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“I’m bored again.” Gary whined, pressing himself further into the couch. Megan sighed. “A recipe for disaster. Gary, I’ve been over this. Just do another fucking reaction fic.” She argued. Gary sighed, launching himself up. “I have some perfect candidates.” He said.
“Why.” Akaza sighed, looking annoyed as fuck as he stared at the rest of the hashiras, demon slayer corps and 2 of his…friends. “I was bored.” Gary shrugged. “Anyway, time to start.” “I’m going to commit a Dazai.” Muichiro sighed. “Who?” Tengen asked. “Oldies won’t get it.” Muichiro replied. Tengen let out an offended gasp.
3 Times Sanemi And Giyuu Are Mistaken As Muichirou’s Parents (& The One Time They Use It To Their Advantage)
“That’s the title?” Shinobu asked. “Awww, how sweet!” Mitsuri said, clasping her hands together. Zenitsu just sighed, looking tired. Tanjiro glanced at his friend before allowing him to lean on his shoulder. Inosuke allowed Zenitsu to curl his feet on top of his lap before he fell asleep. Mitsuri, who had turned around, immediately cooed while Tanjiro blushed and Inosuke just glanced away.
Lunch is a lively affair.
It usually is whenever Oyakata-sama hosts one, sparing no expense to fulfil their appetites and encourage team building.
Alcohol is kept to a minimum though, because it’s daytime and they still have jobs to do.
“Boo.” Tengen shouted, pouting. “Child.” Gyomei said, pointing at where Muichiro was sitting in between Sanemi and Giyuu. “I’m 14.” Muichiro sighed. “Exactly, child.” Sanemi said.
—Which meant Tengen’s high spirits was all him.
“Do my flamboyant eyes deceive me,” Tengen flashes a crooked smile. “Or are the three of you getting along like a happy family?”
Everyone in the room immediately turns to the trio that had captured his attention.
Somehow or another, Muichirou had found himself wedged in between Sanemi and Giyuu, almost acting like some sort of argument-prevention barrier just by existing.
“Was it working?” Akaza asked. “Surprisingly.” Obanai replied.
And the miraculous thing is it works.
Truthfully, it’s a bit terrifying how well they’ve gotten along this entire afternoon, united as they were in their singular goal to stuff Muichirou full of food.
(The boy’s cheeks were significantly chubbier now, a testament to their overwhelming success.)
Sanemi stops where he’s lecturing Muichirou about eating his vegetables long enough to glare at the Sound Pillar.
“You’re about to have no eyes at all if you keep talking bullshit.” He spat.
“No swearing in front of the child.” Shinobu scolded. “He’s killed hundreds of demons. And you draw the line at swearing?” Sanemi asked with disbelief. “Yes.” Shinobu replied.
“I have no idea what you’re saying, Uzui-san.” Giyuu answers, maintaining his aloof demeanour. It proves to be far less effective when he’s clearly in the middle of rolling Muichirou’s sleeves up so they don’t fall into his bowl.
The young boy makes a face, staring down at his plate.
“Prawns are so annoying to peel.”
Giyuu instinctively leans over. “Here, I’ll do it for you.”
“Oi, Tomioka. If you keep babying him he’ll never do it himself.” Sanemi snaps, like he isn’t actively fishing out cuts of meat from the hotpot to pile on Muichirou’s plate.
“It’s just prawns.”
“Then he’s going to ask you to peel his prawns for him every damn time!”
“How many times do you think I eat prawns?” Muichirou deadpans.
Tengen leans back in his chair, resting his hands behind his head smugly as he watches the scene unfold. “I rest my case.”
“Please don’t.” Muichiro said blankly. Douma just cooed at the found family. Kokushibo, as passive as ever, just sighed.
“Now that you mention it, they do kind of resemble each other.” Obanai agrees snarkily, ignoring his best friend’s scathing look.
“Traitor.” Sanemi said, shooting a glare towards his best friend. “Nah.” Obanai replied, looking smug.
“What a lovely image!” Mitsuri gasps, hands flying to her cheeks. “They’re all so beautiful together!”
“They certainly do look alike!” Rengoku announces, heartily munching on some tempura.
“Namu Amida Butsu. Their affection for Tokitou-kun is heartwarming.” Himejima murmurs.
“Tomioka-san, are you sure Tokitou-kun isn’t related to you in any way?” Shinobu teases.
Giyuu blinks at this. He turns to stare at the boy next to him, taking in the long black hair, blue eyes and blank expression like it’s his first time noticing them.
“Tokitou, are we…?”
Muichirou shrugs. “I wouldn’t remember anyway.”
“I feel like you shouldn’t be making these jokes.” Genya said, looking slightly weirded out. “Who else would? My dead parents?” Muichiro asked. “You had parents?” Tengen asked in genuine surprise. “Uzui Tengen. I know you’re not stupid. How the fuck did you think he got here?” Giyuu said in a show of total disbelief. “I dunno, he looks like someone who just kinda spawned.” Tengen replied. Shinobu just face-palmed looking annoyed. A couple demon slayers chuckled but those closest to the demons were still pale as hell.
“Wait, so we all know Tokitou is a dead ringer for Tomioka, but what about Shinazugawa? What traits did Tokitou inherit from him?” If it wasn’t obvious enough, Uzui was having the time of his life.
“What the fuck don’t rope me into this—”
Obanai snaps his fingers.
“I got it!” He smirks. “Tokitou must have gotten his foul mouth from somewhere. And Sanemi swears so much it’s no wonder Tokitou picked it up at some point.”
“No he fucking didn’t! And I don’t fucking swear that much!”
Heterochromatic eyes stare him down.
“Be serious, Sanemi.”
The scarred man groans. “I literally hate you so much.”
Giyuu interrupts him. “Shinazugawa-san, can you pass me the jug?”
“Huh? Okay.”
Giyuu mutters a quiet thanks, filling up his and Muichirou’s glasses.
The latter goes to tug on the Wind Pillar’s sleeve, teal eyes wide and pleading.
“Can you make that wrap again?”
Sanemi clicks his tongue, but his hands move on their own to place salmon, cucumber and pickled daikon onto a piece of seaweed.
“You’re too spoiled, brat.”
From the other side of the table, Shinobu watches on in faint exasperation. And who’s doing the spoiling?
“Hey.” Sanemi said. He was still slightly scared of Shinobu, especially after she told him that she knew that he and her older sister Kanae was in a relationship.
Although, she won’t deny that it warms her heart to see Muichirou being so thoroughly taken care of. Every one of them had a soft spot for their youngest, and they all went to great lengths to try and preserve some of his childhood.
(Some of them more so than others, it seems.)
…Still, who would’ve thought he’d be the one to unite Sanemi and Giyuu?
“You guys are so… family coded it’s crazy.” Tanjiro said thoughtfully, making sure he didn’t jostle Zenitsu from his sleeping position. Nezuko and Kanao were staring at the trio before at each other. “We’re getting them together right?” Kanao asked her quietly. Nezuko nodded and let out a muffled sound around her bamboo muzzle.
2.
“How’s the mochi?” Giyuu asks conversationally, nursing a cup of tea. It’s a bit too weak for his tastes, but he doesn’t have the heart to tell Sumi that after she’d raved about this new brand for him to try.
Across from him, Muichirou is silent for a worryingly long time as he chews.
“Sticky.”
“Really? I thought mochi was hard.” Obanai said sarcastically. “Don’t say that to a child, Obanai!” Mitsuri said, lightly smacking him on the arm.
Giyuu accepts that it’s the only reply he’ll get. He doesn’t really mind; he knows that the boy isn’t doing it to be mean or dismissive. Sometimes it just took him a little bit longer to gather his stray thoughts.
Muichirou’s sleeves don’t drag across the table (and the food) anymore when he reaches for another plate. Giyuu is secretly pleased with himself for having had the foresight to help roll up his sleeves early this time.
Minutes drift by in comfortable silence. Giyuu rarely gets to sit and enjoy afternoon tea, even less so with their youngest Pillar. All it takes is one look at Muichirou’s full cheeks and he’s flooded with immense gratitude to Aoi for dragging them here after their respective check-ups (albeit forcefully).
He takes another sip, gaze fixed on the clouds above before another presence strides in to demand his attention.
Literally.
The man points a menacing finger in his direction, jaw clenched in anger.
“YOU.”
“Oh no.” Amane said quietly. Her husband nodded in agreement. “Oh yes!” Douma said. “Drama!” He exclaimed, leaning further onto Akaza. True to his personality, Akaza immediately drew his arm up and broke Douma’s jaw swiftly. The entire corps just stared at the trio of demons, especially as Douma just cackled around his jaw and fixed it quickly. “Akaza.” Kokushibo said quietly. Akaza just sighed. “Sorry Douma.” He muttered through gritted teeth.
“Who?” Muichirou mumbles absentmindedly.
Giyuu lights up.
“Shinazugawa-san, would you like to join us—”
Their newest arrival storms over before he can finish his sentence, shoving something into his chest so roughly that he nearly topples over.
“How many times do I have to tell you to drop it?” Sanemi seethes. “I don’t want your ohagi.”
Giyuu looks down at the neatly-wrapped package.
“…But you like ohagi.”
Bloodshot eyes twitch.
He opens his mouth to yell say something, only to do a double take when he realises Muichirou is there and still chewing away without a care in the world.
It looks like the scarred man is having some internal conflict with himself, because his face twists into a pained expression that lasts for several seconds. Giyuu guesses he’s made up his mind when he moves to where Muichirou’s sitting to crouch behind him and—
—Slam his hands over Muichirou’s ears.
A startled noise slips past the younger boy’s lips.
“Ah. He’s going to go… how do you say it? Batshit crazy.” Shinobu said. Sanemi just looked away. Giyuu let out a small stifle of laughter as Muichiro sighed, looking like a child going through a very loving but dysfunctional family. Which he basically is.
Sanemi takes a long, deep breath before he goes absolutely wild.
“FOR THE LAST FUCKING TIME, I’M GOING TO MAKE MYSELF CLEAR SO YOU BETTER LISTEN UP, YOU RAT-ASS LOOKING MOTHERFUCKER.”
Giyuu watches on in equal parts amazement and horror at the sheer amount of profanities falling from Sanemi’s mouth.
“NEVER, AND I MEAN FUCKING NEVER, DO I WANT TO SEE OHAGI FROM YOU AGAIN. WHO KNOWS IF IT’S CONTAMINATED WITH YOUR GREASY-ASS HAIR? YOU DON’T EVEN LOOK LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT FUCKING SOAP IS, FOR FUCK’S SAKE!”
Giyuu wants to protest that he has good hygiene—Urokodaki would’ve fed him to the wolves without hesitation if he didn’t wash his hands before dinner—but decides against it when Sanemi immediately bares his teeth at him.
“I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR FUCKING GAME IS, BUT I AM NOT PLAYING IT. SO YOU CAN GO SHOVE THAT SHIT UP YOUR ASS, GOT IT?”
Muichirou had seemingly recovered from the sudden hearing loss and was back to munching on his mochi, completely unfazed as Sanemi stops to regain his breath, chest heaving.
“I guess Shinbou was right.” Tengen shouted in amazement. Sanemi and Giyuu had both immediately put their hands around Muichiro’s ears, who just looked resigned.
He slowly retracts his hands, staring Giyuu straight in the eye.
“Do I make myself clear?” He asks venomously.
Giyuu nods.
“No ohagi.” He repeats in a monotone voice.
Sanemi breathes a sigh of relief.
Giyuu pushes a plate towards him. “Would you like some dango instead?”
Muichirou pipes up before the white-haired man actually pops a vein.
“The dango is good too.” He says quietly, brushing mochi powder from his fingers.
This gives Sanemi pause. His gaze darts between the tempting skewers and big, teal eyes and they all know straight away that he’s lost the battle.
“Just this one.” He relents, grabbing a skewer for himself. He then proceeds to (very pettily) dump all the snacks from Giyuu’s plate onto Muichirou’s own.
“You have to eat more, kid.” Sanemi mutters gruffly. He starts to walk away, but not before turning around one last time to give Giyuu the finger.
(Behind Muichirou’s back, of course.)
The boy stares blankly at the mountain of mochi in front of him.
“I can’t eat all that.”
“I know you can’t. We can let the Butterfly Girls have them afterwards.”
There’s a beat of silence when the teen goes to poke at one of the sticky treats.
“Oh, and just so you know.” Muichirou looks him dead in the eye, expression giving nothing away. “I heard everything earlier.”
Giyuu winces.
“Everything?”
“Everything.”
“…Just don’t let him hear you say that.”
Unbeknownst to them, Aoi had been in the garden hanging up the laundry the whole time.
She busies herself by working faster, mind still reeling from having witnessed the interactions between the three Pillars.
“What on earth did I just see?”
Sanemi’s eyes twitched. Aoi sighed, still looking slightly traumatised. Zenitsu, who had woken up at the tirades coming from the screen, tumbled slightly from both Tanjiro and Inosuke before both grabbed him and hauled him into their laps. Zenitsu immediately started blushing. Tanjiro just placed a pillow around his head and turned it towards his chest, allowing Zenitsu to drown out the screen with his heartbeat.
When Muichirou is dispatched on missions, it’s rare for him to ever encounter other slayers. Rarer still is for him to bump into another Pillar.
Needless to say, encountering two at the same time is practically unheard of.
It’s through sheer coincidence alone that Muichirou jumps into the fray at the exact moment Sanemi and Giyuu do, both of them sporting comically wide-eyed looks when they catch sight of each other.
“How did that happen?” Shinobu asked. Sanemi shrugged. “Maybe a miscommunication with the crows.” Rengoku suggested, Tengen nodding in agreement.
“The fuck are you guys doing here?” Sanemi snarls, eyes darting around for signs of the demon.
Giyuu looked utterly confused at his question.
“…The same thing as you? We have the same job, Shinazugawa-san.”
“Don’t be a fucking smartass.”
Muichirou surveys his surroundings calmly.
“This region can’t be assigned to all of us.” He reflects.
Sanemi crosses his arms. “I was done with my patrol and already passing by.”
“My crow must have sent me the wrong directions…” Giyuu’s brows knit.
“Again? Let that damn thing retire already.”
“I can’t bring myself to tell him that.”
“Yeah? Well that crow is going to find itself in a demon’s fucking stomach one day if it doesn’t retire!”
Muichirou tunes out the rest of their conversation. Either the demon was exceptionally skilled in masking its presence, or the two men’s bickering had already chased it away—
“Three Pillars in one place? My, what a lovely surprise!”
“This bastard.” Sanemi groaned. Giyuu rolled his eyes at the screen, looking annoyed at the sight of the demon.
It takes less than a second for all of them to shift into their battle stances, swords at the ready as they glare up at the demon within the trees.
A wicked smile stretches across Sanemi’s face.
“I’ll give you a fucking surprise, all right. Let’s see how you like it when your head’s rolling on the ground!”
The demon scoffs, red eyes narrowing. “We’ll see about that.”
Giyuu’s head whips towards the white-haired man.
“What are you doing?” He hisses. “Stop provoking it.”
“You’re telling me you don’t do this?”
“Unlike you, I just kill the demon and leave.”
“Oh, so that makes you so much better than me?” Sanemi snaps back.
“I never said that.”
This time, Muichirou doesn’t even have the luxury of tuning them out seeing as they are, quite literally, arguing over his head. Why he chose to stand in the middle, he’ll never know.
“Just stop standing in the middle.” Obanai said. “It’s either this or them arguing without stopping.” Muichiro said. Obanai nodded with sympathy.
(He contemplates knocking them out for the briefest of moments just so he can get on with the damn mission already.)
“A stronger man than me. If Douma and Daki were arguing this much if we’re on a mission, I would have knocked both their heads off.” Akaza said. “I’ve considered this with you and Douma.” Kokushibo rumbled. “Fair.” Akaza just nodded.
The demon looked highly amused. “Fighting amongst yourselves? I never expected this. Is this really the Demon Slayer Corps’ best?”
Sanemi jabs his sword at him.
“Shut it, fuckface!”
“Such language.” The demon tuts. “You know, you should really listen to your husband.”
Gasps erupted from the theatre. “He didn’t!” Tengen exclaimed, looking delighted. “He did.” Muichiro said, smirking. Sanemi was blushing red, turning away from the screen whereas Giyuu just stared at the floor. “Husband!” Tengen said in a strangled voice, gesturing between the pair.
Muichirou witnesses the very instant both men’s brain cells collectively implode.
“MY WHAT—”
“Husband?” Giyuu’s breath hitches, eyes involuntarily darting to Sanemi. The Wind Pillar looked like he was about to combust any minute now.
“Right, so will you two lovebirds get on with it already?” Muichirou drawls.
“He’s making it worse!” Tengen said in the same tone of voice, looking positively euphoric. “I hate all of you.” Sanemi said, muffling his voice in a pillow. “No continue, this is amazing.” Akaza said, somehow eating popcorn. “I thought you guys can’t have food?” A random demon slayer grew the balls and asked. “No, we can have normal food, we just need to eat humans for nutrition.” Akaza explained. “I see you’re far more chatty than your friends.” Rengoku said. “He’s not normally. Douma’s the more chatty one.” Kokushibo cleared up the air.
Giyuu looks mortified. “Tokitou!”
“Why the fuck are you making it worse what the fuck—”
The demon hums, sounding thoughtful.
“I knew demon slaying was passed down generations, but I’ve never actually seen a family fighting together before.” He strokes his chin, observing Muichirou closely.
An eerie grin curls across his lips right as his eyeball rotates in his socket, flashing LOWER MOON 3 in vivid scarlet.
“How wonderful. That means I can end your bloodline in one go!”
Giyuu tenses. Muichirou scowls.
Sanemi bares his teeth.
“Bring it on!”
Chaos erupts.
Both Sanemi and Muichirou lunge forward, delivering a series of unforgiving slashes in quick succession. Giyuu took the rear, fending off its blood demon art—long, poisonous vines that sprouted from the ground at rapid speeds—slicing through them with deadly accuracy.
He’s slightly surprised at how well their fighting styles mesh together, mist intermingling with wind as easily as it disperses into water.
Muichirou has never been one to take note of his colleague’s abilities, but now that he’s seeing them up close—Sanemi, loud and brash and Giyuu, calm and collected—it serves to take his breath away.
That doesn’t mean he plans on falling behind though.
When the dust settles and Muichirou sheathes his blade, the lower moon’s head has already fallen to the ground with an unceremonious thud, his features frozen in shock.
Sanemi strides up to kick at the crumbling head. “Told you we’d cut your fucking head off.” He sneers.
“Cat got your tongue? What happened to you running your mouth earlier?” Muichirou taunts, leaning over the disintegrating demon.
“I never thought I’d feel sorry for a demon.” Another demon slayer said. “That’s a terrifying scene.” A girl said. The other demon slayers and even some hashiras agreed. “See! This is what you do when you kill a demon! You don’t ask for their backstories Tanjiro!” Zenitsu suddenly exclaimed, looking exasperated. “Yeah Gonpajiro!” “Not even close Inosuke.” Tanjiro sighed. “Yeah but then I’ll feel bad about killing them.” He murmured. “I FEEL BAD IF I KNOW THEIR STORIES KAMADO!” Zenitsu screeched, looking annoyed.
Tanjiro just reached up and tugged him back into his and Inosuke’s laps. Zenitsu huffed like an angry cat. The others were just watching like it was a particularly interesting circus, which it basically was.
Giyuu watches on in quiet dismay.
“I can’t believe it runs in the family…” The demon trembles, gaze flicking wildly between the two of them. “You’re the real demons here! You monsters!” He accuses, thrashing around frantically.
His words die down when Sanemi promptly slams a foot into his face, stepping away to reveal a pile of ashes.
He clicks his tongue. “Annoying bastard.”
Muichirou walks past him with a scoff. “Says you.”
Sanemi whirls around to glare at him.
“You little shit, I still haven’t forgiven you for that stunt you pulled back there—Oi, don’t fucking ignore me!”
Giyuu sighs and slumps against a tree.
Their similarities were seriously starting to give him a headache.
“I know we’re supposed to feel bad, but their similarities are pretty funny.” Tengen cackled. Sanemi just gave him a stink eye.
+1
In retrospect, third-wheeling Obanai and Mitsuri doesn’t sound like such a bad idea anymore.
In the past hour alone they’ve somehow managed to lose Muichirou seven times and—big surprise, Giyuu was being fucking useless seeing as he keeps getting stopped by blushing girls who have no sense of boundaries.
For the record: No, Sanemi does not give a damn about shitty girls who have shitty taste in men. He honestly couldn’t care less that Giyuu was all dolled up in a yukata and looking significantly prettier than usual.
(That’s a lie.)
“Oh?” Shinobu teased. Sanemi had continued to bury his head in his pillow. Giyuu had whipped his head around so fast he basically got whiplash. “Finally! Now get together!” Muichiro said in a burst of emotion. “TOKITOU!” Giyuu shouted, looking absolutely mortified. “No. Do not Tokitou me. Do you know how much I’ve had to deal with your dumbasses who couldn't get together?” Muichiro said, pointing between the pair. “This is better than anything I’ve seen.” Tengen said. “Well at least we know where he gets his language from.” Gyomei said quietly. Rengoku nodded in agreement.
He would’ve appreciated it, very much actually, if he wasn’t stuck dragging Muichirou away from yet another goldfish scooping game with that dead-eyed bastard nowhere to be seen.
“Why can’t I get one?” The boy sulks, deliberately making it as difficult as possible for Sanemi to drag him away.
Sanemi has half a mind to abandon him right then and there.
“You wouldn’t.” Muichiro said confidently. Sanemi just tsked, looking away.
“Because. You can’t even remember to brush your own hair most days.” He replies through gritted teeth, keeping an ironclad grip on Muichirou’s sleeve as they weave through the crowd. “What makes you think you can take care of fish?”
“My hair? Have you looked at yours?”
“That’s it. I’m killing you when we get back, twerp.”
“Tomioka-san would never let you.” A pause. “Where is Tomioka-san, anyway?”
Sanemi grunts. “Don’t know, don’t care.”
“Something tells me you’re lying.”
“Is it the same something that keeps getting you lost? If so then don’t fucking listen to it.”
Muichirou ignores him completely, gaze fixed somewhere in the distance.
“Found him.” He announces flatly.
Sanemi doesn’t know what to expect when he turns around, but a girl clinging tightly to Giyuu’s arm was so far from it that it causes him to see red for a second.
“HE’S JEALOUS!” Tengen shouted. “SHUT UP!” Sanemi yelled back, hurling an extra pillow at Tengen.
(Which, is ironic since he’s colour-blind.)
“Fucking piece of shit.” Sanemi curses, burning a hole into the girl’s head. She’s uncomfortably close to Giyuu’s face now, and he takes a couple steps back in response. “Thinks he’s so above us that he can just ditch us any time he wants to flirt with girls.”
“Are you jealous, Shinazugawa-san?”
“Fuck no, who’d be jealous of that girl?”
Muichirou raises a brow.
“…I never said it was the girl you were jealous of.”
Okay, Sanemi was seriously going to abandon him this time.
He massages his temples, and for the first time in his miserable life questions whether Oyakata-sama made the right judgement.
“A festival?”
The master nods. “Will you go with Muichirou-kun and Tomioka?”
“With all due respect, master, but what the fuck.”
Kagaya laughs, soft and airy. “I’ve noticed your relationship with them has grown stronger. I hope this festival helps you to forge deeper bonds.”
Desperation was not a good look on Sanemi. “But—what about our missions? And the other Pillars?”
“Worry not, my child.” Kagaya hums, voice akin to a soothing balm. “The festival takes place over three days. Everyone else has already paired up to enjoy it on their respective days.”
When Sanemi doesn’t reply, Kagaya just smiles.
“I hope you’ll get along. Rest assured of my faith in you.”
The words echo in his head, shaking Sanemi out of his anger. What the fuck was he thinking, acting so shamefully by doubting his master?
“Come on.” He mutters, dragging Muichirou along with renewed conviction.
“Where are we going?”
“We,” Sanemi grits his teeth, sights set on Giyuu. “Are going to have a great time together.”
“That sounds scary when you say it.”
Sanemi doesn’t bother replying. He catches Giyuu’s eye and doesn’t miss the obvious sigh of relief he lets out.
Turning to the girl, Giyuu gently pries her hands off him.
“Excuse me, I have to go. I’m with them.” He nods in their direction, and Sanemi relishes in the horror that flickers across her features.
“Oh! I’m so sorry, I—I didn’t think…”
“Clearly, you didn’t.” Sanemi sneers.
The girl flushes, bowing her head.
“I apologise! Please, have a good time with your family!”
And then she’s off before Sanemi can even allow her words to sink in.
Family? He blanches, staring after her retreating figure. Someone taps his arm and he spins around to look into deep blue eyes.
“You’re back.” Giyuu breathes, sounding slightly amazed. “And you found Tokitou.”
The boy flashes a peace sign in response.
“Why are you the way you are?” Sanemi groaned. “Childhood trauma.” Muichiro replied. Sanemi snorted.
Sanemi scoffs. “Yeah, no thanks to you. I’ve had to chase after you two idiots the entire time we’ve been here.”
To his credit, Giyuu had the decency to appear ashamed. Muichirou, on the other hand, looked like he’d thoroughly enjoyed Sanemi running around like a headless chicken.
“Would a chicken even survive without its head?” Muichiro mused. “Actually, under really special and rare conditions, such as the weapon missing the brain stem, a chicken would be able to survive for at least 6 months.” Zenitsu said, words muffled by now Inosuke’s chest. The pair had swapped him around.
“Sorry about that.” Giyuu mumbles, brushing a few stray strands from Muichirou’s yukata. “I’ll make it up to you. Lunch is on me?”
“Fuck yes. I’m starving.”
“Me too. Can we get ramen?” Muichirou asks, wrapping his arm around Giyuu’s. This time, there’s no fire burning in the pits of Sanemi’s stomach, no wave of fury that makes his blood boil. In his eyes the boy looked perfectly at home by Giyuu’s side, dressed in matching yukatas of blue and mint green.
“Okay. I think we passed by a stall earlier.” Giyuu’s smile is fond, the kind that makes your cheeks flush and your thoughts race and your heart stop—Not that Sanemi would know anything about that, he’s just making an observation.
The streets leading up to the stall are packed, but the chances of Muichirou wandering off on his own are zero now that he’s flanked by the two of them.
‘There it is.” He points out.
Up ahead, emblazoned in big bright letters on the sign outside the stall is ‘FAMILY PROMOTION – KIDS EAT FOR FREE’.
A knowing look passes between both men.
Giyuu reaches for his hand, and in the most monotone voice says: “Let’s go, son.”
“Eyes on the prize, brat.” Sanemi slaps his back, regarding the stall with the same intensity he uses when staring down a demon.
“Neither of you are old enough to be my parents.” He deadpans, but the promise of free food is too tempting to ignore and so all logic flies out the window.
They get in line.
“Just for today, you’ll be Tomioka Muichirou.”
Sanemi gapes at him. “The fuck? Why is he taking your name?”
Giyuu seems puzzled that this is even a question. “Of course he’s taking my name. He looks like me the most.”
“It takes two to have a kid, asshole!”
Muichirou’s small “gross” goes unnoticed by them, preoccupied as they are in their petty argument.
“Shinazugawa Muichirou.” Sanemi’s glare could have burned whole cities down.
Giyuu stands his ground. “Tomioka Muichirou.”
They’ve reached the front of the line with still no conclusion drawn.
“They were arguing about your last name.” Tengen said in the same strangled voice. “I’m offing myself after we get out.” Sanemi groaned. “No, don't, who’ll provide this wonderful entertainment.” Douma asked, pouting slightly.
Muichirou looks the waitress straight in the eye.
“I’m adopted.” He says calmly.
Behind him, both men await her reaction with bated breath. Giyuu squeezes his hand and Sanemi winds a protective arm around his shoulder; Muichirou doesn’t even think they get half as nervous facing a demon.
To their relief, the waitress just smiles brightly.
“No problem! Family is family.” She chirps, ushering them to their seats.
It’s only when they get their menus that Muichirou speaks up again.
“You hear that? Surnames don’t matter.” He says quietly, near imperceptible against the din of the festival. “Family is family.”
Giyuu and Sanemi share a shocked look over his head—Sometimes, they get so used to caring for him that they forget how mature he can be for his age.
A tentative smile spreads across Giyuu’s face.
This time, Sanemi smiles back.
“THIS JUST IN! SANEMI SHINAZUGAWA SMILED AT GIYUU TOMIOKA. I REPEAT. SANEMI SHINAZUGAWAAAA-” Tengen started before Gary decided to portal them out of the room. “I really should do this more.” He mused.
Megan stepped into the room. “Maybe do another universe?” She asked. “Nah, I already have the next one lined up but I’ll give them… like a few days of break. Gary replied, looking excited for the next one.