Archive of Our Own

The last she remembered of her home was the smell of ash and blood. The ash was from the remains of her family compound. The blood was from her dead and dying family. 

She breathed slowly and deeply as she lay sprawled on the ground. Above her, caging her with his arms, was a grotesque figure with too many eyes and too many teeth.

“One finger to the forehead, a palm to the chest. That is how you may assess and access a patient’s spiritual energy,” Her father had taught her before realizing she had no talent for the clan’s art. 

Something warm and viscous slowly dripped onto her face from the demon’s maw as she continued to breathe evenly. 

“Her spiritual energy is too vast. She will never have the precision required to heal.” Her instructor informed the clan head—her uncle—when she exploded her tenth training seal. It had the capacity to hold the energy of an adult male. She could not transfer any less no matter how she tried. 

She maintained contact with the monstrous being and continued to pull. It’s spiritual core pulsed weakly but steadily. 

“Maybe you should pursue a different path,” her mother suggested almost gently when she began pursuing more traditional healing methods—ones that did not require spiritual energy. Maybe you should give up, went unsaid. The next day, her uncle died and her mother fled with the clan’s inheritance. 

This thing was no human, she knew, since a normal human would have died a hundred times over from loss of spiritual energy. If she stopped pulling, the demon hovering above her would replenish itself, awaken, and kill her. After all, it had rampaged through the compound and set fire to everything. 

“Never perform that accursed technique again!” The new clan head’s voice reverberated throughout the room. She knelt at the ground before him, her cheek stinging and her eyes downcast. Without looking, she knew his gaze was full of fear and disgust. It was the same look her brother gave her when she showed him how she could extract energy from her surroundings—the meadow around them had withered in an instant and she was flooded with the feeling of sunlight and dirt. 

She continued the pull, the picture of serenity, even as the demon’s last memories crowded her mind—the thrill of panicked chaos, the pleasure of snapping bones, the heady taste of human flesh. She let it all wash over her, exhaling the excess energy out, thinking of nothing and sinking into her consciousness.

“We can’t just hand over the children like that,” her aunt sharply argued, “Humans are monsters in disguise.” It was something she said often. “We can’t just trust those so-called slayers—”

Then the smell of ash intensified, and the flow of energy was cut off. She opened her eyes, and a figure stood before her, sheathing a blade that shone red in the moonlight. The demon burst into smoldering motes. She shivered and suddenly realized how cold she felt as the demon’s freezing spiritual energy faded. A blurred visage of gold and red filled her world. His lips were moving, but all she could hear was a high ringing and her heartbeat. Then darkness. 

~ 

“Miss, you are awake!” 

She was being carried on someone’s back. She opened her eyes to fiery hair and a rushing sensation as the scenery flew by. The rumble of his voice was soothing. 

“—to recover. You did well holding off the demon—”

Her eyes slid closed once again. 

~

When she regained consciousness, a young girl with dark blue eyes fussed at her before giving her a change of clothes. After dressing in the simple robes, she was ushered through the building. At the entrance the young man with the fiery hair was waiting. 

“Hello again miss!” He greeted her. “I will be escorting you to Oyakata-sama!” She was blindfolded before being instructed to climb onto his back. The wind whistled briskly past her ears, and soon the blindfold fell away to reveal a large courtyard. A handful of individuals knelt before a man who was seated on a deck, his back to an empty room. Beside him sat two young girls. The fiery man led her to the side of the courtyard, where he also knelt and motioned for Akane to do the same. 

“You must be one of the Kado children,” came a calming voice as she lowered herself to the ground. “I am Ubuyashiki Kagaya, the present leader of the Demon Slayer Corps. Kyojuro has informed me of how he tracked a demon to your clan’s compound. What is your name? Will you tell me what happened?” 

She raised her head and met his clouded lavender eyes. “I am Kado Akane. The demon attacked in the night, ate several clansmen, and killed the rest.” She paused, but he nodded encouragingly and said nothing. “Is there anything specific you like to know, Oyakata-sama?” The title felt odd on her tongue but she vaguely knew of this man. The clan had been in contact with his group to negotiate the provision of healing services. She was to be sent as part of the initial workforce. 

“Kyojuro told us that you successfully immobilized a demon. How were you able to accomplish such a feat?” 

Akane’s gaze drifted towards the ground. “Per our correspondences, you likely know that the clan uses spiritual energy for healing arts. I was trained in these arts, however I cannot perform them. However, I am able to transfer large amounts of spiritual energy. The demon came in close contact with me, and so I was able to redirect his spiritual energy into the air and earth. In doing this, the demon no longer had the strength to move.” She could feel people staring and forced herself to remain still. 

“I see,” Kagaya spoke softly, “I am regretful for the loss of your clansmen. What would you like to do now?”

Seeing that Akane had no answer after several moments, the young woman in the assembly spoke, “Kado-san is welcome to come work at Butterfly Mansion,” she said airly, “If I recall correctly, she is one who would have been sent to us for assistance on behalf of the Kado clan.” 

Kagaya turned his head towards her, “Is Shinobu’s proposal acceptable, Akane?” 

Shinobu beamed when Akane nodded. “Then, will the younger Rengoku-san please take her back?” 

Akane slowly got to her feet, bowed to the company, and allowed herself to be led out of the sunlit courtyard. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered before something was draped around her shoulders. She looked up into shining eyes of bright red and gold. 

“My apologies!” Kyojuro exclaimed, “I did not consider that you are not yet recovered!” He tucked her arms into the white haori, then swiftly secured the blindfold and brought her back to the entrance of Butterfly Mansion. 

“Thank you,” Akane spoke softly as she tentatively returned the haori, and the feeling of cold returned. 

Kyojuro smiled at her brightly. “Keep your head held high, Kado-san! You have a unique talent, and I’m sure that Butterfly Mansion will be able to help you continue to hone your healing art!” He then turned to leave. “I will leave you here. I must return to training with my new pupil!” 

As Kyojuro bade her farewell, Akane called out to his retreating back. “Thank you,” she said again, “for helping me.” Another blinding smile, and he was gone. 

~

The young girl, Aoi, showed her to her room and had her rest. The next day, she was led around the mansion by three small girls, who showed her the daily chores, then crowded around her to play with her long, dark hair. The day after, she was brought to a workbench by Aoi to produce various tonics and salves. Shinobu sought her out on the fourth day to inquire further about the Kado clan’s healing technique. 

“It may be that your technique cannot be applied to normal humans,” she hummed consideringly, “but those who train their bodies as demon slayers may benefit. The precision required to heal a normal human may not be necessary in a human with well-defined spiritual pathways.” She then allowed Akane to assess her spiritual energy. Akane was stunned—compared to these demon slayers, her own reserves were just a drop in the ocean. She was startled out of her thoughts as Shinobu finished tying her hair loosely at the small of her back with a red ribbon. “It’s better to not have your pretty hair in the way,” she said smiling sweetly, “this way your patients can be reassured by your cute face as well.” 

And so, for the next six months, Akane worked in the mansion, created (and exploded) various training seals, shared ideas with Shinobu over tea, and assisted in the rehabilitation and healing of injured members of the Demon Slayer Corps.

One morning, a bustle of people drew her to the sickbay. There, with his entire body messily bandaged, lay Kyojuro. Akane quickly rushed to his bedside and placed a finger upon his forehead. His eyes were closed and his body was littered with metal fragments—some fracturing his bones, some lodged superficially, others piercing internal organs. A few wounds tracked straight through his body. 

A young demon slayer with pale pink hair tearfully reported they had been fighting a demon who used western weapons. Kyojuro’s wounds had been inflicted by a combination of explosives and gunfire, please please help him. 

Akane placed her palm over Kyojuro’s slowly beating heart, and began to work. 

~ 

Kyojuro returned to consciousness gradually, to the intermittent sound of metal clinking on glass. 

“Rengoku-san, please remain still. I’ve numbed your body so it may feel odd. The majority of your wounds have been cleaned, and the bones of your left arm and right leg have been set. There are still superficial bullet fragments that need to be removed, and then we will need to finish dressing your wounds.” 

He obeyed and did his best not to squirm from the strange sensation of his wounds being prodded, although there was no pain. “Thank you, miss!” 

She smiled at him wryly and continued working. “Your pupil told me of your accomplishments. Congratulations on defeating that demon.” 

“It was my duty!” Came the immediate reply. 

Her smile softened. “I’d like to thank you again, Rengoku-san. I was the one you rescued at the Kado compound six months ago. At the time that I arrived here, I was lost and didn’t know what I should do next. You had encouraged me at that time, and I was able to become more hopeful for the future.” 

A look of realization passed over his face. “Kado-san! I am glad you are well!” He all but shouted as she helped him to a seated position to dress his wounds. 

“You will still need to rest for at least a few weeks so that your body can recover completely,” she said kindly, “I’ve removed all the bullet fragments I could reach, but be sure to get plenty of sunshine. Change your bandages every day. If you feel as if you are not healing as expected, send for me. Otherwise, I will visit you at the end of the month to check your wounds and clear you for regular duties.” Before she saw him off with the pink haired girl, Akane pressed a small healing charm into his hand, with the request that he keep it with him when he went to battle. He accepted it and bid her farewell. 

~

The residence of the Flame Hashira was empty and silent. While she waited in the entryway, an older man wandered past, clutching at jars of sake. 

“Pardon my intrusion, Rengoku-sama,” Akane called out. “I am Kado Akane from Butterfly Mansion. May I ask if your eldest son is home?” 

The man grumbled something that sounded like “get lost” and disappeared into the house. 

Akane continued to wait at the entrance until a young boy rushed out to greet her. She smiled at his timid apologies as he guided her to the back of the house, pressing a box of treats into his hands. 

“Rengoku-san,” she called to where he was practicing with a wooden sword in the courtyard. Kyojuro turned around, the same bright smile on his face and a greeting on his lips. “It seems that you’ve recovered nicely,” she said as he walked over to her to sit on the terrace. He only wore his white haori over his bandages. 

“Indeed! Kanroji told me that it’s all thanks to your care!” He shouted as Akane undid his dressings and carefully inspected the wounds that littered his torso. They were healing nicely, and she told him so. 

“I would like to examine the bones of your arm and leg, please excuse me,” she then said before gently placing the tip of her index finger on his forehead. His spiritual core and energy surged, smoldering hot under her senses, and she couldn’t help but lean closer. She eased her energy through his puncture wounds before turning to his limbs. His fractures were nearly healed, so she coaxed a bit of her own spiritual energy to his left forearm and right shin to further mature the newly formed bone. 

To Kyojuro, Akane’s spiritual energy felt cool, like a pleasant autumn day. He realized that she was performing her healing as she pressed her other hand firmly against his chest, and so remained still. Then her face slowly drifted closer, until her forehead was brushing against his, the hand that was on his forehead gently smoothed back his hair until it was cupping the back of his head. Her eyes had slipped closed. He breathed slowly and shallowly, counting his heartbeats, not wanting to interrupt her. 

Then her dark lashes fluttered and she was pulling away with a serene expression. “You’re cleared to return to normal duties.” 

“Kado-san?” Kyojuro asked after a shaky exhale. 

“Your injuries were only freshly healed, so I stabilized them further.” Her expression did not change but her amber eyes sparkled. “I wish you success on your journeys. Do not forget your healing charm.” 

“Of course!” His dumbfounded expression faded away, but his eyes trailed after her as she left. 

He jumped when Senjuro returned with tea. 

~

“How does Kado-san normally perform her healing?” 

Shinobu shot him a questioning look, but demonstrated, “Like so,” she placed a cool index finger on Kyojuro’s forehead and flattened her palm against his chest. 

~

They were an interesting group, Akane thought. Tanjiro was a sweet boy, and the girls of Butterfly Mansion were smitten. Zenitsu was a good but silly child. Inosuke was like a cat—she would bait him with food and small gestures of affection. 

“Zenitsu-kun,” Akane cajoled at the dispirited form huddled on a sickbay bed. He had mostly recovered from the spider toxin, but had again refused to attend rehabilitation training. “Shall I share some knowledge on what makes a popular man? I know quite a bit from attending omiais in the past. 

A head of messy yellow hair poked out from beneath the sheets. Akane immediately ruffled it, to which Zenitsu gave a yelp of dismay and retreated. 

“There are many contributing factors,” continued Akane, knowing that she had the boy’s attention, “A financially secure man will put the girl’s family at ease. A kind and considerate man will catch a girl’s attention. An honest and steadfast character will steal a girl’s heart. Specifically, Nezuko-chan’s heart.”

Zenitsu burst out from under the sheets with a wail, “You’re saying it’s impossible for me then, aren’t you?!” He squeaked and dove back under the sheets when Akane reached for his hair again.

“Not at all,” she said, smiling slyly, “If anything, I’d say that you’re almost there. You have a paying job with room to grow your income and you are always thinking of her happiness—even if she’s currently a demon. Aren’t you just too perfect for her?” 

“That’s right!” Zenitsu preened from beneath the sheets, “Nobody can match my love for Nezuko-chan!” 

“Mm, there may be a problem with the final requirement though; it may be fine for now but it is essential in gaining Nezuko-chan’s trust and respect. Since Nezuko-chan grew up around strong and reliable men, anything less will likely not register to her as a potential partner.” Tanjiro-kun had chatted with her about his family after she snuck him extra senbei crackers, and Akane took the liberty to make some assumptions. 

Zenitsu was silent for a while, then came a muffled cry. “I know that! I’m a no-good coward! I’m weak and unreliable! I know that better than anyone! It’s hopeless for me after all!”

Akane patted his sobbing form. “Nobody becomes strong overnight, Zenitsu-kun. The important part is to not give up. This is the most important part. Let’s say, a husband and wife were deeply in love, and had young children. The wife suddenly died of illness, and in his grief, the husband began neglecting his children. The opposite may also occur. For instance, the mother becomes sick of the father being lazy and self-centered, so she runs away with the family’s money. The father committed suicide and the remaining family tried to sell off the children.” She patted Zenitsu again, who was now mostly quiet aside from a few stray sniffles. “You have good ears, right Zenitsu-kun? So you can probably tell if those stories are real or not.” He stilled under her hand. 

“You are a strong boy, Zenitsu-kun. After all, you made it this far. Just remember, when you are not feeling brave, you don’t have to be. Just place one foot in front of the other, even if it’s painful. And then, someday, everyone around you will also recognize your strength.” 

~

One day after their usual tea session, Shinobu stopped her before she left, tugging at Akane so that she had to lean down towards the more petite woman. 

“Ne, Akane-san,” she tapped their foreheads together, “How does doing this influence your healing?” 

Akane felt her face warm. “It broadens the established connection, allowing for faster evaluation and more efficient energy transfer.” 

Under Shinobu’s expectant stare, Akane bit her lip and mumbled, “It’s also a gesture of intimacy.” 

“Rengoku-san wouldn’t happen to know about that, would he?” Shinobu asked, smiling smugly. 

“No,” Akane replied softly, “I don’t intend for him to know.”

~

Shortly after the boys bid their tearful goodbye, a crow message came for Akane. “Board the Mugen train! Disguise yourself as a passenger! Quickly board the Mugen train!” 

Before she left, Akane conferred with Shinobu. “Oyakata-sama has good instincts about things to come. There will likely be a reason for your presence,” Shinobu said gravely. “Please return safely.” 

And so, she rushed to the train station with a Kakushi member as a guide. Seating herself at the back of the last cart, she was about to extend her senses to scout the train when a reverberating “UMAI” nearly made her heart stop. Kyojuro was in the cart in front of hers. She smiled wryly at his enthusiastic cries, then closed her eyes. Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke were on the platform, but would undoubtedly seek out the Flame Hashira. Satisfied that they all would be nearby, she then turned her attention to the rest of the train. A sickeningly sweet haze obscured the passengers, but no demon could be found. She drew in her spiritual energy, wrapping it tightly inside of her, then settled into her seat to wait. 

Soon enough, the young trio boarded the train, which began to depart from the station. They were making a ruckus in the next cart but Akane ignored them and feigned sleep. The haze over the passengers was thickening, and eventually a tendril of spiritual energy extended towards Akane’s spiritual core. She immediately crushed it and opened her eyes. The train continued to rattle, but otherwise it was eerily quiet. 

It was too late to continue pretending to be a normal passenger. The demon likely knew of her now. She briskly made her way to the next cart, and was greeted by an unexpected sight. A very small and tearful Nezuko looked towards her with blood running from her forehead. Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke were passed out in their seats. Only Kyojuro was upright, still as stone and gripping a girl by her neck. 

Akane cautiously approached Kyojuro and scrutinized the rope around his wrist. It was heavy with the same cloying spiritual energy as the haze surrounding them all, connecting him to a girl with braided hair, whom he was holding suspended in the air.

A flash of fire came with Nezuko’s muffled sounds of frustration. When it faded, Tanjiro came back into view, unharmed. The rope around his wrist crumbled into ash. 

“Nezuko-chan?” Akane asked, “Can you do that for Rengoku-san, Zenitsu-kun, and Inosuke-kun? They need to wake up.” 

The rosy-eyed girl nodded, and set upon the others with her blood art. As his rope burned away, Kyojuro slowly released his grip on the girl with braids. Akane rushed to catch him as his muscles relaxed and he faltered back, only to almost drop him as Tanjiro woke with a scream. 

“Tanjiro-kun, you need to calm down,” Akane called. “The demon has put the train to sleep, and seems to have targeted you all with its blood art. Its energy feels strongest at the front of the train. You must move quickly. I will remain here to wake the others.” 

Tanjiro’s eyes focused as he caught his breath and gave her a determined nod and instructed Nezuko to stay before speeding away.

“Now then,” Akane turned her attention to the fiery haired man sleeping in her arms. Staggering under his weight, she set him down on a nearby seat. With Nezuko’s flames crackling around Zenitsu and Inosuke behind her, she assessed Kyojuro with her finger on his forehead before leaning forward. “Forgive me, I don’t mean to assault your unconscious body, Rengoku-san.” Facing him, she propped a knee up against the bench for leverage and pressed their foreheads together, one hand cradling his jaw, the other on his chest. 

And fell. She felt a searing heat before she hit the ground. Gingerly climbing to her feet, she glanced around. 

It was a cozy dream of the Rengoku estate, filled with lazy sunshine. Kyojuro was in the back garden, enthusiastically coaching his brother. 

She called his name. He turned. 

“Hello, miss. I didn’t hear you come in! What brings you to our home?” Kyojuro moved slightly so that he was in front of Senjuro. 

“Rengoku-san, it’s time to wake up,” Akane said simply, then released her spiritual energy. For a moment, nothing happened, then Kyojuro’s eyes flashed with recognition. 

A large fissure appeared in the sky, with spiderweb cracks branching off from it. 

Suddenly, Akane flinched and cried out with pain. Blood bloomed from her right side, staining her dark kimono. Grinding her teeth, she clasped her hands together, looked up into Kyojuro’s shocked face, and tore the dream world apart. 

She came back to herself with a gasp, and choked back another cry. The young girl with braided hair yanked her weapon from Akane’s side, eyes wild, and raised it for another attack. Akane quickly shielded Kyojuro, cut off her pain receptors, then braced herself. 

But the blow never came, and with a rush of air, she found herself in Kyojuro’s one armed embrace, her face crushed against his neck. There was the sound of a body hitting the floor. Then two more. When Kyojuro stopped moving, she slowly released his shoulders, which she had clung to when he began knocking out their assailants. 

“Kado-san!” His grip on her tightened, before carefully helping her sit down. “Can you heal yourself?” His eyes were wide and worried. 

“Yes, I—” She was cut off when the cart gave a violent shake. Around them, the walls bubbled with glistening red, and the cart was engulfed. Misshapen meaty arms extended towards them. “I’m fine, go!” 

Kyojuro took off, a trail of fire and severed demon flesh in his wake. 

~

Oddly enough, there was no pain, just a cool and tingling sensation in the area of his damaged eye and broken ribs. Kyojuro panted, his blood dripping to the ground after the last exchange of blows, before readying himself for a final attack. 

All too soon, the battle was over. He sank to his knees as Akaza fled for the forest. Then, Akane was kneeling before him, the first rays of dawn haloing her form. Her normally placid face was twisted with grief and anger. Her amber eyes gleamed before she pressed her forehead against his and the coolness of her spiritual energy rushed into him. He could only watch, dazed, as she stood and turned away, fresh blood on her forehead and soaking the front (and back?) of her dark kimono. Dazed, as Tanjiro stumbled towards them, the forest behind him shriveling into dust. Dazed, as Akane moved between their little group and Akaza, who howled and rushed at them as the sun charred his skin. 

Akane squared her shoulders. She vaguely felt her left eye rupture, her right ribs shatter, and her chest rip open, but her pain receptors were still deadened from the earlier train scuffle. Kyojuro’s wounds were fatal and couldn’t be healed, and so she performed a brute force energy translocation, replacing areas of injury with swathes of her own spiritual energy and taking the damaged energy into herself. At the same time, she clasped her hands together and dug into Akaza’s spiritual core even as he ran, pulling all his energy into herself before slamming it out. The residual heat of Kyojuro’s spiritual energy quickly dissipated. The air was vibrating, the earth was crumbling, the forest was steadily melting away.  This was the coldest she had ever felt, much colder than with the demon two years ago.  

With nowhere to hide from the sun and his strength dwindling away, Akaza advanced towards them in a rage, but his movements became more and more sluggish as Akane frantically siphoned away his spiritual energy. Finally, he halted before her. 

“Move,” he hissed, but made no motion to attack. It took all he had just to stay upright. 

Akane said nothing—her spiritual core was freezing, creaking. Then, she lunged forward as Akaza’s core began to fracture under her efforts. Time seemed to slow. Akaza unconsciously took a small step back, his face filling with bewilderment and a touch of panic. His eyes were glued to Akane’s face, seemingly looking through her. She wrapped her arms around his broad form, pulling him down until his body was flush against hers, his chin tucked over her shoulder. Kyojuro saw his lips move. Then, he was gone, dissipating into the light of the rising sun. 

A flutter of dark hair, and Akane dropped to the ground. 

~

She blinked awake, staring at the familiar ceiling of her room. She rolled to her side before slowly pushing herself upright. Kiyo glanced through the open door of Akane’s room as she passed by, a pile of folded towels in her arms. She cried out at the sight of Akane trying to get out of bed. 

“You can’t!” Kiyo quickly deposited the towels at the foot of the bed and kept Akane from rising. “Stay right here, I will get Shinobu-sama!” 

Akane allowed herself to be bullied back under the covers by the small girl. Soon, Shinobu was sweeping into the room, quickly placing a finger on Akane’s forehead. 

“What you did was very foolish,” she said sternly after removing her hand, “Your spiritual core was significantly damaged from the strain of converting such large amounts of spiritual energy.” She sighed at Akane’s almost pleading look. “Rengoku-san and the boys are fine.” Shinobu helped Akane to a seated position before continuing, “Using that experimental healing charm was also very risky. We’ve only tested it in a controlled environment, and active combat introduces too many variables.” She tied Akane’s hair loosely with the red ribbon, briefly running her fingers down the small beaded butterflies at the ends before giving her hair a small tug. “I need you to help Aoi look after this place while I’m gone, so don’t go dying just yet.” 

Stunned and feeling a heaviness in her chest, Akane could only nod and apologize to the younger woman. 

Kiyo soon returned with Aoi, Sumi, and Naho bearing a mild broth, and they continued to talk. Akane had been asleep for three days. Physically, she was uninjured, likely due to the excessive amounts of spiritual energy that she had taken in. However, her spiritual core had undergone too much stress, so she was now in a fairly weakened state. 

“I think,” she said slowly, “I didn’t wake up right away because my mind was impacted as well. When I transfer that much spiritual energy from living beings, I can see their most recent thoughts and memories.” 

“Then… Rengoku-san… and the demon?!” Aoi exclaimed. 

Akane nodded. “Rengoku-san was full of determination to protect. His sense of duty was very admirable…” She trailed off at Shonobu’s knowing smile and ducked her head with embarrassment. 

“The demon’s memory was terrible to see, he wanted to either turn Rengoku-san into a demon or rip him to shreds.” She shivered at the memory of an arm piercing through Kyojuro’s body. “But before his end, he also remembered a woman, and the feeling of despair.” 

At Shinobu’s cold smile, Akane hastily changed the topic, asking after the younger demon slayers. Apparently the three boys were still recovering, and Nezuko was fast asleep. Kyojuro had returned to his estate, with the promise to return to discuss future training with Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke. 

As if on cue, Flame Hashira appeared in the doorway with his signature smile. “Kado-san, you are awake!” 

Shinobu shot her a coy look, then clapped her hands, “Well then, let’s get back to our duties now!  If Rengoku-san is here, we should see if the boys are ready to begin training.” With that, everyone obediently followed Shinobu out of the room after bidding Akane to rest well. 

The door shut at Kyojuro’s back. Akane was in wonder at Shinobu’s boldness. 

“Have you recovered well, Kado-san?” Rengoku was now seated by her bedside.

Akane looked at him dully, “I am well enough, but you were at death’s door. Please take care of yourself.” 

“No, no,” Kyojuro said, his brows pinching slightly, “You completely healed me on that night, but it seems that you took those wounds in my stead.” 

“There is no lasting harm to my body,” she vaguely stated. 

Kyojuro’s smile dropped by just a fraction, eying the new ragged scar above her left brow. Shinobu guessed that her body had instinctively—but imprecisely—healed itself. He wondered if she had similar scars where Akaza had… “And your spiritual core?” He asked in an uncharacteristically softer voice. 

“Since this is the first time that I’ve attempted such large scale energy transfers, full recovery is uncertain—”

Kyojuro’s smile fell another fraction. 

“—but very likely,” Akane quickly added, “In time, I’m sure—”

“You should become my wife!” 

“… Rengoku-san, do you know what you’re saying?”

His gaze intensified, “I respect you greatly! You are an outstanding woman! I am ashamed that my shortcomings drove you to damage your body on my behalf! Regardless of if your spiritual core recovers or not, the Rengoku family will look after you for the rest of your life!” His posture was rigid, and he was gripping his knees tightly. 

After a beat of silence, Akane reached out and brushed her fingers across the back of one of his hands. Kyojuro started, then relaxed slightly, his eyes fixed on Akane’s face. 

“Then let me introduce myself properly, as a potential marriage partner,” she began, “I am Kado Akane, twenty-three years old, daughter of Haruto and and Shizuka, previously third in succession for head of the now defunct Kado clan. Due to my inability to perform the clan’s healing art, I was rendered sterile at the age of eighteen, so I cannot produce heirs. I am currently only capable of healing those who have trained in breath techniques. I have no tangible assets to offer.” She smiled softly, “You saved me in many ways back then.” I love you. “I chose to heal you, so there is no need to feel obligated to repay me. You have your duty as the head of your family. I only wish for you to live a long and fulfilling life.” 

She took his hand and her lips ghosted over his knuckles; her eyes were briefly hidden behind her dark lashes. Kyojuro thought she looked as if she would cry. Then she straightened, and all that remained was a tranquil expression. 

He squeezed at her hand as she withdrew, and Akane wondered if it was in apology or reluctance to let go. Then he released her, expression hurt and confused. His lips parted slightly as if to speak. 

“Go,” she said softly, “Your new disciples are waiting.”

He left without another word. 

“What an unhappy face,” Shinobu’s voice floated to him when he reached the end of the hall. “You were so determined when you came to ask for my blessing, what happened?” Her tone was playful, almost teasing. At the lost look he gave her, she continued, “Ara, I forgot to say that she may refuse you, perhaps more than once. After all, she is a woman that does not recognize her own worth.” Shinobu’s smile hardened, “If this is the extent of your resolve, then I suggest you stay away from her from now on.”

Kyojuro’s eyes brightened with understanding. “I see! Thank you Kocho, I will exercise patience!” With that, the flames of his haori were flickering around the corner, off to find his students. 

~

Akane slowly mended her spiritual core, and was able to resume her daily activities within a week. Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke were also back to training, with Kyojuro dropping by occasionally to give them pointers. Before leaving, he would invariably seek her out to ask about her health and sometimes give her a trinket from his travels. Akane was bemused, but didn’t see a reason to be unfriendly. 

“Nee-chan, is he bothering you?” Asked Zenitsu suspiciously after watching their usual exchange. Akane had brought the trio (and Kyojuro) refreshments after their training session. At her astonished look, Zenitsu puffed himself up angrily, “Even if he is a Hashira, I will yell at him to leave you alone!” He quickly deflated under the weight of her inquisitive stare. “Your heartbeat always sounds sad when he is here…” 

A startled yell came from Zenitsu as Akane suddenly mussed his hair. “You’re really such a good kid, Zenitsu-kun,” said Akane as she playfully pinched his cheeks despite his embarrassed protests. “Actually, I didn’t realize that I was sad,” she confessed, “so thank you for telling me. But these feelings are the result of my own decisions, so please don’t yell at Rengoku-san.”

Zenitsu fell into a silence, opening and closing his mouth several times before finally saying, “Did something happen? About three months ago?” 

Again, Akane was stunned. Both at his accuracy and how carefully he chose his words. She had once talked to him about his habit of hastily blurting out his thoughts, especially when he was emotional, but didn’t think he would remember. 

“I know that you can hear people’s intentions all the time, no matter how unpleasant they might be,” she sat across from him while applying some healing salve to the blisters on his hands. He had been complaining to her that Tanjiro and Inosuke never seemed to be bothered about things like blisters or muscle sores, and that they must have cursed him. “But please remember that other people can only hear what you say. Just as other people have ‘sounds’ that can be hurtful, your words can also be hurtful. I’m sure Tanjiro-kun and—well, Inosuke-kun would just be mad—but Tanjiro-kun would be sad that you think so poorly of him, even if you didn’t mean it.”

She finished bandaging his hands and flicked his nose, which he scrunched angrily at her. “This is important for the future as well! Some people—especially women—can be scary creatures! They can remember every little thing you say, so if you say something thoughtlessly and hurt them, they will lock it in their hearts forever! Your words will then become the knife they use to wound themselves over and over. You wouldn’t want to accidentally do something like that to Nezuko-chan, right?”

“Nee-chan?”

She was pulled from her thoughts and smiled fondly at Zenitsu. “When I woke up, after we returned from the Mugen Train, Rengoku-san asked me to marry him.”

“Then… he’s cheating on you?!” Zenitsu screeched. “I’ll definitely beat him up and—”

Akane pinched his cheek again to quiet him down. “No, I… I essentially refused him.”

“But don’t you like him?!” Zenitsu cried, “You always have snacks prepared for him! And he said they’re his favorite!” He quieted at the sound of Akane’s heartbeat, slow and heavy. 

“Rengoku-san isn’t an ordinary man. He is defined by his sense of duty. I do like him for that.” I love him. “I would not be able to fulfill the duties required from a wife of such a man. In other words, even if our feelings might be compatible, our circumstances are not.” 

“Nee-chan should just forget about that weird looking guy then,” Zenitsu scoffed. “If he really liked you, then circumstances wouldn’t matter. Like with me and Nezuko-chan! Even if she’s a demon, I’ll love her forever!” 

Akane hummed contemplatively. “Would you be able to say the same thing five years from now? Ten years from now? What if she never becomes human again?” 

Zenitsu harrumphed at her. “Didn’t nee-chan tell me to keep moving forward, even if I’m scared?”  

Akane gaped at him once more, then broke into a delighted grin. “Little Zenitsu-kun is becoming a fine young man!” She laughed as he batted at her, his face flaming. “Thank you Zenitsu-kun. You’ve really grown so much. I’m very proud of you.” 

Zenitsu stiffened, and when Akane glanced over at him, large tears were rolling down his face. “There there,” Akane said while hastily patting his tears away with her sleeve and drawing him into a hug, “You’ve really been doing so well, you should be proud of yourself too.” 

He suddenly laughed, his face still wet, “Nee-chan is panicking, that’s too funny,” he said thickly. 

Akane viciously pinched his cheeks. 

~

The ground suddenly fell away from her feet, and she realized she was being briskly carried away, slung over a broad shoulder. Like a potato sack. She dimly registered Aoi yelling from somewhere nearby, too shocked at the indignity of the situation. Then, the distance between her and the ground sharply increased. She jolted back to herself when the unknown man announced himself as a Hashira. 

“Uzui-sama,” she said, tugging at the back of his shirt, “If you are in urgent need of a healer, then please at least allow us to gather our supplies before departing.” 

She was ignored—he and Tanjiro continued to yell at each other. And then she was dropped. 

“NEE-CHAN,” came Zenitsu’s panicked yell as he and Tanjiro broke her fall. 

“Uzui,” she said murderously as she rose, “Explain yourself, or I will immediately report your behavior to Shinobu-sama and Oyakata-sama.” 

When he paused at the mention of his superior, Akane clasped her hands together and promptly cut off the spiritual energy flowing to the arm holding Aoi—it went slack. There was a blur, and Inosuke appeared to scoop Aoi out of the air. 

“You’ve just attempted to abduct the personnel of Butterfly Mansion. Explain yourself or leave.” She clamped down on his spiritual core. If he so much as thought about moving towards them, she would knock him out. 

A hand fell onto her shoulder. “Rengoku-san!” Tanjiro cried in relief. 

“Uzui!” Kyojuro called cheerfully, “Do you have a mission? You are free to borrow my students, I’m sure working with you will be an eye-opening experience!” He laughed, and Akane unconsciously loosened her grip on Tengen’s spiritual core. 

The man glowered at them from atop the entrance gate, then shrugged. “Fine. You guys come along then.” 

“After they’ve replenished their supplies. They’ve only just returned,” Akane countered stiffly, resuming her vice grip on Tengen’s core. “Go on,” she told the children behind her quietly. “If you wish to take his mission, then prepare quickly. Girls, get inside.” Everyone save for Kanao—who silently planted herself at Akane’s side—retreated within the mansion. 

Kyojuro squeezed her shoulder gently, having not removed his hand. “Be at ease, Kado-san! Uzui is not an enemy.” Akane did not respond, and remained unmoving with her eyes locked on Tengen. 

Soon the boys returned, and Akane removed her block on Tengen’s left arm. He casually flexed it and shot her an appraising look before leaping to the ground, with a terse order to the trio to follow. “I’m glad you’ve finally found yourself a flashy woman, Rengoku!” He shouted over his shoulder. Zenitsu glanced worriedly back at her. 

“Be careful,” Akane called out to them as they left. It was another few moments before she completely released Tengen’s spiritual core. She exhaled slowly before turning to Kyojuro. “I am reporting that man, no matter what. If he needs assistance, then he can properly place a request.” 

“Hm!” Kyojuro maintained his broad smile with a mildly intimidated air. “You were like a mother bear protecting her children! Very admirable!”

Akane sighed and invited him inside for tea. 

~ 

A few days passed, and she found herself jerking upright in her bed, the indicators for Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke burning at the skin of her inner forearm. (Thankfully, the indicator for Kyojuro was silent.) She clenched her teeth at the extent of their injuries, but there wasn’t much she could do from this distance. Clasping her hands together, she dulled their pains and began rudimentary healing. Then the indicator for Tanjiro began to flare, followed by Inosuke’s. But before she could blink, they went quiet. 

Akane slowly exhaled, relief thrumming in her chest. They would be alright. 

She had been teaching the basics of the Kado healing arts to interested Kakushi for some time now, and was still pleasantly surprised when Tanjiro and Inosuke arrived looking better than expected. Zenitsu had passed out from exhaustion, but was relatively unharmed. 

“Thank goodness,” she told Kyojuro. She had been writing to him about how the boys had been recovering, and he had dropped by to visit Tanjiro when he woke up. He was now accompanying her to town to purchase more supplies. “I’ve been working on Tanjiro and Inosuke for almost a month now. Shinobu told me their healing time had already been cut in half, and forbade me from working on them for more than a few hours a day.”

“Halving the time of healing is already an amazing feat! Any faster would be harmful to your body!” He exclaimed. “My students are very fond of you. They would be devastated if you hurt yourself while healing them.”

Akane looked away, oddly flustered, but could feel his stare linger on her scarred brow. “I know,” she said under her breath, thinking of Tanjiro’s aggrieved face as he apologized to her and promised to get stronger. “Ah,” she perked up at the smell from a nearby food stall, “Let me treat you to some good udon, since I wasn’t able to prepare any sweet potatoes for you today.” And so, they had a pleasant lunch, retrieved medicinal herbs from the usual supplier (who thanked them profusely for their purchases while sweating nervously under the glare of an elderly woman), and headed back to the mansion. 

“Kado-san, you should become my wife!” Kyojuro suddenly shouted as they neared the entrance. 

“Rengoku-san,” Akane sighed, “a union forged from guilt and pity will only end in disaster.” 

He laughed, bright and boisterous. “I must admit, I will always feel guilt for scarring your lovely face!” Akane’s lips twitched at his words. “But not once have I felt pity! You are too strong a woman!” 

He helped with stowing the supplies in the storeroom, then turned to face her. He took her hand and pressed a firm kiss to her fingers. Then he released her and stepped back, laughing lightly at her flabbergasted expression. “I hope you will give me your answer the next time I ask!” Kyojuro flashed her a charming grin, then he was gone. 

~

She was rushing through the rubble, dragging away the wounded to perform basic first aid and injecting them with Tamayo’s serum. She slowly worked her way to the epicenter of the battle while helping those she could reach. The sounds of battle were fierce and desperate. 

If she could weaken him, just a little… Akane crouched behind a fallen building and clasped her hands, reaching for Muzan’s spiritual energy. It was so cold that it burned at her senses, but she continued reaching deeper. She wouldn’t be able to reach his core, so she focused on disrupting his energy flow, causing him to falter intermittently. 

But in an instant, he lashed out, and she could feel the spiritual energy of the Hashira—previously small suns to her senses—begin to dim. Akane lay herself flat on the ground. “Sorry Shinobu-sama,” Akane whispered, “I might be leaving Aoi-san to protect Butterfly Mansion alone.” Then she deadened her nerves, latched onto Muzan’s spiritual energy, and began to pull. One by one, the Hashira flickered and reignited. Each of them bore her healing charms, and so she performed her energy translocation technique again and again. An arm, a foot, both eyes, a bisecting abdominal wound—her own body ripped apart. But this time, she pulled the demonic spiritual energy in a steady stream rather than a flood. Her core thrummed, converting Muzan’s energy into her own before swapping it to the next Hashira. Another stream of Muzan’s energy was left unconverted, and she fed this into the wounds that were opening up all over her body. 

“Regeneration on the level of a demon may be possible using your technique,” Tamayo had hypothesized. “It’s likely how you healed back then…”

And so it was. She fell into a cycle of feeling her numbed flesh tear and bones crumple, regrowing them with Muzan’s spiritual energy, then flushing the area with newly filtered spiritual energy. Again and again, until she could no longer feel her frozen body. Then, there was no more energy to take. 

The smell of ash and blood. Have they won? These were Akane’s last thoughts before her core splintered and broke. She knew nothing more. 

~ 

Kyojuro knew Akane was healing them the instant he felt the cool tingling of her spiritual energy. He knew what she was doing at the sight of his comrades leaping back into the fray after taking fatal hits. Following the battle, he stumbled through the wreckage, searching for her—if there was anything left of her. He found her laying in a pool of her own blood, deathly pale. 

A year passed, and she remained deep in slumber. 

Kyojuro visited her frequently at Butterfly Mansion. Aoi was able to keep her alive by administering nutrients and medicine through her veins. Countless scars littered her body, but there was nothing left to heal but her mind and spiritual core. 

“She may never wake up,” Aoi had told him softly while furiously blinking back tears. Kyojuro had offered her a small smile, saying nothing. 

“Akane,” he greeted her as he sat at her bedside. “Today was the day of Iguro and Kanroji’s wedding. It was a lively event. Iguro still had his face covered of course, but Kanroji looked very happy.” He paused and took her hand. “I hope to make you happy like that someday too.” On a whim, he leaned forward to lay his forehead against hers, then held her hand to his heart. 

~ 

She floated in an endlessly dark sea, weightless. Somewhere behind her, a small whirlpool quietly churned, about the size of a fist. It was cold, but she felt nothing. It was comfortable. Her mind was empty. 

Sometimes, there would be flashes at the periphery of her awareness. Something cool, something sweet, something warm, fading in and out. What were they? Who was she? What was this place? She couldn’t remember. She was at peace. She could stay here forever. 

But the warmth would linger, and sometimes she thought she could hear the distant rumble of a voice. It itched at her mind, and gradually, she could feel something pulsing strongly under her ribs. Eventually, the warmth grew and grew until she was suffused with light and heat—for the first time, she could see the surface of the water, sparkling above her with beams of light dancing all around. Again, there was that distant rumble. From the tips of her fingers to her toes, something was rushing, singing. Something was bubbling in her chest, in her throat, as she pushed her arms upwards, reaching across that shining boundary…

~

He sighed heavily, then pulled away and straightened, lost in thought. The sun dipped below the horizon, and he stood to leave, only to freeze at the pair of amber eyes blinking lazily at him. 

“Akane?!” He yelled, knocking over his chair to hover uncertainly over her, “You are awake!” 

“I’m not sure if I am,” was her drowsy reply. 

Kiyo, hearing the commotion, rushed into the room before sprinting away with a cry. Her voice echoed as she raced down the hall, “Aoi-san! Sumi-chan! Naho-chan! Come quick, Akane-san is…” 

“Akane,” Kyojuro was kneeling by her bed, tears flowing freely down his face, eyes glowing in the sunset. And with a brilliant smile, he said, “You should become my wife!”

“Kyojuro…” she heaved a sigh before returning his smile tenderly. “I suppose I’ve kept you waiting for too long.” 

I love you.