Work Text:
“So that when I pushed him and told him he couldn't steal from the store.”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah and he tried to run, but I knocked him down before he could!”
Mitsuri and Obanai were chatting with each other, mostly Mitsuri doing the talking while Obanai listened. Right behind them was Sanemi trailing right behind them, rolling his eyes at the people in front of him. They had just gotten back from a mission, and we're going to rest inside the wisteria mansion.
Chatting happily while sanemi just let out another annoyed sigh making Obanai glare at him. He just glares back at the short man who listen quietly and agreeing to everything the love hashira was saying.
They were all resting until the old lady came into their room with extra food.
“Here's more to help you get better.”
“Thank you!”
Mitsuri started eating, her palm pressed against her cheeks as she smiled. Obanai just watched letting her eat while feeding Kaburamaru his food. Sanemi just bowed slightly before digging into his food.
“I'm sorry to bother, but may I ask a question.”
Mitsuri looks up before nodding, putting her plate down.
“You see a slayer came yesterday at night, a boy with a Mohawk, a tall boy with a scar across his cheek with purple eyes.”
Sanemi's finger twitched. Obanai noticed, watching carefully at Sanemi's expressions.
“After that, he went to his assigned room. I went with a doctor this morning to check on him again but her was gone. His luggage is still in there, but not him. I was hoping to see if any of you have seen him.”
Mitsuri gasped, “You mean Genya? No, I haven't seen him around in this area, do you think he's still in here perhaps?” Mitsuri couldn't help but feel worried, even If she didn't know genya that much. She still considered him one of her friends, like Tanjiro.
“We checked, but he's gone like he was never here.”
They all stared at the housekeeper as a tense silence filled the air. They chatted for a bit, asking a few questions before she left.
Obanai watched Sanemi's back straighten forward his shoulders tense. He could see a flash a panic passed through his eye before it was gone.
“Ah, I will go see if I could find him. Maybe he just got lost somewhere and didn't know his way back.”
Obanai would've agreed if that were the case, but each slayer is assigned a crow to guide them. So for him to just be lost is slightly impossible with a crow that's been trained to guide them anywhere.
“Hmph what kind of demon slayer gets lost like that. Seriously, they are just letting more useless people in into the corps. No wonder we keep loosing more people.” Sanemi was crossing his arms huffing, his eyes looking around the room. As if he were searching for something, perhaps someone.
“Maybe we should wait. He could probably be visiting the nearby village around here. We'll see tomorrow in the morning if he's not back by then.”
“Hmm well I guess you're right, perhaps genya-”
“Me?”
They turned to see a small boy around the age of 5 and 6 standing at the door as they pointed their finger at themselves.
“Gen-Genya!”
“Me!”
Mitsuri was in complete shock, staring at what seemed to be a mini genya. The small genya was standing there, his head slightly turned to the left as he pointed at himself. His clothes were big and saggy on him and covered in dirt. His hair was a mess, it was longer than usual sticking everywhere and leaf in his hair.
Obanai and sanemi didn't move, they just stared at the boy who walked in. That's when they noticed his face. His cheek was swollen, covered in dirt, but what stood out more was his eyes.
They were bright yellow.
The boys looked around, slightly tripping over his way to big pants. Mitsuri couldn't help but smile, a small giggle almost slipping from her lips. Genya even with how dirt he was covered in he still looked cute.
“Hime?” The boy was tugging on obanai's haori asking for him mentor. His curious eyes looking at obanai's mismatched eyes with a subtle intrigue.
“He's not here.”
The boy frowned before moving to sanemi and tugging his haori as well. He did not let go of obanai's haori. Sanemi just looked at the kid's face his expression blank. His eyes widen and mouth moving slightly but never saying anything.
“Hime?”
Sanemi just stared into those bright yellow eyes not seeing the color purple. He could feel his haori being tugged again but her couldn't move. Why was his eyes yellow and not purple?
That's when he heard a small gasp his eyes trailed to see genya looking at his scars.
Was he scared of him?
Before he could process anything genya grabbed his hand and started blowing air against his palm. Mitsuri and Obanai watched as a scene they never imagined unfold in front of them.
“Pain, pain whoosh bye bye.” Genya small hands raised as he gave one final blow into his hand.
With that genya runs to mitsuri as he smiled widely. “Hime?” Mitsuri kneels in front of genya smiling as well. In the corner of her eyes sanemi was looking at his hand still not moving. Obanai just nodded at her as he went back to poking at sanemi.
“How about we write a letter and see if he's nearby?”
“Hime no here?”
“No Himejima-san is not here currently but maybe he could come later!”
Mitsuri pulled leads from his hair taking notice how dirty he was.
“How about we go take a bath together!” Clapping her hand together, her face beaming with happiness.
Obanai choked on his spit.
“Oh! Obi! Are you alright?”
“Yeah just Ka-Kaburamaru hugged me a bit to tight.” Kaburamaru hissed at him for accusing him for something he didn't do. He could just pat the snake avoiding his snake gaze.
Sanemi finally snapped at whatever trance he was in before snatching genya by his shirt. A frowned forming as he looked at his little brother the slayer in front of him. It was genya alright. Except why were his eyes yellow and not purple. His frowned deepening even more confused on why was genya so small.
He heard someone burst out laughing, they all saw mitsuri holding her stomach as she laughed.
“Im sorry it's just looked at his face,” pointing at genya.
He raised genya higher, he was frowning at him. He raised an eyebrow, genya copied him. Mitsuri started giggling even more, sanemi just sent her a sharp glare. He heard someone snort behind him, he turned to see obanai facing to the side.
“It was Kaburamaru,” the snake hissed once more.
He rolled his eyes turning to see genya looking at him with more curiosity. The small hand raised touching his face right where scars where. His whole body frozen, his heart was beating a bit faster as he felt those small fingers in his cheek.
Genya had a certain look in his face, blowing softly against his cheek. His small fingers rubbing the scar carefully as if he were trying to not hurt him. Genya closed his eyes blowing again before saying the same thing he did before.
“Pain, pain whoosh bye, bye!”
Letting his hand go up into the air while giggling. Once he opened his eyes, purple eyes had replaced the yellow ones.
“Genya.”
A deep voice filled the mansion hearing someone approaching them. Genya pushed himself from Sanemi's hand falling to the floor. He lifted himself immediately before jumping up and down.
“Hime! Hime!”
The door opened, reveling a tall man with his hands pressed against each other. They all watched as he bent down to fit through the small door. As soon as he entered, genya jumped into his arms. Himejima just grabbed him, bringing his to his chest.
“Hime here!”
“It seems like you got into some trouble, genya.” Himejima patted the boy, who was huffing in annoyance.
“Himejima-San! I was about to send you a message.”
“Yes, I can tell there's been some trouble. Genya had sent me a message yesterday explaining he was dealing with some side effects, asking me if I could come."
Obanai couldn't help but be slightly amused at what the stone hashira said. The man would claim he did not like children yet with one letter, he had rushed over. He knew he was training the boy, but just didn't realize how deeply he cared for him. At least it would soothe some of sanemi's worries about genya not that the man will ever admit it himself. He could just tease him later when it's just them.
“Shinobu did say genya could experience more side effects just didn't know what types exactly.”
Of course Shinobu knew why wouldn't she. Sanemi couldn't help but get mad, who else knew before him? Before his little brother confessed about it to him. Did they all knew and choose not to tell him, but why would they? Why would they tell him when he's made it clear he has no brother? When he's told people to not talk about him, in front of him. When he's the one who pushed genya away making him start eating demons. It was still a hard pill to swallow, knowing he was the main reason why genya did all that.
“Come on, genya, you need to go clean yourself before sleeping.”
They watch as genya pouted while he held on to Himejima hand. It looked like he listened to the stone hashira even if he didn't want to. The three of them continued to eat the cold food in silence. Finishing the housekeeper came to prepare there beds and happy to hear that genya was safe.
When genya returned they were in a small circle talking about there last mission. Genya sat near mitsuri pointing at her braid and then pointing at his. Mitsuri squealed bringing genya into a hug and getting hair accessories out.
Himejima sat next to the other to hashiras as they continue to discuss new demons starting to appear more.
“I have a question,” Obanai looked at Himejima before pointing at genya. “When he came he had yellow eyes, but now he has purple eyes. Do you perhaps know why they changed?”
Sanemi and Obanai stared at the boy who was starting to doze off while mitsuri braided his hair.
“Well it usually never happens from what genya has told me. But if I recall it might be because he didn't feel safe. Since his body can change in the open where any demon can attack. I guess he chooses his demon form over being human to have more chances of surviving. He keeps his original form when he feels safe and secure where he is.”
Did genya feel safe with him? Even after everything he did. He clenched his teeth hard remembering the accident that took place in his mansion.
“He doesn't trust people that easily when he's in that form. Yet, he still trusted you three, knowing he was safe with you.”
Himejima words cut deep into him feeling them sink in into his body. He looked down to his hand where genya had first touched. It was the same hand he tried to hurt him with. Genya his little brother was to kind, to kind for this world. He didn't deserve him, how could he deserve a brother like genya.
He looked up to see genya pulling himejima haori his hand going up asking to be carried. Genya used to do that to him when he was smaller. Trailing right behind him asking to be carried by his big brother.
“It seems like it's time for us to go to our room.” Himejima picked up genya placing genya's head in his shoulder. His hair placed into a braid keeping his hair away from his face.
“Have a good night see you tomorrow.”
“Night.”
“Good night Himejima-san and Genya!”
Genya was waving goodbye with a sleepy smile on his face before disappearing behind the door. They as well started to get ready to bed as they laid down sanemi started up to the ceiling. Many memories began resurfacing memories he buried a long time ago.
“Stop sulking its ruining my sleep.”
He popped a vein hearing obanai's voice next to him.
“As if sleeping will help you get taller.”
Obanai set a kick to his leg making him let out a small groan. He was about to punch him when he felt a hard pillow get thrown to his face. He was about to curse at Obanai until he saw who it was.
“Sleep or I'll kick you both out.”
Sanemi and Obanai shivered under mitsuri dark glare. Not that sanemi will admit that mitsuri sometimes scared him. They both nodded staring at mitsuri who went back to sleep as soon as she hit her futon.
Obanai punched him once more before he scurried over to his futon. He wanted to punch him back but not when mitsuri is nearby. That girl can seriously hurt someone if they anger her.
He took a deep breath letting his head fall back to his pillow. Closing his eyes he dreamed of genya and his family. Dreams of what could've been if demons didn't exist. No matter what he'll keep genya safe even if it meant destroying that trust he had in him. Even if that thought caused ache in his chest, he'll keep genya safe, no matter what happens.