burns this place to the ground.” 

The old woman set her cleaver next to her with a heavy thud, her frustration palpable. “The girl is of age, and I am not her blood family; there is no one here who can claim authority over her, not like a parent or an elder sibling.” When her eyes lifted to his, Giyuu could see a hint of fear underlying the hard anger in her gaze. “These days, I half-expect to awaken and find that she’s been stolen in the night.” 

The Water Pillar felt his jaw clench. It was rare that he felt the burning flush of anger and it was not directed at a demon, but the idea that Y/N was being harassed and threatened by some village drunkard who felt entitled to her, lit something hot in his stomach. For as vexatious and confounding as he found the young Miko to be, no one deserved to be stalked like prey. 

Especially her. 

“I’ve had a crow stationed here to alert me of any demon attacks for months,” Giyuu began, and the old woman looked to him in surprise. “But I will assign more to keep watch during the day. If there is anything strange afoot, they will tell you.” He paused a moment before adding, “And they will alert me, too.”

The head Priestess laid down her cleaver to look at him, long and hard. “Then she may have a fighting chance yet, Lord Hashira.”

————-

By the time he found Y/N once more, dinner was over and the moon had risen high in the night sky, casting the shrine grounds in its pale, silvery glow.

He’d told her, rather tersely, that he was unable to stay the night, and he tried to ignore how his chest tightened at the crestfallen look that flashed across her face. Despite her tangible disappointment, she insisted on escorting him out of the Shrine, desperate to cling to every second that might be spared to them.

“You are rather quiet tonight,” the Miko observed, walking him to the grand Torii. “More so than usual.” It was an understatement; the Water Pillar had been downright sullen and withdrawn from the moment he’d returned from whatever takes Granny had insisted she help him with. 

Rather than give her any explanation, Giyuu halted his step and reached for her wrist, stilling her. “You did not tell me you were being harassed.” 

She looked up to the Water Pillar in surprise. “How did you —?” 

He released her from his grip in favor of drawing closer to her. “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

Y/N opened and closed her mouth, struggling to find her words. “I suppose,” she began, but her mouth quirked down in a frown. “I did not think you needed to be burdened by something so insignificant.” 

Giyuu stared at her as he mouthed the word insignificant, the look he shot her giving the distinct impression he thought her an idiot. “I do not think your safety is insignificant,” Giyuu’s hand drifted to the hilt of his sword, clenching it tight. “Nor do I think you are insignificant.” 

“Compared to your other obligations? I should think I’m very unimportant.” Y/N turned away from him, fiddling with a gathering basket she carried on her hip to avoid having to look him in the eyes.

But the raven-haired Pillar caught her wrist and turned her back to face him, not willing to be ignored. “If you call for me, I will come to you.” 

Y/N’s heart lurched at the Water Pillar’s words, spoken with such conviction and sincerity that it made her falter in her step. “Tomioka-san,” she said breathlessly, her eyes wide as she turned to him. “You have far more important duties to see to than to concern yourself with than mere village drama —“

But the raven-haired Hashira only shook his head as he took another step towards her, his expression severe; calculating. “You have the knife I gave you, yes?” His eyes dropped to her pocket, and Y/N felt compelled to show him that the small blade was indeed tucked safely within the folds of her hakama pants. 

“Giyuu,” she pled, and she noted the way that he twitched towards her at the sound of his name falling from her lips. “Please, don’t worry —“

“I do not make promises I cannot keep,” the Water Pillar cut her off, closing the distance between them until the tips of his zori nearly grazed hers, his head bent down towards her as the heat of his stare threatened to consume her. “So I repeat: if you call for me, I will come to you.” 

Any thought of arguing faded from her mind as Y/N became keenly aware of the lack of space between their bodies, of the way her hands, clasped in front of her chest brushed against the folds of his haori as it shifted softly with the wind. 

“I understand,” she breathed. Y/N held his gaze for a long moment, though it was in part due to the battle waging within her not to allow her eyes to drop to his lips.

She would not let herself acknowledge how close they were; how soft they looked, or how warm they might feel against hers; her skin. 

Giyuu lingered as well; after a pregnant pause, he finally stepped back, blinking as though coming out of a trance. “Good,” he nodded, and he glanced furtively over her shoulder. His eyes narrowed and he nodded as though satisfied before he turned crisply on his heel to begin his trek towards his duties and away from her. “Do not forget.” He called one last time over his shoulder, before the shadows of the woods swallowed him whole. 

As Y/N dazedly made her way back towards the shrine, a crow following closely behind her, she almost laughed at the suggestion she could. 

——-

Autumn, 1915

The weeks passed by without much fuss, and soon, the palpable tension that had settled over the Shrine as a result of Susumo’s lingering threats subsided. Soon, life at the Shrine returned to normal, and Y/N often found her mind wandering to thoughts of raven hair and endless blue eyes. 

Until that night.

It had been a normal evening at the Shrine; autumn, blissful autumn had arrived, heralding forth crisp winds and golden skies. Though the days were steadily growing shorter, Y/N found herself rejuvenated by the new chill, especially as she watched the leaves of the trees shift from green to gold to ruby. 

The leaves on her hairpin indeed had been a perfect match to those which were steadily drifting from the tall maples dotting the Shrine. Though she couldn’t wear her hair down the way she had the last time the Water Pillar paid the Shrine a visit, Y/N had found new ways to incorporate his gift into her daily life, weaving it through her plait or tucking it behind her ear. 

That night had been one like any other; after dinner, the girls of the Shrine had scattered to tend to their evening duties.  The shrine maiden had been walking alongside her Master, planning for the upcoming festival in the nearby village, during which the Shrine would seek new patrons to keep it operational. The women mulled over which families might be more inclined to assist them, and settled on a prominent merchant known to frequent other shrines on his travels through the country.

That was when they’d spotted the smoke.

“Fire!” A shrill voice cried, and both the old Priestess and Y/N blanched. “The honden is on fire!”

All at once, chaos broke out across the Shrine grounds as girls darted to and fro, frantic. Granny began barking at her charges, ordering the younger ones to gather in the courtyard while instructing the older girls to assist in putting out the flames.

"The granary!" Someone else cried. "The granary has gone up in flames!"

The elder Priestess snatched Y/N's wrist in her weathered hand. “The scrolls!” Granny's expression of horror was a sure match to her own. “They’re in the storeroom near the granary!” 

The scrolls in question had been in the Shrine’s custody for over five hundred years, carrying sacred inscriptions of the gods and prayers essential to its operation and legitimacy.

They were priceless; irreplaceable. 

“I’ll go!” And before her Master could protest, the Miko had already turned away and began sprinting toward the fire that was rapidly engulfing the granary near the back of the property.  

Thankfully, the storeroom had yet to catch fire, but if the one steadily consuming the granary was not dealt with soon, it wouldn’t be long before it spread to consume the small wooden hut. 

And Y/N knew it wouldn’t take much to reduce the storeroom to ash. 

Coughing, she pressed her arm to her nose and mouth, using the large bell sleeve of her kosode to block some of the smoke that burned her eyes and nose. She pulled her other sleeve over her hand to protect it as she pushed the storehouse’s door aside. 

Inside was dark; quiet. Though the nighttime made it difficult for her to see the scrolls and prints carefully rolled and tucked away into tiny cubbies lining the hut’s walls, Y/N wasn’t stupid enough to waste time searching for a candle to light. So, with only the flames eating away at the granary at her back to light her way, she began pulling handfuls of scrolls free from their storage, tucking them under her arm. 

She turned to take her first armload of priceless Shrine artifacts from the storeroom and nearly tripped over a collection of heated coal pans that had been stacked in the corner to keep the scrolls sealed within the room at a stable temperature. She managed to hold onto her scrolls, however, and she quickly moved them away from the hut, placing them safely on a nearby rock that was still far enough away from the storeroom should it catch fire. She returned to the hut to survey what else she needed to salvage, but a familiar, tiny yelp and the flurry of movement in her periphery made the Miko’s stomach twist.

“Komatsu!” Y/N turned and saw the anxious younger girl lingering at the storage hut’s door, her tiny hands trembling. “Get away from here! It’s not safe!” 

“B-but Sister,” the girl cried, hopping anxiously from foot to foot. “This is too much to do on your own —“

“You need to go find Granny,” the shrine maiden ordered. “I will join you in a moment.”

The girl’s lower lip wobbled. “But —,”

“Now!”

With a great sniff, the girl turned away, leaving Y/N alone once more. The Miko sighed and resumed her hasty perusal of the hut’s shelves, searching for anything else that could not be replaced. 

There was a rustling near the doorway and Y/N bit her lip in an effort not to swear in front of her younger peer. “Komatsu, what did I say —“ 

She turned to admonish the girl, but her reprimand dried instantly on her tongue. For there, in the entryway to the storeroom, was Komatsu, her eyes wide and her face bone-white with a terror that matched Y/N’s own.

Because the girl was not alone.

Wrapped around her bicep was a hand, as large as a small boulder, and tipped with long, wicked claws that threatened to pierce Komatsu’s bicep. The hand was attached to a forearm, inhumanly thick and muscled. Slowly, Y/N’s eyes dragged up the length of the monstrous arm to behold the sinister face that grinned at her. 

It was Susumo — only it wasn’t Susumo. Y/N recognized the vague features of the face that had once belonged to the village drunk and her personal tormentor. His hair was the same as was the general shape of his face, and the cruelty of his smirk, but that was where the resemblance to the Susumo she’d once known ended.

Now, he boasted a row of sharp fangs that distended nearly to his lower lip. And his eyes — no longer were they a cold, soulless black; now they were crimson red, and his pupils were cut into catlike slits.

Demon. A voice whispered in her mind. Demon.

“Enjoy my fires, Priestess?” Even Susumo’s voice had changed, forming a growl that matched his monstrous appearance. “I set them for you — I knew you would not be able to resist seeing such a spectacle.”

“Komatsu,” Y/N ignored him in favor of addressing the young girl, though her voice was unusually high though she fought to keep it as steady as possible. “Please go find Granny and help her with the honden.” 

The young trainee trembled but Susumo’s clawed hand only tightened around her arm. “I’m afraid I can’t allow that, sweet Priestess,” the demon crooned. “You have something I want, you see.”

The slick, oily look in his eyes made his desire clear.

Y/N’s eyes darted quickly around the hut, finally falling on a series of coal pans stacked to the side of the room, only a few feet from where she stood, paralyzed. Her quick, cursory glance at the pans revealed iron that was slightly red, and she swore she could see the air around them distorted by the heat.

Hot; they were still hot.

The Miko looked back to where the demon continued to leer at her, ravenous. “Fine,” she said coolly. “I will go with you, Susumo.”

Komatsu looked between her and the demon in horror, but Y/N only kept her eyes locked with the demon’s. She edged closer to where the coal pans were still burning hot, eyes not daring to drop his as she drew closer to the demon and the younger trainee. He grinned, revealing cruelly sharp and bloodstained teeth, and his yellow eyes shone with a triumphant smugness, believing the Miko was surrendering to him at last. 

As she brushed past the pans, Y/N furtively reached out a hand and closed her fingers around one of the handles. “Komatsu,” the Miko kept her eyes carefully trained on the demon. “Run.”

Her hand seized around the coal pan and with every ounce of her strength, she swung it toward the demon. The hot iron of the pan slammed into the side of his head, forcing him to drop his hold on the younger girl. There was a struggle between the older shrine maiden and the demon, who fought to wrench the pan free from her fierce grip, but Y/N would not relent. 

“Run!” She shrieked at the girl again, and Komatsu darted away. Y/N’s fingers stretched to close around the tiny lever on the handle of the coal pan, and with a snarl of fury, she managed to latch around it, squeezing it with all her might. The lid of the pan opened and red-hot coals spilled forth over the demon’s head. Susumo howled in fury, and Y/N dropped the pan, letting it crack against his head as she shot past him, desperate to escape the tiny storeroom.

The faster she got into open air, the better chance she had of living. 

But a claw, sharp and deadly sunk into her bicep, and yanked her back. She could not help the small scream that tore from her throat as she felt his talons rip at her skin and the sleeve of her kosode was shredded into ribbons beneath his nails.

“Sister Y/N!” Komatsu’s tiny, terrified voice cried out from several feet ahead. 

The shrine maiden swallowed her building panic. “Go!”

The little girl hesitated again and Y/N knew she could not follow after her, not without risking her safety once again. With a defiant scream of rage, the shrine maiden tore her arm free of the demon’s razor-like claws, fighting back the bile that rose in her throat as she felt blood run down her arm, hot and thick. 

The demon grasped wildly at her but found only air. Thinking only of the safety of Komatsu and her fellow trainees, Y/N turned on her heel and ran for the trees, away from the chaos unfolding at the Shrine. 

And the demon, still snarling and panting and undoubtedly enraged, followed her into the forest.

Shit, shit, shit!

Y/N hurtled over a snarled root as she ran, her life dependent upon every stride as she fled the newly-demented Susumo.

In the back of her mind, the Miko knew her efforts were in vain; because for every inch she managed to gain, the angry demon at her heels seemed to gain a foot.

“You’ve denied me for far too long!” The monster’s voice growled behind her, far too close for comfort. “I will have you!”

Y/N palmed the small nichirin knife tucked safely within the deep pockets of her hakama pants, and wildly she wondered whether it was possible to decapitate a demon with such a small blade. Perhaps the Water Pillar should have left her a sword. After all, a sword could not really be that different from a broom, and she’d walloped her fair share of handsy drunkards and would-be thieves with the cleaning tool.

If she lived through the night, she would tell him as much the next time she saw him.

Y/N’s musings did nothing to help her avoid the root of an old tree that jutted out from the earth, snarling around her ankle and sending her flailing to the forest floor. Angry tears of frustration clouded her eyes. Although she knew these paths like the back of her hand, that knowledge did her little good in the dark, as she fled for her life.

Scrambling up to her feet, Y/N caught sight of a pair of eyes watching her from the brambles, dark and inky.

A crow. The image of a certain Hashira flashed before her eyes, as Y/N recalled the way that the members of the Demon Slayer Corps used crows to communicate.

Perhaps this crow was so affiliated, and she was desperate enough to try. “Please!” Y/N begged, sobbing as the crow stared down at her with those black eyes. “Giyuu!”

———

The night had been unusually peaceful for the Water Pillar.

His ambling patrol around his territory’s perimeter hadn’t revealed so much as a whisper of demonic activity. But the absence of any conspicuous threat did not mean his guard was down; his eyes remained sharp, his ear finely tuned, listening for any shift in the wind, any sign that something was amiss and required investigation —

A sudden rustle of leaves sounded from his right, and Giyuu’s hand moved reflexively for his blade, bracing against its hilt in preparation. A small shadow burst from the canopy above him, its wings flapping wildly. He recognized it instantly as the crow he’d assigned to watch over the Shrine — to watch over her.

“Demon attack at the Mountain Shrine!” The crow squawked, circling above him frantically. “Demon attack! Go now — quickly!” 

He hadn’t hesitated to turn sharply on his heel, furiously making his way toward the Shrine. He broke through the line of trees at its edge in record time, and even he’d been taken aback by the chaos that had broken out.

“The honden is on fire!” the old woman cried out to the Pillar as he swiftly landed among the chaos unfolding across the shrine grounds. “The girls were still doing their evening duties – but then another fire was started near the granary!” 

“My crows said a demon had made an appearance,” Giyuu’s eyes carefully scanned the terrified, frantic faces of the Shrine’s residents, his hands braced against the hilt of his sword. “Has anyone been hurt?” 

The head Priestess stared at the Water Pillar in muted horror. “I have not seen – but I haven’t taken any headcount of the girls to know –” 

A piercing cry from near the south gate of the Shrine cut the old woman off, and both Priestess and Slayer whipped toward the sound. A girl, no more than nine, was half-running, half-stumbling toward them, frightened tears streaking down her face. 

“Komatsu!” the old Priestess blanched as she caught sight of the small apprentice’s busted, bloodied lip. With a sob, the young girl flung herself into her elder’s arms and clung tightly to her. “What on earth –?” 

“Sister Y/N!” the girl called Komatsu wailed, and Giyuu felt himself go cold. “Granny – th-that man – he’s a monster!”

The head Priestess paled in recognition. “Susumo?” Giyuu’s gut clenched at the name. The old woman knelt before the girl, her hands clutching wildly at her slim shoulders as she shook her lightly to recenter her. “Komatsu, was Susumo the monster?” 

The young girl nodded. “He was so – hiccup – fast! I didn’t even see him!” She only cried harder. “And t-then Sister Y/N – she grabbed the coal pan and dumped it on him until he let go.” Komatsu trembled as she lifted a shaking hand to wipe at her cheeks. “A-and then she t-told me to r-run –” 

THe old Priestess caught the girl’s quivering chin in her hand and forced her to meet her eyes. “Where is Y/N, Komatsu?” 

Komatus’s eyes were wide with fear. “She ran,” she whispered. “Into the woods – b-but Granny – she was bleeding –” 

The Shrine’s Priestess turned to the Slayer, ready to beg him to follow after the demon and her apprentice, but the Water Pillar was gone. For a brief moment, she feared all hope was lost; that they’d been abandoned and non one would be able to save the young Miko – her heir – from whatever horrid fate awaited her at the ends of Susumo’s crazed, brutal claws.

She caught a flurry of movement right against the dark line of trees that snagged her attention; a flap of the edge of a mismatched haori, and the glint of a blade being drawn, its wielder already furiously making his way into the shadowy depths of the forest. 

The Priestess exhaled and clutched her trembling young trainee to her chest. As she soothed the shaken young girl, the old woman prayed the Water Pillar would not be too late.

–

She was fucked; well and truly fucked.

Y/N had no idea how long she’d spent sprinting furiously through the forest, but she knew she was quickly running out of stamina. Worse, it seemed the demon on her heels knew she was slowing, and was now playing with her. But even his patience seemed to be at its wit’s end; for a sudden sharp blow to her back sent the Miko flying several feet forward until she slammed against the uneven, rough terrain of the forest floor.

Y/N gasped for air that would not come as she tried to push herself up. Crawl! Her mind begged her body. Crawl, damn you!

A dark chuckle from behind sent every hair on her body standing straight on end. A hand locked around her ankle and flipped her over until she was nearly nose to nose with the demon crouched over her. “Got you,” he sang, and the moonlight glinted off the sharp edge of his fangs as he grinned. 

Her fingers found the handle of the knife the Water Pillar had gifted her in her pocket. With a determined grunt, she pulled it free and plunged it deep into the meat of his shoulder, praying furiously to any god who would listen that she might have hit an artery so that he would bleed out. 

The demon loosed an enraged scream and fell away from her, hands blindly fumbling for the blade.  

No longer pinned beneath him, Y/N  scrambled back. Her hands scraped against the broken brush and pebbles below her in her desperate attempt to put distance between herself and the demon rising to his feet ahead of her, snarling. As he began advancing toward her, Susumo gripped the knife she’d buried in his shoulder and with a grunt, he wrenched it free and tossed it carelessly to the side, right along with the last shred of any hope she’d had of making it out of the woods alive.

The demon’s mouth curled into a cruel, savage grin, the moonlight glinting off his long, wicked fangs. “I’m going to enjoy this,” he growled, saliva dripping down his chin as his nostrils widened to scent her blood and her fear. 

This was it; there was nowhere for her to run, no weapon she could try and protect herself with. There was nothing she could do; she was going to die, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Just as Susumo drew upon her, close enough that she could smell the rancid, pungent odor of rotted meat on his breath, he stumbled back, startled. 

One moment the demon was standing mere inches from her, ready to devour her whole; the next, he was sent sailing back, his body smashing into the trunk of a nearby tree with a sickening thump! 

A blur of dark matter soared over the Miko’s head toward the monster. Susumo barely had time to stand before the shadow converged on him once more. There was a flash of light — the moon reflecting off metal — followed by a dull thud. The shrine maiden’s heart lodged in her throat as she watched the head of the former village drunkard roll across the forest floor before distingrating, his body following soon after. 

She was nearly hyperventilating as the shadow turned to face her, but the pall of the moon finally illuminated the face of her savior — her Water Pillar.

“G-Giyuu,” she stuttered, her eyes stinging with unshed tears of relief that washed over her all at once.

But Giyuu did not respond, his lapis eyes narrowing in on the dark stain spreading across the white of her kosode. Y/N cowered at the cold, unbridled rage that contorted the ordinarily stoic Hashira’s face as he began to shake at the sight of her blood. In a flash, Giyuu had closed the distance between them and knelt down by her side, gripping her wounded arm in his hand as he tried to pull her tattered sleeve down and  inspect her wound.

“Tomioka — Giyuu,” she pled, trying to wrench her arm from his iron-like grip. “Please, it’s not that bad —“

“Did it get you anywhere else?” Giyuu demanded harshly, and the authority underlying his tone made Y/N fall silent for the first time since she’d known him. “Did it -“ the Water Pillar hesitated. “Did it touch you anywhere else?”

Y/N was trembling, and the Hashira’s hand around her arm tightened. “Ah!” She winced. “No, I promise, Giyuu, it’s just a flesh wound, I’m fine-,”

“You are bleeding. You are not fine.” Giyuu snapped back. “You could’ve been killed, or turned, or -,” the Water Pillar began to hyperventilate, and it shook the young Miko to her core. The Water Hashira was normally so unflappable, so stoic, that his panicked anger frightened her.

“-So do not tell me you’re fine,” Giyuu’s rant continued. “Not when you could’ve — not when I might’ve failed — not again --”

She was at a loss for what to do as she watched the raven-haired man struggle to form words. Vaguely, she recalled the way the Granny-Priestess had once explained to her that when someone panicked, they needed to regulate their breathing, and there were many ways someone could help force another to breathe properly…

Stomach fluttering, Y/N’s free hand came up to grip the fold of the Water Pillar’s haori. Giyuu’s incessant rambling only ended when her lips urgently pressed against his own, his eyes going wide. A heartbeat or two passed and then the Miko pulled away, her eyes serious as she stared at the stunned Water Hashira.

“You need to give me a sword.” She told him, earnestly, her face blazing.

———

Giyuu helped her back to the Shrine, though the Miko found herself needing to bat off the Water Pillar with a stern reminder that she’d only sustained a small arm wound as he’d tried to scoop her up into his arms.

The Swordsman had been rather subdued the entire journey out of the forest, his eyes curiously wide and dazed right until the pair breached the tree line at the edge of the Shrine’s property. The moment they stepped into open ground, they were swarmed by the tearful, relieved faces of the Shrine’s inhabitants. Words of gratitude to him were woven through worries over the Miko’s arm wound as they made their way across toward the small infirmary which, thankfully, had not been touched by Susumo’s fire.

The honden itself was still standing; though the flames had finally been subdued, smoke still curled up toward the sky, blocking any view of the moon or the stars. 

The head Priestess waited for them outside the infirmary. Though her face was grave, Giyuu could spy the relief shining in her eyes. He stood numbly by as the Miko and her master regarded each other warily for a moment, before the elder Priestess reached forward and yanked her charge forward into a fierce embrace.

“Reckless girl,” she chastised gently against the side of Y/N’s head. “Thank every one of the gods that you’re safe.” The old Priestess’s eyes found those of the Water Pillar. “And thank you, Lord Tomioka.”

Y/N was promptly escorted inside to have her wound examined and stitched. Despite the old shrine keeper’s gratitude for his aid in saving the young shrine maiden, that thankfulness apparently did not extend to permitting him inside the infirmary with them, and for good reason. For under the Elder’s withering glare, the Water Pillar realized that Y/N’s treatment would require her to be stripped of her kosode, leaving her exposed and bare. 

As unwilling as he’d been to part from her, the thought of witnessing the Miko undressed and vulnerable had been enough to temper his urge to look after her, if nothing else because the mental image of her in such a state flustered him to no end.

Though, he supposed his bewilderment also had something to do with what had transpired between them in the forest.

Kissed him; the shrine maiden had kissed him. 

His fingers drifted to his lips. They still felt warm where they’d been graced by hers, and he swore he could still feel the softness of her mouth from where it had brushed against his. 

He needed to talk to her; he needed to know what the hell she’d been thinking, kissing him like that. 

But as shocking as the Miko’s kiss had been, there was something else, something far heavier, that weighed on his mind. 

She’d nearly been killed. By a demon. On his watch. 

He should’ve apologized; he should’ve begged for her forgiveness for letting her come that close with death. For letting her get wounded because he hadn’t been fast enough.

I was concerned for you, he wanted to tell her. I thought I would be too late.

No; concern didn’t cover it; did not do near enough justice to his true emotions upon learning the Miko had fled into the dark forest with a hungry, loathsome demon hot on her trail.

He’d been scared; terrified; almost beside himself at the possibility that he’d be too late and find that she’d already been reduced to the beast’s meal, 

He’d been scared he’d never again see her smile or hear her laugh, and that had terrified him more than anything. For it was the memory of both that soothed his anxious nerves each time he startled awake from visions of his dead loved ones, demanding to know why they had died in his stead.   

He’d feared that he would have to add her face to those he saw when he slept — the faces of those he’d failed to protect, who’d died for his sake. He’d been terrified of seeing her image in painstaking clarity, just as he saw the faces of his sister and Sabito every morning. 

He did not know what to do with them, these confusing feelings, so abundant and intense that they’d welled up within him and threatened to spill over. He couldn’t name them, let alone begin to untangle the knot they’d formed within his heart. All he knew was that every one of them were inextricably tied to her. 

His shrine maiden. 

His.

—

Y/N’s arm ached, but it had been properly sewn and bandaged, and there was work to do before she could settle in for the night; and so, she found herself helping her peers with cleaning up the courtyard from the debris of the night’s events. 

Truthfully, she'd been grateful for the distraction. Occupying herself with cleanup meant she did not have to think about what she’d done in the forest. But then Granny Priestess saw her trying to heave away broken wood with her freshly stitched arm and Y/N found herself forced to abandon her fellow trainees as the old bat smacked her upside the head and squawked about how she was going to break her stitching and complicate the healing process.  

The Miko tried not to pout as she retreated, opting instead to grumble over the old woman’s dramatics as her arm stung and her ego throbbed. When she finally returned to her sleeping quarters, exhaustion slammed into her, making her limbs heavy and leaden. Unable to quite rally the energy to crawl into her futon, she slumped against the doorway of the room, her head and her heart a tangled mess of emotions she couldn’t quite name.

What she’d felt the moment the Water Pillar had stepped into the moonlight had been more than mere relief that he’d managed to save her life for the second time. She’d felt safe, so unbelievably safe that the forest itself could have been on fire and she wouldn’t have been afraid; not as long as he was there with her.

Something between them had shifted; that much was clear. In truth, things likely had begun to change the moment she repaired his haori, and she’d admitted to him her deep-seated loneliness and lack of belonging.

She only hoped he felt the change, too.

—

Much to Y/N’s chagrin, autumn was quickly giving way to blasted winter.

Though, the Miko hadn’t been able to fully resent the rapid shift in the seasons; repairs at the Shrine had consumed nearly all of her attention, and as Granny’s heir, she was expected to contribute to its reconstruction more than any other trainee.

That expectation meant Granny left the task of figuring out how to finance the necessary repairs entirely to her young protege. Y/N had spent all of two days agonizing over ways to raise the necessary funds when she awoke to find a mysterious sack of money that had been left on the doorstep of the honden. Inside had been an amount more than generous to cover the cost of repairs from the fire, with a hefty remainder that could be put toward other necessary improvements to spruce the Shrine up, and perhaps restore it to its former glory. 

No note had been left with the money to indicate the identity of the Shrine’s benefactor.  But amid all the excitement of her peers at the thought of being able to afford materials and laborers to assist with the more difficult aspects of the Shrine’s refurbishment, Y/N had spotted a familiar crow perched high in a nearby tree.

That position had afforded the bird with a perfect view of the money sack, allowing it to silently ensure it fell into the proper hands. But repairs had finally slowed, and Y/N now found her days returning to normal. Almost. 

What was not normal was how agitated she'd become in waiting for his return.

Another week passed without any communication from the Water Pillar, and the Miko had grown desperate for any sort of distraction. She found herself one late, autumn morning passing the time in the Shrine’s garden hut. She was pretending to be searching for tools that would help her prune the wilting Shrine garden when something grazed against the small of her back. Startled, she turned and was greeted by familiar, unruly raven hair and a pair of deep azure eyes. 

“Giyuu,” his name slid easily off her tongue, and suddenly she could not remember why she’d called him anything else. 

A ghost of a smile graced his lips. “Hello, Y/N.”

A poignant silence followed, and her cheeks grew hot. "Don't mind me," she said quickly, turning her head away from him as she pretended to organize stray gardening supplies. "I am only just now finishing my tasks for the day."

Though he remained silent, she became acutely aware of the way Giyuu’s eyes followed her as she tried desperately to keep herself busy, to avoid having to meet that piercing, discerning stare. 

“I did not get a chance to properly thank you after the turmoil of that night,” she said casually. Nervously, she hoped that his heightened senses did not alert him to the way her heart fluttered in her chest, or how her stomach flipped in her gut. Her nails dug into her palms as she lifted her head to meet that unnerving, fathomless stare.

But the Water Pillar had already closed most of the distance between them, having moved so silently she’d not heard him, despite even the creaky, uneven slatted floor of the garden hut. “How is your wound?” He asked softly, his hand skirting up the outside of the arm Susumo had wounded. “Has it healed?” 

It took a great amount of effort for Y/N to remember how to keep her breathing steady. But she forced her lips into an easy smile as she rucked up the flared sleeve of her kosode to reveal her bicep. “It will likely scar,” she admitted, her fingers lightly tracing over the three, angry red marks that remained imprinted on her skin, though they’d fully scabbed over. “I consider myself quite lucky, all things considered.” 

“Why did you do it?” 

The Miko ducked her head, willing the sheet of her hair to fall and conceal her mounting blush. She did not need to ask him to clarify; she knew after what he was asking.

But she feigned ignorance all the same. “I don’t know what you mean, Tomioka-sama –” 

“Don’t call me that,” and even though she refused to meet his eyes, she could sense his irritation at her avoidance. “We’re well past such formalities, Y/N.” Giyuu stepped closer to her, his cerulean eyes melting into something more akin to the midnight blue of the evening sky. “You kissed me. That night.” The Water Pillar’s hand glided up the arm that Susumo had injured, caressing softly over the healed skin beneath the sleeve of her kosode.

“I-I did no such thing!” Y/N sputtered, though her reddening cheeks betrayed her. “I was only attempting to help you calm down — you were panicking, and inconsolable.” 

Giyuu’s responding smirk only served to irritate her more. “Should I thank you then, Y/N?” His hand slid from her shoulder to below her chin, his delicate fingers curling to tilt her head up towards his, as he closed the distance between their bodies. “Should I show you how grateful I am that you were able to assuage my worry?” 

Y/N tried to focus on anything but the feeling of Giyuu’s breath — warm and enticing — against her face as he leaned in close. “You had no reason to worry; I was completely fine before you showed up.” 

“Fine,” the ravenette scoffed, his grip on her chin tightening slightly. “So fine that you were bleeding and about to become that beast’s snack — or worse.” 

“But you saved me, did you not?” Y/N whispered, unable to stop her eyes from dropping to the Water Pillar’s sensual, soft-looking mouth before rising once more to meet his punishing gaze. “And then I helped you.” 

Giyuu’s second hand brushed against her waist and the shrine maiden thought she might leap out of her skin. “You did,” he conceded, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a small, half-smile. “Though I apologize that you needed to do so — I suppose I become a little over-zealous when things that are precious to me are threatened.” 

Even if she could have thought of some witty remark to throw back at him, those words surely would have been blocked by her heart as it lodged in her throat. 

Things that were precious to him. She was precious to him.

“So I’ll ask again, Y/N,” Giyuu whispered, and his nose brushed delicately against hers. “Should I thank you for your assistance?” The fingers beneath her chin stroked her jaw. “Should I kiss you?” 

She fought to suppress the excited shudder that licked up her spine. “Yes, Lord Hashira,” she breathed, and her stomach turned cartwheels as Giyuu’s gaze dropped to her mouth. “Perhaps you should.” 

“Who am I to deny the request of a priestess?” Giyuu murmured, and then his lips were moving against hers, warm and soft. Y/N’s fingers flew to clutch the Water Pillar’s rocky biceps beneath the soft cloth of his haori, anchoring him against her. The hand that had gripped below her chin slid to the side of her face, tilting her head so that the Water Pillar could have better access to her as he pressed his lips harder against hers. 

Y/N moaned into his kiss, wanting him closer, impossibly closer to her than he currently was. 

Giyuu broke away from her once, though he kept a hand on the back of her neck to keep her in place. “What are your duties today?” 

Y/N’s fingers curled around the front of the Water Pillar’s haori, her forehead resting against his. “None of import.” She gave him a sly smile. “No one will miss me if I am gone for a few hours.” 

Giyuu returned her smile with a tiny smirk of his own. “In that case,” he tugged her hand and he began to lead her towards the grassy overlook where they’d spent a great deal of time talking and learning one another. “I could use your assistance.”

–

Y/N hadn’t greeted the sunrise with the intent to neglect her shrine duties, but she couldn’t say she regretted how she ended up spending the day.

They spent the day resting on the hillside overlooking the shrine grounds, rolling back and forth upon the browning grass as they kissed each other again and again. 

“You weren’t wrong, that day — right after we met,” Giyuu gasped against her lips as they broke apart, the blush on Y/N’s cheeks a sure match to his own. “I do not find you captivating.”

Y/N’s eyebrows furrowed. Her mouth parted, a protest on her tongue when Giyuu surged forward, his lips brushing against her neck. The Miko’s words choked off with a squeak as the Water Pillar danced his lips to the hollow of her throat, his tongue flicking out once right where her heart pulsed wildly. 

“I think you are utterly transfixing; enchanting,” he breathed against her skin. “You have cast a spell over me that I do not want broken.”

“I find it hard to believe anyone could wield that sort of power over a Hashira,” Y/N’s voice was high pitched as Giyuu’s lips made their way back to hers.

In the back of her mind, Y/N wondered if his words were motivated purely by his physical desire for her. It would not have surprised her if he was only so taken with her because he longed to be touched; held. Like him, she’d gone much of her life without intimacy from anyone. She could not blame him for seeking it from someone so willing to give as she. 

“But you are not just anyone, not to me.” was all he replied, his lips moving softly against hers once more. “You are…everything.”

Y/N’s breath caught in her throat. The Water Pillars words, dripping like honey from his lips, were only sweetened by the fervent sincerity of his eyes as he pulled back to gaze into hers, so deeply, she felt as though he could see every thought in her head.

She wondered if he lowered that piercing, discerning stare, whether he’d be able to see straight to her heart, too; see how it bore his name. 

Even though her breath guttered in her throat at his words, her heart clenched painfully in her chest. The idea that she’d attached more meaning to their relationship than he, that perhaps she’d overestimated her value to him made her tense, made her want to push him away and —

“You’re distracted,” Giyuu murmured against her lips, brushing his nose against hers. “Your thoughts are loud.” 

Her fingers caught the front fold of his haori, fiddling idly with it. “There is nothing for you to repay, you know. You do not owe me your time or your attention. I know the Shrine is simply a part of your designated patrol. I understand if its convenience is the only reason —” 

A single finger pressed itself against her lips, quieting her. “You think and talk too much.” The ravenette chastised. Her mouth parted, a protest forming on her lips, when he cut her off again. “Ah ah,” Giyuu silenced her with his lips, his tongue flicking out to skim along her bottom lip. Above her, he shifted and allowed his weight to fall against her, pinning her beneath him. Reluctantly, his mouth broke away from hers. “It is my turn to speak.” 

“I do not come to the Shrine because it is easy,” Giyuu’s lips brushed hesitantly against her jaw. “Nor do I come here out of any preconceived obligation to repay your kindness.” 

He pulled back to study her, panting and flushed beneath him. As his eyes slowly combed over her, Y/N felt a strange knot pull and twist in the depths of her stomach. “There is only one thing that brings me back here, no matter how exhausted I am after weeks of endless missions; no matter how often certain junior Corps members pester me to train them.” His eyes narrowed at the hollow of the Miko’s throat, exposed by the way her kosode had shifted as the pair of them rolled around the grass. Curious, Giyuu leaned down and pressed his lips firmly against it. 

And then he did the unthinkable;  the Water Pillar moaned, ever so softly, against the fluttering of Y/N’s frantic pulse. The sound, so rich and full of need – of want – washed over her and drowned out all other thoughts, all other higher reasoning from her mind. INstead, the Miko was left with nothing but the sharp urge to press her thighs together, an unknown heat beginning to pool in her most sacred area. 

“Do you know what that thing is, Y/N?” He whispered against the soft dip in her throat, his breath hot as it fanned across her skin. “Can you guess what it is I cannot stay away from – could not, even if I desired otherwise?” 

His fingers dropped to the collar of her kosode, tracing lightly over its crisp, white fold. “When I close my eyes in the mornings, it is your face I see,” he murmured. “It is your laugh I hear in my dreams; your scent I find myself longing for when I awaken.”

The Miko shivered as his index finger traced from her collar up her throat, over her chin until it came to rest on her bottom lip, gently stroking over its curve. “It is you I seek to turn to remind myself that there is still good in this world – good still worth protecting. Why is that, Y/N?” His eyebrows furrowed and he seemed almost earnest in his question. “Why is it that my mind refuses to be occupied by anything but you?” 

“Because I vex you,” she said softly, eyes wide and locked with his. “Because, try as you might, you’ve never been able to fully fit me into a box as you have with others.” 

Giyuu shook his head. “Vex me?” He tsked at her. “Perhaps once that was true. But now? I desire you in ways I can hardly understand, and it drives me mad.”

Her breath hitched in her throat. “What are you saying?” 

“I think I’ve been rather clear,” and instinctively, Giyuu rolled his hips against hers, desperate to relieve some of the friction mounting in his groin. “And it’s that I want –” 

But the Miko did not get to hear what Giyuu wanted; not as he was drowned out by the screeching cry of a bird from high above. Only, this bird was not the dull, graying crow she’d come to associate with her Swordsman.

“I thought your crow was older?”

The Water Pillar frowned as he turned to look up, his eyebrows drawn together. “That’s not Kanzaburo — that’s one of the Master’s —“

“CAW,” the bird circled above their heads in narrow, rapid turns. “Lord Tomioka! Return to headquarters immediately!”

Giyuu’s jaw clenched. “Can it not wait?” 

Y/N, however, only gaped up at the bird flying above them. “It talks —?” 

But the crow only cried again, “Emergency meeting at headquarters!!

With a short, frustrated exhale, Giyuu rolled to the side of the Miko and rose, but not before he extended a hand and helped lift her to her feet.

He gingerly brushed some loose grass from her hair. “I’m sorry.” 

She only shook her head as she reached to adjust his haori, righting it in his shoulders. “It’s your duty, Giyuu. I understand that.”

He scowled back up at the bird still circling above them, bleating a refrain of “Emergency! Go now!”

“I’m not finished with this conversation,” Giyuu said plainly, a frustrated hand working through his hair. Though his annoyance was plain as day, it fell away as he looked back to the Miko at his side, his gaze softening. “Nor am I finished with you.” 

A single finger reached under Y/N’s chin and lifted her head toward him so he could brush another kiss against her lips. “I will come see you – soon.” 

With a shy boldness, the Miko rose on her toes and gave him one final kiss, and Giyuu’s hand tightened where it rested against her waist. “I’ll wait for you, Lord Hashira.”

———

December, 1915

Y/N cursed at the ancient priestess who insisted on using only gas-powered lanterns rather than the newer, much safer, electric powered lights that other shrines had begun using. 

“We are an esteemed shrine dating back hundreds of years,” the old crone had simpered, “Tradition has kept us going this far!” 

Y/N hadn’t helped her cause by asking whether tradition or spite was what kept the hag from dying off and finally leaving her in peace.

And that was how the young Priestess-to-be found herself stomping through the snowy grounds of the Shrine, forced to light each and every lantern by hand using a match and oil, utterly by herself.

She knew better than to levy such an obvious taunt at the old woman, but admittedly, Y/N hadn’t been in the best of moods as of late. 

Giyuu had not returned since that day on the hillside, when he’d kissed her silly and told her he could not stop thinking of her. It was as though he no longer existed; even the crows at the Shrine were no more, having all disappeared one morning before she’d awoken.

As the weeks passed, the weight of his absence had grown heavier, threatening to beat her into the ground below. 

But Y/N had done her best to hold her tongue over the last weeks as her anxiety mounted, and Granny should’ve known that — so really, it was her own fault if she’d taken offense to the Miko’s barb.

She grumbled and cursed under her breath as she trudged toward the small garden hut standing at the furthest edge of the Shrine’s grounds — her last stop of the night. She shoved past the old, rickety door and braced her merrily flickering, hand-held lantern out before her, bathing the small hut in a warm, orange glow.

All was silent and quiet within the small storeroom. The air was cold, though the slatted walls of the hut offered some protection from the howling, snow-dotted winds outside. Determined to complete her task and return to the comfort of her warm futon, the Miko fumbled around one of the store shelves for a small can of oil. 

“It’s you,” a quiet voice startled her from behind, and Y/N nearly dropped the lantern clutched in her hands.

But she did not feel afraid as she recognized the calm, soothing cadence of the voice, that voice that belonged to the one person capable of making her blush. 

The one person who held her heart.

“It’s been a while, Giyuu. I was wondering when I’d see you again.” She turned and saw the raven-haired man standing in the doorway of the garden hut, his face characteristically neutral, though he seemed tense, even more so than usual.

Instantly, she moved toward him. “What’s wrong?”

His eyes tightened, and the darkness which swam within them betrayed his aloof facade. “Things have changed quickly in my world,” he began, and she saw his fists clench at his sides. “We believe the demons are preparing for war — and so we have been as well. 

“War?” She repeated softly, her step faltering. “I hadn’t realized the demons were so…organized.”

Giyuu nodded. “One creature is responsible for all demons. He is the orchestrator; he is the one we must kill, and we believe the opportunity to do so is drawing nearer.”

The monotonous cadence of his voice fell away as he quietly added, “That is why I haven’t been able to return — we’ve been training. This battle — it may start at any moment.”

He made like he wanted to say more, but he stopped himself, pressing his lips into a tight line. 

“And?” She prompted gently, taking a solitary step toward him.

“He hesitated, and she spied how his throat worked to swallow. “And I do not know when I will be able to see you again. After tonight.”

Y/N watched him for a moment, her eyes searching his. “When you say you don’t know ‘when’ we will see each other again,” she began, cautiously. “Do you mean ‘if?’”

Giyuu’s answering silence said more than any words could. 

For a moment, the Miko could not remember how to speak, not as she felt the organ in her chest splinter into a thousand, mismatched pieces.

“I just wanted to see you,” the Water Pillar struggled to swallow around the growing lump in his throat. “One last time.” 

She could scarcely breathe. 

He was leaving and he might never return. 

Leaving to go try and put an end to the scourge of demons that plagued their world. It was a noble thing to do; sacrifice in its purest form. 

But she hated it. 

She was filled with such a deep melancholy that it nearly brought her to her knees. As the Water Pillar turned to leave, Y/N couldn’t stop herself as she reached for him, her arms encircling him as her hands locked over his front, stilling him.

“Giyuu,” she said thickly, her face pressed into the back of his haori as she willed the tears in her eyes not to fall. “Giyuu.” 

He turned in her grasp and looked down at her in awe, a finger rising to brush the errant tear that had escaped down her cheek as he held her gaze. 

The flame within her lantern flickered as Giyuu softly grazed his lips against her own, Y/N’s arms weaving around his neck to hold him close to her. 

His hands were gentle, if not a little uncertain as they found her waist, but once they came to a rest against her, he pulled her close, arms winding around her middle and holding her securely against him as he deepened the kiss. She moaned softly into his mouth, her hands tangling in his hair as she opened up for him, his tongue gliding alongside her own until she was left breathless and wanting. 

Vaguely, the Miko was aware that he was walking them deeper into the garden hut, allowing the old door to thud shut behind him, and the thought of not returning to her plush futon suddenly did not seem like such a loss. 

Giyuu’s hands returned to her face, thumbs stroking softly along her cheeks as he broke their kiss to brush his lips against her eyes, her nose, and forehead. Y/N’s hands parted the Water Hashira’s haori from his shoulders as Giyuu’s fingers dropped to her collar bone, sliding beneath her kosode, and grazing her bare shoulder. 

“You have been my most treasured encounter,” he whispered, and she felt her heart seize in her throat, tears threatening to spill anew from her eyes.

A year’s worth of interactions had all led to this moment, but it was not the satisfying payoff of the tension and longing that had been steadily building between them.

This was a goodbye. 

Because it was likely that the Water Pillar would not survive the impending battle; but neither did he want to leave this end untied. 

She had known, deep in her heart, that this affair had been doomed before it had ever begun, but that hadn’t stopped her from falling for the kind, brave, selfless man now kissing her like she was his entire world anyways. 

She would not get to have him in the morning, so she resolved to give herself to him for the night. 

Giyuu’s hands eased her kosode from her shoulders, exposing her to the cool air within the garden hut. His warm hands, however, worked to chase away any chill that spread across her skin as he ran his palms over the curve of her shoulders before sliding down to rest on her bare waist, his long fingers grazing just below the curve of her breasts.

Her own fingers trembled as she fumbled with the buttons on his uniform shirt but in time, she’d worked them open and Giyuu broke their kiss long enough to let his shirt drop to the floor beneath them. 

The two stood there for a moment, chests rising and falling rapidly, as they looked at one another, half-nude and vulnerable. The shrine maiden and the slayer knew that they had come upon a precipice, and if they stepped off that ledge, there would be nothing to break their fall. 

Y/N made the first move, taking a tentative step towards the Water Pillar as she trailed her fingers lightly up the beautiful, sculpted ridges of his abdomen, relishing how warm he was beneath her touch. 

Giyuu shivered beneath her fingertips as the miko’s hand came to a rest against his sternum, marveling the way his heart thundered beneath her hand. “Are you certain?” He breathed, his face was impassive, but his own uncertainty was betrayed by the slight tremor in his voice. His hand rose to gently cup the side of her face, his thumb ghosting over her bottom lip. 

She reached to grab the Pillar’s free hand and brought it up to rest against her sternum, mirroring her own hold on him so that he could feel the steady drum of her own heart — and how it thrummed for him. “Yes,” she whispered. “I’m yours, Giyuu.” 

Once, she had believed the Hashira incapable of expressing anything other than cold aloofness. she’d not been able to comprehend the subtle ways with which his eyes could signal his mood; how they darkened when angry, or how the outer corners turned up, almost imperceptibly, when he was content. 

But she had long since learned to read him, and so, her stomach fluttered at the way the raven haired man’s gaze heated with both adoration and desire — for her. 

Giyu brushed his nose against hers affectionately before bringing their lips together once more, his kiss growing fervent as her hands slid up to tangle in his ebony hair. Y/N gasped into his mouth as she felt Giyu bend down, his hands gripping firmly under her thighs as he lifted her up, forcing her to lock her legs around his waist. Her lips parted, and Giyuu’s tongue slid seamlessly into her mouth.

Her lover locked one steely arm firmly around her lower back to support her as Y/N felt him lower them to the floor to lay her down, the Water Pillar’s free hand coming to brace against the back of her skull, to protect her head from thudding back against the wooden slats of the hut floor. The Miko steadied herself, prepared for the cold bite of the dirty hut floor to nip at the bare skin of her back, but she was only settled against something warm and soft; something that smelled distinctively of the Slayer panting above her. 

Her fingers dropped to her side and grazed against the familiar fabric of Giyuu’s haori; his most prized and cherished possession, spread out beneath her to protect her from the cold ground,  a makeshift bed against which she would let him take her and make her his.

He withdrew his lips from hers to sit back, his cerulean eyes tracing over every inch of her, from the way her dark hair spread out in a soft halo around her, to the blush staining her cheeks. His eyes darkened as they lowered to her bare chest, at the way it rose and fell jerkily as Y/N struggled to control her breathing. 

Giyuu’s long, slim fingers reached out to trace along the top of her scarlet hakama pants, his finger tips just grazing along her ribs and the underside of her breasts. 

“I’d never known such -,” He covered his struggle for words by pressing a sweet kiss against the hollow of her throat, a soft gasp escaping the Miko at the unfamiliar sensation. “Such beauty,” Giyuu’s lips trailed down to skirt across the ridge of her collar bone. “Not until I met you.” 

His face was against her sternum, pressing kisses as he trailed his lips down her skin. “I am sorry I could not give you more time.” His voice was soft, softer than even she had ever known. Before she could respond, Giyuu’s mouth hesitantly brushed against the stiffened peak of her breast, and Y/N’s mouth fell open with a soft cry. 

Azure eyes flashed up to meet hers. “Is this — is this okay?” 

The Miko's eyes fluttered shut as she nodded, unable to trust that she could hold her voice steady if she spoke. Her fingers weaved their way through the Pillar’s thick, raven locks, and she grazed her nails against his scalp in encouragement. 

Giyuu grunted softly at her touch, and he leaned forward to suck more of her soft mound into his hot mouth, teeth grazing lightly against her nipple as he explored her. 

“Oh,” she moaned, her thighs inadvertently pressing together as Giyuu’s tongue and lips worshipped her bared flesh, licking and sucking and nipping at her in his devotion. 

“Beautiful,” he murmured against the soft, sensitive skin of her breast. “So very beautiful.” 

He repeated the movement again and again before he traced his mouth across her sternum and began lavishing her other breast with the same fervor. Her hands fisted in his hair as she mewled for him, enamored with the feeling of his hot mouth latched around her. He gave her more and yet it was not enough; every pass of his tongue over her stiffened peak only amplified the ache between her legs, only made the emptiness she felt more pronounced.

A breathy, whining and needy moan blew past her lips in time with a reflexive buck of her hips against his.  

The ravenette pulled off her breast with a start, his eyes bright and his cheeks flushed as he gazed down at her in awe. “Do that again.”

“W-what —?” She pushed herself up on her elbows to look down at him, her chest heaving.

“Tell me what to do,” Giyuu’s breath was ragged though his fingers continued trailing down her sides, seeking out the ties securing her bottoms around her waist. “Tell me how I might help you make that sound again.” 

“I –” Y/N squirmed beneath the intensity of his gaze, her thighs rubbing together to stifle some of the electricity she felt between her legs. “I want you to – I need you closer.” 

Her eyes drifted to the bulge that had formed between the Hashira’s thighs, and she felt her heart skip in her chest.

Giyuu pressed his groin against hers and ground. She gasped at the spark of pleasured friction the movement stoked between her thighs, and her eyes flew to meet his, only to see they were as wide as hers. 

And just as hungry. 

Her hand gently cupped his face. “Closer. Please.” 

He pressed his cheek into her palm and with a soft groan, his fingers quickly loosened the fastenings of her bottoms and then he was pushing them down her hips and over her legs, discarding them carelessly to the side. Giyuu sat back on his knees and let his eyes roam her, now fully bare and laid out beneath him. 

When his appraisal of her finally reached the thatch of curls between her thighs, the Water Pillar loosed a shaky breath. She had half a mind to cross her legs, to conceal the most intimate part of her body from the raging fire of his gaze as he studied her, but she forced herself to remain relaxed; open.

One, broad and calloused hand stretched tentatively out to run along the outside of her hip and down her leg, before smoothing back up in the inside of her thigh. His eyes flicked once to hers, and then he leaned forward and brushed delicate kisses down her abdomen, over her hip and along her thigh. He continued his descent as he slowly pushed himself back from her, and once he imparted one last, sweet press of his lips against her ankle, he rose. 

The flickering light of the lantern cast shadows along the alabaster of his skin, further accentuating how the muscles of his torso and abdomen flexed and shifted as he worked to free himself of the remainder of his clothes. His eyes did not leave hers, not even as his hands found the buckle of his belt and tugged it loose, and Y/N found herself free falling into their depths.

The ravenette dropped his belt to the floor, and then his fingers were at the waistband of his trousers, pulling and fiddling with their fastening. At last, Giyuu freed his lower half from the confines of his uniform pants and stepped out from the puddle they made at his feet. 

Y/N’s breath hitched in her throat as her eyes raked over his beautiful form, so lean yet solid and muscular. Her cheeks burned with a renewed blush as her gaze followed the small, dark trail of hair beginning just below his navel, and down between his hips, where the evidence of his desire stood proud. 

Her throat went dry. He was large — the flared head of his tip nearly grazed his navel, and his width was a little more than two of her fingers. Her thighs clamped together nervously, as she pondered how on earth she’d be able to accommodate him.

Giyuu noticed her hesitation, and a faint dusting of pink spread across his cheeks. “I have never -“

The shrine maiden shook her head. “Nor I,” she whispered, though the knowledge that this was as new to him as it was to her helped ease the clench in her stomach. For all her nervousness, the Miko could not ignore the heat and longing which burned within her as she lifted her eyes back to his. She found her muscles softening as she saw the same fire within those cyan pools she’d come to love. Y/N laid back against the floor — against the comforting soft of his haori, and let body relax, her legs falling open to him. 

She held her hand out to him, beckoning, “Come back to me, Giyuu.” 

The ravenette did not hesitate as he returned to her, covering her body with his own as he pulled her in for a heated kiss, the weight of his hardened length resting heavily against her hip as he settled between the cradle of her thighs.

Y/N moaned into his mouth, instinctively rolling her hips against him, desperate to feel closer to the man who had claimed her heart before she’d realized anyone was capable of holding it.  

Giyuu groaned, softly, against her as she repeated the movement, breaking their kiss to look down at the flushed Miko threatening to drive him wild with her silken touch. As much as he was desperate to feel her — every part of her — he knew what they were about to do would not be nearly as pleasurable for her as it would be for him. 

“I don’t want to hurt you,” the Water Pillar’s eyes were stormy, a tempest of competing desire and pain at the idea of causing her even the slightest discomfort raging within him. 

Y/N brushed her lips against his once before trailing along his jaw, pausing only to suck softly as the soft spot beneath his ear. “I am only ever undone by you; never hurt.” 

He moaned softly, lowering his head back down to reclaim her mouth firmly with his own, his lips beseeching her to let him consume her. 

She was only too happy to do so, parting her mouth so that his tongue could slide in and dance languidly with hers, as he reached between them, gripping hold of his aching length and positioning himself at her entrance. 

The first brush of his hot, velvety tip against her folds broke their kiss, both gasping at the new yet intoxicating feel of the other’s most intimate area. 

Giyuu braced his free arm by her head, his fingers stretching to run comfortingly through her hair, as he pressed his forehead against hers. “If it becomes too much, just tell me, and we can stop.” His voice shook ever so slightly as he waited for her signal, the ache in his groin becoming nearly painful. 

The Miko grazed her lips against his throat. “Don’t stop.” She murmured. She hitched her legs higher up on his hips, angling herself so the trembling man above her would have better access to her. 

Slowly, so very slowly, the tip of Giyuu’s length began to push into her, and Y/N felt herself temporarily forget how to breathe. Above her, Giyuu’s eyes squeezed shut in a concerted effort not to sheathe himself within her in one stroke. 

“Y/N,” Giyuu panted, unable to stop the shaky moan that fell from his lips as he sunk into her warm heat that wrapped tight, so impossibly tight around him.

The shrine maiden winced at the unfamiliar and slightly uncomfortable sensation of being slowly stretched and filled by the Pillar. She felt as though she was a wave, crashing and breaking and parting around a rocky shore with every inch gained by the press of his hips against hers. 

Giyuu hardly had a quarter of himself seated within her when he felt his head brush against a thin barrier. His eyes opened to look down at the Miko, panting beneath him, her eyebrows pinched in slight discomfort. When she noticed he’d stopped, she peered up at him through her thick eyelashes, her cheeks flushed. 

The hand Giyuu had held at his base to help guide himself within her lifted to grip her hip, her legs relaxing as his fingers massaging soothing circles into her flesh. Giyuu removed his forehead from its resting place against hers and he buried his face into the side of her neck as he pressed his body flush against hers. The hand he’d used to brace himself found hers, and he lifted to rest above her head, his fingers twining tightly with her own. 

“I’m okay,” she whispered, pressing a sweet kiss against the shell of his ear. Giyuu nearly shuddered at her words, and he pressed his hips forward, his cock finally breaching that thin, inner barrier to the rest of her welcoming heat. 

Y/N cried out at the bright spark of pain that flared through her as Giyuu claimed her as his own, but the Pillar held her steady, pressing open-mouthed kisses against her neck. 

A hitched gasp blew past Giyuu’s lips as he became fully seated within her heat, her core gripping him like a vice. He panted against the sweat-dampened skin of her neck as they both adjusted to the sensation, her nails digging harshly into the skin of his back as she waited for the discomfort to subside. 

Giyuu pulled his face back to look down at her, the hand he’d had on her hip rising to cup her face as he brushed his lips across her cheeks and eyes. 

“My beloved, are you all right?” His breath came hard and fast as he panted, the growing friction between where they were connected becoming hotter, more demanding the longer he remained still. 

Y/N’s eyes slowly opened to meet his, he felt her relax as he kissed her, slow and gentle. 

Her lips broke from his and she nodded, shakily. “You can move — just hold me. Please.” 

Giyuu let his full weight fall against her as he wound an arm tightly around her waist, his other hand tilting her face up so he could kiss her fiercely, eager to show her what she meant to him when his words otherwise failed to do so. As she opened up to him, tongue flicking out shyly along his lip, Giyuu rolled his hips experimentally against hers. 

Both the shrine maiden and the Pillar cried out in unison as Giyuu’s movement stoked an intense pleasure where they were joined.

It was like a spark of flame had ignited between her legs before shooting up to her belly, making her insides clench and pulse. 

It was addicting, and, judging by the way the raven haired swordsman above her hissed, he’d felt that jolt of electrifying pleasure, too.

“Oh,” Giyuu moaned as he began to move atop her, his cock sliding in and out of her heat as he worked to set a pace. “You feel – this is –” his stutters broke off  into ragged pants that melted into broken moans with every movement as he found his rhythm.

The grip he had on her hand tightened as he pulled back from her neck in favor of watching her body jolt and bounce with each of his thrusts. 

His head dropped down to study how his length, now coated in something shiny, appeared with every long draw of his hips out before disappearing back into her warmth. 

He threw his head back. “Heaven,” the Water Pillar groaned out, a tendon throbbing in his neck as another cracked moan slipped free from his throat. “You are heaven.” 

Shallow thrusts turned deeper, more purposeful, as the Water Pillar settled into his tempo. Each push of his hips opened her up more, bit by bit, until Y/N’s limbs liquified and she was left moaning and whimpering in time with his movements.

One particular thrust made her cry out, caused her legs to reflexively tighten around Giyuu’s hips as something hot flared deep within her stomach. 

“M-more,” she managed, her voice tapering off with a squeak. She needed to feel that spark again, wanted to feel that jolt of electricity that made her stomach clench. “P-please — ah!— Giyuu —“ 

With something between a moan and a growl, Giyuu  angled himself to thrust deeper, his weight pushing her hips back from the floor. Her legs were forced to hike higher up his waist, her ankles locking instead against the dip in his spine rather than his backside. 

The new angle meant that Giyuu was able to hit at a spot that sent a bolt of lightening between her legs, and she could feel herself tighten around him. 

The combination of her walls fluttering and pulsing around him and the strange fullness she felt was both overwhelming and exhilarating. She did not think she could stand to feel empty again; to not feel him consuming every inch of her.

Gradually, the small garden hut was filled by the sounds of their pants and moans, weaving together to form the melody of a song meant only for them.

Giyuu began thrusting harder, and soon, a dull clap of skin began to reverberate off the hut’s slatted wood walls, adding a steady beat to the rhythm of their pleasure. Though the air inside the hut had been nearly as frigid as what lay beyond its door, both the Miko and the Slayer found themselves coated in a thin sheen of sweat that made their skin glisten in the faint, orange glow of her lantern.

Above her, the Water Pillar was as lost in his pleasure as she. Guided purely by instinct, Y/N arched her lower back away from the floor until her breasts were flush against his sternum, desperate to feel that jolting spark between her legs. 

She felt the walls her of her core clench tighter around Giyuu’s length with her movement, and he answered her with a deep growl as his arm cinched tighter around her waist.

Deep; he was so deep within her, that she wondered whether he might reach her soul before they had to part.

Giyuu’s thrusts quickened, the base of his groin grinding against that sensitive spot between her thighs that had her wanting more as she moaned, her thighs squeezing the Hashira’s hips.

His head was thrown back, his eyes tightly shut as the most beautiful sounds of pleasure Y/N had ever heard poured from Giyuu’s mouth.

“I — fuck.” He growled as one arm tightened around her waist to the point of pain, the other grabbing her hand to bring it to his lips in a futile attempt to stifle the sounds lilting from him like song. 

His name fell from her lips like a hallowed oath and Y/N’s legs fell to the side, allowing Giyuu to chase the crescent of his release, as hips pistoned into her with wild abandon. 

“Y-Y/N,” her black-haired beauty of a lover grit through clenched teeth, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. “My treasure, I-I’m gonna-“ 

The Water Pillar buried his face into the side of her neck, cradling his groans into her throat, and Y/N could feel his length twitch within her.

As Giyuu’s hips slammed into her one final time, so to did the realization that she loved this; she wanted always to be this close to him, wanted always to be unable to tell where she ended and he began.

She loved him. 

But the bitter truth was that she’d never again get to hold Giyuu the way she was right then, legs wrapped tightly around his waist as she felt something warm gush through her, a pleasured groan, so beautiful and husky tumbling from the Hashira’s lips as he pressed a sweet kiss against her collarbone. 

She would not get to love him past this most sacred rite. 

If she were honest, she’d likely never again experience this intimacy with anyone, for as long as she lived — for how could anyone else ever possibly compare? 

She supposed she’d been doomed to never hold onto the people who were meant to love her since the day she was born. She should’ve known better.

But as the roll of Giyuu’s hips into her heat slowed, and his labored breaths eased, Y/N could not find it within herself to regret it; to regret him. 

Because, fool though she was, she loved him. 

Giyuu collapsed against her, his face nuzzling into the crook of her neck as he came down from his high, still buried inside her as the two panted. 

Her hands moved of their own accord to card through his raven hair, fingertips massaging his scalp as his breathing slowed, his breath adding further moisture to the already sweat-dampened skin of her neck. 

She wished they could remain like that always; that the dawn creeping over the horizon would not herald forth the sun, and they could stay on the floor of the garden hut forever, wrapped in one another’s embrace. She desperately wanted to memorize the tempo of his heart as it beat steadily against his chest, the vibrations of which she felt against her ribs. Such a beautiful melody, it was, and yet it filled her with such despair to know she might never again hear its sweet song; that it might cease playing forever, the moment Giyuu resumed being the Water Pillar once more, and walked through the shrine gates for the last time. 

But Y/N had never had anyone she could call her own, and as much as she loved the man nuzzling her neck as he whispered sweet nothings against her skin, he’d never been hers to keep. 

“My beautiful, beautiful Y/N,” Giyuu murmured, kissing his way up her throat to her lips. “Are you alright?” 

She held his lips for a moment before breaking away, letting her eyes roam his face, and she nodded. “Are you?” 

To her utter surprise, the Water Pillar chuckled softly, his laugh breathy and his smile heartbreakingly beautiful. “Yes, my treasure. I am more than alright.” 

He brushed a kiss against the tip of her nose. “After all, I am with you.”

———-

He’d brought her against his chest and they’d laid there together, simply staring at one another, trading soft kisses as Giyuu traced a finger over every feature of her face at least twice. 

If he was to die, he knew his last thoughts would be of her, and he wanted to be sure he’d committed every last detail of her face to memory.

Soon, far too soon, the deep indigo of the night sky was broken by the first, watery rays of morning light, and both the Miko and the Slayer knew their time was up.

The lovers dressed quickly, their backs to one another as both steeled themselves for the goodbye they could no longer avoid. 

And now, that time had come. Though it was Giyuu who walked to his likely doom, Y/N felt as if she was embarking on her own death march as the pair drew near the towering Shrine gate. Perhaps she was; after all, he would be taking her heart with him, and she was unlikely to get it back.

Y/N did not know whether to lean in and kiss him, one last time, or whether such a display of affection would only scratch at the gaping, open wounds they now bore on their chests, where their hearts had been. 

Giyuu, apparently, did not know what to do either, so the two only stood there beneath the Torii, eyes swimming with emotions neither could bear to voice. 

There was a beat, and then the two moved toward one another, drawn together like magnets as they locked themselves in a tight embrace. Giyuu’s hand cupped the back of her skull as Y/N pressed her face hard into his shoulder. Her fingers dug into the fabric of his haori, desperate to keep him rooted to her — to life, safe and away from demons. 

But he couldn’t stay; she knew that. And so, with a deep inhale in a desperate attempt to memorize that mahogany and citrus scent of his she so adored, Y/N pulled away. She made to step back from him entirely, to put distance between them, but those warm fingers caught her under her chin, tilting her head up to face him before his hand slid to cup her cheek. 

The emotion swimming in the azure depths of his irises threatened to chisel away at the lock she kept on her own. Tears burned in her eyes, but she would not let them fall; she would not make this harder for herself — for him — than it already was. 

“If you do not hear from me, leave the mountain. Go to the city, and do not go out at night. Keep your dagger and wisteria on you at all times, even when you sleep,” Giyuu’s eyes were serious, the hand on her face holding her in place. “Live, Y/N. Grow to be an old woman. Die only from age.”

The shrine maiden closed her eyes as she willed herself not to cry. “And if you win?” 

Giyuu hesitated for a moment and Y/N knew better than to ask him to make a promise he could not keep. 

“Send a crow, if you can.” She whispered, feigning a small smile. “It would be nice to not be afraid to go and gather night-blooming herbs.”

The Water Pillar nodded, his hand smoothing through her hair one last time as his lips pressed against her forehead. “Thank you, Y/N.” 

She didn’t need to ask what for.

She hoped she’d never forget the way he said her name; the longing and the breathless passion that dripped from every syllable, and the way it sent shivers down her spine. 

Giyuu broke away from her and set off towards the east. Y/N watched until he was nothing more than a speck on the horizon, before he disappeared entirely. 

He did not look back. 

————————

He hadn’t trusted himself to look back at her, though every fiber of his being had screamed at him to turn around and behold her beauty one last time. But the Shrine Maiden had become his largest weakness, and Giyuu knew if he’d looked back, he would never make it back to his estate; to the Corps. 

And if you win? She’d asked him, and he hadn’t been able to form the words of the answer he’d so desperately wanted to give her.

Because while Giyuu Tomioka never made promises he couldn’t keep, that did not mean he didn’t hope. Right then, more than anything, his greatest desire was to win this war; win it, and come back and tell Y/N that she no longer needed to fear the night. 

In any other life — if Giyuu had been any other man — there would be no question as to who he’d choose to spend the rest of his days with. 

And so, Giyuu thought as he forced himself to march forward, his eyes burning, if he made it out of this war alive, he would go back to the Shrine and tell Y/N of their victory himself.

And perhaps she’d then allow him to make her his wife.

Keep an eye out for Part II to see if Giyuu comes back and makes good on his promise!

COMMENTS, REBLOGS, AND LIKES ALWAYS APPRECIATED!

bunny bimbo.

━━━━━━━━ uzui tengen.

⤷ fem!reader, bimbo reader, pet name usage <bunny, baby>, finger sucking, hair pulling, size kink, dilf!tengen, tengen is in his thirties while reader is twenty, outside sex, truck sex, rough play, voyeur, breeding, black coded, filming w/o consent, camgirl!reader.

⤷ mocha’s note; saw someone with this truck the other day and couldn’t get it out my head. i love men who drive nice ass vehicles. wanna be fucked in a pickup truck. *pouts*

“hi, mister! i was wondering if you’d let me wash your car for my college’s charity event.”

to be honest, tengen wasn’t oblivious to your clear intentions. you came knocking on his pristine white door with a cheery smile on your doll face as you swayed side to side in your revealing attire. he’s well aware it’s nearly seventy degrees out, but for you to be wearing high waisted black spandex that had the bottom of your ass hanging out, along with a tight strapped hot pink top that sat just at your ribs was kind of overdoing it. holding your bucket with a yellow sponge inside, bouncing on your tip toes in your black and white converses when you see how attractive the man is, thinking you definitely scored.

the twinkle in his eyes when he looked you up and down confirmed he had the same thoughts. he’s only in a robe, angelic silver hair cascading down his face. to be blunt, you interrupted a jack-off session he was having, the man smiling through the painfully hard erection he had, hoping it’s not too evident. there’s surely a bulge there. your nipples are perk, of course, not shielded by a bra. skin alluring and glistening under the sunlight. his multicolored painted fingernails clutching the door he holds open for you to come inside, glancing around his neighborhood to see if anyone was being nosey. this for sure looked like a skit from a porno. he’s wondering if the universe sent him a blessing or just teasing?

“so what’s the charity for?”

“ensuring the safety of teens and young adults when it comes to unprotected sex. basically pays for condoms, lube—”

tengen is barely listening as you further explain your agenda, mind drifting elsewhere, focused on the pillows of your strawberry glossed lips, knowing they taste sweet. you do this thing where you curve your lips to the side when you’re thinking so the dot in your cheek sinks in, creasing a dimple. your makeup is done but not too much considering the weather. falsies and fake freckles. big eyes fascinated by such a gorgeous, gorgeous man. almost too perfect. you wonder if he’s a model. he lives in a nice, big house in the suburbs. finances must be in tact.

“—plus it’s summer and cars should look good to pull some women, right? you look like you own a beauty.”

“a beauty for sure,” tengen rasps, his features growing dark and lustful. it’s dripping off his tongue like honey.

“can i see?” you bite your lips, your forearms hugging the side of your tits closer to make them even more appealing. the man pokes his cheek with his long fingers, feeling silly, your charm working.

tengen doesn’t know why this thought comes up, but when he’s leading you to the backyard with a high fence, grill, and umbrella table—and you’re beside him, dainty, soft, small compared to his figure—she looks really familiar is what he thinks, lingering on it. the 6’6 man grabs his keys hanging by the door to unlock the obsidian 2020 chevrolet silverado truck with red tow hooks, grinning as you swoon for the vehicle, cute gasps and squeals as you skip towards the truck to pull open the doors, obsessed with the interior. leather seats warm and rich. you’re bent over as you peak your head inside, tengen no better than any other man as he cocks his head to the side to get a better look at your ass. he practically chokes on his spit when he notices how fat your pussy is, eating up the material so depravedly it has him gulping and shifting where he stood.

“jesus, fuck,” his hands are clammy now. even if you were truly being innocent, he had to hold back. you were too young for him. too supple. too—innocent? the velvety softness of his tongue is salivating for you, wanting to drown in your cunt and drink it like water. you smell good, too. when you brushed past him he caught a whiff; like marshmallows and honeysuckle.

“she’s so fucking sexy,” you praise, caressing your hands over the seats, looking over your shoulder with a wicked upturn of your lips. tengen feels it now. and he’s ready to say fuck it. you weren’t here just for a car wash. it’s like pen on paper. “what’s her name?”

“veronica.”

you giggle. “can i ride her one day?”

a brow of his arches at your question, the batting of your lashes turning him aberrant. he’s really not liking who he’s becoming right now. losing self-control, respect for himself, respect for you. he doesn’t give a shit about a charity right now. all he knows is that he wants to use you, needs to fuck you, make you his girl. “you expect that i’ll let you come back?”

“i know you will,” now you’re standing inches apart now, rattling your bucket to knock him out of his daydreams. “hose? where?”

the stern clench in his jaw makes your clit jump, tengen opening his garage door to give you access to all his car necessities. he excused himself, taking a breather and battling with his desires as he curses his dick out when he’s slipping on basketball shorts and a white tank. tengen catches himself when he’s peering out his bedroom window to see you arching over his truck, shorts snug and shirt damp with water as you ring out the soapy sponge in your hands, giggling to yourself and tucking those plush lips when you get yourself a little too wet. your head knocks up and catches his gaze on you, biting your lips and winking.

fuck the wash. fuck the charity. fuck his morals.

to his unknown, your phone is perched up against the inside of his truck, snug in a corner between the seat and the door, peaking inside with your ass high and swaying, waiting for him to come back down. you got him. ‘course you did. not to toot your own horn or anything, but you’re very irresistible. your millions of subscribers on girlybimbos.net could vouch for you. you’re live streaming now, your lilac acrylic between your teeth as you twiddle your fingers gently to greet your money makers. slipping a tit out for a little tease.

“my neighbors coming back,” you giggle sweetly, the sound like heaven to the men who worship you, to the women who want to be you, or be with you. comment after comment. tip after tip. it makes you feel so happy. they get greedier, jealous even when they notice a pair of big hands snatching your ass back to mold against a rock hard cock, damp with precum and jumping with covetous need. you smile into your shoulder as you look back at him, his face reading everything his dick was telling you.

“this okay?” the man strains, avidly tugging at the band of your shorts, spotting a cute tramp stamp tat on your love handle, ‘brat’ is what it says, drawn inside of a pink heart.

“what do you think?” tengen groans as you shift your ass back, resting your cheek on your shoulder as you continue to rock back and forth, dipping your hips to create a photographic memory in his mind. you’re grateful for the step bar that’s on the side of the truck considering how much taller he is, your ass sitting at just the right angle for him to slide his dick inside. but before he does any of that, he’s molding the flesh of your ass in his hands, soft like dough as he sloppily mouths at your cheeks while spreading them apart.

your fists ball as you whimper from his scorching touch, feeling the vibration through his kisses. your shorts are to your knees now, back arched as you suck on your lips and scrunch up your face when he’s pulling your black thong to the side to catch your sluice clit with his tongue, gasping as he swats at your ass each time he licks your pussy, devours your essence and ruts his tongue on that cute little pearl as you grind back on his face with frenzy. he doesn’t lay on it longer, too fucking hard to be playing tease right now. tengen’s giving the back of your thighs open mouthed french kisses, your head all fuzzy. it’s a lucid drug.

“fuck, that’s somethin’ else,” he’s hissing, tongue quickly swirling over his bottom lip before his brows are connecting and he’s got his heavy cock in his rough palm now. it’s tempting. if he’s laying on his back it’ll rest on his tummy just at his belly button. protruding veins on either side leading up to his fat head, mushroom shaped and a pastel pink tone to it. width about the same as a graph ruler. perfection at its finest. that wet pat pat! at the entrance of your cunt he taps with the heavy head of his cock makes you squeal, the noise so cute. fuck—you’re too cute. he’s gotta make you his.

“use me, please,” your head is tilting side to side as if you’re drunk, feeling the warm air hit your pussy, soaked and convulsing for him. abandoned. craving to be sheltered. catered to. full. “fuck me, please, pl—”

“quiet,” quiet? that’s nearly foreign for you once he’s pushing his fat cockhead into your taut, little pussy, chipping his lip with his teeth as he takes his time to sink into you, observing how your pussy grips his cock and pulls him in, releasing control so easily.

“that’s really—shit, fuck—that’s—” swat! he smacks your ass again and follows it with a gentle thrust and a nasty fucking moan. your toes curl and your grip on the leather seats become harsher, trying to accommodate his barbaric size. “tight little thing.”

you mewl from his praise, breath hitching. it’s too much to take all at once. so, you crawl forward to give yourself a minute. “you’re so—fuckin’ big, mmph!”

he doesn’t allow that, kissing his teeth and tutting a gruff ‘unh uh, come back’, bending so his head pokes inside the black ice scented vehicle, pulling you back by your hair until you’re scooting your ass back out the frame of the door, tengen standing straight again. he works his way in, not a total asshole about it. rolling his waist to knock into you, making it easier. proud to see you finally taking it like the good girl he knows you can be. he has faith in you. it’s a fucking prize when his sharp abdomen’s kissing the globes of your ass, your soppy pussy coating his skin.

you shouldn’t cry, you shouldn’t be fucking crying at all, but the way he pistons his hips and fucks you hard, skin clapping roughly and subtle fingers scratching at the dip of his flexing ass—you can’t help it. feels so good. it’s making you dumb, melting under his vehement gropes and brutal pounds. one of tengen’s hands slaps on the hood of his truck, keeping the other wrapped around your hair in a fist and raising his leg to stay on the step bar, grunting, cussing like a sailor, throat drying. there’s no fucking way you should be this fucking addictive. he swears he’s losing his mind even more, your whimpers and squeaks like music to his ears. the visible stretch your pussy showcases as he glanced for another take.

the man is adamant, that’s for sure. tastes rarely changing when it came to his women, and how he liked to fuck them. his flamboyancy is what drew you in. so impeccably godly. you’re immobile when his buff body enters the vehicle, pinning his weight entirely on your back, heaving on your cheek. tengen’s got his long fingers in your mouth now, telling you to ‘gag on these’ while he’s rutting his cock in you like a ferocious animal. he’s suffocating you, but you fucking love it. love being trapped beneath him. love hearing his moans clearier in your ear as your eyes cross and you fall out, into space.

“m’fuckin’ cummin’, baby,” air catches in his throat, sitting up some to loom over your body. “can i cum in this pussy? yeah? fill you up real good?”

“want your cum,” you’re blabbering, clapping your ass up to meet each scabrous thrust, flesh bouncing like jelly, choking on your spit when his hot hand clasps onto the back of your neck and keeps you down, fucking his cock like you’re his toy. a special toy he’s been waiting for.

“shit—you’re so cute,” he grumbles, eyes squeezing tight, managing to chuckle through his endless streams of moans. “bouncing like a bunny. so needy. i make you that way?”

you can’t form a word, slobbering over his fingers and focused on only one thing, your high. tengen pulls his fingers out and grabs your chin, smearing your own spit as he pinches your cheeks, your eyes fighting to stay open. “unh? i make you that way, baby? so fuckin’ cock drunk you start fucking yourself on it? am i your toy?”

“y-yeah. yesss, fuck—” tears are leaking down your face, the pleasure so intensely overwhelming, his raspy voice in your ear coaxing you further.

he ups his chin. “you using me? for what, hmm? been wanting to cum real good? boys your age not treating your pussy right?”

it’s like he’s being cruel, edging himself on purpose until you’re at your peak with him, arms bulging as he balls his fists and plants it flat on the seats, lifting like he’s doing push ups and snapping his hips viciously. you scream, hiccuping stupidly as your legs separate and you’re spasming, slapping at the back of the drivers seat and shoving your face into the seats before you, your phone falling into a compartment on the side door, your fans only hearing the squeaky hot leather, sticky skin clashing, and both of your moans conjoining.

“answer me. don’t act shy now ‘cause your cunts full,” he seethes, brushing your hair away from your sweaty forehead. a damn mess. the straps to your shirt slipping off, tits bouncing and falling out years ago. tongue stuck out as you pant like a dog and your eyes turn white like pinballs.

“they can’t fuck me like you do! c-can’t—ah!—can’t handle me like you. they’re too fucking stupid. never care about what i want. i-i need an older man who knows how to fuck me.”

he’s getting off on your cries, bawling his face up when that pit of fire encases his stomach. seconds away from painting your gummy walls with his cum. fuck, he’s so glad you came to his door today. never would’ve imagined he’d have such a mesmeric thing like you pinned under him right now. it’s a good thing you knocked when you did. his hand wasn’t enough, a mundane act he was sick of partaking.

“don’t worry, baby. i can fuck you like you want for as long as you need,” now his nose is flush against your cheek, chest on your back for the last time, grounding his dick and blocking your airflow with his wide hand that chokes you. you’re shaking like a leaf, barely able to breathe. “want you to cum on your toy. take his load for him, okay?”

that’s so new for you, being the first one to cum. it’s sad, truly. but no worries now. you finally found someone who’d care about pleasing a woman. who gets off on it. there was nothing greater than sexually satisfying a woman. it’s like fucking narcotics. those symphonies of yours crack as you come down hard, and the same time he sees you quietly orgasming while consistently clenching your cunt, his pulsating cocks shooting thick ropes of white in fast spurts. tengen’s jaw is agape, gasping and whimpering as he slides in and out of you with passion, relieved. days of sexual frustration gone out the window. he’s so weak on top of you, honestly would take a nap if he could.

your giggles wake him up, tengen rolling to his side so his back touches the seats, your hands covering your mouth, dazed. he kisses your forehead, leading his lips to yours for a sloppy kiss, tying tongues and smacking lips.

“i’m leaking,” you scoff a laugh, tengen looking down to see you raising your knees to your chest. “gonna clean me up or let me ruin your seats?”

he rolls his eyes playfully. “already ruined them. wet ass pussy.”

you squeal when he gives your pussy a slap, pushing his long silver hair away from his face and fixing himself up before leaving to get a clean, warm rag for you. while he’s distracted, you hastily search for your phone, finding it and flipping it around to see your stream still playing, the comments in uproar. some angry they couldn’t see the finale, some horny as fucking hell after hearing what happened, others happy to see your darling face again.

“bye guys. chat later. i’m so sore,” you pout, angling the camera to your cunt really fast to show them, teasing like you always do. you blow them a kiss before ending the live, looking over your phone to see him coming back to you. you spread your thighs which, by the way, still spasm. he chuckles at your body’s reaction, cleaning you up before kissing your inner thighs.

“can i still clean your truck?” you ask.

“um, you were serious?”

“duh. my schools counting on me, you know.”

“awesome,” he remarks, laughing after you roll your eyes and gather your shorts. tengen let’s you finish your job, making some homemade lemonade and baking a digiorno pizza to help restore both your energies. even though he just fucked you like a whore, he talked to you, caressed your face, and kissed you like you were the softest, most precious thing to him. it was nice.

once the sun set, and his truck was sparkly clean, you were standing in your original position on his front porch, leaving him. you still didn’t know each other’s names, not even bothering to ask, just staying in the moment.

“hey,” he grabs your wrist to catch you, looking back at him with curiosity. “what’s your name?”

you grin. “bb.”

bb? that also sounded familiar. now that he ponders on it, so does your voice, and your face, and that damn tattoo on your ass. tengen watches you skip away happily, humming a song and that’s when it hits him. he’s digging into his basketball shorts pocket to grab his phone, finding his bookmarks and scrolling for one in particular. pulling up an adult website where the name bunny bimbo flashes. a profile decorated in glitter, clouds, and all things pink. a small bio popping up with 69 videos, a new one recently uploaded. no title.

bunny bimbo. live ended 1 hour and 17 minutes ago. stunned to see the capture of his platinum hair and rainbow nails desperately grabbing your skin as the thumbnail. he snickers, awestruck by you.

anything for charity, right?

© 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐞, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝. 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞.

⤷ taglist; @dejwrites @indiecursor @massivelynervousprincess @gabzlovesu @emomanswhore @gumipawz @taesd-urag @waytoohornez @anajah @rinhoes @festive @erentoes @erenyeagerswhore @ilovestevelacy2228 @caribbeanwifey19 @suget

TW: Smut, Fluff, Breeding, Praising, Size Kink (?) lmk if i miss anything. Chubby Reader Fics with No Skintone of Reader Mentioned.

-Dividers from @v6que

can you imagine having a husband or boyfriend who is a farmer boy? like he's all buff, beefy, and strong and stuff.. and every time he gets home and opens the door, one thing he always does is that he will always look for you first, then he will carry you up to his room, and fucked you for the rest of the day. he's a boy who always fucked you like you're some kind of whore of his, but he somehow -- praise you like a princess. he use his dick to get you to your place, but on the other hand he also use his words to make your heart flutter by saying how good you're doing for him, how you're his woman, and how are you, sooner or later, that you will for sure, will gave births to his 'mini me'. and by the end of the day, you're gonna be nothing but his Pretty Woman.

🍡

one of the things about a farmer boy that i really like to thoughts about is the fact that since he's (so) beef and buffy, he really like to just carry you, scooping you, and bump you into his shoulder while his hand leaning on your back, ignoring your whining and protest about how you're a heavy woman and that you've also beg him to let you down while he was just saying "oh come on baby,, its not that bad. i promise i'll gave you a sweet treats."

𐙚 The Men That I'm Talking About Are : NANAMI KENTO, BOKUTO KOUTARO, HOSHIGAKI KISAME, RENGOKU, Shiva, Sugawara, Toji, TENGEN, Iwaizumi, Geto Suguru, KUROO TETSURO, Jason Voorhees, Vincent Sinclair, THOMAS HEWITT, Eren Yeager, Bakugo, Wakatoshi Ushijima, KAKUCHO, KIRISHIMA, Gyomei, Sanemi, DOUMA, Akaza, Miguel O'Hara, Sanzu, KONIG, Price, Dabi, Yuuji, Choso, SAWAMURA DAICHI, terushima, SENJU HASHIRAMA, ARATAKI ITTO, AONE TAKANOBU, Semi eita, Kou mukami, YUMA MUKAMI, Akiteru Tsukishima, JIRAIYA, lev haiba.

DID I FORGET ANYONE? INSERT YOUR FAV!