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Kyojuro was hurt.
Senjuro didn’t know the specifics. Shinobu had said that someone as young as him didn’t need to know the full extent of his injuries. Senjuro didn’t complain about not knowing since he was still allowed to visit Kyojuro whenever Shinobu was able to bring Senjuro from the Rengoku household to the butterfly mansion.
Senjuro wasn’t allowed to walk there alone because he was too young, and most of the time his father was too drunk to be trusted taking a six-year-old between locations that far away from each other.
That did make Senjuro a bit sad, but he understood.
The first few times that Senjuro had visited, all within four weeks, Kyojuro had been asleep. He had overheard the triplets say something about a medical coma, though he didn’t know what that meant. After that though, Kyojuro was awake, though he had stay in bed.
Senjuro didn’t mind. He always brought a book along with him so he and Kyojuro could take turns reading it to each other. Kyojuro said it was good practice for him.
He had even met Kyojuro’s new friend, Tanjiro, one time. Tanjiro was nice. He played tag with Senjuro while Kyojuro was resting.
That had been two months ago. Kyojuro had been in the butterfly mansion for about five months now. Shinobu said that Kyojuro was healing quickly, and if all went well he’d be able to go back to the Rengoku mansion in another month or two, as long as he remembered to take it easy. (Senjuro had been able to make a joke that he’d make sure his big brother didn’t overexert himself by bribing him with cuddles.)
Shinobu was currently walking him back to the Rengoku mansion from that meetup, her pace quick enough to get there before nightfall but slow enough for Senjuro to keep up.
As they approached the mansion, Shinobu turned to look down at Senjuro, smiling sweetly. “You’ll be alright from here?” She asked. She always asked that whenever she brought him back.
Senjuro knew that it was because of his father, she didn’t trust him not to hurt Senjuro while no one was here. Senjuro didn’t blame her, since Shinjuro would sometimes hit him. But Senjuro wasn’t dumb, he knew his father would get in trouble if he told anyone. So, he gave her the same answer as always.
“I’ll be okay.” Senjuro said, forcing a smile.
Shinobu’s eyes softened slightly. “Alright. I’ll try to come pick you up to visit Kyojuro again in about a week.” Shinobu said.
Senjuro brightened at that, having something to look forward to. “Okay.”
~*-------------------*~
In Senjuro’s defense, everything had been fine the first two days. Sure, he had to tip-toe around Shinjuro and survive off of what few simple foods he knew how to make, but that was nothing unusual. Especially in the last few months that Kyojuro had been away.
Then, one night, while he was getting ready for bed, he heard a twig snap. It made Senjuro flinch on instinct, before he calmed down. It was probably just Shinjuro out for some fresh air.
Then Senjuro’s entire body froze in horror as he remembered that Shinjuro was already in bed. And he knew that it wasn’t that Shinjuro had just woken up randomly because he had drank a lot a few hours prior, meaning that he was probably out like a light.
“Calm down Senjuro… It was probably just a squirrel…” Senjuro tried to tell himself, but the excuse sounded weak, even to his own ears.
Senjuro took a deep breath. He should be brave, like Kyojuro, and go see what made that noise. If he didn’t see anything, than he could just chalk it up to a wild animal or his imagination playing tricks on him.
Senjuro shakily stood, walking through the halls of the Rengoku mansion to the engawa outside. Stepping out into the cold night air, Senjuro saw a figure standing at the tree line, looking around curiously.
It made Senjuro tense up. Because the man was clearly a demon.
He was pale, almost white as slow, with blue lines running down his arms and face, as well as on his chest. He had short pink hair, and a pink vest to match. His pants were baggy and white, though a more vibrant color than his skin. But what shook Senjuro the most was his eyes. His sclera almost looked like a cracked glass, and his eyes with yellow. But his pupils were replaced with the kanji for upper-moon three.
He was a demon, of the highest caliber.
A part of Senjuro knew that he should go inside and wake his father. Or even look for Kyojuro’s crow, who was still here in case of emergencies like this.
But Senjuro couldn’t move, he was frozen in fear.
The demon walked closer to the house and Senjuro dove behind a pillar to hide, shaking like leaf in fear.
When the demon didn’t pounce on him from somewhere, Senjuro hesitantly peeked out to see what he was doing- and oh…
Was the demon…
Looking at the flowers?
The demon had kneeled in front of some flowers that Senjuro and Kyojuro had been growing for a few years now, running his fingers along the petals gently enough that the flower didn’t even tilt up.
Oh…
That was unexpected.
Maybe he was nice? After all, Senjuro had never seen someone who’s mean be that gentle with flowers when they thought no one was around.
And Senjuro had met a few demon slayers who weren’t nice at all. Even one of the Hashira who worked with Kyojuro, Sanemi if Senjuro remembered currently, was really loud and mean.
So, if demon slayers could be mean, why couldn’t some demons be nice? After all, Tanjiro’s sister was a demon and she was nice. She even helped save Kyojuro!
A small part of Senjuro reminded him that Tanjiro’s sister had always been nice since she was first turned, and this was an upper moon. But Senjuro wasn’t listening to that part of his brain.
He’d been so bored and lonely since Kyojuro had to be away all the time. And even before that Senjuro didn’t really have any friends aside from Obanai and Mitsuri, but they could only visit so often.
Maybe if this demon was nice he’d want to be friends?
Senjuro hesitantly and quietly stepped off the engawa and towards the demon. “Hello…?” Senjuro asked softly.
The demon quickly stood in surprise, turning to face him. Senjuro instinctively stepped back, looking up at the demon, and to his mild surprise, the demon’s eyes softened when they caught onto Senjuro.
“Go back inside…” The demon said, his somehow both rough and soft. Senjuro knew he should listen, go back inside and to bed, pretend like this never happened. But he didn’t, instead stepping closer to the demon. The demon tensed slightly. “Go away. Go.”
Senjuro once again ignored him. He knew it was dangerous, but at the moment he didn’t really care. Senjuro stepped forward, hugging the demon’s leg. The demon froze for a moment, looking at him with shock.
This was nice. Even if the demon wasn’t hugging him back. It had been a few days since Senjuro got to hug someone, the last time being when he had visited Kyojuro last. Even if that was only a few days ago, it felt like a lot longer to the child. “I might not kill children, but I don’t like them either.” The demon said.
Well, that’s silly! Who doesn’t like kids? Well, Senjuro’s father doesn’t, clearly, but his father was way different than most people anyway. Besides, why would the demon spare children purposely if he didn’t like them.
Senjuro pulled away from the demon only slightly, tugging on his pant leg slightly. “Play together…? Maybe tag?” Senjuro asked quietly, hopefully.
Senjuro would never hold it against Kyojuro, but with him being meant to be on bed rest they hadn’t been able to play much lately. Senjuro missed the games quite a bit. He knew that his father would never agree to play, and would likely even hit him if he asked, so he never did. And Senjuro felt bad about asking Shinobu or Mitsuri or Obanai since they were always so busy.
But the demon didn’t seem busy, and he seemed nice.
Senjuro noticed the way the demon’s eyes softened more at the quiet question. “Okay… One game…” The demon lamented.
~*-----------------*~
One game of tag had become two, then three, then four. And three hours later they were still playing.
Senjuro decided that he really liked the demon, Akaza, as he introduced himself. Akaza didn’t take advantage of the fact that he was stronger and faster due to being a demon. He’d always let Senjuro try to outrun him when he was it, and when Senjuro was it he’d always slow down so Senjuro had a chance to catch him if he was smart about it.
And Akaza seemed to be enjoying it to, since he allowed more games than one, and he was smiling and laughing along with Senjuro.
Senjuro shrieked with laughter as Akaza suddenly caught up to him, picking him up and spinning him around. “Gotcha!” Akaza said proudly before hugging Senjuro close to his chest.
Senjuro laughed happily before cutting himself off with a yawn. Akaza’s proud smile softened into something almost similar to how his brother smiled at him. “It’s late little human, you need to sleep.” Akaza said softly.
Senjuro didn’t want to stop playing, but he also knew that Akaza was right. And he was really tired, especially after all that running. “Okay…” Senjuro said.
Akaza walked over to the engawa before gently placing Senjuro down on it. Akaza turned to leave when Senjuro grabbed his pant leg gently. “Wait…!” Senjuro said hurriedly.
Akaza turned back to look at him. “What?” He asked, confused.
“Will I ever see you again…?” Senjuro asked.
Akaza patted Senjuro’s head, making the boy practically melt into the affectionate touch. “Maybe.” Akaza said.
That was good enough for Senjuro he supposed.
“Okay…” Senjuro said gently, letting go of Akaza’s pant leg.
The next time Senjuro blinked slowly with tiredness, Akaza was gone, a few leaves by the tree line fluttering, likely from Akaza leaving.
And if Akaza came back the next night, and the night after that, Senjuro didn’t complain. When he went to visit Kyojuro again, and his big brother asked how his week was, Senjuro just said it was the same old same old. Senjuro didn’t want to get in trouble or get Akaza hurt.
And when Kyojuro got back to the Rengoku mansion, Akaza’s visits stopped. Senjuro was saddened by it, but he didn’t show it when he was around Kyojuro.
Then, the first night of Kyojuro being out on his first mission since his injury, Akaza came back for a visit. Him and Senjuro played tag and hide and seek for a few hours before Akaza made Senjuro go to bed again.
Their routine continued.
Whenever it was just Senjuro and Shinjuro in the mansion, Akaza would visit, and he and Senjuro would be able to play.
Akaza once described their routine by a saying he’d heard,
“While the cat’s away, the mice will play.”