Chapter Text
The first time Otogawa Nakime had seen him, it was long before she had joined the demon slayer corps. Long before she even knew of demons.
Long before she had become who she was. But he saved her even then.
She was a little girl, practising the biwa at night. No mother or Father. Just Nakime.
The music had apparently attracted someone, because a growl cut it short. She looked up, and saw someone on their hands and knees, looking straight into the girl's eye. She gasped, and it came charging towards her. She braced herself, ready for it to rip her apart.
And it didn't.
Opening her eye, she saw a boy, maybe a year or two older than her, standing in between the monster and her. Nakime blinked, and the monster was fading away. The boy turned to look at her.
He was a handsome one, with hair tied into a short ponytail, and eyes like stars. Twinkling in the dark. He held out his hand to her, and she took it, standing up.
“It’s okay now. It's gone.”
“What was that thing..?” Nakime asked, stumbling to get the words out.
He grimaced.
“A demon.”
And that's how she learned of demons. She was extra careful from that day forth.
Sometimes she dreamed of that boy coming back for her.
Otogawa Nakime was a monster to the people around her, because she only had one eye. It was a stupid reason, really, but they thought she was unnatural. It had to have been natural, because she was born like that. Either way, Nakime learned to keep to herself, and throw herself into her music, growing her hair long and silky, like an inky night sky.
It wasn't until many, many years later that Nakime had seen the boy again.
Being appointed a Hashira was an honour the woman never thought she would achieve. Joining the Corps as an act of desperation, to escape her past. It didn't help that the majority of the members were male. She just had to keep to herself again.
She forgot about the boy until she laid eye on him again. He had grown, just as she had. Becoming a handsome man. Serious, stern and slow. Nakime felt guilty for feeling that pang of distrust seeing him. He had saved her so long ago, and she here she was disrespecting that? What a disgrace Otogawa was.
The man walked close to her. She trembled slightly, digging fingers into her palm.
“It’s you.” He said.
“It is.”
The man smiled softly at her.
“You’re very pretty.”
She flushed slightly. Nobody had ever complimented her before.
“My name is Otogawa Nakime.”
“Tsugikuni Michikatsu.”
The strongest among the hashira. What a privilege. He was so kind to her, all the time. Never pushing her, never yelling, never stressing her, never hurting her when they sparred.
But still she felt distrust. She couldn't help it. But there was also this other feeling there. She couldn't quite place it.
It wasn't until she saw another hashira, Soyama Hakuji, with his wife after a mission. She ran up to him, calling, and he ran to her, sweeping the young lady off her feet, and peppered kisses all over her face. Nakime watched with interest. Such a public display of affection..
The woman couldn't help but wish someone would do that for her. But she knew a man could never love someone like her. He would just pretend. They all always just pretend. It's never different.
She was on a mission with Michikatsu, sitting on a mountaintop at dawn. The gold rays falling on his perfect skin, wind blowing through his hair.
Oh.
Oh no.
The wind was blowing through his hair.
The wind was blowing.
The wind was blowing through her hair. Moving it aside. He would see what people hated about her. He would never look at her kindly again. He would—
He was looking at her. But he didn't recoil in disgust. Like others did. He just smiled, and put a hand to her cheek.
“You’re very pretty, Otogawa.”
Nakime felt her cheeks getting hot. There was something behind his eyes. But it wasn't malice. It was something else. Something he was bursting to say. Bursting to do. A feeling that gave him so much adrenaline, the man might die. Nakime could tell.
He was the first one to not be so scared. It was all so different and new. Her lips quivered. Tears welled up in her eye. When they rolled down her face, he wiped them away, and softly said,
“You mustn't get so upset, Otogawa. It's true.”
Those compliments were like music to her ears.