Chapter Text
It hurt..
It hurt all over.
He didn't want to die. It was unfair.
He was scared. So scared.
So angry.
“Oh what a shame.” He could hear someone say. His attacker.
“Maybe if you were stronger you could have survived my dosage of blood and lived long enough to conquer the sun. or even more unbelievably- kill me.”
“HA!” The mysterious attacker barked out. “I amuse myself.”
Then the last thing he heard was the sound of footsteps leaving before it all went black.
___________
“There we go.”
Kagaya slid the sliding door open and closed to prove that the fault in it had been fixed.
“Thank you so much. You don't know how mad that door had been driving me!Its dreadful squeaking really got on my nerves.” The old gentleman thanked him.
“Don't worry about it.” Kagaya said, “It's the least I could do for my friends.”
“Friends?Oh you're too kind!I'm not of high enough status to be friends with a nobel, such as yourself.”
“Don't say such things,” He put the man's hands in his. “My status means nothing, we are all flesh. Are we not?” Kagaya smiled.
The old gentleman smiled back.
“You’ll make a great ruler.”
“Thank you.”
The old man asked if he could hug Kagaya and Kagaya agreed.
Kagaya pulled away from the short hug after realising how late it had gotten. He must return to his family.
“I apologise, sir. I need to return back. Stay safe tonight.” Kagaya gave the man a short, apologetic bow.
“No need to bow- it's quite alright.” The old man then asked Kagaya to wait there for just a second and hurried off somewhere.
He returned with some home-made food packaged up and offered it to Kagaya.
“Home-made rice balls. This is my thank you.” He said.
“Thank you.” Kagaya gratefully took the rice balls and waved the man goodbye as he left his home.
It's snowing.
The crisp air and light snowfall felt soothing.
It was beautiful to watch as well.
Maybe Muzan would want to watch it with him when he returned?
He'd share the rice balls with him as well.
As he was leaving he could hear all the other citizens he had helped call out to him and thank him:
“Thank you for the advice!”
“Thank you, young master!!My house has never been cleaner.”
“You're leaving already?hm. Thank you so much!!”
He accepted all these thanks gracefully.
The walk back to the Ubuyashiki estate from the village was a rather long one but it was worth it.
He enjoyed seeing his people happy.
He was to be crowned the new emperor as his father was dying quite soon.
Human life is such a precious thing, blink and you may miss it.
He should probably bring his father a gift.
The man was very professional,even in private, but one thing he really did enjoy was sparring.
He'd arrange a match when he returned and invite his father to watch it.
Maybe Muzan would want to watch it as well?But considering his health.. Most likely not.
The Ubuyashiki estate was fading into view now.
All he had left to do was climb a few hundred flights of stairs.
Kagaya smiled at the thought of sharing the rice-balls with his brother.
Muzan hates Kagaya, he's made it very clear.
But that didn't waver Kagayas love for him in the slightest.
He arrived at the gates of the castle but something was off.. where were the guards? They shouldn't be off duty.
He walked through the gates,
as he opened the door to the estate he was hit with a horribly pungent stench.
Blood.
“Mother?Father?” He called out into the strangely silent home.
“Muzan?” His voice panicked as he searched for signs of *anyone*
He entered the first room closest to him and the image displayed in front of him was horrifying enough it caused him to drop what he was carrying.
All the staff, servants, chefs , gardeners and guards were all thrown into the kitchen.
All dead.
They’re lifeless, half lidded eyes staring at Kagaya.
He couldn't take it.
The wave of nausea that washed over him was horrible.
He doubled over and threw up onto the floor, his previous meals of that day splashing up his legs and on his feet.
“Uug..h.”
Where was mother?Father?Muzan!
He rushed over to his mother and fathers sleeping quarters and was met with the two of them laying lifeless in a bloodied bed.
“Oh lord.”
His breath quickened- dangerously close to hyperventilating.
What happened?!Why were the guards not able to fend the attackers off.
Attackers.
It had to be more than one.
Who.. no. *what* could possibly do.. All of this?
He still didn't know if Muzan was okay!He had to be. He begs the lords that he's okay.
He ran over to Muzans chambers, tripping and falling face first but immediately got up, the injury didn't faze him in the slightest.
“MUZAN!” He yelled as he threw the door to his room open.
He almost fell over the body stationed right in front of the door.
Muzans doctor.
The man was already dead, the lack of a head made it hard to identify him but Kagaya knew Muzan would only let his personal doctor see him.
Kagaya quickly regained his composure and looked around frantically for Muzan.
“MUZAN!!” He yelled out for his brother again.
Only when he forced himself to calm down could he hear soft, struggling breaths.
Hh..uh.
Hhh..uh.
Hu..uhhh.
The breaths of a sick man.
The breaths of his brother.
The sound was coming from the closet. He flung the wooden doors open almost fast enough to rip them off its hinges.
“MUZAN,” He exclaimed as he instantly went to embrace his brother.
He was limp and cold.
But breathing.
He picked him up and held him close to his chest.
“Muzan..” Tears from his eyes started to fall onto Muzan’s face but the other didn't stirr, only continuing to take laboured breaths.
He had to get help.
He couldn't let Muzan die like this,
He WOULDN'T.
He ran out of Muzans room, out of the estate and away from the massacre.
The villagers had to help them!
He ran and ran and ran, only stopping briefly to pick up one of his training swords as protection.
As he tried to descend the stairs he stumbled and fell over them,
“AUGH!” He held Muzan close to him in an attempt to protect him.
500 stairs.
They fell down 500 stairs.
His body bruised and battered- he even fell right onto his right arm, he thinks he broke it.
But he didn't care about that in the slightest.
“Muzan..” He groaned and hugged his brother tighter to him with his good arm.
He didn't look too hurt by the fall- thank goodness.
He knows he can't just stay laying in the snow with him.
The cold wasn't good for him.
He forced himself back up to his feet and slung Muzan over his shoulder and held the wooden katana with his teeth, and with a loud groan, and despite the pain , started moving again.
It was harder this time. Way harder. But he refused to let his last surviving family member die.
And the person- no. the THING that did this will pay.
Tenfold.
It was cold, dark and scary but he pressed on.
He was only a few minutes from the town!Muzan was breathing stabilised and he sounded like he was sleeping.
He's so glad he's okay.
A low growl emerged from Muzan.
“Huh?”
The sword dropped from Kagayas teeth,
He looked over at Muzan and was shocked when he saw his eyes snap open.
They weren't the dusty blue they usually were.
Red. bright red with slit irises.
Before Kagaya had any time to question this change , another growl emerged from Muzan before he pushed the two of them to the ground.
“Mu-!”
“RAUGH!” His yowl cut through the air.
It was un-human.
Muzans jaw opened and revealed sharp fangs that couldn't belong to a normal human being.
Kagayas reflexes kicked in and just before Muzan could snap his jaws around Kagayas neck his jaws instead snapped around the wooden katana Kagaya (just in the nick of time) swiped off of the ground.
“Muzan-!”
He looked into his brother's eyes and was only met with animalistic hunger and anger.
The snarling grew larger, as did Muzans strength as the wood started to splinter.
“Muzan please!This- you-!Please!” Kagaya could feel his eyes watering and tears started to spill.
The adrenaline wouldn't keep him from forgetting his broken arm forever and it certainly wouldn't keep him conscious forever.
“MUZAN PLEASE- DON'T LOSE YOURSELF!-” He yelled and closed his eyes.
He was feeling tired, his injuries slowly catching up to him.
The snarling, thrashing and attempt to bite continued.
He was scared.
Not for his own life, but for his brother.
“I-”
The sound of the sword continuing to splinter made his breath hitch.
“I'M SORRY!”
What was he apologising for?He didn't know.
But it seems that what Muzan wanted to hear, why?
The thrashing stopped, as did the growling- the biting halted as well.
“I'm sorry- please!I- I should have been there to protect you- I shouldn't have left.” He was sobbing now. He's sorry his brother had to see him in this sorry state.
“I- *sniff* I'm sorry I let you become this. Just please-.. Don't lose yourself.” Kagaya begged.
He knows how much Muzan hates him, he knows how his words meant next to nothing to the man.
But Muzan meant something to him.
Kagaya blinked when he felt something fall onto his face.
A tear.
More followed after that.
He was crying.. Muzan was crying.
He never stopped biting the sword but his other thrashings completely stopped.
Kagaya let out a happy and sob filled sigh and smiled up at his brother.
“Lets-”
Behind Muzan. Someone was running at an insane speed- his eyes can barely keep up, suddenly something flashed- a katana?
Kagayas shoved Muzan off of him just before the Katana could slice him.
Muzan let out a growl. Not at Kagaya- but the swordsman.
“Don't attack him!-”
The swordsman ignored him and attempted to strike Muzan again.
Kagaya quickly sprung off of the ground with a newfound speed, got in front of Muzan and swung his wooden Katana at the mysterious swordsman.
The swordsman's swing stopped right before it would harm Kagaya , but not before he severed the top half of his sword.
A horrifyingly clean cut.
So he wasn't after the both of them?- Just Muzan.
Kagaya tried to swing again but a swift kick to his gut sent him rolling onto the floor and his back crashed against a tree.
“Agh!” Kagaya cried out.
“Grrhh..” Muzan growled.
Muzan jumped into the air and tried to swing at the swordsman, and the swordsman angled his katana in a specific way and aimed right for Muzans neck.
Kagaya sprung up again and jumped at the swordsman- grabbing both of his legs and hugging them tight.
This threw his strike off course and he was only able to slash Muzans hand off.
“Why you little-” The swordsman sounded very agitated.
“Muzan!” Kagaya cried out at the sight of his brother's wound.
He looked on in horror as the hand regenerated almost instantly.
The swordsman quickly regained his composure and Kagayas efforts to try and keep the demon slayer away from Muzan were met with a hard kick to the face.
His face and body ACHED but he did not let up.
The swordsman gritted his teeth and let out a frustrated groan when his attack was set off trajectory once again, only managing to cut off the top half of Muzans head.
This scared the life out of Kagaya but Muzan quickly regenerated.
“Stop protecting this demon!” The swordsman used the bottom part of his Katana to hit Kagaya, finally stunning him.
“Sto-p..” Kagaya choked out, if he couldn't walk- he would crawl.
He tried crawling over to the Demon slayer but his good hand was met with a hard shoe.
Before anything further could happen he was suddenly lifted off of the floor , swept across a few trees and placed with his back on a tree.
“Muzan..” Kagaya groaned, he could feel himself losing consciousness.
Muzan positioned himself in front of Kagaya, crouched down and arms stretched out in an attempt to shield his brother.
This confused the swordsman.
Was the Demon protecting him?Oh don't be stupid- it was just claiming its prey.
His attacks ceased but his guard remained up.
He walked towards the pair , Muzans growling getting louder the closer he got.
After he seemed to cross some invisible line, Muzan lurched forward bearing his teeth but the swordsman extended his right hand and clasped it around the Demons throat, lifting him up in the air.
He used his left hands to hold both of Muzans hands together, effectively rendering the new-born Demon useless.
“Hey-” Kagaya let out a pained sound, everything hurt.
“Shut it- kid.” The swordsman responded.
Before Kagaya could get another word in, the swordsman started to speak again.
“You need to stop interfering with a hashira!” He was incredibly agitated.
“Hash..ira?”
“Yes. You better remember my name: Gyokko.My job is to slay Demons, such as this one here.” The swordsman jerked Muzan around a little.
“And I HATE when people try to get in my way.”
“Put..him down.” Kagaya coughed out a small dribble of blood.
“I'm going to kill him- end of.” Gyokko then dropped Muzan to the ground and picked up his Katana again.
He didn't expect Muzan to rush right back to infront of Kagaya, trying to shield him again.
A Demon protecting a human?
The first time he saw it he thought it was going to attack the man.
Gyokko stared at the two , his face going from a childish rage to unreadable.
“That Demon,” he started to say, “That's not typical of them.”
Even his tone was more professional.
“You’ve piqued my interest.Ill give you three words of advice. One: Demons cannot survive the sunlight- unless you want him to burn, hide him. Two: Find an old man, his name is Urokodaki, and three. Do not make me regret sparing that Demon.”
Kagaya nodded.
The Demon slayer gave the two one last (unreadable) look before jumping off into the air , jumping branch to branch before disappearing.
“Muzan..” Kagaya groaned.
Muzan looked back at him.
With a laboured breath, Kagaya mustered up what little strength he had left to stand up.
He took Muzans hand.
“We need to get you somewhere safe before sunrise.”