Chapter Text
To start off this started as a whim, inspired by other's works and the fact that the Hantengu clones have me in a choke hold so wanted to sit down and trying my hand at writing. It's been awhile since I've written anything, this is also not beta read so throwing caution into the wind and hoping for the best. This is also my first reader insert fic so honestly new territory, I hope that it's worth a read in the end.
Sometimes art and scribbles might show up as I'm primarily an artist, but I can't guarantee how much they will show, nor how frequent I will be updating this, but I got a chunk of them drafted I might be able to keep it going. Demon Slayer is still relatively new to me so I'm learning so I apologize if mistakes are made in terms of characters, or if they seem a bit "OOC'.
Rating and tags may change as well depending as the story progresses, and warnings if required will be mentioned. At most it will be violence, trauma, or Karaku being Karaku will be the cause of the changes.
Regardless, I hope you enjoy~
A heavy sigh left you as you leaned back in your chair, rubbing a hand over your face to wake yourself up from the stupor that settled in as you stared at your laptop for the last couple of hours. Working from home had its perks of course but when you were alone, well, aside from your cat lovingly deemed 'Chachamaru', it could certainly make the day drag on. It had been sometime since you last had company in your home, just something to fill the space and make it feel more lively.
You had been a part of the demon rehabilitation organization, or 'Demon C.O.R.P.S.' ( Collective Organized Rehabilitation Planning Services ) where you help give a demon a fighting chance to find a forever home instead of being stuck on the streets or worse, having their neck cut without much of a single thought. Demons had always fascinated you since you've been young, seeing them as a person rather than some feral animal that most considered them to be. From the way they acted to their appearances, it was borderline human, and you knew from first hand experience even that demons were only scared and did what they could to protect themselves, much like an injured wild animal would do. It was no different if a human was in the same situation and they were trying to save themselves from being killed.
Despite your feelings many saw them nothing more than a stray dog that were feral, ready to bite and snap their jaws around an unsuspecting child's throat. This only burned the inner fire that seemed to grow in you with each passing chance, doing everything in your power and giving it your best with each case you took on, and thankfully had success with each one, no matter the trauma or history that came with it. Your last case was a brother and sister duo, the sister mostly nonverbal aside from a few handful of words or an occasional hum, but the brother was very polite and offered to help, only wanting the best for he and his sister once they had realized that you weren't a threat. You acted as their temporary guardian, giving them shelter and allowed them to make a name for themselves after having been stuck in a house of shambles, any family members gone or deceased. Thankfully for your efforts, you were able to send them off to another volunteer who offered his home as a permanent place of refuge, looking to retire from volunteering and already had one permanent resident, one of which was mostly all bark and barely any bite as he served to be a fighting ring's chew toy for a period of time.
Genya was the demon's name and many did not have hopes for him, but it seemed it was meant to be when he found a place with Giyuu and Sameni, the later of which was stern and to the point but it helped Genya figure out how to sort out his anger issues relatively quickly. He seemed to take a liking to the siblings as well whenever you and Giyuu had a chance to let them have some time together, surprised by how mellowed out Genya ended up becoming. Discussion about Giyuu retiring from the organization and giving Genya a permanent home was becoming more to tuition, and with the way he perked up it was clear that he'd do well with the two instead of seeing them be rehomed somewhere else.
Looking to your wall you allowed yourself to smile; various photos and frames adorned the surface showing the other demons you had helped. Certainly some were more traumatized than the others but it had worked out in the end and you kept in contact with many of them. The duo was the last you had helped and it had been a few months since their departure which you told yourself you wanted to take a break so you could focus on other things and explore a few hobbies. They were an easy bunch but regardless of how well behaved they were, it was still certainly a lot of work to get them to find the confidence in themselves so they were no longer the hollow husk they often arrived in.
Checking the time you opened your web browser and entered in the organization page. Signing in took only a moment and you were greeted by the most recent updates, the latest being a raid on an underground fighting ring where they were able to retrieve a number of abused demons from it. The case was large enough to break local news and was still fairly recent, happening just earlier that week. Drugs and other narcotics were found along inside but the demons were a prized possession as they were the biggest source for gambling and bringing in money. Thankfully those who were involved were arrested and were pending charges, which many hoped meant it would put them away for a long time.
Clicking on the link you scrolled through, cheek on your palm as your eyes skimmed the contents. A number of demons were already pending or had been fostered out, though to who was classified. You had a general idea of who however, as they were the ones that invited you to get involved in the first place and you knew that those demons were in good hands. Each one had a small blurb of their information, general likes and dislikes and what they needed in terms of support. No children was usually a big one as the loud noises made most shy away or reactive. No animals as it could trigger instincts… no specified gender due to trauma… the list often went on but thankfully it seemed that most of these were minor, holding the standard common warnings.
The listing was coming to an end as the side bar got closer and closer to the bottom of the page when suddenly, your scrolling made you pause when your eyes caught sight of one. This one looked shy and from the photo alone was having a hard time allowing itself to be photographed, head bowed and thick hair obscuring part of their face. Their shoulders were hunched, face dirtied from what you could see and twin horns curled from their temple. Raven black locks hung around its face though concern gnawed at your stomach at the purple around their eyes and temple; were they hurt? Or was that normal? The skin looked like it was broken, cracked seams crossing the high arch of their cheekbones and across their temple, centered mainly on the forehead though there wasn't any other discoloration or blood to be found.
What captured your attention the most however was the wide blue eyes that screamed fear and your felt your stomach twist. A quick glance showed that this one was still available but as to why was left unsaid; surely there was more to this one instead of just being one that tugged on heart strings. A glance at the warnings showed a small hint; "anxious, very low self-esteem, and in need of assistance. Serious and dedicated fosters only at this time, please inquire at office for further information."
You right click the page and press print, snatching it from the tray once it had finished. Jotting down the information onto the paper you got up, though took a moment to reach over to scratch Chachamaru's chin who stirred, curled up in her bed on the corner of your desk. She yawned as she stretched out a paw and purred, her whiskers flaring as she blinked up at you sleepily.
"Time to check out a possible new foster Char, wish me luck." You murmured, giving her a gentle smile as you scratched at her ears before forcing yourself to pull away.
"Would be nice to have some life in this quiet home again, wouldn't it?"
-‐—---------------------------------
The trip to the facility was simple; it was off in the rural side of town, away from the bustling traffic and surrounded by thick trees to help provide shade which allowed some of the demons to venture out during the day if they wanted it though that alone was often rare. The gravel road crunched under your tires as you pulled into the lot, settling into a spot beside a few cars before shutting it off as you parked and withdrew the keys from the steering column. Most of the cars belonged to the rehabers and potentially a foster or two, and it was rare for this place to be busy even if they were doing a foster special; the screening process was rather intensive and long just for fostering; adopting was another process in itself and that was usually done at the foster's home where the demon felt secure.
The bell jingled as you stepped inside, the door closing softly behind you where you were greeted by the receptionist who smiled. "Ah hello Y/N! It's been awhile!" She leaned back in her seat, turning to face you as you returned the smile and gave a small wave as you approached the counter.
"It has been indeed. My curiosity was getting the best of me and I'm happy to see that most of the demons have been fostered out considering the intensity of this last raid."
The woman smiled further and nodded. "It's been a huge success, aside from a few stragglers that need more time to heal or work, I would say easily 70% has been placed somewhere for the time being. The fosters have been great to work with in getting most acclimated and even had a few official adoptions already as well!"
Nodding you leaned your elbows on the counter and prop your chin up with a palm. "I saw! Speaking of which, I was browsing the list and one caught my eye, can you tell me more about their status?" The woman blinked, giving you a curious look but nodded as she scooted her chair closer. Pulling out the piece of paper you unfolded it before offering it to her. "Can you tell me more about this one?" You ask as you passed it over, watching as her brows drew together when she caught sight of the photo.
Taking the paper from you she looked it over and her smile fell, growing a little sad. "Ah, this one… he's a bit of a special case. He isn't a single unit, but rather there's four total. He's the only one that's approachable out of the four of them so he has a chance of being fostered but they're still seeing if he can deal with being separated."
Your brows rise; four? It was rare to have a duo, let alone more then that but to have four was a feat in itself. There was no mention of the site about the other three but then again, the listing was quite specific about serious fosters and required to apply in person, so what more could there be to this?
"Is he still available?" You ask and watch as the woman typed away. Pulling up the records she took a moment to look over the file and gave you a nod. "He's still here. He was one of the handful that was pretty beaten up and it took a bit of work to separate them into separate holding rooms from what I heard." She gave you a sympathetic look and pressed the buzzer which would signal one of the rehabers to the front. "I can't see much from the file that I have access too, but I'm sure one of the guys would be more than happy to explain further to you considering your general success rate."
It didn't take long for one of them to arrive, which you recognized easily as Kyojuro Rengoku. His expression was bright as he gave you a wide smile upon seeing you as he approached. "Y/n! It's been some time since you've last graced us with your presence!" His voice boomed, making you wince but gave a slight nod as you shook his hand.
"Hello Rengoku, I hope you and the others are doing well?" He only beamed further and nodded, wisps of his hair swaying slightly.
"Seijouru is doing great in his studies and Akaza is behaving considerably well! Stubborn still but the dojo is keeping him occupied and he's able to direct his frustrations to the dummies, even started to train seijouru on a few things!"
Rengoku was one of the few that you met when you first stepped into the demon fostering care system. He had started off as a foster himself before the interest grew and he wanted to help further and started to study as a care specialist. During his time he had helped a number of demons, big and small, find a place in their lives and get them somewhere they could live peacefully. Akaza was his last foster and for awhile you and the others had grown worried as it seemed that it wasn't going to work out and Akaza was going to push Rengoku to his limits. It seemed as though they were oil and water and just could never mix but eventually it seemed that over time, they found a way to get it to work for them. Though you knew better than to assume that Akaza was going to be a cheery, polite demon once realizing they were being given a new lease on life. He was quiet, kept to himself but often glowered at anyone that came near him.
"What brings you here?" Rengoku's voice snapped you out of your thoughts, voice chipper as he watched you retrieve the paper from the receptionist and offered it to him in turn.
"I was curious and saw this sad fellow. Can you tell me more about him, and the other three that seem to be apart of a packaged deal with him?" Your voice was teasing however and he let his brows furrow, but let out a faint laugh as his smile softened.
"Sure. They're apart of the troublesome group we're dealing with currently."
Motioning for you to follow he pulled out his badge and swiped the scanner, receiving a green light and a click as the doors unlocked. "Uzui 'adores' them, especially the eldest. He received five bites in a span of a second as we were working on separating them. Sedation wasn't kicking in and trying to muzzle him was a feat in itself, but it's good to see that even after such harsh conditions he still has such a fighting spirit!" His expression sobered a little and he sighed, shoulders slumping.
"I just hope it doesn't cause him to loose his chance."
You frown at him but stay quiet as he leads you down the sterile halls that held the holding rooms, most of which were empty. The rooms upfront were the greeting and screening rooms, allowing a demon and the foster to meet on neutral terms. The colors of the walls were warm and comforting, the floor soft with carpet and blankets for the demon's comfort and the windows were small to give a sense of privacy. Further, it led to the rooms that held the demons while they waited for the terms to be ironed out, or gave them a place to recover if they were unavailable for that time. Most of the demons that came through were involved in some form of illegal fighting ring or trafficking, though from time to time they were found as a stray on the streets.
Usually the demons you fostered were closer to the front, though you knew that the more serious cases were further back. You had been back here before in the past while assisting the other fosters with their demons or whenever you wanted to volunteer and help assist where you could. The rooms were different here, the doors solid with a single viewing pane of glass that allowed you to look in and the occupant to look out while there was one pane of glass on the wall to allow you to see further into the room. It was often one-way, allowing you to see and the demon to see a reflection, giving them a sense of peace while they settled. The rooms were often extra padded, especially if they were healing and on the outside, would have a white board that listed the basic demon's information and any notes that were needed. Underneath it, there was a slot for a chart that often gave medical history, behavior notes and photos, though those were mostly of injuries, noticeable features and things of that nature. In addition, there were various clips on the chart slot, each color signifying a particular warning; black was often meant as dangerous, green being approachable, red was caution and so forth, the list went on.
"I'll go over each one to give you a better idea of what we're currently dealing with." His smile returned as he nodded his head to the first door the two of you stopped by. Taking a glance you saw a blue and yellow clip (signifying that this one was nervous and it would be best to be on alert when approaching) and on the whiteboard listed the name, "Aizetsu" and general information such as gender, height and weight. Below it, there was '哀' which made you furrow your brow - what was that about?
"So as mentioned, there's four. We're assuming they're brothers, but they haven't told us much about themselves. The best way to associate them is with colors; each one has a feature about them that makes them stand out." You give him a quizzical look and he let out another laugh. "I'm sorry, I should have mentioned this before, they look like twins. From first glance you'd assume they were the same person but if you are able to look long enough you can pick up some minor features that make them different, but it is certainly easier to tell them apart by the colors of their eyes! Personality is another thing, but of course like anyone else you get to find out about that after you first meet them."
He turned away from you and grabbed the chart from the slot on the wall, flipping it open. It wasn't too thick but had a handful of pages already, along with the basic information of the demon inside. This one had a blue tab on the corner as well and you stood patiently as he skimmed the contents.
"This one is Aizetsu, the one you saw online. He's on the softer end due to his submissive and shy behavior, and more inclined to start crying then anything else. He had a few moments where he spat but it was in the beginning and he was certainly apologetic for it. His injuries are a bit extensive and we've tried to help but hes.. having a hard time eating sadly. He's learned a lot of self mutilation habits and probably was the other threes chew toy. The best way to remember him is associate him with the color blue."
You gave Jim a curious a look which he cleared his throat. "So these four, well, particular three, were fighters apart of the ring that was busted the other week. Much like Akaza and the others, they're fairly strong and were winners but they were shoved together in a single cell which didn't leave them much room to get away to redirect their anger or give them a chance to calm down. Thankfully they were in the cell when found but trying to wrangle them here was easier said than done."
Nodding you made your way to the door to look in through the small pane of glass that showed inside. Spotting the demon was simple enough against the warm cream colored walls, his form small and his head pressed into the corner. Normally demons kept their backs to the corner but this one showed his back freely, his knees tucked to his chest as he had his arms wrapped around them. Raven black hair fell down his back to mid back and you could just see the peak of horns from the matted mess.
"He's very quiet but nervous, and rejects food. Most likely gave it up to the others… if it wasn't for that most of his scars and injuries would be healed." Shaking his head Rengoku returned the chart to the slot and sighed, hands on his hips as he looked in as well. "So he's going to require some special care and work if he hasn't eaten in some time. Every time food is placed in he doesn't touch it, and now keeps his head in the corner most of the time, even outside of doing checks. If it makes him feel better, then who am I to tell him what to do?"
You two share a look and he patted your arm before motioning you to follow him as he made his way to the next room where there were a few more colored clips on the chart slot than the last, red and orange which meant he needed more time to warm up to someone before considering himself comfortable around them.
"This one is Karaku. His color is green and he’s a bit more willing to do things when you tell him to do something, but he's also a schemer. Nearly slipped his binds and made a run for it but we were able to get him back. He is however a bit touchy and doesn't recognize personal space so he becomes your own personal shadow if you allow it."
You peak inside and see a lean man inside, his skin tanned and his hair tumbled down his back, framing his face. It had a green tint to it and his focus shifted to you immediately, green eyes staring, unblinking. It was evident that he was alert, looking you over and allowing the faintest of smirks to tug on his lips as his eyes narrowed slightly. He had the same purplish blemish around his eyes and temple from the photo you had seen of Aizetsu but it didn't look like it hurt. He only wore pants which left his chest exposed, revealing the crisscross of scars adorning his chest and arms, most of them focused around his throat. He remained rooted in his spot in the room, not turning away nor approaching but he kept you in his line of sight.
"What's interesting about them is that they each have a mark on their tongues, signifying a particular emotion. Karaku's represents pleasure, Aizetsu's is sorrow, and the other two are joy and anger." You gave him a surprised look which he let out another booming laugh as you tow proceeded to the next room. This one too had clips on the slot, though there was a new color to it. Purple meant the demon was on the feral side and often required a bit more work to get them to break out of it and settle down. A glance to the whiteboard revealed that this one was called "Urogi", and had a scribbled warning of 'sharp' below it along with the kanji '喜'.
"This is Urogi. He's a bit of a special case… he's not like the other demons that we get normally."
Your curiosity got the best of you as you leaned over to peak inside where a gasp left your throat at the sight of talons that adorned the end of his limbs and wings that framed his back. Feathers were ratty and mangled and he idly plucked at some, unaware of your stare as he sat crouched in the corner, wings tilted away.
"His wings are misshapen which means that his wings were often a prime target during the fights. The healed incorrectly so once he passes through the screening and is able to recover, he'll be scheduled to get them removed."
Your expression must have caught his focus as Rengoku quickly let out another laugh as he held up his hands to placate you.
"They'll grow back, I promise! They can't heal with the amount of damage they went through so it would be best to get them surgically removed and allow them to regrow properly. That way they’re back to the glory that they were at before all of this.. If they tried to heal the way they are currently then it would be a lifetime of misery and agony, as one of them is clearly broken and had set improperly."
Relaxing you nodded as you peered back inside, taking a moment to marvel over him; certainly one of the more unique Demons you had seen despite his close resemblance of the other two.
"He's certainly nicer than Karaku but with his claws it's still a potential threat. He listens well and seems to be the one more inclined with Aizetsu so it would be good to keep them paired atleast. He's certainly a bit on the wild side, and due to his size it could be a potential risk but with the work I've done with him I don't really believe he's one to be worried about. He's more afraid of you then you are of him."
Turning away from the door he eyed the last door that was a little further away and sighed, brows drawing together. Unlike the others the blinds were pulled over the visible windows, blocking sight into and out of the room while there was red, purple and black pins by the chart. The whiteboard had a number of warnings as well, most of them screaming 'do not trust'.
"The last one is Sekido, Uzui's favorite. He certainly gave Gyutato a run for his money for being the most bitey demon to come into our facility, much to Uzui's displeasure. This one… I sadly don't have much hope for."
He gave you a sad sliver of a smile and approached the door, snatching the chart despite the sudden sharp rattle of the door when he approached. A muffled growl could be heard from the thick metal of the door which made your raise your brows in surprise; these doors were relatively thick and muffled most sounds so to hear it from there was impressive.
"He was the main fighter in the ring. It suited his anger and aggression and for us to even look him over we have to sedate him which as you can expect, it firmly cemented that we are very much friends.”
Approaching the door you carefully pull the black blind back to peak inside and jumped when you met furious red, the owner glaring at you with blistering rage on his face. Lips curled to show teeth and he snarled, slamming the door which you quickly dropped the blind back into place and took a step back. A warm hand pressed on the small of your back to steady you and Rengoku gave you a comforting look.
“He’s going to require much more work, and even with our most dedicated of volunteers we don’t feel comfortable letting him out like the others. I can't say for certain, but time will tell us about his fate. It's been a long week of poking and prodding, and they haven't been together since we separated them as we don't want fighting to occur... so he might mellow out if he's able to get back to them. Out of them all at least, he looks to be the most healthiest which is promising but certainly makes it difficult since he's the most reactive. It certainly would not be expected of you if you find yourself wanting to foster one of them that you need to foster all of them."
Nodding you gave the door one last look and worried your lip. You didn't want to put distance between them because it was evidently clear that despite that they lashed out at one another, they cared enough to not maul each other to death so it must mean something... right? You felt your resolve forming like a heavy weight in the pit of your stomach and you took the chart from Rengoku's hands, clasping it firmly. They lasted that long in an environment where it was turned against them and even then, remained dedicated enough to ensure that each of them survived each day.
"May I have time to read over their charts and be able to form a general idea of assessment? I would like to assist where I can, and see if we can come up with a potential plan to get them sorted so they can finally experience life as it was meant to be."
Rengoku beamed and he let out another laugh that echoed through the halls, ignoring the bang that came from the door near you. "Of course. We'll gather their charts and see what can be done! Come, you can sit with me and Uzui, I'm sure he'd love to go the finer details of things with you, and be happy to know that we have another member on board with these four!"
A wide grin was on his face as he patted your back and helped gather the three other charts, tucking them under his arm as he led you back to the front. You clutched the red demon's chart close, feeling confident that you could make something work but time would certainly tell...
Hopefully this is a good place to end the first chapter, and hopefully wasn't a wall of text to read.. it's a start none the less! Thank you for reading it if you made it to the end, and I'm excited to potentially do more with this! I have the next part roughly outlined at the start, so I'll have to poke at it a bit to get it more cohesive!