Chapter 1: Futility
Summary:
A fight and a tumble through snow
Notes:
This has been in the works for months now because of the lack of kny x mha crossovers that are to my specific tastes.
I already made one such crossover in the past that's in another site (that i promised I'd transfer here but it's very much abandoned sorry) but that crossover happened in the mha universe.
I don't see much crossovers where mha characters are the ones to go to the kny universe.
And what better people to fall victim to these shenanigans than Katsuki and Izuku themselves?
I already have one and a half-ish chapters done and ready to publish after this one if everything goes well i might update once a week-ish, maybe twice a month.
I WILL EDIT THE TAGS WHEN I GET HOME I AM IMPULSIVELY POSTING THIS ON MY PHONE AND THE MOBILE SITE SUCKS
if you have questions about the fic, or if you want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Izuku didn’t really have anything to do.
School has already let out for winter break but it doesn’t make that much of a difference in Izuku’s life. Most of the other kids his age would probably be excited for the whole time they didn’t have to do any work and no work meant more time to mess around with their friends.
“... cultivated by a young high school aged prodigy, the blue spider lily has shown signs of great potential in the medical field with its…”
“Oh, you’re going out, Izuku?”
Izuku looks up, his mother was in the process of marinating the meat for their meal tonight, her hands in the motions of using her quirk to bring the remote to her to lower the TV’s volume.
“Isn’t it a bit late in the afternoon? Dinner should be ready in a few…”
“I’m going out for a quick walk to the playground, Mom,” he says, closing the door to his room and slinging his bag over his shoulder, it had his laptop (with the charger and a usb cord just in case), some snacks, pens and pencils, his hero analysis notebook, all the stuff he would need for hero hunting, “I’ll be back before it gets dark.”
His mother hums, turning back towards the image in their TV, some news report about a teenager much older than Izuku reviving a long extinct flower. The reporter was currently interviewing the teen— green eyes and hair fading into a blue gradient— before he had to go to I-island to continue his research in a much safer environment after a lab scare a few months back.
“Make sure to stay warm, okay?” his mother says as he was already putting on some shoes, “Bring your scarf with you!! The news says it will be colder in a few hours!!”
“Alright, alright…” he smiles, grabbing a scarf at random, a yellow one, probably his mother’s considering his godawful All Might color scheme leaked through even his fashion choices, “Bye, Mom!! Love you!!”
“Love you, Izuku!!”
“... Police are still investigating the mysterious disappearances throughout Mustafu, with heroes slowly getting involved in the investigation as the number of missing people have escalated it to a villain level threat. This is a reminder for citizens to avoid going out at night…”
The city was blanketed by white.
The streets were icy, with large shovel cars scooping away the snow from the roads to deter any potential accidents. There were significantly less people walking around, usually adults all bundled up to do their work and the occasional holiday shopper here and there. The heroes have all changed their costumes to suit the harsher and colder weather as winter continues its course.
Students don’t typically go out at this time if they weren’t going to some place that has a heater but Izuku has always held a sort of fondness for the cold season.
Wrapped up in his warm jacket and mother’s scarf, he watches as the snow gently cascades down around him, the creaking of the swing set accompanied by the soft howling of the wind. His cheeks and nose flush pink as his body keeps up to stay warm, and even though he was close to shivering, he stays where he is, watching the snow fall, hero analysis notebook open on his lap.
The sun was nearing the horizon, it would probably set another hour or so.
Hero hunting has been proven fruitless, it made sense, since it was cold, not many people wanted to do much anyway, but evil doesn’t really stop just because it was freezing… although he did see Death Arms in action today with a car accident…
Maybe he was just unlucky today… he’ll try again tomorrow.
He closes his notebook, having nothing significant to add.
“Ah, young man, what are you doing here all alone in this kind of weather?”
Izuku looks up.
There was this man, tall and lanky, skeleton-like was a better descriptor as he was swarmed by the coat and scarf that he wore. Blonde hair, messy, unkempt, cascaded down on either side of his face, framing his already sunken features. His blue eyes, kind and not malicious, just looked at him with curiosity more than judgement as he earlier assumed. He thought he was kicking him out for being an older kid in a playground he clearly should’ve already grown out of.
“I’m just enjoying the weather, sir,” he says, sounding a bit sheepish, it was odd to be all alone in a weather like this, huh? He must’ve looked quite pathetic.
“You’re one of those people who like winter, huh?” the older man humors him, sitting down on the swing next to him, the metal creaked, “Can’t quite say I share the same sentiment. The cold doesn’t do much for my creaking joints.”
“You don’t look that old, sir.”
“Ha! That’s just what you think!”
After that they just clicked.
Izuku and this old man (“It’s Yagi, young man!!”) have started talking all about heroics. Apparently he worked as a secretary for a big hero that he can’t really disclose the name of, which is understandable, and is a big hero fan himself.
It was starting to get easier and easier talking to Yagi, well, it was actually much easier for Izuku to talk to older people than the kids his age… mostly since adults don’t tend to randomly ask what your quirk is as an icebreaker.
He doesn’t have any friends his age to hang out with so his winters were most likely just spent alone with his mother in their apartment. Maybe watching movies with her, maybe watching some documentaries he has put off for a while and maybe even watching hero clips for new additions to his Hero Analysis for the Future.
He was fine with it. It’s not to say that he doesn’t need or want friends, it’s to be expected and he doesn’t mind that. School break also meant taking a break from all the jeers and taunts, it was quiet and peaceful, no one yelled at him for mumbling or being creepy. It was just him and his thoughts.
Though he can tell his mother was starting to worry once again at his lack of a social life.
It had always been a vicious cycle of dodging her questions, asking for friends that didn’t exist or fun kid stuff he went to. He didn’t really have the heart to tell her that all he ever did outside of school was wander around with a notebook in hand obsessing over heroes his peers don’t think he would become. And so the first few days of winter break was spent hanging out with his mother, whom he loves very dearly, and then walking around the neighborhood or the city looking for hero fights to watch, which led him right back to the playground he frequented when he was younger.
It wasn’t a very good or a very safe hobby but he’s been doing it since he was little.
“All Might is a bit overrated!! You can like a hero and still say they’re overrated!!” Yagi laughs, his laughter was booming and drifted into a wheeze by the end, having to cough into a handkerchief.
“But he’s the symbol of peace! The number one hero! You can’t say he’s overrated when statistics—”
“Bah!! It’s all about statistics, young man, his face is all over the place.”
“Still—!”
“Say,my boy,” Yagi raises his hand for a second, making Izuku pause, “I couldn’t help but notice that thing on your lap… wanting to be a hero in the future?”
Izuku blinks. He looks down at his lap.
Oh… yeah, he forgot to put it back in his bag.
“I… yeah,” Izuku smiles softly, “But it’s more of a hobby than anything…”
“May I take a look?”
He contemplates for a few moments.
There were two people who went through his hero analysis notebooks, one was his mom, maybe back then when he was much younger, wanting to show her all these amazing things he figured out about quirks and heroes. His mother didn’t understand the finer details of his work but was proud of him. Back then some kids also managed to grab his notebook full of speculations and details about their quirks that just intrigued him so much. He was called creepy… He started not letting anyone read it.
“It’s not that great…”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” Yagi-san says, “Like I said, I worked for heroes. One important thing heroes hire people for is for quirk analysis, it’s not as glorified as being a hero is, but it helps heroes a lot.”
But Yagi seems to be much more open minded… plus he works for heroes, he has insider knowledge! Izuku should really capitalize on it!
“Alright… you can look,” he hands the other the notebook, “I don’t promise it would be any better than when a professional does it.”
Yagi takes the notebook, careful with it, flipping the page much slower than Izuku would expect… like he was actually reading it.
The other person that he had allowed to read one of his notebooks before was Kacchan.
He didn’t comment on it, but he actually read it instead of scanning over the pages like his mother would (not like he was sad about that, his mother just doesn’t understand what he was writing down but she does asks questions, she was a better listener anyway), he would instead have this crease on his brow.
Well, at least he didn’t react as badly as the others did…
The one thing that remained constant in his life happened to be Kacchan as well.
His mother and Auntie Mitsuki were childhood friends— still are friends— and have decided to make their kids friends too. It worked for the first four years of their lives but ever since Kacchan got a quirk and he didn’t, their friendship deteriorated into something else entirely.
Kacchan got meaner, he grew out of blasting at him with his quirk by the time they reached grade school, but overall, he’s been pretty much the center of the torment he got in school.
Keyword being ‘school’.
He has a weird sort of relationship with Kacchan.
The other still lets him call him by his childhood nickname (more like Izuku refused to call him any other thing, still holding on to their friendship no matter how strained or frayed that Katsuki got tired of yelling at him for a correction). He doesn’t talk to him outside of school either. Not even a single insult, just maybe a snarky ‘get out of my way’ and that was that. Whenever their parents see or visit each other he doesn’t say anything remotely steering towards his and their classmates' treatment of Izuku, going as far as to grumpily greet his mother whenever they just happen to pass by, maybe even some small talk. Heck, he always lumps himself with Izuku in group projects whenever someone refuses to work with him! Izuku could most definitely do all the work himself, but Kacchan would go out of his way— with lots of complaints— to get assigned with him in projects (that they get a good grade on for sure).
It was all so confusing for Izuku but he decided to just take it in stride.
Kacchan is just a confusing and unconventional friend.
“This is incredible, young man!”
Izuku was snapped out of his thoughts by Yagi’s words.
Incredible?
Wasn’t his notetaking creepy?
“You have great talent,” Yagi doesn’t notice the way Izuku’s eyes were shining, the way his lips wobbled in what he hoped was a smile, “It’s a bit unorganized but your observations can be considered valuable to heroes and police!”
“It is?”
His observations weren’t creepy.
They were valuable.
Something buzzes in Yagi’s pocket, making him pat his pockets for his phone. He reads the message on the screen, his smile for Izuku slowly morphed into a frown.
The notebook was returned to him, “So sorry, young man,” Yagi says, “I have somewhere else to be right now but can you return to this park at the same time in a week?”
He blinks, Yagi wants to talk to him again? That’s—
“Great!”
Yagi looks at him, waiting for something.
“Oh! I mean— that’s great! Yes, I would love to—”
“Excellent!!”
Yagi pats him on the back, he is strong for someone built more like a twig, making Izuku cough as practically gets his breath pat out of him. He watches Yagi go…
He would panic later about the possibility of getting kidnapped a week later because of a random man he just met that claimed to be connected to heroes, but for now, he basks in the glow of the setting sun, happy that at least someone appreciates what he was doing.
“What are you smiling about, Deku?”
—
“... Hashibara Aoba’s breakthrough in the cultivation of this extinct flower can further the research to potentially bring back more extinct species, plants and animals alike...”
“Can you turn that damn thing off?! It’s like you’re not listening to me!”
Katsuki rolls his eyes.
Like what almost everyone does in this household, he aggressively grabs the (very abused) remote and turns the TV off. The news wasn’t all that interesting anyway but it was still better than having to hear the shrill shrieks of his old hag.
It was the usual for the Bakugo family, so much so that the neighbors have gotten so used to the mother-son duo’s screaming matches that they have stopped complaining years ago (although they do say that the revenue for their houses in the market definitely went down because of them), this wasn’t anything new.
The topic of today’s lecture, however, was once again, all about the ‘friends’ that Katsuki has been surrounding himself with.
Katsuki is a good kid. He believes himself to be a good kid.
He always does his chores around the house. He's smart, he gets good grades every time. He doesn’t get himself in trouble of any kind. He goes to bed on time. All that boring shit because it would definitely be embarrassing as a hero in the future if he was such a slob back when he was a child, he won’t ruin his career for that.
His mother and him just yell at each other as a form of communication and there was rarely any bad blood between them, it’s just how things are. His mother is a stubborn woman that gave birth to an equally stubborn child.
But he just doesn’t understand why his mother always insisted on him making better friends.
“I told you many times before that they aren’t my friends!”
“Based on how much they come over, I think they are!” his mother shoots back, she turns off the stove, the wooden spoon she used to stir the pot thrown half haphazardly into the sink, brown sauce splattering where it landed, “Don’t you think I didn’t hear them all whispering about smoking and what not! Are you smoking?! Are you doing drugs, Katsuki?!”
“I am not smoking, you old hag!” he shouts back, “I’m not doing drugs either! You know I won’t ruin my chances of being a hero!”
“Why can’t you just invite Izuku over again?” his mother sighs, “Inko’s boy is such a sweet kid, he should be the one you hang out with instead of your troublemaking friends.”
And that made him tick.
He loves his mother. He really does. And although he stopped showing it years ago when it started to grow more embarrassing, he still loves her.
But by whatever god is up there— he can confidently say he hates her right now.
Mitsuki is a woman who never lets things go.
She holds onto things. She held onto nostalgic items, to shopping bags to be reused later, even containers of tupperware from people that brought food. That also applied to people. His father was one such person she refused to let go of, Auntie Inko as well, being her childhood friend and all. She assumes that Katsuki was like that as well.
Katsuki is not like that.
And most of all, he refuses to latch on to Deku of all people.
Aside from the constant nagging of getting better friends, Deku always manages to worm his way into his mother’s mouth.
‘Izuku got a good grade!’, ‘Izuku is learning art!’, ‘Izuku is such a sweet kid!’.
It’s like a constant reminder!
Why does his mother feel the need to always mention that freak?! He was weaker— he is quirkless for god’s sake— Katsuki should be better than him in every way possible but for some reason—
He’s always a shining example in his mother’s eyes.
Katsuki is better. She should know that.
Why doesn’t she know that?
“Such a shame you stopped hanging out with him often… is school really that busy that you couldn’t invite him over? I’m gonna call Inko to see if I can get you two to hang out today, heard he was feeling lonely late—”
“If you want to invite him, go ahead! I’m not gonna be around for it!”
Katsuki stands up from the couch, making his way over to the door, stomping loudly as he does. It’s immature, he knows, no hero should be acting like this but he was just so fed up.
“Katsuki!” his mother was quick to scold, although she sounded more dumfounded than angry, her voice wasn’t raised in a yell, it was just enough so he could still hear her as he put on some boots, “Don’t you think that’s rude?”
“I’m leaving.”
“Wha— but I’m inviting Izuku over for you! I can’t have him here without—”
“I don’t want anything to do with that quirkless loser!” Katsuki shouts back, louder than usual, much louder, “That’s what you want right?! You want sweet little D– Izuku, not your jackass son!”
“Language, Katsuki!”
Mitsuki was now just realizing he was at the door by the time he already slipped on his jacket. He hated the cold weather but it was a better alternative than to sit around and hear her sing Deku’s praises.
His mother reached out for his shoulder.
“What has gotten into you lately?! Izuku is—”
“IF YOU LIKE IZUKU SO MUCH WHY DON’T YOU MAKE HIM YOUR SON!”
The two stood still.
The door opens, his father walks in with damp hair and foggy glasses.
Katsuki shoves his way out of the door.
Deku still looked the same as they were when they were younger. Those wide green eyes that were always so observant, those freckles that were on the baby fat that still clung on his cheeks, and that god awful smile that he always gave Katsuki.
The small albeit shaky smile like he was happy and yet hesitant, ready to fall any moment and be excused as a grimace.
It looked hopeful.
It was annoying.
“I was…” “Scram—”
The two of them spoke at the same time, Katsuki’s voice much more prominent than Deku’s weak mumble, but it caught both of them off guard nonetheless.
He clicks his tongue.
It's getting annoying.
His anger from earlier still hasn’t stopped simmering, in fact, it was just about to boil over.
“You’re fucking pathetic, you know.”
Deku looks up at him in confusion, that same look he always had when Katsuki was around, that same hopeful nostalgic look— it was getting frustrating. The other furrows his eyebrows, his lips forming a thin line as the corners go down in a minuscule amount that anyone besides Katsuki wouldn’t catch.
“Think I didn’t hear that little conversation?”
Yeah, he heard it. Every fucking word of it. That old man could flatter Deku all he wants but soon enough he’ll learn the truth and he’d drop him like everyone else.
Katsuki was just here to remind him of that.
(Why is he so impressed? Those serial killer notes are creepy! It’s not impressive, it’s stalkerish! What does that old guy see in Deku?! What does his mom— his parents see in him?!)
“He said—”
“I don’t give a rat’s ass about what he said, nerd!” He snaps, “You think his words would matter if he finds out just exactly what you are.”
“You don’t know that!”
“And you of all people should know that!”
He should know that.
“How do you not get it?! You have to learn how to give up at this point because it's just pathetic! Come on, how many friends do you have, huh?! How many?! None! Because the moment they got too comfortable they would realize you’re just a quirkless fraud! No one wants to be associated with someone as weak as you and when he realizes that he’ll leave you hanging dry just like—”
“You?!”
Oh…
Oh, this nerd did not just—
Deku’s face was twisted in anger, a very rare emotion to see . He stands, slinging his bag over his shoulder, probably getting ready to run like he always does when he gets brave like this.
Katsuki grins.
Good.
The nerd really needs to learn how to fight back.
Makes him feel all the more better about his decision to beat him up right then and there.
“What did I ever do to you, Kacchan!?”
Katsuki takes a step back and Deku takes a step forward. His voice wasn’t shaking like it did in the past. His stance wasn’t hesitant as he defended that kid in the very same park they were in now.
He doesn’t expect him to continue. He almost never continues when he gets brave enough to fight back. Usually one look and popping of Katsuki’s quirk was enough for that little bit of courage to melt away back into fear.
(Katsuki can’t use his quirk when it’s cold anyways.)
Before he can even reply, Deku continues.
“Why is it that everytime I finally get a chance to be happy about myself, you’re always there to ruin it?! What did I ever do to you?!”
What did he do?
Katsuki lets out a scoff, the cold weather manifests it into mist in front of his face.
Oh, what did Deku do?
“You want to know?”
It was Deku’s turn to take a step back this time, eyes widening, realizing his mistake of talking back.
As he should, he should always know his place… groveling right underneath Katsuki’s feet. He’ll thank him later for it, surely, he always needed reminding of where he stands.
“It’s because you think you’re special when you’re not,” he towers over the other, his eyes flitting over to how tightly Deku holds the straps of his bag, “This isn’t a comic book, Deku, you’re not the main character. Your constant daydreaming has been pissing me off ever since! Do you really think you’d survive out there as a hero when you couldn’t even fight back?! It’s annoying how you think you could be anywhere near better than me!”
Deku tries to speak. Katsuki doesn’t let him.
“And it makes me so angry how even other people don’t see it!”
Smoke wisps up from his curled up fingers.
“Even my parents sing you praises all the time! What makes you so different, huh?! Because I fucking know you ain’t ever going to be that special but you still manage to creep up on me like the persistent little fucking puppy! You’re like a leech! I don’t even know how Auntie Inko can handle your delusional—”
.
.
.
“Please, Lord Muzan! I— give me some more time! Some more of your blood would help in my search—”
“Yes… I— I understand completely! I am your utmost loyal servant! I didn’t mean to impose!”
“I never meant to insult!”
“I… yes… thank you, Lord Muzan… your generosity, you’re truly kind…”
“This one! Surely! I promise you, my lord! This one surely would lead us to the blue spider lily! I assure you!”
.
.
.
The powdery snow around them scatters as Katsuki and Deku tumble down down down…
The two wrestle on the ground, their limbs getting tangled around each other as they try to get a hit, with Katsuki in a disadvantage without his quirk, but he was no slouch in a fight. What surprised him the most was how Deku latched onto him like a koala bear, making it harder for him to hit as they continued to tumble.
He barks out a laugh, adrenaline coursing through his veins, the last time he ever tried to wrestle with Deku was when they were younger, after his diagnosis, he was never really fun to mess with because he never fought back anymore.
He gets his hand under Deku’s armpits somehow as they skid to a halt, throwing him off of him, although not as far as he would’ve liked.
“You…” he pants, there was laughter bubbling in his throat that he refused to let loose, “Look at you growing a backbone!”
With snow clinging to their hair, their breathing a constant puff of mist in front of their faces, Katsuki gets up to his knees, ready to continue the fight when he starts to notice how… different their surroundings were.
At this time, the playground’s lamp posts would’ve already been turned on by its internal clock, but the place was dark, only illuminated by the soft silver light of the full moon above. In fact, the playground was no more, surrounding them were trees, those that were unfamiliar in the area where they lived. Tall, with thick trunks and rough bark.
His silence tripped Deku up into looking up as well.
They were both cold, wet, and… somehow lost.
Where even are they?
None of them even tried to speak, the adrenaline from their earlier scuffle has calmed down leaving only dread pooling in their guts. Based on how bright the stars were above them, they weren’t anywhere near any city.
They were more confused than anything… they couldn’t have just stumbled or rolled into the forest near the park, it was simply impossible. It also wouldn’t have this amount of snow on the ground, it wasn’t even snowing that hard yet, and then there was…
There were these white threads wrapped around the trees like Christmas streamers. The silver threads reflected the moonlight, making it sparkle with every sway of the wind. It seemed to stretch far beyond their line of sight…
“Kacchan?”
Deku’s voice was smaller. He ignored him, slowly standing up and brushing off the snow that clung to his clothes. He starts to walk, unsure of where he was going but he was sure as hell not staying here.
“Kacchan!”
Deku scrambles to his feet, grabbing his discarded backpack.
Great, he was stuck with the nerd.
“Wait! Where are you going?”
“Away from here, what else?”
“But—”
“Do you want to stay here or not?!”
Deku’s mouth clicks shut.
Katsuki continues to walk, the snow beneath his shoes crunches with every step, he had to stop the urge to cringe with how soggy his fabric made shoes were becoming. Deku didn’t really have a problem with his bright red leather shoes.
It would’ve been just so easy for Katsuki to leave him behind, but he didn’t.
They didn’t talk.
What else would they talk about?
The leaves above them rustled, making him pause. Deku bumps into him.
“Kacchan?”
Katsuki shushes him.
There was something in the trees.
The branches creaked and cracked under some form of pressure, clumps of snow falling down in heaps around them, as if this something was stalking them from above, circling them.
Deku, the coward, inched closer to him, but he just moved before he could press up against his side.
An animal wouldn’t be able to do that… there is nothing that large and fast to be able to do that.
“Kacchan! Watch out!”
He was pushed.
He stumbled face first into the snow, sputtering as he reorients himself again, he looks over his shoulder, feeling his heart freeze.
There was a woman with long silvery hair, the same ones that hung and wrapped above them in the trees, in fact, it was connected to those, her hair flaring, seemingly having life of its own.
Her skin was pale, equally as white but more ashen, the almost translucent skin giving way to blackened veins that crawled across every surface like cracks on porcelain. She was wearing a loose kimono, black with silver crackled patterns.
He couldn’t see her face from here.
She was straddling Deku, her sharpened nails poised and ready to strike. The nerd was shaking, his hands on the side of his face, unable to move out of fear.
Katsuki’s palm sparked with his quirk…
It only produced smoke.
“Where is it?!” the woman shrieks, her hair puffing, moving, snaking around along with her angered voice, “I know you’ve seen it! That’s why you’re here! Where is it!?”
Deku couldn’t answer. He lets out a high pitched whine.
Katsuki wasn’t any better.
He couldn’t move either.
This was their first time seeing a villain up close. First time being attacked by one as well.
But they’re both defenseless…
“ANSWER ME YOU WRETCH! WHERE IS IT?!”
They couldn’t answer her question. They don’t know how.
“USELESS! USELESS WRETCH! WHAT GOOD ARE YOU FOR IF YOU CAN’T GIVE ME INFORMATION!”
“De—!”
Katsuki catches himself before he could finish that word.
Deku was sent flying to a tree, his back hitting the bark hard, disturbing the snow. The threads of silvery hair wrapped around him, binding him to the tree, tightening with each struggle. His bag lay near the tree.
It was his mistake, really… to instinctively yell out.
The villain turns to him.
Her eyes, wide and… fearful? No… it looked desperate. Her sclera was bloody red, with black veins connecting to her eyes. Her irises were silvery, again, with black cracks… She didn’t have pupils… instead, from where Katsuki was standing, he was able to read the kanji…
‘Lower Moon Six’
“You,” she slowly approaches, one step at a time. She lifts her finger up, directing her messy hair to wrap around Katsuki’s torso, pinning his arms to the side.
Her hair lifts them both up, higher and higher into the air, Deku was screaming his name.
The moon framed her head like a halo, her silvery hair moving like wriggling tentacles. Her clawed hands find their way to his cheeks, he can feel her sharp nails dragging on his skin.
“You should be much more useful than the other one…” she whispers, much more calmer than how she acted before, in fact, she was smiling, although Katsuki can see the way her pupils shook, “Tell me, child… where is the blue spider lily?”
His voice caught in his throat.
“WHERE?!”
She drags her nails lightly across his cheek, he wants to admit he doesn’t scream, but he does as she squeezes him at the same time.
“I don’t fucking know what you’re talking about!”
“YOU DO!” she shrieks again, “YOU HAVE TO KNOW! THAT’S WHY YOU’RE HERE!”
“How disappointing.”
The villain gasps, her eyes snapping down, her hands shook and her hair flailed even wilder.
Katsuki follows her line of sight, struggling a bit as his head was still squished between her hands, and he admits that he was afraid she would squeeze his head enough to pop.
There was a man below them, his eyes seemed to glow in the dark with no problem. Red, unlike his own, it was a bit lighter with cat-like pupils. It wasn’t something that he didn't already see in people that he walked past, bright colored eyes are normal with the dawn of quirks but something about those eyes just felt wrong… it was uncanny…
Like the woman, he was also wearing a kimono, it was black with white undergarment, the kimono itself had these red flowers at the bottom. His hair was black, wavy, and his skin was deathly pale like there wasn’t blood flowing through his veins.
It just clicked to Katsuki that they weren’t wearing anything to protect themselves from the cold… heck, the woman wasn’t even wearing shoes.
“Is this what you do with my generosity? Harass random children?”
“No!”
Katsuki was dropped, the fall hurt, but it wasn’t too damaging, the thick snow on the ground thankfully broke his fall. He didn't dare move, he was face down on the ground, the cold was biting at his injured cheeks but he didn’t care. He was facing Deku, who had front row seats to the two villains’— because what else would they be— conversation.
“My lord, you have it all wrong!” the woman sounded close, she dropped down along with him, “These children have seen the spider lily! I am sure of it! If you would let me interrogate them further—”
“Enough.”
Something suffocating surrounded the forest.
This heavy filling made it hard for them to even breathe. From the sounds behind him and from Deku’s horror stricken face, the woman was in the same boat as them. In fact, she sounded like she was choking.
“All you have ever done is to beg,” the man says, “but what have you done for me?”
“... my— my lord?”
“Tell me…”
There was a gasp and a squelching noise.
The silver threads that held Deku to the tree drops, making him fall forward. He was on his knees, eyes still on the two villains and it wasn’t like he could just easily look away from the horrific sight.
Katsuki, with a heavy feeling, decides to finally move to look.
He wished he didn’t
The man held the woman’s head in his clawed hand. The head’s eyes were wide with tears slowly cascading down her pale cheeks. She looked confused… her face was still moving… shouldn’t she be dead??
The man barely minded the blood that seeped into his palms and onto his sleeves. He barely minded how the woman’s body, which was in front of him, lay there in a bowed position, begging for forgiveness.
“I have had enough,” the man says, looking down at her head, unblinking.
The head’s eyes shrunk in fear, her mouth opening and closing like a fish as it seemingly tries to articulate words… excuses even.
“You have failed me countless times, Jiki,” he says, “Clearly keeping you around hasn’t benefited me.”
“I—”
Katsuki and Deku both startled… the head… speaks?
“I always did what you ask of me, my lord! I follow every order— I do every task—”
“And yet you are still a lower rank.”
The woman’s breath hitches… how could she do that with no lungs? Was it a quirk? Isn’t her quirk her hair?
“My lord—”
“Jiki.”
The woman’s head was lifted with both hands now, the man’s thumb wipes off her tears, smearing blood on her cheeks. It was deceptively tender.
But the man’s face did not change.
The woman’s head seemed to visibly relax, her eyes closing.
“You worked so hard… didn’t you, Jiki?”
If the woman’s head could nod, she would’ve done so already.
“Yes… yes, my lord.”
“And do you wish for me to alleviate your worries?”
“Yes, my lord…”
The woman opens her eyes.
“Then… Jiki…”
Cr…kkkk….sh….
“GRAAAAAAHHHHH!”
“You cannot serve me.”
Her head… was crushed… with the man’s bare hands.
The body, as it was being crushed, spasmed and writhe, like it could feel what the head could. Her screams rang throughout the forest, sounding guttural then slowly fading into loud sobs…
Her body stopped moving, the silver hair around the forest drooped down… it turned red before it got swept in the wind as dust…
Her head was gone but she was still sobbing.
Deku grabbed his arm.
He was tugging, trying to yank him away before the man could even—
“KACCHAN!!”
He was on top of Katsuki, covering his body with his own, his eyes squeezed shut, his face twisted in pain.
“Izuku, what did…”
Katsuki reaches out, his hand lands on Deku’s back, his fingers met with sticky warm liquid. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what it meant when Deku let out a choked cry.
Crunch… crunch… crunch…
“Interesting…”
Katsuki meets the villain’s eyes.
He had to move.
He tries to haul Deku up, slowly but surely, he tries to drag him with him.
He could do nothing but watch as Deku was pulled off of him by his hair, he was crying by now, but he didn’t sob like the woman. It was like he was used to crying ever so silently, gritting his teeth through the pain.
“You still fight?”
Deku bites tongue, his hand reaching out to grab the arm that had his hair. He opens his eyes, those shiny tearful eyes. He smiles, a very shaky one.
‘Run…’
His eyes tell Katsuki.
Katsuki doesn’t need Deku to save him.
“Hm…”
He pulls Deku’s head up so he would meet his gaze.
“If she is correct about you…”
Deku screams.
“Then you would do…”
Katsuki could only watch as the man digs his pointer finger into Deku’s forehead… into his skull.
Katsuki watches as he writhes, screaming bloody murder, his hands trying to yank away the invading limb.
Why can’t he move?
Why can’t he—
Deku was dying.
He hates Deku but he doesn’t want him dead.
He doesn’t—
Deku’s skin turns pale, like the woman before, Katsuki could clearly see the veins underneath, like he was being pumped with something. He sees him starting to grow limp, his body slumping back, with the man’s hand in his hair the only thing supporting him.
The man’s expression finally changes… it looked… amused? His gaze lands on him and Katsuki can’t even say that he didn’t flinch.
“I’ll leave him for you… as a treat.”
Before Katsuki could even react…
He blacked out.
Notes:
Taisho Secret #1:
Jiki’s name means porcelain. She was meant to look like a porcelain doll. Her Blood Demon Art: Time Weaver, is connected to her hair.
While she was still human, she belonged to a family of artisans who did pottery, she had a loving family and a fiance, who all have died due to a fire, leaving her as the only survivor. Wishing she could predict the future, she encounters Muzan who turns her into a demon.
Time Weaver allows her to pull people from the past or the future. She can pull specific people or a random person based on a broad category, because of that, she was tasked with looking for information about the blue spider lily.
[Up Next: The Demon Doctor]
Chapter 2: The Demon Doctor
Summary:
A strange doctor and her strange assistant
Notes:
This was a very fun chapter to write, mostly because I love establishing the dynamic that Yushiro will be having with Katsuki.
It was also weirdly fun to catalog all the injuries this guy got lol
if you have questions about the fic, or if you want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Katsuki always hated the rain.
But what’s worse than rain was snow.
Rain was wet and damp, it made his clothes cling to his skin, made his spiked up hair go down like some pathetic wet dog. He didn’t like how it made it difficult to use his quirk as any sweat he could produce would get watered down and washed away. It felt defenseless in the rain.
It was ten times worse in the snow.
Winter didn’t need to remind Katsuki of his place. Strong gusts of cold winds would give him goosebumps, blocking his pores like no tomorrow, making sure that his only defense mechanism was useless in its frozen wonderland. It was a different sort of chill, it bites and wracks his body with shivers. It was impossible to fight it.
Impossible.
That’s why he hates winters more than rain.
Rain can be tracked and avoided, winters are inevitable.
Winter doesn’t need condensation for it to know it rains supreme in giving Katsuki a real headache.
It made him feel weak.
It was morbid, to think at his age, that he would probably die one day under the pouring rain. It didn’t really take a genius to figure out that weakness of his quirk, or maybe he was just overestimating the future villains he would fight as his career kicks off. Heroics is not known for its safety, it was a dangerous job, one that brings money and fame.
Sometimes Katsuki would look out of the window as his boring teacher draws out a lecture he doesn’t bother to focus on, watching how the wind made the branches dance, listening to the hushed chatter of a class that stopped listening minutes ago, he would think.
Imagine even.
That he would die a heroic death, his eyes staring up at the gray clouds above, a spiteful smile on his face.
He would conquer the rain.
In the end… he never realized he would be dying in an unknown place, under the same gray clouds in his day dreaming… surrounded by pure white that seeped into crimson…
But the red wasn’t his blood.
His wake up call was an oddly calm one.
With his breathing creating ghostly wisps, he first notices the tickling sensation of hair on his neck. Upon further inspection (and a few more buffering breaths) he realizes there was someone on top of him, their hands cradling his head to protect it from the snow underneath, although that proved to be fruitless from the accumulation of snow around them.
Katsuki had to push the other away.
Sitting up was difficult. His body was not only sore, but also numb from the cold around him, he could barely even feel his fingers and he silently fears for the possibility of frostbite, though that was pushed into the back of his mind the moment he caught the sight of the color green—
Deku.
“Deku—”
The events of the previous night came crashing down on him.
“I always did what you ask of me, my lord! I follow every order— I do every task—”
Cr…kkkk….sh….
“GRAAAAAAHHHHH!”
“You cannot serve me.”
“KACCHAN!!”
“I’ll leave him for you… as a treat.”
Dead.
The nerd was…
He was—
Wait…
Katsuki looked closer…
Deku’s chest… it was still rising and falling.
He doesn’t know basic first aid. He doesn’t really know how to check for someone’s pulse but he dives towards Deku anyway, his ear pressing on top of his chest right where the area of the heart should be. He can feel the rise and fall of Deku’s chest, but it was slower and shallower, his heartbeat the same way… faint, but it was there…
He pulled back and looked over at him. Once… Twice… Thrice… his mind must be playing tricks on him.
He knows Deku was injured. He was pale… so pale that his freckles looked like it stood out more, and his skin… it felt cold to the touch. His face had blood flowing down from where his bangs hid his forehead, there was a puncture wound there, he was sure of it, it was directly to the brain, no one could survive that, right? And the blood. Almost every inch of snow surrounding them had frozen blood. He would surely die of blood loss but why was he still breathing?
Why was he laying on top of him?
He didn’t have time to question it.
He doesn’t even have time to fumble around.
He needs to get him to a hospital.
With every bit of strength he didn’t know he had, he heaves Deku on his back. He wasn’t that heavy, which surprised him enough to make him lurch forward, his knees locking before he could faceplant on the snow.
Deku was limp, his head lolling over on Katsuki’s shoulder.
They need to get to safety…
They need—
.
.
.
Where was that villain lady’s corpse?
.
.
.
He can’t breathe.
With every intake of breath, the cold hair felt like it was slicing his throat. With every burst of air out of his mouth and nostrils, his vision gets obscured by the fog of his warm breath cooling down.
His shoulder ached, his head was pounding, his fingers numb but he treks on…
He has to…
Someone’s life is on the line.
Katsuki always knew he would be saving lives if he were to be a hero. He was well aware of that.
But this isn’t how he imagined it to go.
With a limp person on his back, with everything sore and aching, with the cold biting at his lungs with every stuttering breath—
He imagined blasting villains left and right. He imagined taking down despicable people and being heralded and praised for his work.
But what did he do?
He just sat there… frozen in terror as that… that villain…
No.
That monster…
That monster killed his—
But he wasn’t dead. No. By some sheer dumb luck, maybe even a miracle, Deku was still breathing.
Deku who stopped Katsuki from suffering such a gruesome death. Deku who silently begged him to run.
Deku who smiled through the pain.
Katsuki refuses to lose to him. He will save Deku’s fucking ass and he will tell him that he didn’t need his stupid help when he gets better.
Deku is going to live god dammit!
(He wasn’t crying. Deku was the crybaby… not Katsuki… never Katsuki—)
From the distance he saw smoke rising. He doesn’t know anyone in their area that had a working fireplace when heaters made much more sense but he figured they were probably a very traditional one. Based on their area, Katsuki was assuming they were in an urban area, he just hoped whoever’s house he stumbled upon would help.
With his vision swimming, Katsuki stumbles as his strength finally leaves him. He falls face first, catching the attention of the few people walking by.
“Are you alright?”
Katsuki’s words were caught in his throat.
What…
He somehow managed to reach the edge of the forest they found themselves in, only to see…
No way…
It was like he was transported in his old hag’s corny period drama.
The woman in front of him looked down at him with kind worried eyes, but he was more focused on what she was wearing. It was a kimono, something he rarely ever sees anyone wear outside of festivals.
Behind her were homes made from wood with billows of smoke coming out of each. The walls were thin, he doesn’t understand how it could even block the heat from outside.
His silence attracted even more people to him.
“Is that blood?” he hears one of them exclaim.
“Oh dear! Are you injured?!”
The woman drops her woven basket in order to crouch next to Katsuki, her calloused hands making their way to his cheeks, making him flinch. Seeing as her touch was unwanted, she instead turns her attention to the other people crowding around them.
“Give them some space!” she barks out, “Call the doctor! Quick!”
A few of the people broke away to search for a doctor.
A doctor…
Katsuki needs a doctor.
“De—” he chokes out.
“Yes, dear?” the kind woman’s hands hovered over him, “What is it, dear? What’s wrong?”
“Doctor— my—...” friend? “He’s injured— please he needs—”
“They’re on their way, dear,” the woman reassures softly, “Can you let go of your friend for us?”
A man reaches out to take Deku—
“Wait—!”
“Gghhrrrrr…”
Katsuki’s heart freezes.
He looks down at the head resting on his shoulder. He could feel the soft sort of rumbling coming from Deku himself. It was like the rumbling of an animal, like a cat’s soft purring. He started to stir, sensing the people around him and—
Did… did he just growl?
The people around them didn’t hear it. They couldn’t feel the horror that was slowly coursing through Katsuki’s already freezing veins. His stomach drops as he follows the hand of a random man who was just trying to help, reaching out to Deku to take him out of Katsuki’s hands because he’s the more bloodied one, because he needed more help.
Deku’s body lurched forward.
“GRAAAAHHHH!”
Katsuki bucks Deku off of him, scrambling to get away, his arm going up to push the crouched woman away as the other lands on the snow in a crumpled heap.
The snow around Deku gets thrown all over as he tries to reorient himself, all the while making those same animalistic noises that Katsuki was sure the other was incapable of doing. Katsuki watches as the other finally stills. He was slowly rising up on all fours.
Deku opens his eyes.
(“Then you would do…”)
Teal.
“De… ku…?”
Why aren’t they green?
Deku’s eyes are a much lighter color than the vibrant viridian, it was now a duller teal color with his pupils slitted like a cat the same exact way as the man that had attacked them before. He was snarling, lips pulled back revealing sharp canines.
He was acting like a feral animal.
Katsuki’s body moved before his mind could comprehend what was going on.
Deku launched himself at the person nearest to him, which was the man who tried to remove him from Katsuki earlier. The snow made it hard for him to move but he tackled Deku away, their bodies rolled around the ground, the white powder clinging more on their clothes.
“Deku!” he shouts, trying to keep him firmly on the ground before he could do anything else, “What the fuck is going on with you?! They’re trying to help!”
“RAAAAHHH!”
It was like before, how they tumbled around on the snow, wrestling and punching, but instead of a petty fight born from each other’s uncontrolled anger, it felt like life or death. With gnashing teeth threatening to bite anything that he could reach, Katsuki had to be careful.
But it was hard because Deku was… stronger. Somehow he was much stronger than he was just yesterday, and he has lost a lot of blood! Doesn’t his wounds digging into the snow filled dirt hurt? Shouldn’t that have slowed him down?
“Deku! Stop!”
That seemed to enrage him even more.
“Hang in there kid! We—”
There! Katsuki finally got Deku underneath him once more, straddling his hips, he pushed all of his body weight down, pinning Deku’s arms on his chest. His legs kicked as he spat and growled, continuing on his thrashing, trying to buck Katsuki.
Katsuki looks over his shoulder to see the men that tried to help them were now carrying… weapons? There was a man with a kitchen knife, there was another carrying a broom, another with garden tools.
“Get away from that monster, kid!”
Monster?
“No—!” Katsuki grits out, almost biting his tongue from the harsh jerk that Deku made, “No! You don’t understand he’s not a—”
But there was no denying it…
Whatever Deku is now… it wasn’t human anymore…
(“I’ll leave him for you… as a treat.”)
“Kid!”
“Grrrrhhhhgghhh…”
Deku…
Bit him.
Katsuki couldn’t even utter a scream, he choked on his own spit, his shoulder felt like it was on fire, Deku’s newly discovered canines easily pierced through his flesh, the rumbling within his throat accompanied the grinding of his teeth as he latched onto him like a stubborn leech.
Katsuki’s arms felt weak, which allowed Deku’s arms to wrap around him, his claws dragging down his back, tearing through the layers of fabric.
“... de… ku…”
With his adrenaline draining— or perhaps it was the bloodloss— Katsuki could only hear the pumping of his blood through his ears and Deku’s soft growls. He was aware of the commotion that he had caused, the way the people around him scrambled to get him away from what they viewed to be a monster.
Is this what that villain meant?
Leaving him as a treat?
He couldn’t help but laugh at how absurd it was… in the back of his mind, he could only listen to that dark voice in his head whispering his death would’ve been well deserved.
After all…
Even Deku would snap.
The commotion around him slowly died down, his blurry vision darkening with his eyes fluttering shut, the only thing holding him up was Deku’s jaw clenched around his shoulder and his sharp claws digging into his back.
And with every shaky inhale Katsuki catches a whiff of something floral, something so comforting and familiar like his mother’s cologne or the fabric conditioner she always used on his clothes when he was younger.
The fresh scent of laundry didn’t leave him, in fact, it surrounded him like a warm dried towel from the dryer on a rainy day.
Life was supposed to flash before your eyes… did anyone say anything about smell…?
“... defended him…”
“... leave them… go before… slayers…”
“... taste of human blood… not too late”
“... do… can’t stay…”
“... take them… still have time… safe house…”
“... yes, Lady Tamayo.”
For the second time… Katsuki blacks out…
—
The second time Katsuki woke up it was much more comfortable than laying in the snow for the whole night.
His eyes fluttered open, blinded by the orange light that seeped through the slight crack of the open window, the heat it produced helped him somewhat come back to his senses. The place was warm, even with the window cracked open, and his clothes certainly felt less like it was suffocating him and more like a warm blanket.
His eyes drifted around the room.
It looked like a mix between a traditional and modern home. The walls were wood, it was bare wood with the windows made out of paper, sliding instead of being pushed open. The doors were the same way, although it was more solid wood than it was made out of paper. The room didn’t have anything else, just the bed he was laying on and a small bedside table. At the corner of his room he saw an antique looking heater, one that he has only seen in his pre-quirk era obsessed grandmother’s collection that collected dust in her hoards of other junk, how it managed not to crumble through the years has baffled Katsuki as much as it baffled him about how dumb pre-quirk people are. The first time he tried turning one on it blew up on his face.
At least the room was warm and toasty.
He can feel his fingers now.
He moves to sit up, his arms shook as he tries to support his own weight, both of his shoulders ached. He looked down on himself, he wasn’t wearing the clothes he came with. Instead he was wearing what seems to be a loose white button up shirt and some loose pants. Was he in a hospital?
This looked like a very weird hospital then…
He unbuttons the first few buttons, he finds bandages wrapped around his torso, concentrated around his shoulder… There was a bit of blood on the bandage. There were also some gauze tapes on his cheeks.
He decides to ignore the lingering feeling of dread pooling in his stomach.
He knows what happened… he just needs to process it a bit.
He stands, his bare feet touching the floor, as he went closer to the sliding windows the floor grew colder and colder, but he found himself not caring much. He kept his arms at his chest level, raising it beyond that hurt and he wasn’t willing to agitate his injuries anymore than he already had.
Sliding the windows he was met with the outside basked in a soft orange glow of the setting sun, the snow outside settled evenly on the ground. He couldn’t look beyond the large bamboo walls that surrounded the place so he couldn’t quite pinpoint his location but this was a one story hospital then… maybe a clinic?
There were three sharp knocks on his door.
He looks over his shoulder.
He doesn’t say anything.
“I know you’re awake.”
Katsuki was… shocked to say the least. Was he really that loud? He moved as silently as he could.
“And close the window, will you? You’re letting sunlight in.”
How the hell did—?!
“Hurry up, I don’t have all day waiting for your ass, Lady Tamayo wants to talk to you.”
Lady Tamayo?
Katsuki slides the window close, all the way, and slowly shuffles to the door, hesitating for a few seconds… He doesn’t know where he is and he doesn’t trust the person beyond the door. Usually medical staff can just go in rooms all willy nilly without any regards if you’re awake or not, they wouldn’t even knock.
The person behind the door wouldn’t come in to check on him.
“Get out, I don’t have time for this!”
Katsuki’s eye twitched in annoyance.
He throws the door open, sliding it strong enough that you could hear the wood scraping against each other.
There was no one on the other side…
“Over here, idiot.”
His eyes snapped to the right.
A boy around his age stood in the hall. The hall itself was dark with flickering electrical lanterns lining the walls to provide dim lighting.
The boy was wearing a collared button-up underneath a white haori, he was also wearing dark blue hakama pants. His appearance made Katsuki snort, he only saw something like that in people who did kendo.
That seemed to tick the boy off, with his already deep scowl deepening further. He had a shock of light green that looked white in certain lighting fading abruptly into black. His eyes were a soft lavender with pupils slitted like a cat’s.
That’s the third time he saw a person with that pupil shape.
“Are you just going to stand there and gawk?” the boy snaps at him, “Close the door and come with me.”
“Who do you think you—”
“We saved your life,” the boy says, “So are you coming or not?”
Katsuki matched the other’s scowl.
“Well?”
Katsuki begrudgingly slides the door shut and lets this guy lead him to this ‘Lady Tamayo’ person he was talking about.
In the meantime, he lets his eyes wander. There wasn’t much to observe in the dimly lit hallways. The walls were just made of solid wood. There wasn’t a single sort of design or even a window, just the flickering wrought iron lanterns on the walls, the occasional door, and the sound of their feet shuffling over the smooth wooden floors.
“Is this the doctor’s they were talking about?” Katsuki dares to ask, he doesn’t like staying in the dark and he hates assuming things.
“Yes,” the boy says, “You can call this a clinic of sorts.”
The boy didn’t address him further, in fact from the way he was muttering furiously under his breath, Katsuki can very much take the hint that he didn’t like him. Which honestly didn’t matter to him.
Katsuki was starting to doubt this place was even a clinic. There wasn’t anyone else walking the halls. There wasn’t any other sound of activity.
“Did they bring another person here or—”
“Do be respectful when you talk to Lady Tamayo,” the boy says, cutting off any other question Katsuki had, his hand on the sliding door, the same exact style as the one the room he woke up in, “Injured or not, there will be consequences if you step out of line, got it?”
Weird… but okay.
“Okay…?”
“I said, got it?” there was a dangerous edge in his voice.
“I got it! Geez! What is your fucking prob—”
The boy shushes him.
“Did you just shush me?!”
The boy slides the door open.
Katsuki had to squint his eyes to adjust the very different light level the room had.
The room was larger and less suffocating than the hallways, the walls were even made of a different material, it was concrete with the walls painted a creamy color framed by dark wood. It looked more like what he expected a lab in a hospital or clinic to look like, with sterile looking tables and different medical stuff.
Lady Tamayo herself didn’t look like much of a doctor. Like the woman he saw that tried to help him, she was wearing a dark purple kimono with floral designs. Her dark hair was up in a bun secured by a pin. Her eyes were also lavender but lacked any sort of pupil, making her look gentle. She was currently over a rudimentary microscope that looked like it was made out of brass, far different from the slicker design Katsuki was used to seeing in the news or in shows.
She looks up, her focused and serious expression softening.
“I’m glad you are awake and well,” she says, “How are your injuries?”
Katsuki found himself unable to answer her.
His silence prompted the boy to elbow him hard.
“AGH—!? The fuck is your problem!”
“Answer when you’re spoken to!”
“Yushiro,” the woman, Tamayo, gently scolds, “He is still injured, be gentle with our guest.”
“Yes, Lady Tamayo. I apologize.”
This guy was really getting on his nerves! Why was he apologizing to her and not to him?! That genuinely fucking hurt!
“I do apologize for the conditions we have left you in,” Tamayo says, looking up at Katsuki from where she was sitting, “I would’ve tended to you myself but I had… other much important matters to attend to. I had Yushiro patch you up. You had a dislocated shoulder, light scratches on both of your cheeks down to your jaw area, shallow lacerations starting from your upper back to your lower back, a concussion, and the most severe injury that required stitches is, of course, the bite on your other shoulder. That one, unfortunately, will scar over.”
Katsuki didn’t really care about the recounting of his injuries right now.
What he wanted to know was what happened to Deku.
“You will have to stay with us for at least at least a week so we can monitor you better and for the removal of your stitches,” Tamayo says, “The villagers claim you came from the forest, is there anyone you can contact? A parent? A friend? Are they aware that you are here?”
“Where’s Deku?”
Tamayo sighs.
It was like she was expecting him to ask that.
“Do you wish to know your friend’s fate?”
What… What kind of question was that?!
“Fate? What do you mean ‘fate’?!”
Yushiro closes the sliding door.
Katsuki’s heart started to pound hard in his chest, his palms open, he could already feel the soft popping feeling as sparks danced around his fingers, barely noticeable in the already bright light of the room.
Why did he close the door? Why was she asking him that question?
Is he…
“... dead?” Katsuki asks, his lips felt too dry, his voice felt shaky, it sounded equally as pathetic, “Is he dead?”
He can’t be dead. He was still breathing when he got them out of the forest. He still had a heartbeat—
What would Auntie Inko say?
Deku is pathetic, yes, but his mother did everything she could for him. All her love and care for him, wasted because of a villain and Katsuki’s inability to act in danger.
She has a soft heart… she couldn’t possibly face her tears knowing that Deku died because Katsuki wasn’t fast enough.
Because Deku felt the need to play the hero.
It will be his fault—
“No.”
No…?
“What do— what do you mean, ‘no’? So he’s alive then?” Katsuki steps closer, but Yushiro grabs him before he could cross the room, “Where is he?! What happened to—!?”
“It’s very rude to shout at a lady!” Yushiro yanks Katsuki by the back of his collar, stopping any more movement towards Tamayo, having learned his lesson not to hurt the other more than he already is.
“Fucking let go of me, creep!”
Katsuki grabs Yushiro’s arm, trying to get his grip off of his collar off, which turns to the other boy pushing his hand into Katsuki’s cheek and him retaliating by trying to step on his toes, which didn’t seem to hurt the other much.
“What did you just call me?!”
“Yushiro.”
The boy shoves Katsuki to the side, making him almost crash into the wall if he wasn’t able to catch himself in time, his shoulder ached as he used his arm to stop himself.
“He deserves to know,” she says, finally standing up, wiping the non existent dirt on her hands on the skirt of her kimono, “He is… well.”
From the way that she says it, it doesn’t seem that Deku was well at all. It was like she was trying to let him down easily.
“Before I could let you see him… I have a question.”
Katsuki straightens up at the look she gave him.
It was a serious look, her seemingly pupil-less eyes scanning his face, his expression.
“Before we got to you… you were already causing a commotion,” she starts, “You were defending him, weren’t you?”
“Of course I did— why wouldn’t I…—”
Why did he?
“So you know what he has become?”
There was something Tamayo must’ve seen on his face that caused her to find the answer she was looking for herself.
“Come,” she motions for him to follow her, “Yushiro… we’re going to the cellar.”
At that, Yushiro slid the door open for her, the woman walked through and into the dim hallways, she nodded for him, waiting for what he would do.
Katsuki follows.
The walk through the hallways felt even more nerve wracking.
The door slid shut behind him, the jingling of keys had him looking over at Yushiro, squeezing through both of them in the hallway, already knowing the destination and getting it ready for them. The ‘cellar’ wasn’t really a place you should put someone injured in, it sounded foreboding… sounded more like a prison than a room.
As they go deeper and deeper into the winding hallways they stop.
This one had a lock in place. Yushiro had the keys in his hands, waiting for the command to slot it in and turn the lock.
Tamayo raises her hand.
Wait, she silently commands, and Yushiro waits.
“Before we enter, I will ask you one final thing,” she looks up.
Her eyes had pupils now.
Cat-like.
It looked like it glowed in the darkness around them.
“Do you still wish to see him, knowing what he has become?” she asks, “Do you still wish to trust us knowing what we are?”
Katsuki doesn’t understand.
He doesn’t—
But those pupils…
It was exactly like that man’s.
His palms spark—
BOOM!
“Gahk—!”
Yushiro was fast.
The keys fell to the floor, the only indication he had let go was the sharp jingling sound of metal against metal, mere moments after Katsuki’s wrist was grabbed. He swore he heard it collide with the floor just as he collided with the wall, Yushiro’s hand wrapped tightly around the offending arm that sent the small explosion (not as strong as he would’ve liked), the other wrapped around his throat, pinning him to the wall.
“You dare attack Lady Tamayo in my presence—!”
“Yushiro.”
The boy’s grip on him was tight, but not too tight, it was still somehow mindful of his injuries. As Katsuki’s confusion fades to make way for shock and maybe a hint of fear, his eyes drift to Yushiro’s sleeve, which had tiny holes from his spark, the cloth black and charred, but not enough to warrant significant damage, maybe a few burns shaped like little starbursts that would heal without a scar, but no… Yushiro’s skin underneath the burnt fabric was… clean.
Pale as ever.
Yushiro’s hand migrated to his collar, giving him more room to be able to breathe more properly, or more so hyperventilate better.
“How are you able to do that?”
Katsuki’s head turns towards Tamayo. She looked relatively unharmed, not even a hair out of place, she didn’t even look like she was scared of what happened, more so startled, but not at the fact that he attacked…
“Do… do what?”
“That explosion,” Tamayo elaborates, “We have your clothes and your things in our possession. There were no explosives in there. There couldn’t have been explosives in your person as well.”
What… What was she talking about?
Of course Katsuki expected shock and not confusion. Quirks are a common thing but it’s mostly unique to every person but people learned not to even question or bat an eye whenever someone uses their quirks. Why was she acting like it was such a foreign concept to her?
Katsuki pretty much is the explosive.
“You mean… my quirk?”
The two… monsters? Creatures? He doesn’t quite know yet— glanced at each other.
“It is pretty quirky, I suppose…”
“No,” that’s not what Katsuki meant, at all, “My quirk. It’s my quirk. Why are you acting like you don’t know what that is?”
“Because we don’t understand a single word you’re saying,” Yushiro rolls his eyes, “What you’re saying is…”
“It came out of me,” Katsuki says, although he didn’t dare to unleash another attack, seeing as the only thing he was damaging was himself by agitating his injuries and Yushiro’s clothing, “My palms.”
“... and yet you’re completely human,” Tamayo almost whispers, she sounded amazed, her eyes had the same sparkle he always sees in Deku whenever he was fascinated by something, a spark that never left as they got older, “You have a supernatural ability…”
“It’s a very natural ability,” Katsuki felt the need to defend himself, his quirk wasn’t as weird, “Everyone has it.”
“I believe we do not.”
Tamayo waves her hand and Yushiro obeys the silent command, Katsuki is released, he tries to roll his shoulder but winces.
“Tell me…”
Those lavender eyes, sparkling with interest, felt as terrifying as the red ones in the forest.
“Where did you come from?”
In the end, Katsuki didn’t get to see Deku.
He was brought back to Tamayo’s office, his finger pricked and blood placed under a microscope to be examined.
The doctor has yet to explain what was going on but from the way Yushiro was scowling at him, he feels like it’s important.
This time, as he sat, Katsuki felt like he really was in a clinic, waiting for the results of his health exam. The only difference was he didn’t have his mother sitting beside him, silently scolding him to keep a good posture or else he would turn into a ‘hunchback’ in her own words.
“Fascinating…” Tamayo pulls away from the microscope, her eyes now back to that dull pupil-less lavender, “You are completely human.”
Katsuki scowls, “Of course I am, what else could I be?”
“You really are clueless, huh,” Yushiro scoffs, “Did you even think for a moment when your friend bit you?”
“He’s not—” my friend.
“Yushiro,” Tamayo gently chides, “He might not know what we mean, not everyone is aware of our existence.”
“Your existence?” Katsuki finally questions, “Why are you acting like you existing is a big ass secret?”
“Because it is,” Yushiro answers, “We’re not humans.”
Not human…
“This is insane,” Katsuki says, “You are both fucking insane. What do you mean not human?!”
“Sit down,” Tamayo says, ever so calmly, her expression unwavering, “If you would allow us to explain things—”
“Let’s say I hear you out,” Katsuki runs his hand through his hair, soft sparks dancing around his palms, he doesn’t sit, “Let’s say I believe you… you mean to tell me that— that the people that found us are right? That you’re monsters?”
“Demons,” Tamayo corrects him, “We are demons… and unfortunately… your friend as well.”
Demon?
“Like the folktales?”
“At least you’re not as dimwitted,” Yushiro mutters under his breath, but Katsuki heard it so clearly he meant it to be heard.
“Demons are man-eating monsters.”
(“I’ll leave him for you… as a treat.”)
As a treat…
“We are not gonna eat you, if that’s what you’re concerned about,” Yushiro says, seeing the way Katsuki was flexing his palms like he was ready to strike once more, “If we did, I wouldn’t have spent my precious time stitching your shoulder up.”
“There is nothing to worry about,” Tamayo reassures him “I have modified our bodies to only consume a small amount of blood for energy. Yushiro, on the other hand, only needs a few drops.”
“No,” Katsuki shakes his head, “That’s not what I was…”
Though to be fair, he really needs to actually worry about that.
“Deku is human,” he finally finds the right words, “He’s been human all this time! I… I grew up with him. He has a mom! How can he not be human?”
“Demons are created, not born,” Tamayo says, “We were all once humans… there is only one man capable of turning humans into demons, however.”
Red eyes… pale sickly skin…
“Kibutsuji Muzan.”
Notes:
Taisho Secret #2
Just as Muzan was turning Izuku into a demon, he read Izuku’s surface level thoughts and had images of Katsuki bullying him, that’s why he found Izuku so interesting because he protected what seemed to be his main tormentor.
The only reason Katsuki was alive was because of Muzan's sick sense of karmic justice.
The only reason Izuku was alive was because of the same reason why he was considered a great hero.
Before inevitably succumbing to his demonic transformation, Izuku laid on top of Katsuki hoping to conserve his heat.
[Up Next: Got What It Takes]
Chapter 3: Got What It Takes
Summary:
An important question answered
Notes:
This took a lil bit longer than I thought because it was rather boring since it’s setting things up for the future.
I really like having to write Yushiro and Katsuki’s interactions though.
if you have questions about the fic, or if you want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
They migrated to the common area of the clinic.
This one, Katsuki observes, had a lot of windows that let the natural light in. The area was more spacious and open than the strangling feeling of the dark hallways that the two demons used, which he found out was actually a secret passageway that only they knew, and the door he went through was, in fact, a closet door.
The windows were currently closed, the paper blocking the cool breeze, the white looked more silvery as the moon's light bounced on its almost opaque surface. The four corners of the room had the same vintage heater that made the room bearable to be in despite the cold.
Yushiro stood behind Tamayo, attentive as always. Between the chair she sat on was a coffee table, a steaming pot of tea and a single small cup meant for Katsuki was left untouched, he wasn't much of a tea guy and he doesn't know if he could stomach anything right now.
The introductions were as awkward as it gets.
“Kibutsuji used to be human like all of us,” Tamayo begins— and as promised— to tell the story, “He was a sickly man… barely able to stand even on a good day. He was told multiple times that he would die before he could even reach his twenties. He was born to a wealthy family and they prioritized his health first and foremost. With money, of course, came all of the experimental treatment…”
“Is it safe to assume that none worked?” Katsuki asks, hands clasped together as he leaned forward, elbows on his lap.
Tamayo shakes her head, “None worked the way he thought it would.”
She takes a deep breath. From the way her shoulders were tensed, he can tell this story wasn't one she would just tell.
It was a bit close to her heart, it seems.
“My ancestor was his last doctor,” she says, “He had this new experimental treatment. He had thought that the treatment didn't work. That the doctor was a fraud. He was tired of not seeing results and in his rage, he killed the doctor… When he did, he found it did work. It worked too well. He was in peak health— in fact— he was more than healthy. He gained superhuman strength. He never got sick again, his wounds even healed quicker than they should, and he seemingly didn't age. He doesn't even feel the need to eat although he did start to crave human flesh. He was what you would consider immortal. However…”
However?
“There was a single caveat.”
Katsuki narrows his eyes at her.
“He burned in the sun.”
Oh… Yushiro asked him to close the window and door earlier… the hallways being dark, Tamayo's office lacking any windows. It was starting to all make sense.
“Is that why…?”
“Glad you're not as dumb as you look,” Yushiro says, which promptly makes Tamayo sigh in defeat.
“You two were lucky,” she says, “It was snowing that day. If the clouds weren't in the way of the sun, your friend— Deku was it? Yes— your friend would've burned into ash.”
Katsuki sucks in a shaky breath.
Deku did almost actually die…
“How is this connected to Deku?” he asks, “Why is telling me this relevant to how he got turned into this… this monster? Demon?”
“He creates new demons by sharing his blood,” Tamayo explains, “His blood still contains the traces of the treatment he was given. It was potent enough that even just getting his blood into your wounds can give you a chance to transform into a demon. Only he can turn humans into demons by injecting his blood into their system similar to a virus… a disease.”
( “Then you would do…” )
Muzan.
That man was there that night. That man turned Deku into a demon.
“Then…”
Tamayo nods.
“He turned me,” she gave him a solemn look.
Katsuki looks over at Yushiro, “Him too?”
“No,” Tamayo answered for him, “It was my blood that turned him.”
“But I thought you said—”
“Yushiro was one in a million. When I broke out of Muzan's control and out of his curse, I started researching more about my situation. It took years, at least a hundred, in fact, to just modify my body not to crave human flesh. It took even more than that to figure out how to create demons and Yushiro was the only successful one this far.”
She then puts her hands out in a placating manner.
“Don't worry. I only offer this to those who are sick and are willing.”
Yushiro looked like he was ready to fight Katsuki if he even said anything negative about Tamayo.
“Okay…” he starts, “but… I'm confused. Why is he turning people into demons?”
Why turn Deku into a demon?
“Because he's searching for a way to get rid of his weakness to the sun,” it was Yushiro who answered this time, “A man like Kibutsuji… he wouldn't stop until he reached perfection. He dragged innocent people in his search for the very important ingredient to how he became a demon in the first place—”
“The blue spider lily,” Tamayo finishes his sentence.
So that's why…
That villain— that woman that snatched them away was only looking for the blue spider lily. When she couldn't give that man an answer or a location… he killed her.
“Why am I here then?” Katsuki asks, “I don't know jackshit about a stupid blue flower! The demon that attacked us— she kept screaming at us that we knew where it is. We fucking don't! Then— then that man showed up—”
“Her pupils,” Tamayo immediately interjects, “What did her pupils look like? Did it say a number?”
“Uh… it did. It was… six. Lower something six.”
Tamayo's hand flies to her mouth.
“Oh dear.”
“What do you mean ‘Oh dear’?”
Tamayo and Yushiro gave each other a glance, their eyebrows furrowed.
“I'm afraid you're lost.”
“Yeah, we fucking established that earlier—”
“Lost through time, Bakugo-san,” Tamayo interjects once more, “You are lost in time.”
They left him alone in his room after that initial conversation.
It was getting really late into the night and Tamayo noticed from his expression that he was getting pretty overwhelmed with the information.
She told him he should rest.
But how can he rest?
Bombshell after bombshell, Katsuki’s situation seemed to get harder and harder to get out of… more so when he finally got their items back… Deku’s yellow backpack somehow survived whatever they went through and he was even surprised he had half the mind to grab it during the blur that was getting Deku somewhere safe. Their clothes were another story. The shoes, socks, pants, everything wasn’t a top was safe from damage with only a few blood splatter here and there, but their jackets and shirts are unsalvageable from the claw tears and the amount of blood soaked into it. Deku’s scarf was the only thing that survived, although Yushiro refused to give it back to him because it wasn’t clean yet.
Their phones were in their pockets, Katsuki’s had a crack from when he fell down but Deku’s was fine.
He was still very much wide awake.
The only light in the room was a sliver of moonlight from the window and the soft rectangular light that illuminated his face with the soft ‘schlicking’ noise. Deku’s lockscreen was so stereotypically hero fanboy-ish, he could tell that he made it himself from the amateur photo cropping and the gritty filter over All Might’s red, blue, and yellow aesthetic. The time says ‘2:58 a.m.’ and logically, Katsuki knows that he should be tired by now.
Deku’s phone was at 57%, his was 89%.
It wouldn’t take long for their phones to shut down… more so with the fact that the only charger available was for Deku’s laptop, as well as a USB charging cord. He doesn’t really want to drain the laptop’s battery for the off chance of prolonging the battery life of a phone that might as well be nothing but a brick in this time.
He closes the phone, letting it rest on his chest for a few moments. His eyes drift towards the swirls and lines of the wooden ceiling above him…
He needs to… he needs to see Deku.
He has to know…
He slowly gets up, making sure to be as slow and silent as possible. He slowly and silently gets up, unsure if demons could sleep like those vampires in his old man's novels. He puts Deku's phone back in his ugly ass yellow bag and grabbing his own phone from the nightstand. He slings the bag over the lesser of the evils, which was his bruised shoulder and approaching the ‘closet’ door with one goal in mind.
He's going to find Deku and see him.
The door didn't make much noise as it slid when he did it slowly. He even made sure to close it right behind him just in case it took him longer to get back and so the two demons don't accidentally burn to death if Katsuki ever forgot about closing the window.
He turns the flashlight on his phone on, which he knows is probably a massive waste in battery but he couldn't see shit in the dim hallways and he would rather have all the advantage he can get. To look for that cellar he has to look carefully at the walls and floor, he knows the blast probably left soot, just enough so he can identify where it is.
The hallways were pretty straightforward, there weren't many twists and turns so he knew for sure he wouldn't get lost. He thought it would be less spooky now that he can see things in a better light but the tunnel vision his light produces makes it creepier than it should've.
He reaches the part where Tamayo's office should be and he can see the door slightly ajar based on the slit of light that was on the opposite wall. He turns his flashlight off, making his steps carefully as he nears it, he was hearing voices inside… so that means they didn't really need sleep. Great.
He crouches near the crack at the door, opening his camera app and positioning his phone at the bottom, angling it so it would face upwards. He even laid on his stomach so he could see the screen.
Yushiro had his back facing the door, standing in front of Tamayo's desk, the woman seemed to be still busy looking at the sample of his blood earlier, or might even be a different thing based on how she was gong back and forth between two microscopes.
Seeing as they are distracted, Katsuki sneaks past them successfully.
Or so he hopes.
With his phone flashlight turned on once more, Katsuki continued his journey through the suffocating hallways until— finally— he found soot on the walls.
He knew the door needed a key but he was hoping he could jam it using one of Deku's pens.
He finds out that he didn't really need to do that at all.
The door was slightly ajar and he slid open with ease, meaning Yushiro forgot to lock it up once more after the chaos that Katsuki had caused.
The cellar was dark and felt heavy just to be in, although the last part might just be the heavy feeling inside Katsuki's heart as it thuds in his ribcage. The room was sparse with no light fixture at all anywhere.
The only thing there were thick wooden bars stretching up to the ceiling, keeping whoever was inside trapped. He doesn't know how wood would even stop a demon once it starts its rampage but he hopes it would be enough to stop Deku.
Based on the lump of clothes at the far corner of the cell, it definitely acted as such.
His light couldn't reach Deku properly from his position at the door but he could faintly see the outline of clothes similar to his, the white fabric reflecting the light back at him. The lump moved up and down, meaning he was still breathing, which was a relief.
Feeling a bit more brave, Katsuki slowly approaches.
He sits himself on the opposite wall, his back sliding down as he lets his legs sprawl on the floor. The bag sat beside him.
Deku…
Deku would want to document this… right?
He shuffles through the bag, finding a pencil and Deku's newest hero analysis notebook, number 12. It was only filled about a quarter way in with stupid no name heroes that he doesn't have the care about but apparently Deku finds them interesting.
He's not much of an artist like Deku is (though Deku's art was more so the bare minimum just to get his point across) so trying to draw the situation in front of him would just ruin the notebook but he could write.
He will document this.
(Because if he doesn't have anything else to do he will go insane.)
He was over two hundred years in the past.
Taisho period was over two hundred years in the past.
Katsuki was a bit thankful that he knows his history.
He opens the campos notebook to an empty page, making sure to add an extra empty page to separate Deku's hero fanboying to his own retelling of events. He starts with the date…
From his year 2146… to 1912… it was jarring.
It was a bit hard to write in the dark, he was only supporting the notebook using Deku's laptop propped against his thigh as he uses his other hand to hold his phone up for the light. It wasn't efficient by any means but it gets the job done.
If he even knew what to write down.
Katsuki is smart but he isn't good with words like Deku was… is.
(It's the guilt, he would tell himself. It's the guilt that was making him do these childish things. In the back of his mind, he knows it was only one part of it.)
He sighs.
How does that damn nerd to—
“ Fuck—! “
Teal eyes watched him from the other side of the bars.
He finally faces the light on the other's face.
Deku didn't even shy away nor did he even blink.
His eyes which used to be a green color that was full of light now stared blankly ahead, maybe even staring right at him but he wouldn't know for sure from the way his slitted pupils just stared ahead. His skin was paler as if he didn't have any more blood to circulate, the skin looking translucent as the light hit it, making his freckles stand out. What trips Katsuki off was his hair.
Perhaps he didn't notice it from the way they were so keen on making the snow their playground but the tips of Deku's dark green hair was… white.
Was this a side effect of changing into a demon? Usually he wouldn't even bat an eye at the unusual hair color, in fact, Katsuki was one of the seventy-fish percent of the population that had a natural hair color. It wasn't really unusual to see colors like that, but now it was considering the change was connected to being a demon. Was Yushiro's hair really that color or did it change along with being a demon? Were his eyes?
Deku… Deku would probably write those questions down by now.
But Katsuki couldn't really bring himself to.
“Deku?”
Katsuki places the things down, cautiously approaching the other— the demon that Deku has become. Deku didn't even flinch as he brings the light closer and closer to his face.
“Fucking hell…” he mumbles, “That's fucking creepy…”
Can Deku even understand him?
Tamayo and Yushiro were so different from Deku. They can blend in enough with humans (or at least the humans in Katsuki's time) and they act like it. Deku acted more and more like a wild animal than human, which was concerning. He doesn't know whether or not he asked why. Maybe he forgot to even ask.
Will Deku even be able to speak again? Stop the growls and hissing and return to speech? It looked impossible from how hellbent Deku was to staring him down.
“You just had to fucking jump in front of me…” he scowls, “Look at you.”
He crouches down in front of Deku, the other didn't even respond.
“Why did you do it, Deku—”
There was a hiss—
Katsuki falls on his back, a sharp pain flaring on his hand, the hand that he reached out to Deku. For a moment, his brain tried to catch up, thinking that Deku bit him once more—
“Good boy, Chachamaru.”
Katsuki blinks in confusion as he hears a meow.
The tiny fangs of the little beast let go of his hand, leaving small puncture marks from its little teeth.
“Well?”
Katsuki came face to face to the unimpressed and upside down figure of Yushiro looking down at him with an oil lamp in one hand and a sassy little hand on his hip. He glared at him, scowl deepening even more when he didn’t reply.
Katsuki sits up, only to, yet again, give himself another scare as he comes face to face with Deku’s claws.
Deku looked downright murderous, teal eyes looked like it was glowing in the dark, his pupils sharp and trained right at him. With one arm out of the bars, sharp claws ready to scratch at the place Katsuki used to be. His other hand was on the wooden bar, the wood splintering underneath his grip.
The cat bit him… yanking him two steps away from getting his face permanently mauled.
“You should know by now that there’s a reason why we do the things we do here,” Yushiro sighs, “The door had a lock for a reason.”
The boy offers his own clawed hand for him to take. Katsuki hesitates…
He reaches his hand out and Yushiro yanks him upl.
Even still…
Deku looked mad.
He has never seen him look mad before.
Katsuki did everything he could to make Deku mad. He bullied him for fucks sake but even his harsh words or hard shoves couldn't once make the other's eyebrows furrow in anger.
Never.
“Are you just going to stand there?”
That’s what he’s been doing ever since he got here… didn’t he?
He just stood around and watched as Deku got hurt and was now turned into this… this monster by a despicable man just for the hell of it. Just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time— no, not even that— they don’t even belong in this time and place at all but they were still dragged to whatever the king of demons had planned.
They were already doomed from the start.
They were just a pair of middle school kids.
They wanted to be heroes.
And here Katsuki was… just standing around.
He couldn’t save Deku… but he’ll fix him.
He’ll fix him and they’ll go back home.
“Where are you going?!”
Yushiro’s shout was nothing compared to the pounding in Katsuki’s ears. He rushed through the door, navigating the dark hallways towards Tamayo’s office with one goal in mind, with a question that he has yet to ask.
“Hey! Come back here!”
Katsuki slides the door loudly, making the wood squeak with the sudden friction. His palms sweaty, staining the wood with soot as his quirk sparked to life along with the adrenaline that was pumping through his veins.
The demon doctor looks up from her work, her eyes calm, as if she was expecting something, like she already knew what the brewing in Katsuki’s head based on his expression alone.
She smiles.
“Is there…”
Katsuki’s hand makes its way to his shirt, clutching the fabric tight, his fingers curling around the area where his heart should be, wanting nothing more than to pull at it with how constricting it felt around his neck.
“Is there a way you turn a demon back into a human?”
Tamayo stands.
“Is there a way we can get back home?”
Tamayo describes being turned into a demon like a virus.
It invades your immune system, planting itself in your cells and very DNA, completely transforming you from the inside out, planting and disguising itself before the body realizes there was something deeply wrong… the sudden transformation often leads to death if the body couldn’t handle it. If they did survive the process, the body reverts into a feral state. Their body has used up so much energy from the transformation that their minds break and their instincts would be the only thing guiding them.
Avoid the sun.
Hunt your prey.
Those two are the only instincts demons have.
Most of the time… the prey are the people nearest…
And most of the time the people nearest are family…
Once a demon comes back to their senses it would be too late.
Katsuki was lucky, according to her, that they managed to stop Deku before he killed and feasted on an entire human. Although he has already gotten the taste of human blood, it wasn’t entirely hopeless.
She can perform a surgery to modify Deku’s body the same way she did to herself and Yushiro, but she doesn’t promise that he would go back to the same personality he was before, or even retain his memories.
She has never operated on a freshly transformed demon before.
It was different from Yushiro, who came from her blood and was immediately conscious and back to himself after the operation, albeit he was hungry.
It was different from herself, who was already coherent and had eaten her fair share of humans before she finally broke out of Kibutsuji’s control.
Deku might remain in his feral state… There was no guarantee he would get better once he got out of the surgery and consumed human blood to replenish his energy.
Everything Tamayo was about to do was only in theory and she needed more time in order to prepare for the procedure.
In the meantime…
It was about three days of travel just to get there.
Katsuki wasn’t one to complain, but he has never done something like this before. He was still recovering (although it’s been two weeks since the incident and his stitches were finally removed) and his body wasn’t used to this form of travel before. He went on jogs and such, but those usually don’t last as long and if he wanted to get to another city he would’ve just get in his parents’ car to drive him there or go on the train.
He is, once again, reminded how much his situation sucked.
It didn’t help that he wasn’t allowed to even wear his shoes, instead he had to wear getas, which was frustrating getting used to. He had worn these during the times his parents brought him to festivals before but that didn’t mean he was fine with wearing it days on end! And Yushiro claims they all fight with these too! Won’t they just fall off?
The walk was tiring and it didn’t really help that they couldn’t travel in the morning because of Yushiro. They don’t trust him enough not to get lost on his way there so Tamayo had her assistant travel with him and the fucker was nothing but unbearable.
He really did make sure Katsuki knew that he was displeased with the situation as well.
With his sleep out of whack and his anger being pushed to the limit, he had only exploded both literally and figuratively on Yushiro five or six times throughout their travel, the demon wasn’t one to back down either and so they got looks whenever they passed by someone walking at night when they passed a small village on their way there.
“Are you tired already again?”
“Shut up.”
“We’re at the base of the mountain already, Bakugo, we still have a climb to do!”
“Shut your fucking trap Whacko! I just need to catch my breath!”
“It can’t really be helped… maybe we should camp right here and—”
“WE’RE CLIMBING THE DAMN MOUNTAIN, OKAY?!”
He also had to borrow Yushiro’s clothes, which made him look ridiculous in his opinion, and he was making that clear. He was told he would get some clothes where they were heading.
Where are they heading?
To a demon slayer cultivator.
Why?
.
.
.
“Be a demon slayer.”
Katsuki was back in Tamayo's office once more, getting the bite on his hand cleaned and bandaged.
He looked over confused at Tamayo and then Yushiro, who was currently carrying the damn cat that bit him.
“Demon slayer…?”
“Are you dumb?” Yushiro rolls his eyes, his tone mocking “It's common sense.”
“I never even known you guys existed, dipshit, why the fuck should I know about demon slayers?” Katsuki uses the exact same tone.
Tamayo adds an adhesive bandage on Katsuki's bite wound, finally letting his hand go.
“Demon slayers are a group of trained swordsmen that hunt down and protect humanity from demons,” Tamayo starts to explain, “They have existed as long as demons have. The reason why you must've not heard of them or us before is because we are more like a widespread secret. Demon slayers aren't recognized by the government and usually keep the existence of demons a secret in order not to cause mass panic.”
“So you're saying that… Maybe all the news about murder we've been hearing on the news might be demons killing humans?”
Tamayo nods.
“Why would I want to be a demon slayer, anyway?” Katsuki asks, “Aren't they your enemy? Why would I want to work for the guys that want to kill Deku?”
“I'm afraid things aren't as black and white as it seems,” Tamayo answers, “It's more beneficial for you to learn how to fight in order to defend your friend and yourself from other demons as well as your soon to be fellow demon slayers. Everyone from both sides will come for you.”
He understands that much… besides, he was useless like this. At least learning to be a demon slayer means he can finally fight and maybe even hunt down that demon woman that kidnapped them here… Although that was proving to be harder than he thinks considering the fact that they have no idea whether or not that woman was actually dead. From Katsuki's description of the events, it was more so that she was punished for the lack of progress. Her demon blood art was too important for Kibutsuji to just kill her off just like that.
“There is another thing I ask of you.”
Katsuki looked up at her, her face was serious.
“There’s a reason why I need you to be able to fight demons. In order to make a cure I need more samples of Kibutsuji’s blood. Although there are trace amounts in Deku, I need blood with more of his cells… and for that you would need to be strong enough to fight one of his moons…”
.
.
.
“So be a demon slayer, Bakugo Katsuki.”
Tamayo had looked somewhat hopeful that day.
“Be strong for the sake of your friend.”
Yushiro stopped walking, making Katsuki bump into him in his distracted (and very tired) state.
He had to look up to see the reason why.
The trail they were following up the mountain was now lined with trees that had purple flowers growing all over and from what Katsuki can see, it seemed to be wrapping around a home based on the light he could see from the distance.
“Why the hell you stopped?”
“Wisteria.”
Katsuki just gave Yushiro a confused glare, “Like that’s supposed to mean anything to me.”
The demon boy simply rolled his eyes at Katsuki like he was the dumb one in this conversation.
“Sorry for not knowing jackshit, you fu—”
“Wisteria is poisonous to demons,” Yushiro starts to explain, cutting him off, “ Ugh , just the smell of it makes me nauseous.”
“So what? You’re just gonna fucking leave me, that it?”
Yushiro raises a brow.
“You’re really just gonna—!”
“Hey, my job here is done, alright?!” he motions for the house in the distance, “I safely guided you to your destination, now you’re welcome!”
“That’s it?!”
“It’s better than leaving you alone to figure it out yourself! You’re lucky my lady is kind enough to have me accompany you.”
“That doesn’t—!”
“Are you two done?”
The two boys freeze.
A woman stands at the edge of the wisteria radius, hand on her hips, eyebrow raised. She looked the same age as Tamayo (at least physically) with dark hair tied up in a messy bun. On her hip was a toddler, his chubby little fingers wrapped around his mother’s pinwheel haori.
“I’ll take it from here, Yushiro.”
Yushiro straightens, bowing to the woman, “Yes ma’am… Lady Tamayo says her thanks—”
“Oh please, she’s always welcomed!” She then takes something tucked in her kimono, “Give her this, will you? Tadashi is learning how to draw and I think she would definitely appreciate it.”
Yushiro takes good care of the paper he was handed.
“I will.”
“Now shoo!”
With that, Yushiro was on his way back.
Before Katsuki could say anything else, he was suddenly holding a toddler in his arms, the little guy squeals happily and reaches up to thug his hair.
“ Agh—! You little—!”
“March now, come on!”
The woman orders, walking farther into the trail, just trusting him with carrying the kid. He scrambles after her, silently cursing the kid as he keeps on trying to yank at his hair, which suddenly transitions to the kid trying his best to put his sloppy fingers in Katsuki’s mouth.
“My opinion of you…” the woman starts, “You’re noodle armed.”
“ Hey! ”
“Quick to anger,” she continues, “Your posture is wrong. Your core definitely needs some work, and by the gods, your breathing is horrendous.”
They reach the end of the trail to reveal a humble traditional home (or at least traditional to Katsuki). The yard had sand filled dummies and wooden swords, he could even see a well at the far corner of the property with clothes hung to dry.
“But don’t worry.”
She turns to him, fire in her eyes.
“I’ll make you worthy.”
She grabs the kid from Katsuki’s arms, letting him down gently.
“What’s your name, son?”
Katsuki eyes her, scowl deepening, “Bakugo Katsuki.”
“Well, Bakugo Katsuki…”
The kid comes toddling back, dragging two of the wooden swords just laying outside. The woman grabs both, ruffling the boy’s hair and throwing the bokken in his direction.
“Let’s see what you got!”
Notes:
Taisho Secret #3
Yaoroshi Yukina is the name of the wind breath cultivator Tamayo knows. The reason why they were friendly with each other is because Tamayo has helped Yukina birthing her child when she couldn’t get to the village at the foot of the mountain in time.
Coincidence brought them together.
[Up Next: The Yearn To Explode]
Chapter 4: The Yearn to Explode
Summary:
Trainings and existential crisis
Notes:
Again, another chapter that wasn’t that fun to write, but I did like writing Yukina. She is such a great character. Don’t worry though, ocs aren’t focused much (as you can tell with me already killing off one lol). It’s a shorter chapter, not really as long as I usually write but it does the job well enough.
More Katsuki having to face his feelings lol
if you have questions about the fic, or if you want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Yaoroshi is one devil of a woman.
Katsuki’s first experience— aside from that hell of an introduction to each other— was getting attacked.
Her explanation was that she wanted to know what level of swordsmanship he had… which was none.
He got beat up for no apparent fucking reason because why else would he fucking go to her for training?! He doesn’t fucking have any experience with fighting! Let alone holding a sword! Maybe his botched boxing lessons when he was eight gave him some sort of fighting experience (that his mother had to unfortunately pull him out from because the gym wasn’t air conditioned enough for his volatile quirk at the time), but it wasn’t his fault that he couldn’t beat her in the first time! She is a retired demon slayer! Of course she would be stronger than him!
What ticks him off even more was, if he wasn’t going on about his torturous day of training, he was practically playing babysitter and house sitter for her! That wasn’t his job! He was only here to train!
“You need to be able to earn your stay, brat,” she would say to him the day they went to the village below for groceries and new things for him, “A part of being a demon slayer is traveling around and one day you’re gonna get so tired you’re gonna thicken up your skin and ask some rando for a place to stay, so be thankful I am teaching you to be so courteous.”
Then again, it was going on as he was made to carry their groceries, his new things, and her child on top of all of that.
As much as he would love to give this woman a piece of his mind, he soon learned that just like his own old hag, she wasn’t one to back down from a yelling match.
“Wind is the element of freedom,” Yaoroshi says, walking around him as he was forced into a sort of wide spread leg position with his knees bent, resting on her shoulder was a bokken that was used on him whenever his position moved slightly off from what she dictated, “The element of change… the element of strength!”
She turns sharply, making Kasuki stiffen up, holding his breath to brace for the inevitable hit to his core.
“So you yourself have to be strong enough to handle the torrents of an incoming storm!”
“How does just squatting around gonna help me with wielding a stupid swor— ACK—!”
He falls back, arms immediately clutching his stomach from the harsh hit.
“It’s the fundamentals, Bakugo, keep up!” She tsks, “Keeping you in this position helps with the core muscles! A very important thing across all breathing styles because of your diaphragm. You need to strengthen that part in order for your lungs to increase in capacity! And a larger lung capacity is one step away from letting you hold an actual sword.”
Katsuki groans. He was splayed on the dusty ground, his body facing the engawa where little Tadashi claps and giggles at his misfortune.
Great.
Just… fucking great.
“And do remember to breathe like I taught you to,” she pokes him with her bokken, “In from the nose, out from the mouth, expand your stomach, not your ribs.”
This was hell.
“Get up, Bakugo, we are not done!”
Hell.
Week 1 in this fucking hell hole,
Sue me for not wanting to actually write the stupid date. I already know I won’t be writing on this stupid thing as frequently, but for the sake of having something to do in this place, I’m gonna try to keep things consistent.
I don’t really want to do the whole fucking cliche of writing stuff like “if you find this it means I’m death” shit but from how things are going on with my hellish training I might as well make one for the hell of it.
To whoever is unfortunate enough to find this piece of crap notebook in the far future or whatever, my name is Bakugo Katsuki from the year 2146 and I’m writing this from the year 1912. I know—- fucking confusing— I get it. In my time though, things like this aren’t so far fetched. In the modern age, 100 years from now these super powers we call quirks just appeared out of nowhere. Over 80% of people around the world have one and I am one of them. My quirk is a combination of my parents’; Explosion. I secrete nitroglycerin from my palms and it can ignite to form explosions. I’m pretty sure the nerd who owns this notebook has a lot more stalkerish descriptions about it than I do.
If you’re not just some rando who picked up this notebook I am hoping you’re Deku. If you are you’re fucking welcome I am even doing this in the first place so you better fucking appreciate what I’m doing for you, got it?
It turns out though that the people in the past weren’t as powerless as we thought they were. Me and Deku got yanked back in time by this crazy woman looking for something that we didn’t have.
Deku got turned into a demon, like that woman who attacked us and he attacked me too. And then we got saved by two more demons, which is just so fucking ridiculous. Not only that, apparently this was probably a permanent thing.
But I’m not letting that fucking happen.
So here I am, working my butt of with this deranged fucking woman to train to be a demon slayer. She is a massive bitch. You know what? I don’t even believe that half the things she’s been teaching me would be beneficial to being a demon slayer! It’s mostly chores and taking care of her snotty nosed brat! Why would I even need to know how to hand wash clothes and to carry a fucking kid on my back while she’s chasing me down the mountain with a stupid stick?! And I have been here for only a week! A fucking week! Is she even a proper cultivator?
But who am I to fucking judge, it’s not like I have the choice in the matter anyway. I’m working with demons, it’s not like I get to be picky. Deku better have a worse fucking time than me.
“You want me to break that?!”
They stood in the yard where his mentor set up a line of dummies tied to posts. The dummies had crude faces drawn on them and from what he remembered before he passed out due to training all day yesterday, the material was painted on by Tadashi’s clumsy hands with Yaoroshi’s enthusiastic (and very shrill) cheering.
There were three all in a line with that painted smile that seemed to mock him.
“So you’re finally giving me a sword, that it?” He asks and he even dared to hope that he was finally in the next level of his training.
Yaoroshi proceeds to laugh.
It was a deep bellied one, she even went far as to clutch her stomach from how hard she was laughing, if she even wanted to, Katsuki was sure she would be rolling on the damn ground just to continue to mock him.
“A sword?! Ha! Oh, you’re so hilarious, kid!” She started to calm down, “You can breathe like I taught you to, I’ll give you that, but I would sooner rather fall off a damn cliff than give you a sword! No!”
She throws him a bokken.
“Use this.”
Katsuki stared at her like she was insane.
How would he even destroy something like that with a blunt stick!
“Don’t give that fucking look, son,” she flicks his forehead.
“Agh! Can you stop doing that?!”
“Wind breathing is known for its strong swipes,” she grabs her own bokken, getting into a stance, “Each strike is like you’re cutting with air itself… a skilled wind breath user…”
She looks over at him, raising a brow and tilts her head, motioning for him to get out of the way.
Katsuki does, crossing his arms and walking over to the engawa where Tadashi was watching them like he always does, cheek stained with dirt as he was rolling on the ground moments before.
She moves, the bokken even looks more like a streak of brown.
Katsuki swears he was blown back by some sort of force, like wind even. His eyes widen as he watches the strikes seemingly connect to the middle dummy…
RIP!
The sack of sand was torn apart.
It wasn’t a clean cut either, there were three different cuts, all uneven and jagged, the sand inside spilling out and spreading throughout the yard. It wasn’t so hard to imagine it were a demon and if Yaoroshi were holding a real sword, it would be blood that’s spilled. The head part of the dummy flies over to him… the sand spilling out and making the sack deflate as it plops to a stop.
“… are even capable of cutting through a demon with the force of the wind alone.”
Week 10
I had to break three stupid fucking sand dummies with a stick. With a damn fucking stick! What was she even thinking giving me a task like that??? It took me two fucking months to even breathe in a proper way! How do you even breathe a proper way???
It took me two months trying to breathe in a way that she wanted me to breathe and now she wants me to break something with a damn stick??
And she wouldn’t let me advance if I couldn’t break them! How am I supposed to train with this stupid wind breathing thing if she refuses to teach me that??
She’s fucking crazy!
His strikes aren’t strong enough.
He spent… so many hours each day… getting twacked on his arms and legs whenever his forms weren’t proper… spending most of the night secretly sneaking out in the yard…
He spent… so much time hacking away at this stupid sand filled dummy.
And he only managed a small cut.
It wasn’t even something he could be proud of.
Based on Yaoroshi’s reaction, it wasn’t something she found groundbreaking either.
She was very active with the first few weeks of the assignment. She watched over him very closely, adjusted his stance in her typical strict and harsh manner, hollered at him from where she was doing the laundry. It was honestly frustrating as she slowly stopped working with him as if he was a lost cause.
As if he wasn’t good enough in her eyes.
That single tiny cut was what all he could manage within five months.
It was insulting.
During that five months he wasn’t even slouching off. In fact he was definitely up in his game and he was juggling all that while taking care of a hyperactive toddler, working odd chores around the house, and all of the other supplementary training Yaoroshi provided.
And yet—
Week 44
Why does it feel like I’m not improving? It took me months for that one fucking cut on that stupid dummy.
Am I that weak??
There were fireworks in the sky.
“Happy New Year, Bakugo.”
Yaoroshi would whisper to him as he pretended to have fallen asleep through the ruckus outside.
.
.
.
“Hey, Happy New Year, kid.”
“You’re the same fucking age as me.”
“I’m way older than you.”
Yushiro visited once a month. It was mostly to check on Katsuki but basing from Yaoroshi’s insistent letter sending, Yushiro was more or less forced to come over not just because he was checking on his progress.
Currently they sat outside at the engawa with a little table set out for Kastuki and Tadashi to practice writing (which made him absolutely explode at Yushiro for his teasing. It wasn’t his fault people back then never heard of a pen.)
The demon, of course, was in the shadows of the house as it was morning and Yaoroshi was inside cooking their lunch.
He’s been a great bit of entertainment to be around. It was better bantering with him than Yaoroshi ever was and he bites back. It was the only thing honestly keeping him sane around here.
“He’s doing better.”
Yushiro breaks the silence.
“He’s adjusting well to the blood we’ve been feeding him… but he’s still out of it. Lady Tamayo is still trying to figure out if the curse is already removed… which was hard since he isn’t responding yet.”
Katsuki doesn’t acknowledge what he says.
Week 53
I I don’t Everything isn’t
She’s teaching me the wind breathing forms now but I can tell she wasn’t satisfied with me.
I only managed to break one sack and she deemed it good enough for me to start learning.
It wasn’t good enough for me but she insisted.
She kept saying that my strikes aren’t strong enough…. That they don’t have force.
I don’t fucking know what she wants from me.
“Eyes up here, Bakugo.”
Katsuki barely managed to black a harsh punch to the side of his face, wincing as the fist made contact with his arm.
This was one of Yaoroshi’s supplementary lessons. She is a woman who didn’t fully believe in traditions and so she was teaching him hand to hand combat in the off chance that he would lose his sword in battle. It was obviously not enough to fight a demon, but it was enough of a distraction as well as a useful tool againsts hysterical civilians, which he was told he would get plenty of as he starts his missions. Those people tend to get in the way of their work and so he was taught how to fight peacefully and not so peacefully if it were ot happen.
Aside from that, tomorrow he would train with traversing through the forest once more.
And he would spend the better half of the day hacking away at that sand filled dummy for even a sliver of a chance that that day would be different.
“You are distracted.”
Katsuki just clicked his tongue, he was too frustrated to reply to her prying.
She sighs.
She fixes him with a look. It was one of pity he was sure of it. She was frowning, something that was softer than her usual scowls. Her brows were pinched downwards, eyes scanning his face.
He hates that look.
His mom would give him that look when he thinks he wouldn’t notice.
“Let’s take a breather, Bakugo—”
“No.”
No he will not take a breather.
“No?”
“No! I—” he wiped the sweat off his brow, “I can still go on! We’re not even done with—”
“I do think we are done.”
Katsuki chooses to grit his teeth, shoulder tense and anger brewing deep within him. All he ever felt now was this anger bubbling beneath his skin, like he was about to explode.
And explode he did want.
He heard horror stories… about how some people went insane for not using their quirks for a long period of time. He used to scoff at those stories, mainly because it was more of Deku’s thing to be fascinated all over the scientific and the psychological aspects of it all, but Katsuki has never once given it a second thought. It wouldn’t happen to him, not really, because he used his quirk all the time. He would always go throughout the day with tiny pops of explosions, they were small and insignificant, something you wouldn’t even notice until you get super close enough to hear the soft popping. Those usually stop around the winter months when the cold blocks his pores with goosebumps. Otherwise he would always set off explosions. Whether or not it was just because he wanted to or directed at Deku, there isn’t a time of day where he wouldn’t use it.
It’s been a over ayear.
He hasn’t set off a sizeable explosion yet and he has to admit he was getting a bit pent up.
He had to admit, those horror stories of people clawing at their skin at the lack of using their quirk was starting to get to him…
What if he does that?
What if he goes insane?
He already is going insane—
He was warned that if he ever showed even an inkling of being different… of having this genetic trait that allowed him to become extraordinary… he would sooner get his head chopped off than getting home.
A power like his was strange…
Demonic.
And for the first time ever in Katsuki’s lif… he was starting to feel alien.
Deky was considered normal here.
Not Katsuki.
He was… different… dangerously different… how many times have there been instances where he almost couldn’t control his anger? How many times could he have hurt Tadashi as he held him? How many times were there perfect opportunities to shoot an explosion point blank at Yaoroshi’s face because she was getting on his nerves?
How many times have his quirk hurt someone in the past?
Hurt Deku?
Lo and behold…
He was feeling remorse
Actions have consequences and he would’ve thought Aldera wouldn’t give a damn but the world did.
And those consequences weighed down on him.
“Just… come on and sit down, kid.”
Katsuki huffs, running his hand through his sweaty hair and plopping to the ground, knees folded to his chest.
“There’s a reason why I’m harsh with training you, you know.”
Yaoroshi says, she sits right behind Katsuki, leaning against a tree. They weren’t back to back, but she was sitting in a way that he would have to crane his neck over his shoulder to see her, she was a few feet away, just enough for Katsuki to hear her talk.
“Being a demon slayer is a tough job, one that I was lucky enough to retire from earlier on in my career…” she says and she sounded genuine enough that there wasn’t a need for him to gauge the look on her face, “Other people aren’t as… fortunate like me. It was either you retire young or you die young… and sometimes… I wished I did…”
Katsuki has never heard Yaoroshi speak of her past in the corps. He has always referred to her as a devil woman in his journal entries but she never really displayed that behavior. He was just annoyed by her a lot.
She was always soft towards her kid and he can tell Tadashi was well loved and well taken care of. He thought at first she didn’t want to deal with her own kid since she just kept on passing him along in his arms whenever she had the chance, but by now, Katsuki can tell it was another well disguised training that was meant to look like a big chore.
A lot of her training was like that… never straight forward and you would have to figure it out yourself what makes it so important.
So it was a bit surprising that she would finally say why she was doing the things she was doing.
“I was injured,” she continues on, “On the leg… a demon bit my leg and nicked a major artery… surprisingly enough, I survived because my husband and his friend defeated the demon… unfortunately he wasn’t so lucky.”
She sounded somber… he expected her to, of course, it was the death of someone close to her she was talking about. He only ever heard that tone back when at his grandfather’s funeral.
He didn’t understand it back then, why everyone spoke that way and why the air felt so heavy.
And he understood now.
Looking over his shoulder he would see Yaoroshi’s pants pulled up revealing a nasty scar across most parts of her leg… and suddenly the realization of her not moving from her position during training and sitting down all the time made sense…
“I was pregnant… I was going to tell him after the mission… I wish I did tell him… though part of me was glad so he wouldn’t have to worry much in the afterlife…” she chuckles to herself, “Afterwards I was relieved of my duties but Oyakata-sama was so adamant about giving me a second chance in life that he kept sending me stipends every month until I agreed to be a cultivator, to which he would say all that money he sent me earlier was my salary and I didn’t have to pay it all back… that man truly has too big of a heart for such a frail body… he was my savior during my time of need and I felt the need to just pay it back no matter what.”
She then looks at him seriously.
“You’re my first student,” she says, “And I want you to not take this job lightly. Those before you were too distraught, too heartbroken, too angry at the world that they met their ends long before they can even wear a uniform. I can see that you have talent. You have this burning passion, something all wind breath users hold. I wish you could just… explode into your true potential, so please… Bakugo Katsuki… understand that everything I have ever done is to prepare you.”
Yukina slowly stands, bracing herself against the bark of the wood.
“Don’t make me lose you.”
She says.
“I wouldn’t have a body to bury.”
And with that…
She walks… limps… away.
(It was then… a few minutes after she leaves did Katsuki realize she knew his secret…)
(She wasn’t blind to see the light show Katsuki did during the New Years after all… and he thought he was clever for hiding it with the booming sounds overhead.)
.
.
.
BOOM
Yukina watches from the engawa as Katsuki, with a proper sword borrowed from her, slices through the air with the force of his quirk.
Each slice was devastating with the added force of the explosions fuelling his attack. Where he lacked in strength, his quirk covers up with knockback.
And for the first time in a while, he allows himself to grin.
With the latter months of the year spent on developing his own breathing style that he dubbed Explosion breathing (he was refused to let it be named the Great Murder Explosion breathing), Yukina had finally deem him ready for the final selection…
And he was one step closer to his goal of getting them home.
Notes:
Taisho Secret #4
The various breathing forms that Katsuki has created are modified versions of the wind breathing style with the addition of his signature moves in the manga/anime. He was described with having a weak swing that he compensated with adding explosions to make it stronger.However, since this breathing style deals damage not only to the demon but possibly the surrounding area, Katsuki uses wind breathing as often as he can, which makes him capable of using two breathing styles.
There are six forms in Explosion Breathing:
First Form: Howitzer’s Impact - the user dashes forwards in blinding speeds, rotating into a spiral to slash at the enemy with a lot of momentum (similar to first form of wind breathing)
Second Form: Cluster Shot - the user slashes their sword multiple times, creating a barrage of explosions along with the strikes (similar to second form of wind breathing)
Third Form: Landmine Blast - the user takes on a lowered stance and spins, unleashing a defensive and offensive circumference of slashes (similar to third for of wind breathing)
Fourth Form: AP (armor piercing) Thrust - the user thrusts forward and unleashes an explosion, blowing up the part that gets stabbed
Fifth Form: Stun Grenade - the user unleashes a blinding flash before attacking
Sixth Form: Ground Zero - the user unleashes a large explosion and follows through with an aggressive attack.
[Up Next: Final Selection]
Chapter 5: Final Selection
Summary:
One step away…
Notes:
This was definitely a fun chapter to write!!
I enjoyed writing this so much lol, however, Katsuki wouldn’t have much of an exciting Final Selection like Tanjiro did.
We’re already in canon territory!!
I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!!
And if you have questions about the fic, or if you want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“He’s laughing!”
The disaster was so large you could hear the crackling of the flames from the recording through the speakers. The voice behind the camera shook with disbelief as it focused on a singular figure carrying people from the wreckage.
The man’s voice booms across the chaos, a low bellied laugh that sends terror through villains’ veins and hope in people’s hearts.
The man didn’t look all that bothered about the dire situation. The people on his back and in his arms were all in different levels of injured and yet, as the man continued to walk them out of the wreck, they started to… calm down. It was like they knew they were saved.
“It’s alright now…”
The man’s voice was heard loud and clear. The one who took the video would even go on to say that he felt it soaking through him like a warm blanket of safety.
“Why?”
The man, unbothered and brave…
“Because I am here!”
“He’s laugh—”
The screen fades to blue as a white spinning loading animation appears below the white text that reads ‘Shutting down…’
.
.
.
There was this sort of therapeutic thing about cooking that the Bakugo household as always agreed upon.
The neighbors could immediately tell that the family was either not at home or cooking whenever it was silent, which is the only time the mother son duo (along with the father who always ends up being the mediator) were ever calm enough to be quiet in the first place.
Bakugo Masaru would be the main one cooking, with his son chopping and handling ingredients, and Bakugo Mitsuki getting the table ready or sampling the dish giving her utmost important opinion before whisking the utensils that were done in use away to the sink to be washed in rotation after dinner.
This happens almost every night, they even switch it up from time to time as Katsuki slowly started to learn how to cook on his own. The Bakugos were just so natural in the kitchen that it was a spectacle to guests who arrived early to any sort of dinner party seeing them in action. No matter what, even if one family member was mad at the other, it was routine to always cook together.
Which is why it didn’t take that long for Yukina to get used to Katsuki suddenly invading the kitchen space and assisting her with the cooking.
He was restless for most of his first few weeks staying in the cultivator’s home. He was never one to be a slouch when it comes to chores and although those ‘lessons’ in pulling his own weight angered him at the time, he didn’t protest because at least it was something he could do.
But nothing beats being in the kitchen…
He can sweep the fallen leaves, mop the floor, set up dummies, or wash the clothes all he wants but being in the kitchen helps him calm his mind.
With the continuous and fast chop chop chop of the knife lended to him, he slowed down his impressive knife skills as the situation slowly dawned on him.
Yukina is sending him to this year’s final selection.
She made fanfare about it, bragging to the villagers at the foot of the mountain as they bought groceries and supplies for that month in which Katsuki realized the surplus of food. She didn’t brag about him being one step away from being a demon slayer, the cultivator was social but wasn’t one to reveal her past to the people who lived peacefully not knowing demons exist. Instead he was introduced as her nephew staying at her home for the time being as he gets ready to go to travel for school, a very high feat to be achieved in this time. A scholar she would brag and he would swat away her hand trying to proudly ruffle his hair.
She told him, as they got back home, that he was ready.
That tomorrow she would send him to the final selection at Mount Fujikasane.
She was making him a feast tonight.
He wasn’t going to just sit around and do nothing and so he offered to help like he usually did.
“Something in your mind, kid?”
He blinks out of his trance, finally seeing that the chopped up potatoes for their stew tonight were already done being diced and he almost would’ve started turning them into mush if he continued with spiraling.
Something definitely is in his mind.
“Come on, son, you’ve been with me for a while and you’re not as good at hiding your emotions as you think.”
Katsuki keeps quiet.
“And I know you won’t tell me and that’s alright,” Yukina continues, “But please don’t brood in front of the food or it won’t taste well.”
He scoffs.
And the conversation ends at that.
Katsuki is still… thinking.
So much time has passed.
He’s fifteen.
Fifteen years old.
Two years older than he was when he landed in the past.
Two years.
By now he would have already graduated from middle school. By now he would’ve already applied to UA to start his hero career.
By now…
By now he would’ve started his first year of high school.
He had a lot of things he planned on doing. He had a lot of things to prepare for. He had his whole future ahead of him and yet—
He’s still here.
And it feels that home is getting further and further away.
Wearing Yushiro’s button up once more, Katsuki could almost pretend that he was just being dragged to one of his parents’ formal events and not certain doom. He was lent Yukina’s old uniform pants which also had a belt where he was told where the slayers slot the sheathes of their katanas to. He was even allowed to wear the shoes he came with, which remained unused for the most part of his stay and was still in relatively good condition. How anyone can fight with sandals was beyond him but he will not be one of those people even if he trained wearing them.
Lastly was Yukina’s sword.
He was drilled with everything about the Demon Slayer corps and this was one of them. Nichirin metal is the only thing capable of harming a demon due to the special property of sunlight absorption, because of this, the swords forged are observed to change colors based on the user’s breathing style.
Yukina’s sword’s tsuka was a deep red with the wrapping a desaturated green, the kashira was a fake gold. The tsuba was a faded green color with outlines of silver shaped in a pinwheel pattern. The blade was green, which he was told is the color wind breath users bare with pride. It was a saturated green which showed a slayer’s talent and skill, and skilled Yukina was in her prime.
He takes a deep breath, sheathing the katana.
He would leave today, it was a few days of travel to get to Mount Fujikasane and it would be Katsuki’s first time traveling alone. Not entirely alone, Akita, Yukina’s kasugai crow, will lead him towards his destination.
“Kid.”
He turned around, Tadashi was clutching his mother’s haori, looking up at Katsuki with those big brown eyes. Yukina was smiling at him, a folded fabric in her arms.
“Before you go…”
She hands him… a haori.
It was white with green pinwheel patterns.
“I heard from other people that cultivators have their students wear something indicating what breath they were taught… it’s… well, it’s not really a tradition, most cultivators don’t do it but I thought since you’re my first ever student it would be nice to have something connecting you to me.”
Katsuki rolls his eyes, “This is kinda egotistical, don’t you think?”
“Oh please, just wear it! There are only a few hundred wind breath users compared to water breath users so just let me have this!”
There she was again, ever so competitive. It was in her nature he supposes. After opening slowly opening up to him about her past, she’s been talking nonstop about her glory days in the corps. She talks all about her kind husband and the random ass kid he picked up along the way which he tells him is Tadashi’s godfather, though from the way she speaks about that fact she seemed sad. From all the information he got about her bragging, he’s doing well in the corps.
Katsuki rolls his eyes, “Whatever, devil-woman, I’m not wearing it.”
He turns to leave.
“Wait!”
“What?!”
Katsuki turns around for one last time.
Yukina was smiling, wide and prideful, her eyes seemed to sparkle with something in them. Tadashi waved happily.
“Come back in one piece, brat.”
Katsuki huffs.
“Don’t ever fucking doubt me.”
“I never did.”
Katsuki ends up wearing the haori anyway.
There were only a handful of people and it seems most of them were around his age.
Mount Fujikasane is surrounded by wisteria trees… more so than just that one ring around Yukina’s home, which was enough to deter demons away, but not enough to not let Yushiro go in and out whenever he visits. The ring of trees were thick and numerous, enough to stop demons from getting in and getting out.
From what Yukina has told him, they will spend seven days and nights within the inner circle that lacked wisteria, a breeding ground for captured demons to test the new slayers. It wasn’t a simple test and in fact, as the years went by, there were less and less slayers successful enough to survive and join the corps.
From what he could see… they were all cowering weaklings.
It was pathetic.
As morbid as it sounds, he wouldn’t expect most of them to survive the first day. Soon enough these people would only be a footnote in history, nameless numbers in the ledger of blood the demons have collected in their reign of terror across the country.
That was why… he decided…
Every demon he sees…
He would kill…
Every. Single. One.
They deserve it, after all, the blood that was coursing through their veins was from that man. He would even consider it mercy if they were to die in his hands. These demons will never be like Yushiro or Tamayo. They had plenty of chances to wake up and realize what they were doing was wrong. They had plenty of chances despite the blood in their hands to still turn around and do good… it was unbelievable to Katsuki to know that there were only two… two demons out there that don’t harm humans and one came from that man’s blood.
It wasn’t a statement about Kibutsuji’s poison in their blood.
They just wouldn’t stop being greedy.
Kibutsuji is greedy.
“Dearest participants…”
Katsuki turns his attention to the twins at the archway that leads deeper into the mountain. He was told who they are, Yukina was so adamant about drilling it into his head because they can never be disrespected ever. He didn’t know which one was which, but those two were definitely Ubuyashikis, Oyakata-sama’s children. They both looked very young.
“Thank you for gathering here to join the Demon Slayer Corp’s Final Selection.”
It was… a bit unsettling seeing the twins talk at the same time in the same exact tone. Katsuki would even go as far as to say that they both looked like dolls with her large blank eyes and pristine clothes. It made it even more unsettling to him that these two were introducing them to what could be their ends.
“Here in Fujikasane Mountain are demons in captivity captured by our very own slayers,” the white haired one says, “There is no need to fret as there is no way they will ever be able to escape.”
“That is because of the wisteria blossoms that bloom all year round surrounding the foot of the mountain from all sides,” the black haired one continues, “It is one of the demons’ fears…”
“However… from this point onwards there will be no wisteria blossoms and demons will appear.”
“If you can survive this place for seven days and seven nights you are qualified for the Final Selection.”
“Thus , we wish you all the best.”
With all that said, the twins bowed.
And so… the Final Selection begins.
BOOM!
Three.
Katsuki grins.
That was the third demon dead by his hands and wasn’t that just… satisfying.
He sheathes his sword, looking back at the disgusting demon that thought it could make a jump for him. Half of its body is already dissolving away, the head watching him, eyes wide with anger.
“You!” it screams, “Cheater! What the hell even is that?! That’s not fair! I could’ve killed you! I could’ve—”
The head disappears and the body follows.
It was so nice to be able to unleash all his pent up energy. It was a shame though, that demon was so weak that he didn’t even need to use his quirk, it was just overkill on his part but it was so satisfying seeing that demon’s reaction getting blasted point blank before a simple slice to the neck takes it out. Driven by their hunger, they attacked thinking he was easy pickings.
Ha! Bold of them to ever assume he was.
So far in traversing through the thick forest, he hasn’t encountered other slayers yet. He was going strong with the survival training (being left alone in the woods had its perks) making sure to stick to the stream for easy access to water and food like fish. He doesn’t trust himself with the wild berries.
There was also the issue of sleep. Yukina kept it clear that he should get as much rest as he could, but also be completely vigilant. He sleeps in the morning and although the leaves block most of the sun from hitting them, demons usually try to hide from the wayward beams, making attacks significantly lower but not zero.
He learned how to climb trees and sleep lightly, being careful not to completely doze off.
It was going great… until it wasn’t.
If it weren’t for the fact that Katsuki was cooking fish in a very sunny clearing he managed to find, he would’ve already accidentally lop this guy’s head off his shoulders the moment he was tackled to the ground.
It was his first instinct to pull out his sword but as he rights himself, he sees what was in front of him.
It was clearly a person, although Katsuki was almost quick to assume that it was a demon based on that revolting thing on his head. He’s only ever seen humanoid demons so far so seeing that really threw him off guard. It wa a boar head… a very fucking creepy one at that. It reminded him of taxidermy. It was obviously human once he took a closer look. The person wasn’t burning under the patch of sunlight he was in so that’s one thing. He can definitely see that the guy’s flesh was… fleshy? It looked as normal as it could be. He was topless and wearing some sort of animal hide around some pants that he vaguely recognizes as similar to the one he is wearing. He could see him holding two nichirin blades of different colors, a faint blue and green, from what he could see from his position on the ground, the blade was dulled in a way that he recognizes as misuse or mishandling, something Yukina would thwack him in the head if she ever sees it.
“You!”
A deep gravelly voice came from the mask (?)
“Boom-boom man!”
… boom-boom man?
“Fight me with your cool technique!”
Was this guy being for real right now?
“I said fight me, puny mortal!”
“Who the fuck are you calling puny, pighead?!”
The guy just laughs.
“I am no simple pighead!” the guy laughs at the obvious insult, “I am your undoing! The Lord of the lands! The great Hashibara Inosuke!”
This guy was being way too loud. Katsuki already risked getting discovered with the smoke coming out from the small fire he made to cook his fish, but at least that was covered by the sun spot he was in. This pig headed idiot was going to draw more attention to them. If there were brave dumbasses willing to get burned for a meal they would surely come.
“I’m not gonna fucking fight you,” no matter how satisfying it would be, “but you’re getting on my fucking nerves! You’re too loud!”
“You’re loud too, you know! I can feel that boom from miles away while I was defeating those monsters!”
Felt?? Monsters—
“You mean demons?”
“Ah! So that is what they are called! Demons!” the guy— Hashibara— laughs once more, “They’re pathetic! No match against the blades I picked up!”
Picked up???
“The fuck you mean picked up?!”
“Guys like you were near my mountain speaking about some Final Selection and it sounded like a fun challenge so I picked up their swords and fought my way through here!!”
What .
“You’re not even—”
Was this guy serious?!
He wasn’t even a part of the Final Selection and he practically robbed two people!
“You’re not even a part of this whole thing?! Do you even have a cultivator?”
“What’s that?”
Katsuki is going to scream.
He really will.
“So let me get this straight…” he takes a deep breath, “You’ve been running around for the past… three… four days… with a newly acquired sword without any sort of breathing technique or a connection to the demon slayer corps… killing…”
“Five! I bet I killed more than you!”
“Alright… five demons… without any proper training.”
This guy… is insane.
“So cool, right?!”
“ NO!? ” he shouts, “What you are is a fucking idiot!”
“Hey!” Hashibara stompts towards him, he can practically see smoke coming out from those boar ears of his, “Don’t talk down to Lord Inosuke like that! An idiot is already dead by now!”
“If your some Lord then you’ve got something else coming!” Katsuki barks right back, “Do you know who you’re up against?! I’m Lord Explosion Murder, you hear me!?”
“ Ahaha! So you are a lord too!” Hashibara rolls his shoulders, “Fight me!”
This fucking—
“ I’m not fucking fighting you! ”
“I SAID FIGHT ME!”
“ SHUT UP! ”
Somehow it didn’t escalate to a brawl.
And the reason why is currently being gnawed at.
Katsuki was scowling at Hashibara, who he finally confirmed is actually human as he can’t really eat with the boar mask on.
The build up to the fight was broken by the inevitable realization that Katsuki’s meal for that day was about to burn, which caught the other’s interest. There was five whole minutes of both of them wrestling on the ground when Hashibara took the skewer of fish he left to roast above the flames, which ended up with that food being inedible because the idiot accidentally let go. He had three fucking fishes on that!
He was ready to just pummel the guy to the ground when he picked up the contaminated fish and tried to eat it.
Which led to Katsuki dragging Hashibara’s ass back to the nearby river to catch fish with his sword. The boarheaded idiot thought it was competition and caught more than he should’ve, which proves to be a problem as they didn’t really have anywhere to put the fish they wouldn’t cook or the cooked fish they could eat another day and carrying a stickof skewered fish was fucking stupid anyway since their hands would be preoccupied with fighting.
In the end, he relents and starts roasting the fish they caught once more and putting out the fire just as the sky signalled that nightfall was an hour or two away.
Hashibara was gnawing on the head and the fish bone, something that Katsuki was so shocked on seeing but he ignores it in favor of getting his own fill, knowing full well he needed to regain that energy if he wanted to make it through another night.
“Where’s you’re fucking manners, are you raised in the wild or something?”
“Yeah.”
Okay, that wasn’t as surprising as he thought it would be.
Hashibara’s face doesn’t really match his voice or his body, which was odd. If he were to cover up no one would realize the one standing in front of them is a boy unless he decides to open his big fat mouth. He had bright green eyes, much lighter than Deku’s, he also had longer hair, black at the roots then fading to a blue gradient. That thing was odd too. He knows that humans before quirks had boring colors. Their eye colors are limited to blue, black, browns, and greens, and even still those that weren’t black or dark brown were oberseved in western countries. Japanese people had black hair and dark eyes but this guy had green eyes and blue hair. Heck, Katsuki also noticed some outliers with different colors like that guy who’s blonde like him and another with red eyes.
He figured not to draw any attention to it, people are acting like those are normal, well— unique but normal.
“What are you planning on doing once this whole test is over.”
“What’s a test?”
Katsuki takes a long deep breath…
“You really are fucking clueless.”
“No, I’m not!”
He rolls his eyes.
“You just entered the Final Selection of the Demon Slayer Corps.”
Hashibara stops gnawing on the bones, looking up at him in confusion.
“What’s that?”
“It’s like… a group of people who hunt down the monsters like you’ve been doing.”
“For fun?”
“No?? The fuck are you—” wait, no… just… go along with it, Katsuki, maybe youcan get rid of him easier that way, “Yes.”
“Then I wanna join this Demon Slayer Corps!”
“You technically already are…” he inches away from Hashibara, cringing as he speaks with his mouth still chewing, “We have like… a day left to get to he other side of the mountain to pass—”
Hashibara suddenly stands up.
“Then I shall beat you to it!” he laughs, grabbing his swords and jogging away.
“Wait! You fucking idiot— come back here!”
.
.
.
In the end there were five (six if you counted Hashibara, who immediately ran off who knows where despite Katsuki’s efforts) of them left.
The same blonde with with the triangle patterns on his kimono was the second one to arrive after Katsuki. Hashibara was technically the first followed by him. This kid arrived, wobbling like he was drunk and the moment he opened his eyes, he started crying silently as he braced himself against a tree. Currently he was muttering to himself and from what he could hear he was so adamant he was still going to die despite surviving the Final Selection.
Next was that smiling girl from earlier. She looked relatively unharmed, not even a speck of dust on her pink clothes. She was distracted by a butterfly fluttering around her.
After that it was that grumpy kid with a mohawk who was pacing back and forth as they waited for the last person to arrive, that red haired kid with the earrings.
They were all battered and bruised (except for the girl) and tended to themselves with the supplies given as they finally got to safety.
They waited… and waited…
No one else came out.
“Welcome back, everyone.”
Their attention is brought back to the twins. They have just now noticed a table with a cloth covering some bumps underneath at a small stone brick platform between two pillars.
“Congratulations, everyone,” the white one says.
“Thank goodness you’re all fine,” the black one continues.
That made the corners of Katsuki’s mouth downturn more, a subtle expression of his distaste for their empty congratulations and blank stares.
“Hey,” Mohawk speaks, “So what should we do next? Where are our swords.”
The two ignore him.
“Before that, please accept the distribution of uniforms… we will be taking your measurements. Afterwards, your rank will be engraved…”
He already knows all this from Yukina.
The rankings are based on skills or the amount of assignments accumulated over time. Mizunoto is the lowest of the rankings, the beginners so to speak, and with their increase in rank is increase in superiority and salary. The top of the food chain are the Hashiras whose skills are beyond the rankings. Some people earn the title of a Hashira through hard work, working their way up the rankings or through apprenticeships called being a hasira’s tsugoku, when a hashira dies or steps down, a tsugoku will take their place. There are even instances where prodigies skip the rankings and go straight to being a Hashira, with the latest Hashira based on the letters Yukina have received only been n the corps for a year, becoming a Hashira using a technique she developed herself, like Katsuki did.
“Where’s the swords?” Mohawk asks again.
This guy was really stupid. They already survived the challenge, he doesn’t need to rush things further. Has no one explained to him the process they were going to go through?
“Calm your impatient ass down,” Katsuki speaks up from his position behind all of them, “the katanas still need to forged. Did you seriously came here expecting they already have one on hand for you? Are you that dum?”
“The hell did you just call me?!”
Katsuki levelled the guy with his own scathing look, he can see the other grind his teeth together in anger.
“Uh… excuse me, can we at least let them finish talking?” Earrings goes between them, blocking their views of each other, “We all won’t know when our, ah, swords would arrive if we talk over them.”
The two’s heads turned away from each other, huffing and clicking their tongues in irritation.
(“So scary…” Weird Eyebrows whispers under his breath, already silently praying to any deity above to never encounter them ever again.)
“Sorry, please continue
“You will be choosing an ore for your sword’s creation today,” the white haired one continues the explanation, “The sword-making process will take ten to fifteen days to complete so please be patient… in the meantime…”
The kid claps twice.
They could all hear cawing overhead.
Various crows started landing on their new owners. He doesn’t react much, already used to seeing Akita swooping in and out of the Yaoroshi residence with letters around her neck or between her beak, mahybe even small packages clutched in her talons. From the looks of it, the girl and Mohawk were already aware and know of their existence.
“A Kasugai crow will follow you from now on… they act as communication and a guide for your missions.”
“But… isn’t this a sparrow…” Eyebrows speaks up, confused as he now has a small brown bird perched on the back of his hand.
Katsuki actually received a proper crow. She landed on the ground next to him, not on the shoulders like the other two, or on an outstretched arm. Katsuki just looked down at her and she started shaking like a leaf.
Great… he has a coward for a crow.
“Are you kidding me?” Mohawk swats his crow away, making Katsuki’s hop to hide behind his legs, “I don’t care about a damn crow!”
They watch (or at least three of them did, the girl was too distracted to care) as Mohawk stomps over to the platform, grabbing a fist full of the white haired kid’s hair.
“I want the sword! The color changing sword given to Demon Slayers!”
“Are you fucking deaf, they already explained—”
“I don’t want to wait!”
Katsuki does not want to get involved any longer. If that guy wants to get in trouble with the leader of the corps, fucking fine by him.
“Y-you’re not gonna do anything else?!” Eyebrows stammers out.
“The fuck you want me to do? It’s his funeral.”
Luckily, Katsuki didn’t have to do anything else. Earrings steps forward, grabbing on to the arm Mohawk was using to grapple the kid’s hair.
“Let go of the child right now,” he sounded and looked serious, “Or I will break your arm.”
“Who the hell do you think you are?!”
Eyebrow kept on frantically glancing between Katsuki and the girl then right back at the two near the platform.
“Aren’t you gonna do something?! Fighting isn’t allowed between slayers, right?!” he desperately turned towards Katsuki, who moved away beforethe other blonde could even attempt grabbing his arm to make him do something.
“We’re not slayers yet without engraving our ranks…” Katsuki slowly sneers.
(“Oh god I’m with a bunch of psychoes!”)
“Do it then if you even have the gut—”
(Eyebrows lets out a startled gasp as he hears bones creaking)
Earrings’ hold on Mohawk was let go when he finally moved away. Earrings did in fact have the guts but he didn’t push through with it.
“Oh, don’t stop now!”
“You’re crazy!”
“Are you done talking now?” the black haired kid stares down at the two blankly.
The kid then pulls the fabric off of the table to reveal the ores.
They all approach the platform, lining up.
The pieces of rock didn’t look all that significant. It was just that, raw ores. He doesn’t know the significant of it, why it was even required for them to choose in the first place. They all looked the sa—
Did the guy next to him just fucking sniffed.
The walk back home was harder than the task itself of surviving. It was hard to keep on going when the fatigue finally caught up to him. With a bag containing his new uniform slung across his shoulder, he slowly hobbled his way back…
He thinks it only now just set in how much time has truly passed. Almost two years of training and he just now achieves the first step of their plan to make it back home. Instead of graduating middle school he was now a swordsman. Instead of stepping into UA’s grand halls he was putting one foot overthe other, body, mind, and soul tired beyond comprehension as the months spent finally caught up to him.
He felt like he could rest… even for just a few moments before his life would continue on…
Wait for him… wait for them…
They’re getting back home.
He promises.
Seeing those familiar line of wisteria trees lining the pathway there, Katsuki looks over at the humble home. There were silhouettes of people waving at him. They were waiting… confident at his success.
Tadashi.
Yukina.
Yushiro.
Tamayo—
“Kacchan!!”
… Deku…?
Notes:
Taisho Secret #5
Inosuke intercepted two fighting slayers on their way to Mount Fujikasane. He heard from them that there was these scary things there and he wanted to check themout himself. Deeming his flimsy spear inappropriate for the job, he steals the swords of the two slayers, a water breath one and a wind breath one. They aren’t serrated yet since he went head first into the Final Selection.
He is the first to get in and the first to get out and didn’t attend the ore choosing ceremony in the end and even though he hijacked the test, he was still deemed a part of the Demon Slayer corps, his Kasugai crow followed after him. The Ubuyashiki siblings would choose two ores for him and he willnt receive his actual swords until later on when he breaks them while fighting the father spider demon.
[End of Sunset Arc]
[Up Next: The Weak and The Strong]
Chapter 6: The Weak and The Strong
Summary:
A demon, a slayer, and a coward walk into a bar…
Notes:
This was a bitch to write.
This had so many things going on in it that it didn’t quite match the outline I made for this chapter, but it’s fine, we learn to adapt along the way, besides I didn’t feel like it would be okay for me to add a fight scene from the get go with all that happened in the first half of the chapter.
So this turned out to be one unfortunate cliffhanger.
I still do hope you enjoy!!
And if you have questions about the fic, or if you want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
There was something wrong with Deku.
He always knew there would be complications. Yushiro’s visits didn’t hide the truth of what they were doing to Deku. He got frequent updates and although at first it started as harsh reality checks, the other was starting to try and make the news lighter with every month passing by.
Deku’s case was different from Tamayo’s. She has never removed the curse from a newly turned demon like him before. She has only managed to remove the curse on herself long after she already consumed enough humans and he was told it was only due to a strong feeling of anger and resentment. With Yushiro she only had to do the surgery to curb his appetite for flesh as his cells are independent from Kibutsuji's already. Even with the breakthroughs Tamayo has made on herself and for Yushiro, there was still the air of uncertainty.
But the fact still remains.
Deku came back wrong.
He wasn’t bloodthirsty or mad at Katsuki anymore. In fact he was subdued, very smiley but not the nervous smiles that he usually gave. It was innocent and toothy, showing those newly formed canines, smiling in a way that felt and looked unnatural for someone who had a baby face. It was like when Tadashi would smile at Katsuki. Unconcerned and clueless but happy.
It was like he was a kid again…
That’s when Katsuki realized why that smile was odd yet oh so familiar.
Deku stopped smiling like that after he received the news about his quirk… or lack thereof. His smiles usually looked halfway like a grimace.
They sat around the engawa, happily sharing a hotpot— more like Katsuki, Tadashi, and Yukina were, the demons sat politely with them with raw bloody meat Yukina hunted herself for them to have— Deku was laying on the ground, arms and legs splayed and wiggling with Tadashi giggling and toddling around him, trying to avoid his limbs, shrieking and going back to his mom to get a bite of food before going back.
Katsuki was tired but all of his fatigue just faded… he wanted to know more.
He wanted to yell.
Why is he acting like that?
What happened?
What the fuck did they do to him?
Yukina did most of the talking for all of them since the elephant in the room is quite literally having fun with a weird childish game of catch and release.
“Tadashi-chan!! Wanna help kaa-san to wash the dishes, baby?”
Yukina says, picking up the plates and what not, her child nodding happily and following her deeper into the house.
“I can help you, Yaoroshi-san.”
“Ah, you’re such a nice kid, Yushiro-kun!!”
“I am older than you.”
She gave a look at Tamayo over her shoulder, a look that she thought Katsuki wouldn’t see.
Tamayo and Katsuki (with Deku) were left alone.
“I… I know you have… questions,” Tamayo says, her hands wringing together.
“Why is… why is he…—”
“Acting like a child?”
Katsuki nods stiffly.
“I don’t know if it is a rare occurrence on Midoriya-kun’s part,” that made Katsuki look up at her, he never said Deku’s real name at all before, “but he has been the only demon I have removed Kibutsuji’s curse for. I have many theories as to why he is acting the way he is now but with how experimental the procedure was…”
Deku crawled over to her, happily laying next to where she sat, clawed hand (his long sharp nails faded into a dark green ombre) searching for her hand.
“The process of transforming into a demon is physically taxing. The cells are being changed rapidly in such a short period of time that immediately after transformation, demons would attack anything just for sustenance. They will eat anything with blood and flesh to replenish the energy lost in the process. This causes extreme hunger and impaired thinking leading to… an animalistic state.”
She lets Deku grab her hand, squeezing it happily between both of his hands.
“It may have been an error on my part,” she continues, “I apologize for—”
“You did your best.”
Tamayo looks over to him and Katsuki doesn’t want to look.
“You’re already helping me do the impossible… so don’t feel so bad about it.”
Tamayo smiles softly at the boy… Although she has never reached out to him throughout his stay with Yukina, she was updated by both Yushiro and his master. She admits that she was afraid of his reaction.
Katsuki, on the other hand, has mellowed out. Being with the same people for almost two years, for days on end with the same amount of snark as he doles out does that to you. He had every opportunity to be angry and he did that for months straight in the first few months of his stay… but it was getting harder and harder to keep that anger simmering hot.
It was no use getting angry at someone who was just trying to help.
“Thank you, Bakugo-kun.”
Katsuki doesn’t understand what she was thanking him for.
The two of them stayed for two more days with them gifting Katsuki a small kit to help him safely extract his blood to feed Deku with. Yushiro taught him how to do it and was surprised at how well he could do it in the first few tries (which he was very frustrated and jealous of). Yukina wasn’t that good at it yet. It was in preparation for them leaving. He was told they would be moving around again. They’ve been doing it for a while now, or at least Tamayo did, it was Yushiro second time by now moving away to a newer location. Tamayo had different houses hidden across japan to hide from Kibutsuji. It was necessary to keep moving not only because of that man, but because of Tamayo’s job as a doctor. People will start noticing someone not aging sooner or later and she was not one to simply hide and rot away, she wanted to help people, so it was a precaution to move around safe houses to keep people from figuring out she (and now in extension Yushiro) were demons.
She offered for Deku to continue staying with them but Deku refused to leave the house when it was time for them to leave and so they stayed for those two days to teach Katsuki the things he needed to know in order to take care of Deku properly.
Deku only needs one vial of blood per week, he would need more to replenish any energy he loses. It wasn’t as impressive as Yushiro only needing a few drops of blood but it was still a small enough amount that it wouldn’t be worrying.
Yukina seemed to be happy having Deku around. He was plenty helpful, albeit a little clumsy, and Tadashi seemed to adore him even more than when Katsuki first showed up.
(He doesn’t understand how she could be so kind to other demons when it was a demon that killed her husband and rendered her disabled…)
Yukina has been busy in the past week since he was back. She has already been giving him things he would need in Deku’s ugly yellow backpack, saying it was more durable than any other bag she would purchase him and to not be wasteful. There were rolls of gauze, ointments she made herself, a bento container just in case he would want to buy food and take it on the road. He even bought him another notebook and some charcoal to use for writing, saying that the notebook he’s been using for journaling has already lived its use.
The reason for her sudden rushing was that he would be receiving a mission almost immediately after receiving his nichirin blade and she wanted him to be ready when that time comes.
And that time did come.
A man with a hyottoko mask waved at them long before he reached the yard.
Katsuki was hanging the laundry up when he saw him. He looked like a simple man and he was carrying a package, a long one and he immediately knew…
Finally…
Yukina was quick to get out into the engawa.
“Ah! Ushiyama-san!!” she waves at him, “It’s good to see you again! Ah, it’s been so long, has it?”
“Yaoroshi-sama, it’s only been a short seven years!” the man replies as he gets closer and closer.
Katsuki was immediately ushered to the engawa. The two adults started to catch up with each other. From the snippets he has heard, that man, Ushiyama, was the same swordsmith to forge her own sword.
“Ah! I was such a sword breaker back then! Broke about four swords because of poor technique and too strong of a slash!” she laughs.
“Oh, how I was so mad at you for that!” he would laugh as well, “All water under the bridge, Yaoroshi-sama! And it is my pleasure to learn that I will be forging your very first student’s katana, one with such a special technique at that!”
“Awwe, don’t flatter me even more Ushiyama-san!”
Katsuki rolls his eyes.
“Ah! Brat, there you are! Come! Come, sit!” She motions for him to sit down just as Tadashi makes his way to them.
“Greetings, Bakugo-sama, I am your swordsmith, Ushiyama Tetsushiro,” he removes the package from his back, laying it down on the wooden floor for everyone to see, “Nichirin blades are forged with a special type of alloy formed with the combination of the Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and the Scarlet Crimson ore. The special property of this material came from where it is found, high up in the mountains where it could absorb sunlight, making it a competent and capable weapon eradicating demons…”
The sword was…
The tsuka is a deep orange, the cord wrapping a solid black with the pommel part a bronze color. The tsuba was circular with a pattern of fireworks embedded within.
“Nichirin blades also have a color changing property,” Ushiyama continues, “They change colors depending on the user’s breathing technique.”
Yukina pushes Katsuki towards the box, “Pick it up now, brat!! I want to see what Explosion breathing looks like!”
Katsuki rolls his eyes, “Is that why you’re more excited than me?”
“It’s always exciting to see the colors shift in your sword! The first time it happened was so special!!”
“Whenever you’re ready, Bakugo-sama.”
Katsuki waits for a moment as Yukina sets Tadashi on her lap for the show. He huffs, her enthusiasm is always so cringe…
He picks up his new sword…
She was right about one thing… it looked… magical.
From the tsuba, the color slowly flowed up the blade like a drop of water color on a damp page… slowly but surely…
“Orange.”
The blade color is orange.
The uniform felt and looked almost exactly like the gakuran he wears to school, it was a stiff material but it still allows for wide movements. He opted to have the first button on top unbuttoned just like he used to do it. He hates the feeling of the collar against his neck, it always felt like he couldn’t breathe.
He slots the sheath of his sword to his white belt… it really feels official now.
Hachiko, the kasugai crow given to him, had arrived three days after he received his sword for his very first mission. There wasn’t a rush as Yukina got everything set already. Slotting his arms through the bag loops of Deku’s ugly yellow bag, he was ready to set off and follow his crow to a road leading to a village at the south.
Before he could even step out, someone grabbed his sleeve.
“Kacchan.”
.
.
.
“Kacchan go?”
Yukina looks up from her embroidery. The black fabric was clipped between two wooden bases to keep the fabric taut. Tadashi was currently napping near the engawa where he was soaking in the sun and Bakugo is out in the woods train more before his sword arrives.
“Yes. ‘Go’,” she repeats, “He has to eventually, Greeny. You know that.”
The demon was looking up at her from the corner of the room where it was darkest, hiding under a pile of blankets. His blank teal eyes looked at her with so much emotion: confusion and alarm.
She was told that the demon had the ability of understanding people comparable to a toddler. He would tend to take things seriously and literally, which is why she has to be careful with her words lest she upsets him more than he already was with the sun up and Tamayo and Yushiro off to another safehouse.
She doesn’t know why she even volunteered to take care of a demon. She’s been a decent mom lately… she hopes so, but this was an entire teenager and a demon one at that. Although he currently is acting like a toddler, was she really ready for the responsibility of taking care of another person?
“Away?”
“Mhm…”
Currently she was embroidering, it was a thing she was very talented at when she was younger. It took her a little while to get used to the repeated action of threading the needle through the fabric to create beautiful artwork in the fabric. She decided to do something simple; a fireworks design. The fireworks were all in shades of orange and yellow to really pop out of the black fabric, they all concentrated mostly at the end of what she was working on.
“Why?”
Yukina looks up.
Midoriya-kun’s eyes were solely focused on her, wide and unblinking.
“Why go?”
A lot of things could go wrong if she says something the demon wouldn’t want to hear. Tadashi is an angel of a child but he was also still prone to tantrums that escalate into full blown meltdowns. What would an emotional demon would be like?
“It’s his job,” she puts what she was doing down, giving Midoriya-kun her full attention, “He’s a demon slayer now. They travel around a lot for missions.”
“Why?”
“For you, Greeny.”
Midoriya-kun tilts his head.
“He wants you to be human again, kid,” she continues, “in order to do that he has to go away for a while…”
“‘A while’…?”
“Yes.”
The demon looked like he was thinking deeply, brows furrowed, lips curled into a small frown.
“No.”
Yukina blinks in confusion.
“Why no?”
“I go.”
This kid…
“You can’t go, kid, it would be more trouble than it’s worth,” she says, “You can’t travel during the day and if the other slayers found out that—”
“I go.”
Midoriya repeats so clearly.
And in that moment…
Yukina never doubted he would run into the sun just to chase after his friend despite the consequences.
.
.
.
“FUCKING LET GO OF ME, NERD!”
“I go!”
“I SAID LET GO!”
The scene in front of the two Yaoroshi’s was nothing but comical… and they weren’t doing anything.
Izuku was clinging on Katsuki’s legs, eyes squeezed shut, cheeks puffed as he pouted. Katsuki was now stuck trying to kick him off in the darker part of the home to avoid getting him hurt, but he was pretty much tempted to drag him towards the sun so he would let go himself.
“YOU FUCKING— YOU ARE SO—”
“Go! Go with Kacchan!”
“YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO STAY HERE!”
“Kacchan!”
“DON’T FUCKING WHINE AT ME, DEKU!”
“No!”
“LET G—!”
Katsuki lets out a surprised yelp as something collides with his head with a soft thwack!
At the same time Deku lets out a muffed yelp as he falls on his face, the tatami muffling the sound of his forehead hitting the floor. Deku was in this sort of black fabric that completely covered him. He was wiggling underneath it like a worm sprinkled with salt.
Rolling away from Katsuki was the thing thrown at him… a hat made with straw. A kasa that had a veil wrapped around it.
Tadashi picks the hat up for his mother and hands it back to her. It’s when Katsuki sees that the veil was the same material as the cloth that was thrown over Deku.
“What,” Katsuki eyed the hat, “What the fuck is that for?”
Yukina rolls her eyes, “Didn’t you hear him?” She says, poking Deku with her bad leg, “He says he’s going so he’s going.”
Katsuki just gapes at her.
What?
“He’s not going!”
Yukina sighs.
“Why are you sighing like that?!”
Deku manages to get his head out of that black piece of cloth, which Katsuki now figured out was some sort of cloak with a hood, if he looked closer, the cloak looked like it had the same thick material that their blankets had. It was thick enough to move comfortably in.
Did Yukina really planned all of this from the start?
Yukina hands Deku the hat back as he finally sat up, still having the cloak pooled all around him.
“Look, kid…” Yukina places her hand on Katsuki’s head and he doesn't have the heart to swat it away, “It’s almost been two years since he last saw you… do you really think he would want to stay here with a complete stranger?”
“It would be safer!”
“Kid.”
Yukina places her hands on Katsuki’s shoulder, one hand tapping his cheek to make him look up.
“Midoriya-kun is a demon,” she starts, “Not much can hurt him,” she puts her hand up when Katsuki tries to speak again, “Listen to me, kid, and listen well. The reason why I am letting you go with him isn’t because I think he can handle it. It’s because I think you can protect him in ways he couldn’t protect himself.”
Katsuki’s jaw clenches.
Protect?
He has never done any of the sort, much less with Deku.
Deku being with him would be a disaster. Just being in the same room as each other riles Katsuki up to the point of exploding.
And if Deku is with him, a demon, wouldn’t it paint targets on their back?
“You came to me to find a way to protect him.”
Deku was staring…
Those teal eyes he can never escape from.
Teal and not green.
Never green ever again.
“So protect him you will.”
Tadashi runs towards him, grinning from ear to ear, holding up another folded piece of cloth. He kneels down, taking it from his little hands, he unfolds it.
A haori.
At the ends he could see little embroidered fireworks.
“I didn’t want you to leave without a little reminder of your time here…” Yukina starts to explain, “And as much as I hate the fact that you’re technically not a wind breath user but this describes you well, no?”
Katsuki snorts.
“You’re so corny.”
“I won’t go down that path if I were you, boy.”
Katsuki turns around.
An old man stood on the side of the dirt path that would be leading him to his mission. He looked like he was just about down with his job, which he assumed would be tending to the vast rice fields surrounding them. He assumes that the small humble wooden hut he passed not so long ago would be his.
“There’s been attacks you see…” he continues on, “bear attacks… quite brutal ones as well. It’s getting dark, best be off your way.”
From Katsuki’s calculations, he would reach the village sometime during sunset. Hachiko’s mission description matched what the old man just said… attacks on the village, people going missing and mauled bodies are found. They only told him to investigate as it can also be possible to only just be bear attacks based on the paw prints left behind in the scene of the crime but the corps wanted to be thorough…
Katsuki doesn’t pay the old man anymore attention as is. He continues to walk off.
He could hear the other mutter something about ungrateful brats.
“Deku, get off the fucking ground, it’s disgusting.”
It was at these times of the night that Katsuki really missed having a phone. Heck— even a flashlight would do.
The moon wasn’t quite enough to illuminate their path. They were already at the edge of the village and it’s devoid of any sort of lamp or fire within the homes, but they could see movement from some open windows. The people of the village were definitely cautious, scared to make any signs that there were people living in the homes.
He could also see some empty houses, the village’s population not only dwindled due to the deaths but also due to the people moving away, which was good on them but not good on the predator using this place as its hunting grounds.
What Katsuki does see is a group of men out in the middle of the street armed with pitchforks and axes along with oil lamps. They seem to be arguing amongst each other silently. Or at least arguing as silent as they could as grown men high on superiority complex.
A bunch of idiots… fighting in the middle of a tragedy.
“What a bunch of idiots, huh?”
Of course, Deku doesn’t reply.
He was still crouched on the ground, the veiled kasa hanging around his neck from the string. The yellow scarf he came with covered half of his face from the nose down so he couldn’t really tell what he was thinking. His eyes, going from dull to now sharp, were now staring into the woods that surrounded the left side of the village.
Something rustles within the foliage.
A black rabbit.
“Want.”
“You can’t have a rabbit, Deku, it’s already hard enough to hide you away from other people on the road, I don’t want to add a pet to it…”
He started to walk over to the small crowd.
“Stay right there.”
As he gets closer, he finally gets to hear what got them all worked up over.
“My little sister is still out there! I have to join—”
“It’s dangerous out there, son! That bear already ate ten of our own! We don’t need another one added to the count.”
“I can handle myself!”
“Just because you have an axe doesn’t mean you can go out with us! You don’t even have the strength to swing it!”
“My sister is—!”
“We will get your sister back, but you are not coming.”
And so they leave the poor guy alone.
“Wow… that was pathetic.”
The boy screams.
No wonder ten people already died, their situational awareness was shit in more ways than one. The boy they were haggling on to try and convince him not to join in on the bear hunt seemed to be around Katsuki’s age, if not a bit older. He was plain looking like the rest of the men but he had dark burgundy eyes. Although he seemed taller and older, he looked skinnier, like a beanpole of a teenager.
“Who the hell are you?!”
“The guy that’s gonna help you kill off this damn bear.”
FWSHHH—
“GODDAMMIT DEKU—!”
.
Don’t cry, Fuko… Niichan is coming for you, he promised…
But it’s so cold… and so dark…
Would anyone come look for Fuko? Would anyone care for weak little Fuko?
Fuko heard all about it… a bear… Bears are big scary monsters, Niichan said so… would a big scary monster eat her here?
Fuko wants to go home… but she can’t. It’s not safe. Niichan said it wasn’t safe anymore. Not safe is scary. Scary means you run. So Fuko ran and ran.
Fuko heard screams. Fuko heard someone screaming. Someone was hurt. Was it the bear? Fuko wishes it wasn’t the bear.
Bears are strong. They would gobble Fuko right up, Niichan would say. But Niichan said he was strong. Niichan never lies so it must be true. Niichan would scare the bear away. Niichan would protect Fuko.
Fuko just had to wait…
.
His name is Sabishi.
(“You can call me Ishi…”)
He’s an orphan who lives deeper in the woods than the village. His mother died at childbirth giving birth to his little sister and his father worked himself to death.
It wasn’t that Katsuki asked him that, he just laid it on bear to Katsuki as they walk in the woods with nothing but their weapoens, wits and a shitty fucking oil lamp.
Deku seems to be sad for him though but Katsuki doesn’t care at all for that.
(He scared some poor forest creature earlier and it wasn’t a good sign)
For some coward, he was very deaf to the danger of not keeping quiet.
“You seem a bit too young to be a samurai, though,” Sabishi says, “And you don’t look very samurai-like.”
“Because I’m not, dumbass,” he replies, his voice much quieter than the other.
“You’re not?! I thought you were! It’s very dangerous around here and you can’t even—”
“I’m not a fucking samurai but I’m gonna solve your stupid bear situation!” Katsuki reminds him, his voice rising, “At least I’m more competent than a kid with an axe he doesn’t know how to use!”
Sabishi turns sharply to Katsuki’s direction, the oil lamp swinging with his movements. He stopped walking so abruptly that Katsuki did too, making Deku bump head first on his back.
“I had to do something!” Sabishi shouts, “No one else would! I’m the only one my sister has! We couldn’t move away like the others, I have to step up as an older brother to protect her! So I’m going to stand my ground no matter what!”
The boy takes one deep breath, panting from the anger, and that was enough for him to get tired? Katsuki would’ve already scoffed but before he could even clap back with insults right on the tip of his tongue when he noticed Deku not moving… practically not even breathing. His eyes were slits, staring straight ahead, veins around his face popping, fangs bared.
“Why… Why is he like that?”
Katsuki turned his attention forward.
He takes a step back.
“H-hey—! Why are you staring at me like that?!”
“Is that… your little sister?”
That made him turn around.
Illuminated by the light of his lamp was a little girl. She looked to be around five or six years old. Her skin was incredibly pale, with tear tracks running down her cheeks, seemingly like a permanent stain, trying to wipe away her drying tears with blackened frostbitten hands. Her hair was black and wild, with sticks and leaves stuck all throughout, the length reaching to her ankles. Similar to the state of her hair, her clothes were thorn, snagged at places, like she had to run through thorny bushes.
“Niichan…?” She would sniffle.
Well… he guesses that problem was solved.
All that Katsuki has to do now is find the demon (or possibly the bear) that caused this whole mess in the first place.
He sighs, all this work just for it to end this anticlimactic?? He lets go of the hold he had on the hilt of his blade, it was just a little kid after all. Deku growls, making him roll his eyes.
“What has gotten into you?” He turns to the nerd, “You’ve been awfully pissy! It’s really getting on my nerves!” He then snaps his attention to Sabishi, “What the fuck are you waiting for? Get her and your ass out of here so I can do my dang job—”
“That’s not my little sister.”
Notes:
Taisho Secret #6
In the two years Izuku spent in Tamayo's care, she carefully modified his body just like hers and Yushiro's, to be capable of consuming only blood for energy. Unlike Yushiro, who has never had the taste of blood when he got turned, his body's need for it is reduced to just a few drops. Tamayo, who has eaten humans before, requires more than that amount, and Izuku, who has tasted blood, requires less than Tamayo.
The experimental operation Tamayo conducted with Izuku is a hypothetical to removing Muzan's curse. With the curse not affecting her because of Muzan being weakened and her sheer hatred and will at that time, it's almost impossible to replicate it (with Nezuko as a stark exception from her strong will alone). Yushiro's cells already contain independent cells from Muzan and so it was an issue to replicate it with Izuku.
It was already risky keeping Izuku with them when any moment if Muzan caught of a whiff of what they were doing or if he realizes Katsuki is still alive and kicking hunting him down, there is enough reason for him to use Izuku's cells against them (having already seen potential within him before he got turned), whether it is by killing Izuku or using him to spy.
The experimental operation is similar to a bone marrow transplant. The reason for this idea was an offhand comment from Katsuki about his grandfather having one when Tamayo explains her plan of trying to replace Izuku's tainted blood with her own, with the problem of the possibility of Izuku's body rejecting the blood or just replacing it more with Muzan's cells.
The first successful bone marrow transplant happened way later than the timeline of kny, it being around the 1950s and on twins no less. Back then they consumed bone marrow orally thinking it was more viable.
With Katsuki's comment, Tamayo operates on Izuku, giving her own stem cells to replace and overpower Muzan's.
The operation is a success— technically the first successful bone marrow transplant in the whole world. Although the results are still inconclusive… Only time will tell…
[Up Next: It’s You]
Chapter 7: It’s You
Summary:
Bunny, bunny, bunny, you’re so funny…
Notes:
Another chapter really hard to write.
There’s nothing much I could really say about this other than, yay, it’s finally done. I don’t really like this one, but hey, it’s a part of the writing process so who am I to complain?
Sorry for the long wait.
And if you have questions about the fic, or if you want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It has always been just Fuko and her niichan.
Their house was in the outskirts of the village near the foot of a mountain. Her father worked to sell firewood and her mother was a seamstress. Her older brother has told her how peaceful it was for them, as a family of three, and how excited albeit nervous their father was when they found out mother got pregnant.
Day in and day out, their parents would work hard to earn enough money for her mother to afford enough payment for a midwife and all of the necessary things after birth. Her father was such a prideful man, going back and forth in the village to sell his wares, talking to the villagers, wishing and hoping it would be a little girl for a change. Her brother told her that he would even help along, chopping wood with their father, talking about their futures, talking about how if she were a boy it was niichan’s responsibility to teach her how to swing an axe, or if she were a girl, he would need to stay vigilant and look out for pesky boys once she’s all grown up. Mother even made clothes for her from the scraps of fabric left over from her work.
That was until… one winter evening…
Mother gave birth.
Niichan said that she lost too much blood… there was no other way to get her down to the village fast enough to get her to a doctor or a midwife.
She gave birth then and there with their father rushing out, calling for help.
She died.
From then on, niichan took care of Fuko.
Father was too busy with work, trying his best to keep their family afloat after such a loss. They needed milk, as there was no one to feed her, they needed a lot of things since the money from mother’s seamstress work wasn’t available anymore, father even sold the clothes she made for her just for another meal for another day.
Fuko was around two when father passed away.
It was Fuko who found him, slumped over in the snow, his hand gripping his axe so tight that the villagers who helped bury their father debated on whether or not to just bury him with it.
Niichan refused.
They can’t afford another axe.
.
.
.
“Get out of the fucking way!”
Katsuki was quick to block the blow that was supposed to hit Sabiishi head on. Sparks flew from where his sword and the crossed paws of the massive black bear that pushed down on him, replacing that tiny little girl that stood before them mere moments ago.
Red irises with white pupils bore down on him, his strength was slowly starting to fail him, he hasn't encountered demons this strong before, demons who actually had the power to fight and weren't just hungry bastards desperate for a meal.
“Did you fucking hear me, move your fucking ass!”
BOOM!
The demon screeches, getting thrown back, not that far, by Katsuki’s explosion. It wasn’t as strong as he wanted it to be. He did train to use it in his swings but he never got the chance to train with it as weapons before, not that it mattered, his explosions wouldn’t do much, it only singed its fur.
“What the hell is that?!” Sabiishi shouts, making him turn around, the kid was on the ground, their only light source snuffed out, the glass cracked, but not shattered, “Did she just turn into—?!”
There was a horrifying sound of bones cracking and twisting, trying to go back to its more compressed form. The demon in front of them was halfway through being a little girl and a beast, her eyes glowing in the darkness.
“You…. Hurt …?”
Hurt? Katsuki scoffs, it hardly even dented her, her face looked just fine.
“You…. HU MAN… HURT!”
Her form swells and bulges, her screeches sounded like a child in a tantrum, slowly getting mixed with the huffs, chuffs, and screams of an angered bear.
“She’s fucking losing it…” Katsuki raises his sword, ready just in case she attacks, he is hoping that he can finish this fight quick with just his wind breathing, his explosions wasn’t exactly that subtle, and if she was stronger than those demons in the final selection then she would be a problem to the grown adults who entered the forest before them… if they found their location right now, Katsuki wouldn’t be fast enough to protect more people.
“What is she?! What—!”
“If you want to be fucking useful, you get the fuck out of here!” Katsuki shouts, “I can’t deal with her and protect a weakling like you at the same time! So run away and let me do my damn job!”
“You…”
The demon was back to the form of a little girl, although she was crouched low, sniffing at the air, staring straight through her bangs, her head twitching ever so often.
“Unfair…”
She springs from the floor, jumping and hopping like a rabbit, ducking underneath Katsuki’s well-timed swipe to her neck, her clawed frostbitten hands snapped to clutch at Sabiishi’s clothes. He screams, scrambling to grab the axe he tied to his belt—
“YOU’RE WEAKLINGS! WEAK HUMANS! WEAK! YOU’RE CHEATING! CHEATER! CHEAT—”
“Deku?!”
Deku intercepts the grab, the girl grabs at his clothes instead, using her momentum he wraps himself around her, letting them both tumble onto the forest floor. It was like watching two dogs maul each other, with their sharpened claws and their canines, the two demons bit and scratched at each other, dealing surface level injuries that spilled their blood in a circular trail.
The girl growls, biting Deku’s neck, growing larger and larger back to her bear transformation, making him scream and thrash.
“Deku!” Katsuki rushed forward, breathing in and exhaling, moving his arms upward in one harsh stroke— Sixth Form: Black Wind Mountain Mist — the force generated by his strike wasn’t enough to slash, but it created enough blunt sort of force for her to let go, she howls, shaking her head and pawing at her snout, “What the hell were you thinking?!”
He rushes to the other’s side, examining the wound. It was already bleeding sluggishly but he could still barely see what was going on. One thing was for sure, Deku was not only mauled on the shoulder, but his flesh was torn off.
He was about to rip him a new one (completely ignoring the sobbing demon collecting herself and ready to flee) when he saw his expression.
Deku growls, his pupils looking more like needles, veins popping from the side of his face as he snarls, his fangs catching at his lips.
Despite not being friends with him for a long time, Katsuki knows that look on his face. The nerd has always been an emotional child and he never did grow out of it. He has very rarely seen him mad, but right now? He was certainly pissed. With the way his eyebrow twitched, the way he was starting to hunch over, his hands slowly curling into a ball, even breaking skin with his new sharper claws. His breathing was now coming out like pants, Katsuki can even describe it as heaving.
“Deku.”
Katsuki hated this. Hated having to be the calmer one between the two of them.
“Deku. Stand down.”
But right now…
“Deku, I said stand down! ”
Of course… The nerd was always too stubborn to listen.
The demon was gone.
And Deku along with it.
“C-can someone please tell me what’s going on?!” Sabiishi finally decided to speak up, clutching the axe close to his chest, “What was that?! How did she turn into a bear?! And—”
Katsuki grabs a fist full of the front of Sabiishi’s clothes, pulling him close so roughly that he had to bend his knees, and yes, the other was much taller than the blonde currently seething with anger.
“ Hey—! ”
“Didn’t I tell you to run?”
“But I—”
“ But I —” he pulls him down further, the boy’s axe falls harmlessly to the ground, slipping from his hand, “But you what?! I told you this was my job but you still insisted on coming!”
Sabiishi tries to pry his hands away, but his grip was stronger, he couldn’t even get a proper hold because of how he was being jerked around with every raise of Katsuki’s voice.
“I’ll be fair. I admit, it was fucking stupid of me to trust you to know how to fucking dodge ! I told you to run away! I told you this—” he gestures around with his sword, “isn’t a normal bear! This is a job meant for me to do and me only. But oh! Mister Hero over here wants to help! ”
“I can’t just stand around when my little sister is still out there!”
“Too fucking bad because you already did! You just made things worse by standing around being a victim! And now Deku is— do you have any idea the danger you’re putting yourself in?! You’re a liability and a distraction! More and more people will die the longer I let that demon live, you understand that?!”
Sabiishi was speechless
“So I’m gonna fucking tell you again…Want to be useful? Then get the fuck out of my sight. ”
Katsuki shoves him, not even bothering to check whether or not he fell, sharply turning around, plan already formulating in his head, it would be hard to hunt a demon down at night in a forested area, more so with how dense and low the trees are, but he wasn’t a slouch either, he didn’t spend days outside in the forest surrounding Yukina’s home for nothing, and those days in the Final Selection prepared him for what it really felt like to be hunted and to be the hunter.
“Wait—! You’re gonna leave me here?! Hey! What about my little sister! Hey—!”
He doesn’t dignify the other with a response. He was still following, but it was out of Katsuki's hands now. If he has a death wish, he would gladly stay out of it. His job is to kill that demon, if he really insists on being collateral, that's on him.
All Katsuki has to do now is either to find her now… or stall for the sun and take her down in her own den.
This demon is stronger than those starving idiots back in Mount Fujikasane, but she wasn’t inexperienced either. She knows how to choose her own battles, choosing to instead run away from the slayer, based on that and what that old man told him on his way to the village and Hachiko’s brief information about the place, he would bet that this was brushed off as bear attacks rather than demon attacks… and when it was investigated, she was wise enough to hide. But of course a pattern happened with mostly women and children going missing, it was enough evidence of a demon’s sick motivation. But now that he has seen it for himself, this demon only targets weaker opponents.
Something wasn’t adding up though…
How was she able to evade people for so long?? She has the appearance of a child but the forest lacked anywhere for her to hide during the day…
( “Want.”
“You can’t have a rabbit, Deku…—” )
Katsuki focuses his eyes on the ground.
From the demon’s earlier behavior… she targets the weakest amongst a group…
shit…
This was bad. Very bad. Katsuki can’t afford taking his eyes off of her. There’s a high possibility that she could run into the villagers, and he doubts they could even fend off a demon despite their numbers. If she runs into them she can just heal from any of their attacks and eventually have her feast… if she does so, who knows how powerful she would get when she’s just had a meal?
And the worst case scenario…
“Wait!”
If the boy’s little sister is still out there…
“Please—! I still have to look for her! She’s the only one I have— she’s going to look for her niichan! She’s wearing a green kimono! Her hair is short and she has a flower hairpin! I need to— Hey! Listen! Her name is Fu—”
“Niichan… niichan, please—”
—ko
Fuko doesn’t know what to do. She’s scared! How could she not? That loud boom could spook anyone near it! It’s dangerous in the forest at night, niichan warned her, and she tried her best to not go there but she had no choice. She heard something out there… she got scared. She has to hide… hide… Niichan told her to stay put in one place and he’ll do his best to look for her. Yes, she remembers, niichan is always right, so she has to hide.
But where? Where should she hide? There was no place to hide. It’s just trees and trees and trees! He can find her there, she knows it!
They can easily find her anywhere!
No matter how small she would try to squeeze herself tighter and tighter she just can't seem to get small enough. Small enough not to be seen. Small enough to hide. Something was missing. Why can’t she—
She can never be found.
The last time it—
But stay put, niichan says, and she stayed.
She stayed.
She’s still staying and they’re still after her.
When will niichan come back?! When will he come back for her?! She’s tired! Tired!
Tired of the cold.
Tired of waiting.
Tired of the hunger.
Fuko… Fuko stops short from her running, slamming hard on her knees on the forest floor. Drip, drip, drip goes big globs of her tears, landing softly on the grass below, some on her frostbitten hands.
She can’t do this anymore.
She can’t keep hiding anymore.
Yes… Fuko… Fuko has to… yes… yes… like she was told…
She wasn’t weak anymore. Yes. She just had to remember that. She doesn’t need her niichan. She hasn’t needed him for a long time.
She doesn’t need to hide anymore.
She doesn’t have to hide anymore.
She hasn’t been in real danger for years… years and years…
She hasn’t been weak in years and years and—
But that boy .
That boy had power. That boy was stronger than Fuko. He had powers but he reeked of human. That was impossible. Humans can’t do that. Humans are weak, right? He told her so.
He was definitely cheating— and working with a demon?! Demons don’t work with demons. Demons don’t work with humans either.
Fuko can’t have that.
She can’t be caught off guard again.
She can’t be weak.
She won’t.
She refuses.
Fuko’s claws dig into the soil below, uprooting grass, gritting her teeth…
Her eyes catch something else on the forest floor… a pink flower pin.
Yes… yes— Fuko knows what to do.
All Fuko had to do…
(A few meters away, a little girl with dirtied knees wearing a green kimono sobs into her hands… trying not to make a single sound…)
… was to eat—
“ AAAGHHHHH—!? ”
The cheater’s little hound was back.
There was a horrifying crunching noise as the teal eyed demon bites down on her outstretched arm. The little girl shrieks, covering her ears as she cowers even more against the bark.
Her arm goes limp, her blood spraying into the other demon’s face, even getting some into his eye but he doesn’t even flinch. She could see the injuries she inflicted on him, still fresh, slow on healing, meaning he doesn’t have the years Fuko has to her name, the years and the humans she ate.
There was a clear power gap, she was clearly more experienced, he was clearly more feral.
She can take him on.
He was weaker.
“ LET GO OF FUKO! ”
She screams, her pain filled shout guttural and primal, a chunk of her small arm ripping off her bones just to get away, the sudden shhkkk -ing noise reverberated in the silent night as she stumbles backwards, the arm already filling in the gaps caused by the chomp, the fractured bone fusing back together, the threads of muscle and vessels growing back and reaching to connect to each other to close the gaping injury.
The demon simply hunched over, his body lowered to the ground. He glares at her through his curly bangs, spitting out the chunk of flesh.
She can’t help but shiver…
The other was still clearly bleeding. He was injured from her bite.
But why—
Her face elongates as she roars, her shaggy black hair slowly draping over her, her, her thin arms becoming furry, enlarging, growing more muscle than a little girl could even have, she grew taller, larger, her maw would be big enough to lop that demon’s head off his shoulder.
Fumi rushes at the other, running on four legs, her large paw aimed to strike with her sharp claws.
He turns around, scooping up her meal as her claws and on the ground where he stood, the little girl screaming as she clutches the back of the demon’s clothes, not knowing whether or not to scramble and get out of his hold, or to continue to latch on for her dear life.
Fuko worked hard on that prey. She lured her into the forest herself, she had her in her grasp even before that stupid slayer and his lap dog arrived at her forest.
She twists, her movement was slower in this form, sacrificing size and power for speed.
The demon places the girl down, turning back to her with a scowl, the little girl runs behind a tree, shaking like a leaf, blood, the demon and Fuko’s blood staining her green kimono.
He flexes his hands, spreading his legs apart, taking in another lowered stance.
Taunting.
It was like he was taunting her.
She rushes forward once more, one paw rising above her head and swinging down—
The intruding demon shrinks.
Katsuki thought he was too late when he heard that childish shriek.
Sabiishi, through sheer adrenaline alone, manages to catch up, his face twisted in horror, one hand raised to instinctively cover his ear.
When they entered the clearing, they could see the trees around them full of large scratch marks, some of the lower hanging branches strewn all across the forest floor.
“CHEATER!”
The demon screeches, her form bulging, trying to hold on to the shape, going unstable, fur appearing and reappearing, the bear’s eyes going from human to animal.
“YOU STOLE FUKO’S—!”
A green blur shoots through Katsuki’s vision—
Deku reappears, clawing at the demon’s face, making her screech, her own paws reaching to try and get her revenge, only— to Katsuki’s absolute surprise— for Deku to shrink, kicking off her quickly healing face.
Tiny hind legs kicked off her bloodied healing face, launching himself strong enough to cause a small amount of knock back, making her neck snap backwards.
Fluffy green fur with white tufts, long ears lowered with white tips, and teal slitted eyes not fit for such a prey animal…
A green rabbit lands perpendicular on a tree's sturdy bark, the surface cracking underneath the pressure of Deku's claws as his hand reappears, his form swelling back to a more humanoid shape.
( Katsuki couldn't even bring himself to be mad )
The little girl flinches, she is hiding behind the tree Deku lands on, the shaking causes leaves to descend slowly down the forest floor, framing him like some sort of…
Katsuki pushes the thought away.
“FUMI!” Sabiishi screams.
“NIICHAN!” the girl sobs, going out of her hiding spot, rushing towards her older brother.
“THIEF!”
The demon took it as a chance to target her.
Only for Deku to rush towards the girl, launching himself at her, his back shredded by the demon's claws, the force enough to send both of them sliding towards Sabiishi.
The boy didn't waste any time in grabbing his little sister— dropping the axe— she clutched at his haori, sobbing loudly into her chest.
Deku tried to get up.
But he was healing slow.
Katsuki walks in front of him, brandishing his sword, taking in a slow… and deep… breath.
The demon stood there, she was towering over him, easily eight… no, ten feet tall. He can tell from the way she was panting, hunched and drooling that she was getting frustrated, already at the end of her wits. She's not particularly smart, targeting the weak will only get you somewhere.
But faced with a foe on an even footing?
Alone?
She's fumbling.
Katsuki can't help but grin.
He rushes at her, cutting upwards, making her fall back. He doesn't know how a bear can turn even angrier, but she did, and she made sure to fight back, head butting him into a tree, but before she could bite into his side as he was pinned, he lets his quirk crackle, the explosion making her pull back enough for him to get a slash to her stomach.
She screeches.
Deku decides to join in the fight, back still bleeding, adding to the cut with four slashes, one for each sharp nail, transforming into a rabbit as she reaches her shoulder, launching himself towards Katsuki, who sends a strike towards her neck—
She goes back to her humanoid form and to Katsuki's surprise, she turns to flee.
“HAH?? WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?!”
Katsuki won't accept a coward for an opponent!
He sends a barrage of wind breath strikes as he runs, not strong enough to cause cuts, but the blunt damage of the winds causes her to flinch, stumbling forward, she runs on all fours with a desperation of a cornered animal.
“GET BACK HERE!”
If she can fight with Deku she can fight with him!
He clicks his tongue, what he really needed was the range of wind breathing, but that's clearly not something he was capable of doing at his level right now.
With no other choice, Katsuki grips tightly on his sword, hand swiping at the blunt end as he rushes head on, once that hand was free, he lets a triggers a blast behind him, propelling him forward—
“Explosion Breathing… First Form…”
He gains more speed, almost like a bullet, leaving a trail of smoke—
“Howitzer's Impact!”
.
.
.
Fuko’s niichan…
“Ha! I can’t believe he would leave her to the wolves like that!”
… was the strongest person Fuko knows.
“Using his own little sister as collateral?! If you want to gamble, you really should be ready to give anything away, I guess!”
Fuko’s niichan will protect her from the bad men…
“Come out you little shit!”
“Ugh, it’s really fucking cold out here… you even think she’s alive?”
“She better be or it’s her dear older brother on the chopping block.”
“What would we even do with her?”
“I don’t know? Sell her? Anything goes really.”
Niichan will come for Fuko…
“Did you see his face though? Ha! Running away like a coward! Hope the bear around here mauls him.”
“Bear?”
“Oh, yeah, haven’t you heard—”
Niichan…
“— there’s a family near here mauled by a bear.
P l e a s e…
“You poor thing…”
.
.
.
Katsuki didn’t stay long enough to hear Sabiishi’s frantic shouts of gratitude.
.
.
.
A rabbit.
Deku’s stupid demon blood art was being able to turn into a rabbit.
“It would’ve been very convenient to know all that before,” he shakes the back behind him, earning himself squeaks from what was inside, “Would’ve saved me the fucking trouble.”
Indeed it would.
With Hachiko flying up ahead, near enough for her to be within Katsuki’s line of sight, he was now seemingly walking alone. The cloak Yukina made was now wrapped around the eyesore of a yellow bag, for more protection against the sun just in case, with even more protection with Deku’s hat strapped on it. At least now the bag doesn’t look all that out of place.
In his rabbit form, Deku was immediately shoved inside the bag after the siblings got their reunion. The demon was tugging at Katsuki for them to stay, only for the blonde to yank him by the hair so he would turn back smaller to shove him in the bag. The smile on his face made Deku scramble to get away, but alas, unless he wanted to slow Katsuki down, he would have to get in the bag.
“I hope you’re comfortable in there, you little shit.”
Deku kicks at the back of his bag, making Katsuki let out a harsh huff of laughter.
It wasn’t that urgent of a mission, Hachiko was flying slow and low, so Katsuki had time to just relax… he didn’t get all that injured in the fight, the worse he got was an aching back— it was Deku who took much of the brunt of the demon’s blows and attention. It really was surprising for them to see a demon helping a human. Too damn bad, Katsuki can’t fucking get Deku to stop helping. It was as if being a demon turned off every single sense of danger the nerd’s brain had, but then again, Deku would always step into his blasts if it meant stopping Katsuki from directing it from someone else.
It wasn’t as if he didn’t stop doing it. That was when he was much younger. Katsuki can’t afford getting dirt in his record when he wants to be a hero, so he made sure to play nice. Not that nice though, apparently.
Silence was grating on his nerves, but it was oddly peaceful.
Katsuki and Deku have always been loud children. Katsuki was just loud. Deku just talks too much.
As they got older, Deku’s rambling turned quieter, but still a mile a minute, while he just got even louder.
This silence just felt unnatural.
It wasn’t exactly the same awkward silence they have when their mothers meet in the middle of the grocery store. It also didn’t feel as heavy as in their middle school. Katsuki doesn’t even dare call it calm.
It was odd.
Odd was a good word to use for it.
The closer they got to their destination, the louder it was. Snapping back to where he was walking, Katsuki was met with the bright yellow lights of a large city.
Asakusa, Tokyo.
It was tamer than what it was in the present, there weren't many neon signs and big screens flashing ads everywhere you go. The buildings aren't as tall and the streets aren’t as crowded, although you would still bump shoulders from time to time. There were more people wearing western clothing, although he can still see people in kimonos, and when he does, they look lavish, expensive.
There was a sense of beauty to it, how simpler the time was before, the place felt familiar, it has been a long time since Katsuki ever walked into a city like this, it was similar, but not, something was clearly missing and he can’t help but get lost in the simplicity of it all.
The bag shuffles.
“Alright, alright, I’ll get you out…”
Katsuki navigated the crowded streets like he belonged there, although he didn’t really know where he was going, it was so different from what it looked like in the present, all the possible landmarks he could’ve used probably weren't even built yet.
He ducks into alleys between buildings, ignoring the shameless drunks he encountered along the way, trying to find a decent place where Deku could finally eat, his wounds healed hours before, of course, but that took a ton of energy he doesn’t have considering he only consumes blood, not flesh.
He finds a place, it wasn’t exactly ideal nor was it sterile, but it would have to do. Deku was still a bloodied mess and ready to fall face first, his energy used up to stop the bleeding of his heaviest wounds.
He lets Deku out. He was thankful that the blood the demon had turned to dust the moment she died, he didn’t have to waste water to clean Deku’s face off because he decided (and proudly he told Katsuki about it too) to bite a chunk of the demon’s arm off.
He got a smack to the head from that.
“Do you want to do this or do I have to do everything myself?”
He took out the kit Yushiro gave him before they left.
Deku smiles, grabbing the kit, taking Katsuki’s haori sleeve to drag him towards somewhere to sit.
Katsuki lets the nerd do what he wants, the sooner they get this over with, the sooner he can focus on capturing the demon he was sent to…
The only problem is, he can’t use his quirk as freely as he could back in the forest. With so many people around, even at this time of the night, there would be no way a fight wouldn’t catch someone’s attention.
Deku tugs at his haori.
Right, his uniform was getting in the way.
He shakes the haori off his shoulder, unbuttons the rest of the gakuran down (not like he ever buttons his uniforms properly anyway) and pulls it off. He folded up the sleeves of the white uniform underneath for an easier access to his arm, looking away towards the entrance of the alley just in case someone goes in… he doesn’t know if drugs were a thing— well, drugs that were injected— but he hopes he doesn’t look like a drug addict.
He looked down at Deku, his hands were steady, this was the most focused he has ever seen him be. His pupils weren’t slits, but it wasn’t solid, still cloudy, but there was something in there, some sort of recollection, but not the kind Katsuki was hoping for. From what his old hag told him, Auntie Inko used to study medical school to be a medical technician while she went on to pursue her career in modeling. Katsuki at first thought that maybe there was something in Deku that recognizes the technique he was doing since he always did love to peruse through Auntie Inko’s old college books, trying to copy the images he would see with toys.
Katsuki could remind him… but what was the point? It was like talking to a wall.
A very agreeable wall.
Maybe Katsuki should’ve agreed with getting supplies of blood instead of this… then again, he didn’t know Deku wanted to follow him.
But of course, why did he even expect him not to always follow wherever he goes?
“Got what you need?” Katsuki sighs, rolling down his sleeve, slotting his arm back into the sleeve of his gakuran, not even bothering to button it close, he gets up, getting his haori back on.
He looks back at Deku, nodding with a smile, showing the blood he has extracted, making Katsuki look away, placing his hand on Deku’s cheek to push him away.
“DON’T FUCKING SHOW ME THAT!” he shouts, “JUST EAT ALREADY!”
Meow.
The two freezes.
“Chachamaru…?”
Deku held on to his haori as they walked, other hand clutching at the yellow scarf around his neck. Katsuki guides them through the crowd. His sword was tucked in Deku’s cloak, hiding it better than Katsuki’s short haori ever could. He has Chachamaru cradled in his arm, following the cat’s line of sight to know where to go. He didn’t want to hold the cat at first, considering the little shit bit him, but they would be more likely to get lost if they let him go.
Katsuki really hopes that it isn’t Tamayo and Yushiro he was sent after… Hachiko wouldn’t report this, right?
Of all the places… he thought that he wouldn’t see them for a long while…
He doesn’t know why Chacharmaru would approach them though
He feels a yank at his haori.
“Kacchan.”
“Not now, Deku.”
He can feel Chachamaru’s claws dig into his uniform.
“Kaachan.”
“I said, not now, Deku!” Katsuki snaps, “Stop fucking talking so I can focus on where we’re—”
“KACCHAN!”
He looks… actually looks at where Deku was looking…
“STOP!”
The scene greeting them was—
A fellow demon slayer struggling on top of a writhing man mere moments after he has bitten his wife’s shoulder. He was straddling the man, struggling with keeping him down, a piece of cloth shoved into the newly turned demon’s mouth.
“Ma’am wrap your wound with cloth and hold it as tight as you can!”
Katsuki drops the cat, moving towards the gathering crowd. He doesn’t register the subtle look of relief in the other slayer’s eyes at his arrival. He settles in front of the wounded woman, stripping cloth from the veil on Deku’s hat, placing it on her wound, holding it tight to stop the bleeding.
“My husband! He’s—”
“He’ll be fine!” he shouts through the growing number of voices.
People are noticing, people can see… they have to get the man out of here and bring him out of his misery before—
“I’m sorry, Ma’am there’s nothing else we can do we have to—”
“Wait!” the slayer shouts, “He hasn’t killed anyone yet! We have to treat this person—!”
“Are you out of your goddamn mind!? It already hurt—”
“Kacchan!”
He snaps towards Deku, slitted pupils shaking. No… his entire body was shaking. Why was he…?
He followed his line of sight.
Two pairs of red eyes, so different from one another almost… almost … meet.
Kibutsuji Muzan.
“ You—!”
And before Katsuki can declare anything else… seems one much stupider does it for him.
“Kibutsuji Muzan!”
The slayer shouts.
“No matter where you go, I’ll never let you off the hook! You’ll never get away from me! I’ll follow you through the depths of Hell and cut off your head myself!”
A rush of foot steps approaches.
“I’LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!”
The familiar scent of fresh laundry surrounds them.
Notes:
Taisho Secret #7
The demon they are fighting is named Fuko (misfortune).
She was an eight year old orphan girl afraid of everything. Her brother, who is also her main guardian, always called her out for being such an anxious bunny but always vowed to protect her. His brother got into trouble with the people he borrowed money from gambling. She runs into the woods one harsh winter night, and knowing there was a dangerous bear that was already hunting down their cattle, the debt collectors didn’t bother to really look for her.
Muzan finds her and turns her into a demon.
Once turned, she proceeds to hunt down the people from the village she was from, making them think it was the bear. They successfully kill the bear killing their livestock but go back to the village to see her eating the villagers.
Afterwards, she leaves for a new village.
Her story is based on the Sankebetsu Brown Bear Incident, the deadliest bear attack that happened in Japan during the start of the Taisho period.
[Up Next: Not So Alone]
Chapter 8: Not So Alone
Summary:
Bring your demon to work day.
Notes:
I enjoyed writing the dialogue on this hehe
And if you have questions about the fic, or if you want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
He was really hoping that he wouldn’t have to see them in a circumstance like this.
But then again, nothing really is going Katsuki’s way.
Through the flurry of paper flowers circling around them with their scents of comfort, Katsuki met Yushiro’s eyes as Tamayo spoke to the idiotic demon slayer… she was interested in him… and well, who was Katsuki to stop her?
“You… you still refer to him as a person…” she says, a hand over her chest, “even though he has become a demon… could it be that you want to save him?”
Before the other could even notice, Katsuki grabbed the woman in the confusion, half dragging, half carrying her around, nodding over to Deku, who yanks the newly turned demon husband from underneath the slayer, the demon too distracted by Tamayo’s blood demon art to even start to struggle.
“Allow me to help…”
The demons… including Katsuki… disappeared from sight.
.
.
.
“Three… there were three demons…” Tanjiro murmurs to himself as he squeezes himself out of the crowd, the confusion slowly dying down…
The demon woman helped him escape, he was starting to hear policemen, and it would’ve been very hard to try and explain the situation without letting go… without getting anyone hurt. According to his smell, the woman was definitely a demon, she held that underlying scent of rot within her all demons have, although far less. The boy beside her even less so… but through the flurry of visual distractions and confused shouts, there was another scent to his left hidden within the crowd as well… much closer…
“Kacchan!”
Tanjiro’s eyes slowly widened…
That spiky haired slayer…
Had a demon with him too…
The interior of their new safe house was the same as the compound from before, although it was much smaller than Katsuki ever anticipated. He was told that this place had a basement, however, to make things far easier for them to hide from the sun if need be… as well as to keep demons inside.
Deku happily helped with restraining the demon, locking him up in one of the cages down below, humming along the way as if what he was trying to carry wasn’t trying to wriggle away. Yushiro, on the other hand, was tasked with retrieving that idiotic demon slayer and, apparently, his sister as well, who was travelling with him. How anyone could even bring a civilian to missions just like that was beyond Katsuki, but considering his first ever impression of the guy in the Final Selection (and he does have great memory, thank you very much), he was already labeled as insane in his book.
And with that he was all alone with Tamayo, who was about done caring for the wounded woman he brought in… he felt standoffish, not given a task to do other than place her on the cot… maybe he should leave—
“Bakugo-kun.”
Shit.
He didn’t dare to turn around but the woman made that choice for him anyway. She walks past him, sitting down at her desk, her smile, usually smaller, was a bit more forced as her eyes land on him… it flashed to slits before going back to its blank look.
“Can you tell me why Midoriya-kun is with you?”
Fuck… What should he even say?! He felt too guilty to try and raise his voice at her, and not that he could, if his voice raised even just one decibel from what he considers is normal, Yushiro would surely barrel through the doors of the infirmary to elbow him in the gut.
“He insisted—”
“And who is he feeding on while you’re travelling?”
He looks away.
“Bakugo-kun.”
He hears her sigh. There were a few moments of silence, he heard the shuffling of some papers…
“Yukina-san has already sent me a letter… it was unfortunate that I received it at a much later date than preferable…”
Katsuki sneaks a peek. Lady Tamayo was holding out a folded letter, the doodles at the back made it clear who it was from. When the demon woman caught him looking, he immediately went back to glaring at something else, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his gakuran, further slouching down.
“While I understand the reasoning… you could’ve tried to contact us yourself.”
“You’re already helping with making a cure…”
“And you aren’t?”
Katsuki has nothing against that. Though he doesn’t really feel like he’s helping right now… with that first ever mission, Deku did most of the work… It frustrates him to no end. If Deku could outdo him in fighting demons, what was he good for, anyway? Sure, he has the only thing to kill them, but going toe to toe with them? He couldn’t even keep up with Deku running off, what chances does he even have against a moon?
“You are as important as we are…” Tamayo doesn’t reach out, she was told Katsuki wasn’t responsive to touch, unlike Deku was, “You are actively fighting for us, for your friend,” Katsuki scoffs, “With the amount of injuries slayers take with every mission, even just a drop of blood would save your life. You can’t spare it for Midoriya-kun’s sake. Allow us to supply the blood he needs. Allow us to lighten your load.”
Katsuki finally looks.
“Allow us to help.”
His shoulders sag…
“I—”
“MAYBE IT’S THE MUZZLE! I’LL SHOW YOU! NEZUKO IS—”
Couldn’t that slayer get anymore louder?
Tamayo lets out a soft huff of laughter.
“Seems like Yushiro already brought them here…” she says, “Why don’t you grab Midoriya-kun so we can finally have a discussion… I’m sure he would love to meet another demon like him.”
Katsuki was silently thankful for the distraction.
Wait… another demon…?
When he got back with Deku in tow, it seemed the introductions were already over, they were waiting for him at this point.
Situated around the western and japanese mashed decor (not modern western as Katsuki was used to describing) of the living room, it seems as though whatever conversation they had already faded back into silence… Tamayo sat in front of the demon slayer, with Yushiro to her right. There was another person there… laying on the tatami and wiggling around like a worm, a girl younger than them, she was staring blankly up the ceiling, her arms and legs up in the air like—
“Tamayo-san… is there a way to turn a demon back to hu—”
“A demon…?”
That catches the attention of Earrings, his words dying in his tongue, he immediately snapped his head back to look up at him from where he sat.
“You’re—” he looked even more apprehensive when his eyes wandered over Deku.
Katsuki narrows his eyes down at him, his mood going deeper and deeper in the gutters.
The other senses this, flinching and looking back towards Tamayo as she starts to address him.
“That is one of the things I would like to address, Kamado-san,” she begins, motioning for Katsuki to sit with them, and he sat right in front of Yushiro, who was glaring at the floor.
Deku waddled his way towards the new demon, Katsuki opts to call her Ribbon due to the accessory on her hair. Deku tilts his head at her, and she pauses her movements to tilt her head right back at him.
“This is Bakugo Katsuki,” she introduces him, “And to answer your question… yes, I do believe it is possible… and you are not the only one who asked.”
Earrings’ eyes widened, he was looking at Katsuki like he had solved world hunger. His eyes were sparkling and he almost swore it was also shining with a thin sheen of tears, his hands that were fisted on top of his thighs shook, mouth opening and closing like a dying fish.
“You’re just like me and Nezuko!” Katsuki almost stumbles into Deku (who was wrestling the muzzle out of Ribbons’ mouth) as Earrings almost bulldozes him over, grabbing his hands into his, smiling so bright it was almost blinding, “My name is Kamado Tanjiro! It’s nice to— This is— what are the odds!? Another demon slayer trying to find a cure for—”
Did he just sniff?!
“FUCKING GET OFF ME!”
(Tanjiro was not at all deterred at almost getting thrown into the wall.)
“Bakugo-kun.”
Well— shit, that was the second time she used that tone on him!
Well, at least he didn’t blast him off to space! Does he even know the concept of personal space?! Just grabbing people’s hands like that?! He was already fucking weird the first time he saw him and now he pulls this bullshit—
“He just fucking sniffed at me!” he shoves an accusatory finger towards Earrings’ way as he was getting back up from being shoved. Now he sounds fucking insane, “I know you all saw that—”
Tamayo closes her eyes, taking one deep breath.
(Tanjiro was too happy to even care about the hostility he was receiving from both boys. He continued to smile as he silently compared the two, it seems Tamayo had a habit of taking in strong personalities).
“Yes, your goals are both the same,” she continues once everyone has settled down again, “In Bakugo-kun’s instance, it was his friend who got turned into a demon. Midoriya Izuku…”
Deku slides into the conversation, looking at them all upside down as he holds up a muzzle Ribbons was pawing to get back. Tamayo pats his head, making him grin before going back to whatever game the two idiots were doing.
“Is a special case. Unlike your sister who gets her energy from sleeping as you have told, Izuku-kun gets his energy similarly to Yushiro and I.”
“But… earlier, you said— you said you only managed to create one demon in…”
Yushiro slowly tilts his head towards him, imploring he chooses his words wisely.
“... in all of your previous attempts. Is Midoriya-san…?”
“No. He is turned by Kibutsuji himself.”
Earrings turned to him, brows furrowed with this expression Katsuki can only describe at pity . He was taking Yushiro’s route and glared at the tatami in front of him, silently blowing up the other in his head as he can feel the tiny explosions within his palm cause billows of a tiny amount of smoke waft into the air.
Thankfully, the other doesn’t pry.
“I had to modify his body myself, replacing most, if not all of Kibutsuji’s blood in his body, although his cells are mostly comprised of his… due to the fact that he has already tasted human blood before I had the chance to regulate it, I doubted the procedure would take at first, but he continues to surprise me with his resilience, although he does need more blood than Yushiro to survive.”
(Yushiro almost looked smug).
“Bakugo-kun, just like you, became a demon slayer in order to aid me in my research for the cure… you see, any kind of injury or disease as some sort of remedy or treatment. Although we can’t turn demons back into humans at this stage, I do believe it is possible with the right amount of knowledge… that is where you two would come in. In order for me to create an antidote I need more research. I need large quantities of blood— demon blood.”
She looks straight into Earrings’ eyes, determination (and spite) clearly written in her usually blank eyes.
“I have two requests…”
And Katsuki watches as the other just, seemingly couldn’t help but nod.
“Firstly, I would like to examine your sister’s blood… to see what makes her different. Her condition is unique, something I have never seen before. It seems like she has undergone some change although not as forceful or invasive as mine. You said she went into a coma for two years, correct? Perhaps the changes occurred then. Usually, if a demon doesn’t have access to flesh, both human or animal, they would’ve gone feral, as it takes a large amount of energy to maintain the body after transformation. Izuku-kun was fortunate to have had us before it was too late.”
Deku perks up once more, shoving Ribbons off him to bump his head into Tamayo’s side, she smiles softly, patting his head.
“Even still, before the procedure, Izuku-kun was still feral, and afterwards even more so. We had him used to receiving blood for weeks before he got to this stage and yet, looking at Nezuko, she doesn’t seem to show the effects of having these symptoms. This miracle is clearly a key to our research.”
Earrings looks down at his younger sister, gently brushing his knuckles on her forehead, she responds, gently grabbing his hands for him to continue, humming in content.
“What is… this second request…?”
“This request will be a heavy burden, one that Bakugo-kun is already on his way of doing,” she gives Katsuki a cursory glance, “I need blood samples from demons who had large quantities of Kibutsuji’s blood. It is a dangerous ordeal, as those demons are just as powerful as he is. It will not be easy to harvest blood from them.”
When Katsuki decides to look at Earrings’ face he immediately feels the urge to just explode it away. He was smiling, but not a bright sunny smile, it was different, so full of an emotion Katsuki doesn’t understand. And his eyes— the way it shined like— oh… oh no… it wasn’t…
He clicks his tongue, turning away.
Deku wore the exact goofy face when he showed his quirk off at kindergarten. That look of admiration, of awe, that surely “Kacchan would be such a great hero!” . Katsuki wonders what’s going on in Earrings’ head, has he not heard how dangerous it was? What Katsuki was risking by doing what Tamayo had asked of him? It wasn’t something to be amazed about.
“Knowing this… do you still wish to fulfill my requests?”
He looks away from the explosive boy, a look of contemplation on his face as Ribbons’ nuzzles her cheeks into his hand.
He scoffs.
Even if that bastard said no, Katsuki doesn’t mind.
“Seeing Bakugo-kun already doing this for his friend—”
“He’s not my—”
“— it compels me to join as well. If you manage to find a cure with a lot of demon blood, Tamayo-san, then… not only will Nezuko be helped, but Midoriya-san as well. Midoriya-san and everyone turned against their will. Everyone will be saved.”
He turned to her and smiled, he does that a lot.
And this time, Tamayo couldn’t help but smile right back.
Earrings blushed and Yushiro was growling like a chihuahua on steroids.
He was already bracing himself for another one of Yushiro’s outbursts when—
“GET DOWN!”
Deku shoves himself into Tamayo in line with Yushiro yell.
The room shook as the lights went out. Multiple somethings came barreling into the room, crashing through one of the walls and bouncing everywhere, destroying things in its wake. Earrings covered his sister as Katsuki unsheathed his sword, bracing for an impact that never came as things started to quieten…
When he opened his eyes, Yushiro stood protectively in front of Tamayo, with a look in his eyes that slowly started morphing into anger when it caught his eyes. Katsuki barely glances at him when he sees it. Floating in the middle of the room, two balls, two temari balls floating in midair…
Has this caused all that damage?
He stepped to the side as they slowly— and mockingly he might add— returned to the hands of its owners.
Two demons stood before them, grinning from ear to ear like they had just received the ultimate prize. Physically, they look around their age, perhaps a little bit younger as Katsuki was told some demons tend to not look their ages often. The boy had short black hair, nothing to even note anything of, wearing a yellow and black kimono, his skin equally, or perhaps even paler than Izuku’s, looking more garish, his eyes were close as he lifted his hand up where an eye was placed. It looked as ugly as the boy was, with green sclera and orange irises and… an arrow-like pupil? The girl doesn’t look as flattering either, with a bright orange kimono to boot, her hair was just as choppy and fugly, the tips fading sharply into orange, her irises the same exact color… she has a favorite apparently.
“You’re right, Yahaba!” the girl laughs as she watches the dust slowly settle, “A house just appeared out of nowhere!”
“Do you really have to make a mess of things though, Susamaru?” the boy, Yahaba, clicks his tongue in annoyance, dusting himself off, “I hate getting dirty, it’s disgusting.”
“Getting dirty is part of the fun!”
Those god awful eyes on Yahaba’s palms found them in the rubble of the destroyed room.
“It seems that they used a Demon Blood Art that can hide entities…” he suddenly frowns… no… was that a grimace? “The demon slayer we were sent after is actually with the demons… what an idiot…”
Shit.
“What’s going on?”
Katsuki slowly cranes his head over to Tanjiro… that damned idiot. If he wasn’t such a fucking blabbermouth that man never would’ve found the reason to have them hunted down!
“This is going to be so fun!!”
“Let me remind you again to not be so idiotic and use your brain just this once… If another speck of dirt lands on my kimono—”
“Oh, you’d be fine ! Thanks to my temari we found them, so quit your whining!”
She started bouncing the ball, the sound of clinking bells joined them through the silence of the night.
“I can finally enjoy myself to the fullest!”
She sends the handballs through the building once more— they bounced from wall to wall, sometimes through midair, changing trajectories so sharply through some unseen force, his hands sparked—
If he can just find a pattern in the movements, his explosions would be enough to parry it away.
But there was someone still injured inside in another room, thankfully far from where they sat now… but if he were to use his quirk right now, this isn’t the safest place to be in right now, she needs to be as far away as possible… with a house made of wood, his explosions would—
“Don’t just fucking stand there, Deku!”
Teal eyes snapped up. Good, for once, Deku’s inability to think for himself was useful.
“Take the woman and Lady Tamayo out of here—”
“Outside is too dangerous!” Tamayo looked ready to protest when Deku grabbed her tighter, “This place has a basement— Izuk-kun can you take her down—”
“Take both of them down to the basement!” Katsuki orders.
“I will not leave you to—”
(Any doubts Tanjiro had disappeared… if Bakugo knew her long and was willing to protect her, then this was just an unfortunate circumstance, she was caught in this mess.)
Yushiro was nodding in approval, trusting the younger demon to get their lady out of here.
“You should go, Lady Tamayo! Let us—”
“YUSHIRO!”
Splat.
“ Awe~ It didn’t hit all the way…~”
Deku grunts as they both land on the floor, the handball was inches from popping Yushiro’s head like a grape if it weren’t for him tackling him away, but it didn’t mean he was safe either. The side of his head was caught, a round curve was carved on the upper left side of his head, his left eye gone along with it.
“Learn to move out the way, dumbass !”
“Learn to warn me better this time, stupid !”
Katsuki clicks his tongue, this was no good. It’s such a tight space, he couldn’t effectively use his techniques, both for his breathing and wind. They need to take the fight outside, towards the demons, where he has free reign.
“Get to the corners.”
“What?” Yushiro looked at him like he was an idiot, “Aren’t you just yelling about getting away from here?!”
“If you don’t want to get hit go to the damn corners!”
Tamayo cradled Yushiro’s body as he recovers, blood vessels and muscles were slowly but surely getting rebuilt and Katsuki surprised himself by not reacting as bad as Tanjiro did, considering the fact that Deku was more willing to get himself hit in their first mission, seeing Yushiro get hit wasn’t that alarming, as he can heal much faster than Deku could. He’ll be fine.
Deku drags Tamayo and Yushiro to the farthest corner they can find, away from the holes the temari made that exposes them to the outside. Tanjiro grabs his sister, tucking both of them on another corner… silently wondering what the other meant by getting hit—
BOOM!
The wall caves outward, more wood and dust splinters from the infrastructure. Deku took it as his chance to make a mad dash to the other room, with Nezuko bumping shoulder to shoulder with each other, surprised to find them having the same exact goal as told by their special people.
“Explosives…” Tanjiro whispers, slowly settling himself a little behind Katsuki to peer outside as well.
The balls never once stopped their movement— however— they did slow down before getting called back away.
As the dust settles once more…
Katsuki sneers…
“There’s two?!” Eyeballs back off, more because of the dust than anything.
“Who cares?!” Susamaru matches Katsuki’s energy, leaning forward in her excitement, “That one’s just collateral! We just need to kill him off so we can focus on who really matters!”
She gestures towards Earrings, her enclosed hand around her temari slowly lifting up for another throw.
“You—! The slayer with the hanafuda earrings! I’ll bring your head to our lord on a silver platter!”
“Lady Tamayo—!” Tanjiro looked over his shoulder, Yushiro was still standing protectively in front of her, “They’re after me! Please follow Bakugo-san’s request and get out of here!”
Tamayo shakes her head like it was such a silly request, “You two don’t need to worry about us… we’re demons,” she holds Tanjiro’s gaze, “Focus on yourselves and the fight, we can heal, you cannot.”
“We should never have involved him in the first place,” Yushiro hisses, “Bakugo-san was good enough, he isn’t that much of an idiot! My blindfold technique isn’t perfect, you know that! The more people I try to hide, the more obvious their traces are! The easier Kibusuji would find you! And worst of all they ruined my time with you!”
He turns to her, grabbing her shoulders in a gentler manner despite the fact that his veins are practically bulging with anger, his head completely healed.
“Anyone who interrupts my time with you… I hate them… I despise them all! Never will I ever forgive them! ”
“What did you say?!”
Susamaru couldn’t help but laugh.
How hilarious was this one lowly demon raving about something so trivial?! It was hilarious! Utterly hilarious!
“This will be so much fun !”
She throws her haori up in the air.
“You should be proud…” she loosens her top, throwing it off into the air, “You should be honored to be killed by me!”
Her sides bulged rapidly like something was trying to get out… and something eventually did. Growing out from the sides of her chest were two more sets of pale veiny muscular arms.
“One of the Twelve Demon Moons!”
Katsuki scoffs while Tanjiro just stands there, more confused than anything. There was no doubt she was powerful, much more powerful than their respective first fights, but she was no moon.
“One of the Twelve Moons?! Ha! Don’t flatter yourself! If you really are what you claim you are…” he pulls his lower eyelid down, emphasising on his eye, “Then your eyes would show it. I’ve seen a demon moon and you don’t even come close ! You’re just a wannabe trend hopper shooting for a spot you’ll never get!”
He can see the veins on Susamaru’s face bulge in anger.
“ SHUT UP!” She shouts, “How should a slayer like you know that?! Our lord gave us enough blood— he’ll surely promote us after this! You don’t know what you’re saying!”
She starts bouncing six temaris…
“Deal with him, Yahaba… I want to play without distractions…”
“Bakugo-san!”
Katsuki was dragged away by an invisible force—
He couldn’t help but let out a gasp as he body was launched and thrown onto every surface imaginable, from the ground to the trees to the walls and dragged through the side of the building— every hit burned and cracked his body with pain he has never experienced before. As he was being thrown about, he tried his best to look for the source, to look for who was dragging him around like a ragdoll to no avail until he was lifted up in the air, writhing.
The others weren’t faring well inside either. Tanjiro couldn’t quite hit the temaris bouncing off of the walls and whenever he tried, it would somehow change directions. Even if he did manage to cut it, the balls would still make an impact, though not hard enough to cause grievous injuries. The only thing he can do now is to play defense for himself… he felt awful for it, unable to protect Tamayo and Yushiro, who were still off to the side, the latter wrapping his body around the other to try and take most of the blows, and blows they did receive.
“Lady Tamayo! Yushiro-san!”
This was bad… he can smell there were two demons, from what the girl has said, his hunches were confirmed. He can’t protect and kill those demons at this rate— he—
“Ignore us! We can heal our wounds!”
Nezuko and Deku rushed back into the destroyed room.
“Izuku!”
Yushiro calls out and Midoriya immediately rushes to his aid, hands pawing at his newer head wound. Produces two pieces of paper from his haori, pinching it between his pointer and middle finger.
“You, useless demon slayer!” he then calls out to Tanjiro, “Can’t you see the arrows?! You’ll know its direction if you just pay attention! Dodge the arrows!”
“Arrow…?”
“Seriously…” Yushiro growls out, “Just as I suspected. I’ll just have to lend you my sight!”
Both of Yushiro’s eyes glowed a bright cyan, the papers following suit. He throws the paper towards him, it flapped in the wind, landing right on his forehead… and in an instant—
Red arrows appeared in his vision.
Tanjiro can see it now, the arrows were guiding the temari— their movements weren’t as erratic and random as he thought they were! He manages to dodge this time around, much more effectively than before.
“Thank you, Yushiro-san! I can see them now!”
“Give this to Bakugo and quick,” Yushiro hands Midoriya the piece of paper, which he takes into his mouth, “And catch him if you can.”
Midoriya transforms, going on all fours and shifting into a green curly haired rabbit,
“Nezuko! Go outside and find the arrow demon!”
Nezuko gives her humming affirmative as the tree of them rush outside—
Shit—
Katsuki was high up… whoever was doing this— if he doesn’t cushion his fall he’d surely—
He was falling.
He twists his body, looking down as the ground got closer and closer, Earrings and his sister rushed outside, the girl jumped into the trees as her brother faced the other demon head on. It was surprising that he has managed to dodge the temaris far better this time around, but he can’t worry about that right now—
He grins… this was the perfect position actually…
He landed just in time to cut three arms off the temari demon, the same time as Earrings cut the other tree off… and with a well timed explosion to cushion his fall, she was blown to the side in her shock.
The fall still hurt like a bitch, his explosions were unpracticed in catching himself, and the recoil strained his wrist, but no matter, it still managed to get her with it.
He rolls onto his stomach, trying to catch his breath with everything aching, he doesn’t want to have to break a bone so early into being a demon slayer.
Deku appears right in front of him in his rabbit form, slapping his forehead with a piece of paper.
“The fuck is—”
Deku grabbed his wrist as a human now, shaking his head.
“Lady Tamayo— even if Bakugo-san said they weren’t a demon moon— would you say their blood could be useful for you right now!” Earrings asks just as Katsuki got back on to his feet.
“It might be useful.”
“Then, I’ll harvest their blood for you!”
“ Eh—??? Harvest our blood you say?” Six-arms craned her neck towards them, and one by one, like she was showing off, her arms popped right back, healing in a blink of an eye, “I don’t know what the heck you’re trying to pull but I won’t allow you to do such a thing, something that will enrage our lord!”
She turns to them.
“You think you can harvest my blood?! One of the—”
“Enough with the false claims already!” Katsuki shouts, “You and that buddy of yours are weak compared to a moon!”
( “What is he doing?! Purposely making them mad?!” )
Nezuko gets thrown back towards them, Deku manages to catch her just in time. Eyeballs looked pissed, dusting his kimono off as he landed.
The girl’s smile drops.
“I’ll eat you alive for that mouth of yours… I’ll make sure to rip that damn tongue out first.”
“Enough already…”
Katsuki gets lifted again— Deku tries to reach for him—
“Kill that demon slayer and be done with it, Susamaru!”
Katsuki was getting thrown again and it was getting out of hand— this time around, he can see the arrows dragging him around. Using the hand free from gripping on to his sword, he tried to blast towards the opposite direction but it wasn’t slowing him down one bit.
“ Ugh! All this dust and soot— how are you even doing that?! Where are these explosions coming fr—”
Eyeballs shouts in alarm, Deku swipes at him from behind, causing him to get distracted before Katsuki could even be launched towards the skies once more.
“Get away from me you’re dirty!”
More arrows were sent in all directions. Katsuki found it the hard way that the arrows couldn’t simply be cut down, they can’t be redirected as well, even with his weak wind slashes and his explosions. Deku and Katsuki got close a few times, and even then, whenever they got close, an arrow simply redirects the blows, redirects their flow and makes them fall back in order not to get caught in its currents.
This guy was starting to frustrate him!
Wind breathing was more raw force, explosion breathing even more so. It’s not something he can use to redirect something that already has a predetermined direction. He needs something that can go with the flow, something that can redirect the arrows by not using force, but its own momentum— he doesn't have anything remotely close to—
(From the corner of his eyes, he sees Tanjiro parry a bunch of hand balls… water flowed around him in a spiral…)
He rolls onto the ground, planting his feet securely on the ground, causing dirt to be moved, he swipes his sweaty palm on the back of his sword—
He needs to surprise him enough to—!
BOOM
His sword doesn’t land the hit, an arrow directed at his feet makes him miss his mark. He landed hard on his jaw as another arrow pierced through him to lift him up and up— another greets him half way and he was shoved back towards the brick wall with so much force it dislodged some of it, pinning him. He grits his teeth.
This was bad… at this rate— if this continues on he’ll—
He felt something wrap around his neck… the arrow—
“I’ll twist your head for getting me this dirty, you monkey.”
“Kacchan!” Deku yells—
He was pushed back, colliding straight into Nezuko, who was already falling over from her bleeding missing leg.
Katsuki sees another arrow… they coiled around his neck, pointing at two separate directions.
His body moved to the right— his neck to the left—
Shit.
Shit—!
“ Gahkk—! ”
He gasps, falling over and bracing himself by trying (and failing) to roll on his shoulder.
“YOU LITTLE— UGH! HOW DARE YOU—”
Katsuki looks at the ground… there was a patch on the ground like someone took a fistful of dirt and…
A pair of feet slowly faded into his vision.
“Don’t you think I’ve forgotten about you, scum!” Yushiro yells, pointing at Eyeballs with the hand still closed around a fistful of dirt, “You were hitting us on purpose… I will never forgive you for hurting Lady Tamayo!”
“Tamayo…” Eyeballs even had the gall to grin, albeit wobbly, “the traitor?! Would you look at that! This is something even better!”
He opened his eyes, his actual eyes on his face as well as his palms and Yushiro was swept up into the air, the other hand facing towards Katsuki. Even more arrows showed up behind the demon, his grin going feral.
“All you have to do is die so we can claim two heads for our lord to give us our ultimate rewards!!”
SHWOOM—!
“Explosion Breathing… Fifth Form…”
BOOM!!
“GAHHHHHHH—! MY EYES!”
“Stun Grenade!”
The arrows all continued their assault as Yahaba screams for the agony fof his eyes, it felt like dawn came early.
Just one more— one more!
Smoke wrapped around him as he twists, twirling with the use of his quirk, gaining more and more speed, the arrows shook midair, twisting along with the smoke as he torpedoes faster and faster, gaining even more speed with each arrow caught in his own explosive current.
“Explosion Breathing… First Form…”
“NO!”
Yahaba raises his hand, it was no use—
“I’M NOT LETTING A DIRTY MONKEY TOUCH MY NE—”
.
.
.
“Howitzer’s Impact.”
.
.
.
“Kamado-san… don’t cut her neck just yet.”
“But don’t we need her dead to…”
“Yes, but her blood and along with any of her body parts will disintegrate due to your sword… let me deal with her.”
…
“Yahaba!”
Susamaru yells.
No… no! This is bad— this is bad!! First that stupid demon girl managed to kick her temaris back and that stubborn green rabbit kept on blocking the blows she managed to land on that stupid hanafuda wearing slayer’s body— now that insulting demon slayer managed to behead Yahaba?!
She’s done! She’s not going to let her arms be cut off anymore! She is done with the close calls to her neck!
“I’m done playing!”
She hunches over, regrowing her arms one last time.
“I AM ENDING THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL—”
“Before you do… let me ask you a question.”
Tanjiro lets Tamayo walk in front of him.
“Do you truly know Kibutsuji’s true nature?”
Tanjiro almost flinches when Midoriya covers his nose and mouth with a cloth. His eyes drifted down to Tamayo’s arm tucked behind her, her blood slowly trickling down, unnoticed by Susamaru as her face fell.
“What do you mean?!”
“That man is a coward, it’s as simple as that,” Tamayo continues, ignoring the loud explosion to her right, “He’s always afraid of something…”
“Shut up! STOP IT!”
“And that fear is the reason why demons rarely live together, why demons slaughter each other… because Kibutsuji fears an uprising… that demons of his own design would band together to attack him. That is why… he uses such a backhanded method to control all of you coded right in your very cells…”
“SHUT UP! Our lord isn’t as petty as you said.”
“Are you sure?”
“Our lord’s power is unparalleled! He is stronger than everyone! I won’t let you insult Lord Kibutsuji that—”
Tamayo stares Susamru down… her face was blank… it was almost like she pitied the poor girl.
Susamaru drops the temaris she had in her hands, her upper main arms clutched at her mouth in horror.
She said his name…
She said…
“You said his name…” Tamayo lifts her hand up, revealing her trick, wisps of her blood demon art wafts around the yard, “The curse will be activated.”
(Off to the side, Yushiro was wrestling a cloth over Katsuki’s mouth and nose as the other kept shoving him away despite clearly having broken ribs.)
“Although you are pitiful… I bid you farewell…”
“NO! NO PLEASE!”
Katsuki finally looks up. Their final opponent was grovelling to the skies, her upper arms raised up high, begging to the moon.
“PLEASE FORGIVE ME! PLEASE! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!”
She drops the last temari she had in her hold… it rolled over to him.
Her skin grew dark, pulsating as she hunches over, she can see the blood in her veins rushing towards her head, to her torso as she screams.
Sprouting from her stomach were two scarred muscular arms, another one from her open mouth, preventing her to scream her pleads for forgiveness in the winds, to the lord that would never listen.
Tamayo closed her eyes, Deku looked straight ahead. Tanjiro, Yushiro, and Katsuki were the only ones watching as the arms slowly bent back… grabbing at her body, grabbing at her head… her squeals of pain sounded like pigs getting slaughtered… until…
SPLAT… SQUISH… CRush… squelch… crack…
Nothing was left but a twitching arm and her clothes.
“Is she… dead…?”
Tanjiro’s muffled question roused everyone from their own silence.
“If she isn’t already… she will be,” Katsuki replies.
“Demons fighting each other is usually pointless… there was no way of killing each other, only the sun and a demon slayer’s sword are capable of it. However, there is another way, a curse all demons have. Speaking Kibutuji’s name triggers this curse, causing one's own body to slowly destroy itself, Kibutsuji’s own cells self-destructing…”
Deku came back out of the rubble bringing Tamayo a syringe.
“I believe Bakugo-kun was already acquainted with it…”
She was right… the demon that dragged them to the past… the curse wasn’t used but she was killed either way by Kibutsuji’s own hands. He never understood back then, but he does now… he fully understands now.
Although, even back then, Katsuki already knew that he wasn’t merciful to his own subjects either.
“Even if she’s not of the demon moons, I hope this blood sample can provide a lead in creating the cure,” with the blood sample collected, she slowly makes her way to Nezuko, “We should all head inside.… you both don’t look outwardly injured aside from some scrapes but I would like to be sure you’re alright.”
Katsuki follows without much of a fuss, Deku, whose clothes are just as a mess as Yushiro’s was because of all the times he lets himself get hit, practically skipped over to him, trying to reach out to pat his head the same way Nezuko did to him earlier when he joined their fight against Susamaru.
“DON’T FUCKING LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT YOU LITTLE—”
(Katsuki notices Tanjiro handing the unmoving hand the fallen temari.)
Notes:
Tanjiro thinks Katsuki is the coolest person in the world.
From their first meeting, he starts to admire Katsuki because of all the hardships he has gone through, that to him, he has already overcome.
To Tanjiro, Katsuki smells like sweet burning caramel, and deep down, even though he had a rough uninviting personality, Tanjiro smelled a bit of relief when Katsuki found that he was in the same situation.
Izuku, although he smells like rot like every other demo do, he smells like overripe strawberries.
[Up Next: Push and Pull]
Chapter 9: Push and Pull
Summary:
brother from another...
Notes:
This was a very fun chapter to write.
I also really love writing horror as that is where I started from when it comes to writing. I really want the demons to feel very scary, if not through their appearances, then through their words and actions so writing Rui, my favorite of the moons, was fun.
I also made this. It's art of the first chapter!! It's even on my tumblr here!!
Anyways, enjoy!!
And if you have questions about the fic, or if you just want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Katsuki wasn’t as injured as they had anticipated. They would’ve thought getting thrown around at a lethal velocity would have resulted in broken ribs at best and a combination of broken bones along with a concussion at worst but all Katsuki received was some bruising, a few scrapes here and there, and aching around his chest (along with a crick in his neck he refuses to acknowledge).
It was already backed by modern science that quirked individuals, or at least most humans in the future evolved to be much more durable to accommodate for the possibility of developing their quirks early on, to avoid further harm as the quirk manifests. Even Deku was one tough cookie to crack, managing to handle his explosions whenever Katsuki lashes out at him for being such a dumbass, the worse injury he ever got from Katsuki was just first degree burns manifesting into spark like burns across his skin that would soon fade into something unnoticeable in weeks.
Tamayo was fascinated, of course, it wasn’t everyday you see a human with demonic qualities that you’re very much sure is still human.
They migrated into the basement when the sun finally rose, and it wasn’t like they could still stay on the upper floors, it was completely thrashed.
Katsuki was forced to sit through not one, but two idiotic brainless demons trying their best to “bandage” him up even though Tamayo already dressed his scrapes and bruises.
Deku was understandable, his dumbass has been even more clingy and attention seeking ever since he became a demon… but Earrings’s little sister too??
“Stop fucking laughing Simpshit—!”
Yushiro chokes on his laughter, turning around to face the wall, his body shaking as he was wracked with barely contained laughter. Even Tamayo was amused, hiding her smile behind her hand— the nerve!
“GET OFF ME YOU LITTLE SHITS!”
BOOM!
Deterred by the popping of Katsuki’s quirk, Nezuko pouts, moving away from him as Deku stayed, already used to his little outbursts, somewhere deep in his mind he probably remembered Katsuki doing all the time, not even bothering to move away, smiling as if it were just some silly thing he does sometimes.
“Lady Tamayo…?”
Oh, great, he finally decided to join them. What was he even doing up there that he waited for the sun to come up?
“Down here, Tanjiro,” Tamayo calls out, going out into the hallway, Nezuko hopped away from Katsuki to join her and Yushiro, having a pep in her step, “We moved to the basement before the sun came out so we won’t get exposed.”
“Nezuko!!” Earrings managed to get down, that stupid little smile on his face once more. Katsuki decided to hang out at the door instead of the hallway, watching as Nezuko ran happily back towards her brother for a hug and a head pat, “Is everyone alright?”
“We are alright, Tanjiro” Tamayo smiles, “I have already checked Bakugo-kun over for injuries, do you want me to check on…?”
“Ah, I’m fine, Lady Tamayo!!” Earrings shakes his head, “Izuku managed to block most of the blows… oh— where are—”
Izuku happily peeks from, eyes squinting as he smiles, waving at Earrings’ direction.
“Ah… Bakugo-san must be…” Earrings craned his neck for a bit, ah, there it is, the tuft of blonde hair trying to hide away, “I’m glad everything worked out in the end…”
Nezuko lets go of their hug, making his brother let out a confused exclamation of her name.
She runs back towards them, throwing her arms open and hugging Tamayo with a soft hum. Yushiro doesn’t seem to be laughing now.
“Hey!” Yushiro shouts, “You can’t just hug Lady Tamayo without permission! You’re being too disrespectful—”
“Yushiro, it’s alright.”
“R-Right!”
Tamayo places a hand on Nezuko’s back, gently patting her. Katsuki doesn’t even hide the snort he does, he doesn’t even bother to muffle it either. Deku tilts his head at Katsuki with that goofy smile of his, and then back at the scene unfolding right in front of them.
“What are you laughing at you—”
Yushiro was cut off by a hand on his head… gently patting… he all but growls, glaring at the culprit who was just happily clinging on to Tamayo. Her mouth was moving, trying to form words but all that came out were garbled noises, it was as if she was gently chiding Yushiro for something.
Katsuki couldn’t help but keel over laughing.
“ HA! Get karma, you fuck!”
“Stop that!”
Unfortunately, Yushiro didn’t have the built in nerd repellant like Katsuki.
“She’s been like this ever since we’ve relocated down here…” Tamayo says, just letting Nezuko do what she wants, “Is she okay??”
Earrings let out a soft chuckle as he walks nearer.
“She’s alright… I think she’s seeing you as our family members.”
Huh…?
“Is she really all that out of it in the head for that to happen?”
“Kacchan…” Deku huffs, frowning at him.
Katsuki clicks his tongue and looks away, crossing his arms.
“Ah… not like that,” Earrings rubs the back of his neck, “My teacher, Urokudaki-san planted this sort of suggestion in Nezuko while she was in a coma. She sees people as family and more often than not fights to protect them.”
“But that only applied to humans, no?” Tamayo asks, “As you said before Bakugo-kun arrived. We’re demons… how can she possibly…?”
(After Takeo wrestles Nezuko’s arm away, she huffs, rolling her eyes as if Takeo was the stubborn one before switching the arms hugging her mother to pat Shigeru’s head, who was more happy to bump his head into her hand. Rokuta had his arms crossed… ah, Nezuko was neglecting him too, but he was being fussy and wouldn’t let her near him… maybe a walk later would bring him down…)
“Then Nezuko deems you as human! It means she wants to protect you three…”
Katsuki watches Tamayo’s expression shift… her eyes widened.
“I don’t really like the fact that Nezuko has these suggestions… but thank goodness she still has some of her own consciousness— ah! Lady Tamayo!”
She was… crying…
Bit by bit, small globs of tears rolled down her cheeks. Her expression seemed that of shock… even Yushiro looked shocked. They didn’t expect her to have this sort of reaction. She wrapped her arms fully around Nezuko this time, burying her face into her shoulders and Nezuko took her hand away from Deku to squeeze her back tighter.
“I’M SO SORRY! NEZUKO— NEZUKO LET GO OF HER—”
Deku pouts, he wraps his arms around both of them as well.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, NERD?!”
Katsuki grabbed the back of Deku’s clothes but Yushiro shook his head.
Tamayo releases one hand from Nezuko, placing it on Deku’s arm as she silently shakes from her tears…
Katsuki lets go.
“Thank you… Thank you, Nezuko… thank you…”
After that, Earrings was offered the same thing Deku already refused for Katsuki. It seems Nezuko also wanted to stay…
Typical.
“E-Eh…??? Nezuko, where's your muzzle?!”
.
.
.
Katsuki doesn’t know why he even bothered…
It was always him and Deku in the end, it was getting quite frustrating actually. If his so-called “friends” weren’t all that incompetent when it comes to academics, he would’ve chosen one of them rather than get stuck with the social reject…
But he has to admit, the nerd has his uses.
Deku is smart, everyone knew it, but his class ranking was more so situated right in the middle of the pack. It wasn’t due to any malicious manipulation behind the scenes as far as he knows… hopefully… but Deku’s grades have been slipping ever since they got to middle school. Grade school Deku has always been in the lead, trailing behind Katsuki like some leech— but now…
Deku’s eyes don't spark when learning anymore… and Katsuki was sure he wasn’t even listening in class. His head is always down, scribbling on that obnoxiously titled stalker notebook of his, which was even more detailed than his school notes ever was and ever will be. It wasn’t like he was getting dumber, he just wasn’t really paying attention. He can still pass decently, it’s just… not as the way it once was.
And in group projects, Deku was usually the one left to do all the work… in group projects he never falls behind. If he isn’t the leader he would just do what was asked of him and nothing else, if he was the leader he was have to reach out all throughout the days before the deadline only to cram it at the last possible second… and what always happens to him was the latter. It was pathetic, really, those stupid extras aren’t going to get real jobs in the future if they’re not willing to put in any work. He doesn’t feel bad about Deku either, he doesn’t even have a spine to try and defend himself, let alone tell his group mates to pull more of their weight. “When you’re grouped with Deku, you wouldn’t have to worry at all”, it’s pathetic.
Katsuki on the other hand, was too much of a control freak in group projects. He would oftentimes volunteer himself to be the leader to make sure everything was up to standard, even more. It was already a guarantee that you would get a higher grade… except his methods were so harsh on their fragile little egos that only the most desperate ones would even dare approach him. And if no one did, Katsuki would just drag you, you have no choice. He would make you redo everything you did if he sensed even just a sliver of half assed work, he’d make sure nothing was ever done at home, no one was going home until their bullshit work was done. It was a stressful environment to be around.
You’d be better off with Deku, he doesn’t complain.
So when group work was once again assigned… this time by twos…
Katsuki finds himself all alone.
And Deku was the only one without a partner.
What would happen when someone without much motivation is partnered with such a big perfectionist?
They all thought they would blow up… literally even.
Everyone knows how Katsuki hated even being around Deku, he was the one who gave him that cruel nickname after all, a nickname that has spread immediately. His already short temper would grow even shorter, the fuse sparking at even the mention of what the nerd was even up to.
So they had bets… they waited for when they would eventually tear each other to bits and ask for it to be individual…
How many days would they last?
A week?
Two?
Just one day?
Surprisingly… It was the calmest the two have ever been.
No stray explosions, no shuffling feet, no furious mumblings, no screeched insults…
Just Katsuki and Deku sitting on their chairs… doing work…
Even Katsuki himself was surprised… It has been a while since they even sat together to properly talk, even if the talk was more about school than anything else.
It was always as if Deku was one step ahead of him… doing the work almost exactly the way Katsuki wanted without him even having to ask.
And he would look so hopeful everytime it happened. Those green eyes would look up at him, shoulders hunched over, lips curled into a small frown, even going as far as biting it down just in case his body dared to smile.
“Did we do good, Kacchan?”
Deku asked for their grades on the paper.
“Decent,” he would answer…
The paper was buried deep in his bag containing a 100% score…
It was frustrating that it took having Deku with him to get something as high as that.
Katsuki doesn’t work with Deku at all after that.
.
.
.
They fought two more demons before this newer mission.
Katsuki has begrudgingly accepted that Deku will not back down whenever they fight, and he wasn’t going to chastise the idiot for it either. Deku chose to hurt himself for Katsuki and the people around them, it's not his problem to deal with. Unlike Earrings, he has no qualms in seeing Deku injured. At first it was frustrating, as he considered himself the blood bank, but after meeting up with Tamayo once more, he stamped out the worry, as it was no use.
Deku can heal, he can do whatever the fuck he wants.
And just like that… Katsuki fell back to the very thoughts he had two years prior…
Deku was just asking to get hurt, he can handle it.
So he went back not caring as much as he could.
Hachiko called upon them once more just as Katsuki was about to try and settle down for the night.
The sun was already setting and apparently Katsuki was conveniently near the area they were being called upon. He was told that he would be joined by other slayers of higher ranks— which he ignores, of course. It caused Hachiko great stress, the poor crow flapped around him frantically, begging for him to wait as he went deeper and deeper into the woods, at some point he swatted her away, which was enough for her to screech and hide up and up in the dense trees.
If he knew this mission was going to be another group thing like with Earrings, he would’ve declined… or not show up. Can you even decline a mission? Ask for another one? He doesn’t know but he was already at the foot of the mountain and he wasn’t about to just waste his time to turn back around… better continue on and start alone, preferably defeat whatever demon was inside fast and quick so Deku can get it out of his system and turn back into a rabbit so he can shove him back in the bag before anyone could see him.
The sun has already set enough for Deku to come out of hiding.
He felt the bag shake around, wiggling before the rabbit managed to crawl its way out of the bag and onto the forest floor. It shook its curly self like a dog, ears immediately perking up before he morphed back into being a boy, crouched down, eyes slitted as he looked around.
Ever since Deku has become a demon, he had this sort of acute sense of whenever one was nearby. He’d suddenly perk up. It always felt alarming to Katsuki, making him tense up…
When Deku stood up, his teal eyes still having slitted pupils, Katsuki knew something was extremely wrong…
“Hachiko… can you—”
Katsuki turns towards the trees… only to be met with—
Deku physically recoils at their appearances… white hair like silk flowed in the soft cool winds as the forest was finally darker… staring down at them with unique pupils, a pattern consistent on the clothes and markings on their pale white faces— dots, small and large, connected by lines. Their eyes, the same pale gray of the moon, almost bluish green in hue, watched the two of them from their perches… demons… five of them.
The two girls looked more human, perched atop the same branch, the taller of the two had her hands in her lap, but Katsuki could see, just barely as it moved with her shaking fingertips, illuminated by light were thin threads. She was sitting elegantly while the other one, the shorter, younger looking girl, was standing, one hand on the bark for support.
On another tree, not so much as sitting but more so gripping and digging his hand in the wood, was a larger more grotesque demon, he wasn’t as clothed, showcasing a bulky figure… oh but his face… his head… it was that of a spider, with eight teal beady eyes boring down at them. The last one that hang upon the trees the opposite, his body was that of a spider’s, hanging upside down with his own threads, a crazed look on his odd human face that matched the two women’s, that matched the last of the horrific troop.
A child.
He looked like he was floating, but the way his shoeless feat dug into something unseen, threads that barely glowed in the moonlight, begged to differ. He looked similar to everyone else, but there was something else that set him apart from the rest. The apathy in his eyes, red sclera against white irises…
All the while Katsuki couldn’t tear his eyes away from them, Deku beside him shuddered.
His reaction felt visceral, it was like he couldn’t even control his own body.
“Is he bothering you…?”
They both flinched.
Both of them.
Deku’s face was twisted in anger or fear, Katsuki doesn’t know but it looked like a combination of the two. Veins bulges out from the side of his face, his hackles raised as he snarls, fingers spread out and ready to fight.
The question was so simple yet the reaction it got from both of them…
Katsuki wasn’t going to leave this fight alive.
The kid scrutinizes them… peeking through his teal eyelashes. None of them moved, not even the demons, excluding the freaky spider bodied one that swayed with the wind. They were all waiting for something and based on the glances the girls were giving the child… it wasn’t something good.
The forest felt as suffocating as it was that day.
“Hey…”
The demon child calls out once more.
“You…”
He points… Deku tenses up. He was starting to twitch, like being here physically hurt. Sneaking a glance at him, Katsuki could see him, his skin having a sort of sheen to it, he was sweating, hands that were out and ready slowly and shakily moves up to the sides of his face, like he didn’t know whether or not to claw his face out or to yank at his hair.
“I know you…”
His eyes that gazed down at them lazily were now… wider… like he had found something more interesting… In fact he was starting to smile. It was enough to ring alarm bells in everyone’s heads, even the two demon women with him were starting to stare up at him in shock. The other demons continued their staring, letting the child speak.
He was starting to look like an actual child. He was so giddy, even going as far as bouncing in place on the threads keeping him up.
It was so quick, one moment he was above them… and the next he was right in front of Deku, short child arms wrapping around his midsection.
Even the demons knew this was an odd behavior.
Deku doesn't move and neither does Katsuki.
“R… Rui…”
Katsuki’s head snaps towards Deku. Is that the demon’s name? Why would he know some random demon’s name he never met?!
“Deku… what are you…”
The demon, Rui, looks up, his eyes much wider, more full of emotion than before and he genuinely smiles. That menacing aura gone in a flash but that suffocation still remained.
“You’re finally here… just as promised…”
.
.
.
“Welcome home, Niichan.”
.
.
.
Niichan…?
Right… he was Niichan… he is Niichan… yes, he remembers now. That’s his purpose. That’s what he was made for. Did he forget? How could he forget? How dare he forget!
He made… he made him wait for so long… how dare he make him wait. Bad… he was such a bad Niichan… yes.
Rui’s Neechan already died… she died. How dare he make their otouto wait for that long… oh how much time has passed?
“Deku… what are you…”
He feels Rui wrap his arms around him… that was a hug. Family hugged each other, yes, he knew that. He knows that because that’s what he was made to be.
He doesn’t dare move. Let Rui do what he wants . Let his little brother do what he wants…
He was an only child. He doesn’t have a little brother. He doesn’t have a large family. It was only him and his mother.
His brain has been foggy lately… it was frustrating, yes, it was. Maybe it was because of this. Because of Rui. He was meant to be with Rui. He was meant to protect and love Rui.
He was meant to be with Rui…
So why does it hurt to be around him…?
He feels his skin crawl, something was underneath him, wiggling underneath his skin. The constant feeling of something wrong wrong bad… it screamed at him, screamed at him until it was hoarse, drowned out by the whispers in his head, the whispers that were quiet before, the whispers that was quelled by the calm of the fog.
Rui… go to Rui… Find Rui…
His body shakes, he drags his claws on his face, sharp nails digging into his skin, making him bleed, making him feel . The crawling sensation doesn’t go away, it becomes worse and worse, and it feels horrible.
Why does he need to find Rui?
He is your younger brother.
Who even is Rui?
You are his older brother.
He doesn’t know Rui.
You were made for him.
It hurts.. It’s all so confusing!
Stop thinking!
Who is he?! What is he?!
“Deku!”
K a c c h a n . . .?
.
.
.
The demon, Rui, was blind to Deku’s inner turmoil. The way he was practically mauling himself even as he latched on to him.
It confused Katsuki even more than it horrifies him.
“I waited for so long!!” Rui looks up at Deku, his face catches the dripping of Deku’s blood, and yet it doesn’t bother him, even as it soaks into his clothes, “I knew it… I knew she left you for me. Jiki-neechan loves me so much she made sure you’ll be here instead!”
Deku made a noise in the back of his throat, something garbled, a sort of whine and a cut off scream.
Katsuki can see how Deku shook, the way his body tried to move but couldn’t. Tamayo said she did all she could do, she said that Deku had almost all of that man’s blood out of his system, all replaced by her own…
But it seems there was an internal battle going on.
It was Tamayo’s blood that flowed into his veins, yes… but Muzan’s cells replaced everything in Deku’s body.
Was he even truly free of the curse…?
“ Kkk…” Deku choked out, gasping, “aa… ch… ka… kach… kacc… chan…”
Rui tilts his head, innocently.
“Kaachan?” his eyes darkened, “Why are you looking for Mother?”
A wave of emotions shoots outward from Rui, it presses down on everyone, it was enough to wipe that crazed grin off that spider bodied demon.
“R-Rui!” the older woman, presumably the mother, starts to stutter out, “I—! I don’t think he’s looking for me! I think— I think he just wants s-someone to show him the ropes! He-he probably thinks a mother should—”
“SHUT UP!”
The woman, Mother, screams, her hands flying to her face. It was too fast for Katsuki to track with his eyes but thin threads flew from Rui’s fingertips… it cut the Mother’s face, her sobs rang around the clearing… no one looked at her, no one even acknowledged it.
“I’ll do it myself!” he seethes, hugging Deku even tighter, “Besides! Niichan isn’t a part of our family yet… he still needs to look like us.”
Then… when things aren’t already horrifying enough…
Rui laid his eyes on him.
He raises his hand and—
“NO!”
Katsuki blinks…
He had four new shallow cuts on his cheeks.
Just like that.
He didn’t even get to draw his sword. Didn’t even get to move. The only indication he had been cut was the blood already dripping down his face and the pain that made him move his head to the side.
He looked over to Deku, he was on his knees, one arm hugging Rui tight and the other gripped tightly on his wrist, tight enough to see veins popping up from his arm and still it shook hard.
Rui looked shocked.
“You… protected… him…? ”
Katsuki drew his sword too late.
“Why would you protect a demon slayer? ”
Deku shakes his head, frantic as his gasps and stutters.
He looked at Rui, he looked close to begging.
If Katsuki wasn’t even fast enough to draw his sword out… to even dodge the incoming without Deku having to interfere…
What good is he even?
He’s a demon slayer, he’s supposed to be able to do this on his own.
But as always… Deku has his uses.
“K-Kacchan… Rui, no… don’t… hurt, Kacchan.”
Rui was glaring daggers at him now.
“You'd rather protect him than me?! ”
Deku screams, he was ripped from around Rui, strung high up in the sky. He can see the way his thread started to dig into his skin, how it contorts his body in an unnatural way, uncomfortable but not enough to cause immense pain yet other than the cuts forming as he moved.
“You’re supposed to be my brother! ”
Rui… closes… his fist…
“GRAAHHHHHHH—!”
“STOP!”
Rui turns to him, one hand raised, manipulating the threads around Deku.
“ You… ” he growls, “I should kill you where you stand… but I won’t.”
Deku hisses in pain.
“I won’t… not yet…” Rui shakes his head, “Why did he protect you? Why did you tell me to stop? Who are you to my brother?! ”
“He’s not your brother, goddammit!” Katsuki shouts… of course he does.
That is what Katsuki has always done when his heart beats too loud, when he can hear it pounding in his skull.
“I don’t need to be anyone else to figure that out! You’re stringing him up like a piece of meat to dry out in the sun!”
“You… you’re… you’re…” Rui starts to smile once more, “Oh… oh… is that why you wanted me to spare him?”
He moves his fingers and Deku writhes.
“He matters to you, doesn’t he?! A traitor to your own kind! What would you do if he chops my head off, Niichan?! You’d let your demon slayer friend do that to your own brother?! Are you faulty?! Lord Muzan said that you're the perfect brother for me but you can't even let me kill this one!”
“Stop!” Katsuki shouts, “Stop hurting him!”
“He’s a demon! He would heal! He would learn his lesson! And you …”
Deku was dropped down, Rui caught him perfectly fine, he was strong enough to do so.
“Because I’m a nice brother I’ll even give you a head start…” Rui declares, “One minute… I will give you one minute to run to leave my family alone… after that, I’ll send Sister after you.”
The younger demon girl perks up, she was surprised to be even given a task.
“And when she catches you… I’ll make sure you’re kept alive long enough for Niichan to devour each and every part of you…”
He had no choice.
“KACCHAN!”
“NO! NO—!”
“DON’T LEAVE! KACCHAN!”
.
.
.
“Enough, Kacchan! You’re being mean!”
“You already made him cry! Stop it!”
“I won’t let you!”
He turned his back away from you that day too, didn’t he?
Rui holds on to his Niichan, his touch was gentle, soothing as he pulls him back. His touch burned as bad as the sparks shooting out from a mean hand.
Why does everytime when he manages to pull him close…
He always pushes away?
“You don’t need him, Niichan…” Rui whispers, “I’m all you would ever need…”
Notes:
Taisho Secret #9:
Rui was turned into a demon far earlier than Jiki— the demon from the first chapter— was.
It was Jiki’s gentle nature and appearance that looked similar to Rui enough that prompted him to go and collect a family of his own with Muzan’s permission, not having the man suggest it to him instead. Jiki has been a staple in Rui’s “home” and was treated more like a family than his fake one. The fake family was even grateful for Jiki’s constant visits, as it takes Rui’s attention from them, it was their reprieve, even if Rui becomes more explosive towards them afterwards.
Jiki once had a little brother when she was human, the way she treated Rui made him addicted to finding that genuine connection.
When Jiki was too busy with finding the Blue Spider Lily to visit him… and her inevitable death, Rui became angsty. Not wanting an even bigger meltdown (as Muzan refuses to acknowledge he has spoiled Rui greatly), Izuku was used as a replacement, implanted with a sort of code to follow once he eats Katsuki.That didn’t happen of course.
This causes Izuku’s mental state to deteriorate, with his brain putting him in a constant state of fogginess to stop the orders from getting to him.
Unfortunately, it was a big coincidence they were sent on this mission.
[Up Next: True Bond]
Chapter 10: True Bond
Summary:
C3H5(NO3)3 -------> CO2 + H2O + N2 + O2
Notes:
See what I did there??
Haha that's the equation of the decomposition of Nitroglycerin... you'll understand why soon enough.
This is fun to write, I don't know how much fun it was to read though so... yay?? And hey, back to back chapter lol, have fun.
And if you have questions about the fic, or if you just want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Kacchan fell in!!”
“Hey! Are you okay????”
“He’ll be alright, he’s tough!!”
“Don’t keep us waiting~!”
I was totally fine!
.
.
.
“Are you okay? Can you get up?”
.
.
.
Let it be known… Bakugo Katsuki isn’t a coward.
Sure, he’s running away, his breathing— the most important weapon in his arsenal right now— shallow and shaky, but he isn’t running away. He’s not. It’s just what he wants everyone to believe.
Even heroes know when to step out of a fight.
This fight was unfair. Five versus one. It was a disaster waiting to happen. Katsuki needed the space to think. He needs to plan. He needs to—
The seconds— shit — he lost count already. Was it even a minute? He lost count! He lost it— shit, fuck fuck fuck FUCK! What was he feeling?! This was insane, he was going insane— this isn’t fear, it isn’t, he refused it to be. This wasn’t cowardice.
The trees zoomed around him, he was trying and failing to catch his breath, his sword was on his side, his arms still in the position for a swift sword strike if it came to it— no— when it came to it. There were no ifs. Katsuki had made many questionable decisions in his life but this? This was the first time he was feeling the full force of its consequences.
He can still hear Deku’s shouts echoing behind him even though he was far away by now.
SPLISHHH!!
Katsuki shudders, a hand flying up towards his neck…
His journey could’ve ended right then and there… a body without a head… no one would know who he is. No one would know he wasn’t from this time. He would be buried along with many other demon slayers his age or younger if he was lucky enough to be found. Or better yet he would be a feast to the demons that use this mountain as their home.
What would become of them in the future? In Katsuki’s present?
Weathered down missing poster kids on walls… painted over as time goes by, ripped off to be replaced by something new, something that was better than children that would never go home.
They were their parents’ only children…
The old hag and old man can always try again. Let’s face it, Katsuki was never a novel child. He always fought with his mother, scoffed at his father, he treated them with so much disrespect that they frankly didn’t deserve… they can try again for all he cares, maybe this time
But Auntie Inko…
She doesn’t deserve that. She doesn’t deserve having her only child taken away from her, not with the messy situation with her husband (no matter how sneaky his mother thought she was being, her angry whispers through the phone late at night were as loud as when she speaks), she would be all alone. No one deserves that, least of all Auntie Inko.
She still smiles at him whenever he runs into her.
Did she know the things he did to her son?
FWOOM—
Katsuki dodges to the side.
“Hahaha~!”
His head snaps back, watching as strings of thick spider web crash into the tree behind him, covering it with the goop before it suddenly snaps— the bark crackling under its supposed strength.
He rolls over, putting his sword in front of him.
“You know, I commend you for trying, truly I am,” Sister walks almost lazily towards him, “For trying to run away, I mean.”
“And you think your opinion matters to me?”
“No… not at all… but it would save the ego you clearly have.”
She faces both pale palms towards him and another burst of webbing shoots out. Katsuki tries to ground himself. The thundering of his heart was louder with each sucked breath he took. He weaves in and out of the deadly silk strands, all of them trying to twist and wrap around him, trying to catch him off guard.
He needs to defeat her and be done with it… fighting one was better than all five at the same time, even more so when just one of them could shred his head off in just a blink of an eye. This demon was far weaker, that he can tell clearly, but she was no slouch either.
He notices, of course he does, the way she was setting him up for something, she was pushing him. He doesn’t know where, but her attack was stopping him from getting near her, pushing him to go on the defensive.
She closes her fist around her thick webs, both hands wielding it like fabric whips, it snaps at him, coming back in an arch too large for him to dodge. He curses, taking in a huge gulp of air—
“Explosion Breathing… Third Form—”
He lowers himself to the ground, one leg curled, one leg out in a spinning sweeping like motion—
“Landmine Blast!”
SHHHKKK—!
The sister gasps, pulling her hands closer to her face as her hair is swept away.
When she lowered her hands, her smug look was replaced with confusion…
Katsuki smirks.
“Where did those come from…?” she questions him, “No one is able to even cut through my yarn! Just how the hell did you do that?! ”
“It wasn’t as much as cutting and more like…”
He rushes forward—
“Shredding.”
She realized it isn’t a simple fight she thought it was.
BOOM!!
Tanjiro perks up.
That explosion… could it be?
Despite the dire situation they were in, he couldn’t help but smile.
“ WOAH! The Boom-Boom-Man is here!”
Bakugo is here—
huh??????
Tanjiro turns his head to Inosuke, who has his chest out proudly, hands on his hips with his swords still out, laughing.
“I know that boom anywhere! Ha! We can finally have the fight I was promised!”
(Bakugo did not promise any fights)
“Eh?? You know Bakugo-san, Inosuke?”
“Who?”
Ah… well, there wasn’t anyone else that Tanjiro knew of that uses explosions in his breathing style… maybe they are the same person? He wouldn’t know until they meet up with him…
But right now is not the time to think about Bakugo. Right now they need to focus on carefully getting their fellow demon slayers out of the threads without anyone getting hurt. It was already a pretty close call when one of them started swinging their sword towards another, managing to nick someone’s arm before Tanjiro had enough sense to block the sword from trying again. Soon enough it was like a war zone, swords clashing and clanging, people shouting in confusion as their own comrades started attacking one another.
The culprit?
A demon far away, using spider threads to puppeteer their bodies…
Half of the team they were assigned to, a mix of lower rank and higher ranked slayers, was at a loss on what to do.
The only solution right now was to cut down the source.
“Don’t just stand there and go on ahead!”
Tanjiro snaps out of it as someone goes on to block a blow meant for him.
“Murata-san—!”
“Leave this to us! Move quickly!”
“Who are you kidding, ordering us around like that, Mr. Pissed-My-Pants!” Inosuke roars, dodging another struggling slayer’s twitching sword.
“Who are you calling Mr. Pissed-My-Pants?!” Murata screeches back, causing the other slayers who were safe from the threads to look away, “I wasn’t even talking to you, you stupid pig! Just go on ahead already and when you find someone else go and tell them to alert a higher rank! We’re all demon slayers here and we can handle this mess thanks to your observations! Now, go!”
“Got it!” Tanjiro nods, he turns around, grabbing Inosuke’s arm, “Let’s go, Inosuke!”
Tanjiro drags them out of there… although Inosuke was still picking up a fuss.
“LET GO OF ME!” “I WANT TO BEAT HIM UP FIRST!” “WHO’S HE CALLING A STUPID PIG?!”
“SHUT UP!”
“I’LL COME BACK TO BEAT YOU UP!”
“TAKE YOUR RAMBLINGS OUT OF HERE!”
Distantly, they hear slayer Murata was up against chuckles despite the pain he was feeling throughout his limbs, “Do you really have to fight with your kohai?”
“Not you too!”
Right… they have to reach the demon controlling the threads…
Tanjiro’s face twists in determination.
They have to move quickly so no one else has to—
He bumps into Inosuke, the other’s arm was in front of Tanjiro, stopping him.
“Inosuke?? What are—”
“Please…”
A sword digging into another’s neck… a hand fisted around someone’s hair… a slew of dead bodies littered on the forest floor.
“Please don’t come any closer!”
FWHIP! BOOM! FWOOSH! BANG!
“Kkhh—!”
Katsuki’s back hit a tree, his inhale was cut short. He rolled over as another wave of silk was blasted his way, the ground, the branches, everything was covered in white tufts and charred with soot.
He doesn't know where he is anymore in this part of the forest, above him were balls of spider yarn strung up like some sort of cocoon, it swayed gently with each blast of wind released by Katsuki’s torrent of counter attacks.
The two have not hit each other at all yet, constantly breaking each other’s attacks.
“You are getting frustrating !” she shouts, “Stay still won’t you?!”
She shoots her webs up, surprising even him. It sprayed upwards like a fountain, making the balls of spider yarn rain down on both of them like a hail storm.
“You’re even lucky to last this long!” she continues with that crazed look on her face, gone was the smirk she wore earlier, “I spent so long in Rui’s good graces and I’m not letting some pesky demon slayer undo all my hard work!”
He jumps away, with every ball of yarn that fell— it even bounced, and he wasn’t going to just find out what they do once they burst.
Finally, seeing his chance as one of them covers her line of sight directly, Katsuki adjusts the grip on his sword. She was panicking, the fight stretching longer than it should’ve and she knows it… that little sliver of vulnerability would lead to his victory… he inhaling slowly—
“Explosion Breathing… Fourth Form…”
He thrusts forward—!
“Armor Piercing Thrust!”
SPSHHHHHH—!
Katsuki had no time to dodge it this time.
“HA! HOW NAIVE CAN YOU BE?!”
His sword pierces through— no, it doesn’t, the threads simply give way, unfurling outward like a ball of rubber bands finally snapping. The threads hit him with great force, causing various cuts on his body as he covers his face.
He was blasted back, biting his tongue as something oozing and green spewed out afterwards, the action happening in quick succession. He hisses, the goo managing to land on him, it was strong enough to melt through patches of his clothes, melting the fabric into his skin—
“Gah— shit—!”
It burned, hot and bubbling. The way his skin shriveled and blistered where the goop touched, the way it stuck to him and continued doing so until his skin was rubbed raw enough it was bleeding. He shakes his arms but it was far too late, the damage was already done—
His arms—
He stumbles—
As he fell back, his eyes drifted down… down…
Staring up at him was a half melted skull.
“You think you would win?! ” she taunts him, walking over with her hand up, palm facing Katsuki as he laid in the puddle of his own undoing, “Rui’s blood flows in my veins, he is what makes us stronger. Fighting us means fighting him!”
She covers her mouth, mocking him, they both know it.
“I’ll even say it again, you were so lucky too… he doesn’t even give half as much mercy to demon slayers like he does to you … though considering you’re about to die later? I think dying to Rui’s threads earlier would’ve been merciful enough…”
She picks the skull up.
“I became the sole provider of food for us, you know? My Blood Demon art allowed it so,” she crouches down in front of him, smiling oh so softly as she shows him the skull, “... wrapping people up in my webs… it was child’s play, really. Once they’re all snuggled up inside, my solvent would melt away at our meal… turning them into gruel for us to feast on…”
She crushes the skull with her webs, it wraps around it, forming a yarn ball before it collapses in on itself with a loud CRKK!
“But I can’t do that to you… Rui wants you alive to feed his newest brother ,” she spats the word like it was poison, “Can you believe that? All my hardwork… thrown out of the window because the one who favors him decided to give him a new pet .”
She gets up all in his face.
“Isn’t that frustrating ?”
She laughs.
“What would you do now, demon slayer?! You can’t use your hands to lift up your sword! No more explosions! ”
Katsuki huffs out a laugh of his own, she finds herself flinching.
“Yeah… it is… frustrating … but not like I’m just gonna let that stop me.”
Despite his body screaming at him, he can still move his arm. He lifts it up, touching the sides of her face. She was too surprised to even move away, confused as to why he would do such a stupid—
“What are you—”
“You know… you already lost the moment you blabbed about winning…”
“Let go of my—”
What she doesn’t know… is that he can still use his quirk.
“KYAAHHHHHH!”
Her head recoiled backwards, Katsuki heard the snap of her neck as it hung limply, craning backwards. She screeches, her hands flying up to her burned face, flecks of her own flesh, black and charred, flew away from her, her muscles exposed underneath as her face looked more like corned beef, tufts of her white hair fell along with the chunks of cooked flesh.
He bites back a groan of pain, he hasn’t unleashed that strong and that concentrated of an explosion before… he’s only been using it to propel his sword, not as something to attack with, but it has done the trick.
He drops his arms, forcing— cursing his body to move, even though he can feel his arms melting . Is it really melting? He doesn’t know and he doesn’t care to make sure. He uses the little feeling his arms had left, clawing for his sword as the demon screams and chokes on herself, her hands flying over to her slowly healing face.
She couldn’t hear… she couldn’t see…
“YOU’RE A DEMON?!”
Katsuki grips the sword tight…
“HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO TRICK ALL OF THEM?!”
He swings his entire body…
“HOW DARE YOU KILL YOUR OWN—!”
Her head falls to the ground.
“I win.”
.
.
.
“Be careful… One of the Twelve Demon Moons is here…”
That was Tanjiro’s only warning. He knows how strong they are, he experienced a former one the first hand, and even then he was a former Lower Moon Six, he doesn’t know how strong one who is still in their position would be.
Soaring through the sky, he left Inosuke all alone with the Lower Moon— he just hopes Inosuke doesn’t die. He’ll come back, maybe with help if he manages to run into Bakugo.
Managing to save himself using Water Wheel to soften his blow, he allows himself a moment of rest as he leans against a tree…
Then he hears it.
“GHAAAAAAKH—!”
That scream…
He stands, knees almost buckling, but he forces himself. He strains his ears as the screaming dies down to choking sounds… and that smell… it was familiar.
Overripe strawberries.
Izuku…
Izuku was in trouble!”
“IZUKU!” He rushes winding around trees.
He needs to— he needs to reach them immediately! Who are they fighting?! Are they injured?!
“K… a… kkkchh… an… kacch… haahn…!”
“STOP CALLING FOR HIM!”
Another voice pierces through the night, one that Tanjiro hasn’t heard before… another demon.
Kacchan… Izuku was calling out to Bakugo— was he hurt?!
“BAKUGO-SAN! IZUKU—”
Tanjiro barrels into a clearing…
He looks up to find a decrepit two-story home. It looked worse for wear, but was still standing, the wood had rot and the windows paper panels were ripped.
Sitting on the engawa was Izuku, his body twitching as he was looking up to the sky, his teal eyes blown wide, the edges of his white sclera slowly turning black, receding and resuming trying to consume him whole. His entire body was seizing as his veins pulsed with something dark, making his pale skin have a tint of red, his skin forming bruises all around. His green hair, already white at the tips, was starting to whiten at the roots as well. There were dotted markings that snaked in and out of his cheeks, trying to cover up the freckles only for it to fade away. His mouth, open for his cries, was frothing.
He was trying to move his head away from the tight grip of a child’s hand fisting around his hair, trying to force a saucer closer to his mouth.
“He’s dead!” the demon child screams at Izuku, “He’s dead and he’ll be our first meal as a family, aren’t you happy about that, Niichan ?!”
Izuku’s head nods stiffly.
“ See? Now drink . I don’t care how much I would have to shove down your throat, even if my blood overtakes your system, because you need to look like me, like a true family—! ”
“LET GO OF HIM!”
The child sharply turns around…
And for a moment… the momentum of his turn caused his bangs to move aside—
‘Lower Moon Five.’
Dread pools in his stomach.
“Be careful… One of the Twelve Demon Moons is here…”
“What are you looking at?”
The demon looked at him with apathy… but underneath all that, Tanjiro could smell it…
Anger… Frustration…
“There’s nothing to see here.”
Izuku’s teal eyes snapped towards him, blown wide with fear.
Tanjiro can feel Nezuko waking up.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
“R… Rui… n-no—”
The demon— Rui— fully turns to him this time.
“This doesn’t concern you… this is a family matter. Something between Niichan and I…” he lets go of Izuku, he crumples to the floor, “If you interfere… I’ll cut you into pieces.”
“Izuku isn’t your family,” Tanjiro couldn’t help himself, he just— couldn’t let him be hurt by someone that claims to be his family, “I don’t know a lot about Izuku but I know one thing…”
The images of Lady Tamayo, Yushiro, and Bakugo enter his mind.
Lady Tamayo pauses the conversation to bring attention to Izuku. Yushiro allows Izuku to join the hug they shared with Nezuko. Bakugo fighting in the demon slayer corps to collect blood samples to cure Izuku from being a demon.
All that… for one person… That is what a real family looks like, even if they aren’t even related at all by blood.
“...he does have a family and you’re not one of them!”
“Don’t be ridiculous… he was personally made for me,” Rui shakes his head, as if Tanjiro was the one in the wrong, “He doesn’t have anyone else because he was meant to be my brother. My family. Not to mention… we have this strong bond between us, Niichan even looked for me like he was meant to… this bond we have? It’s something only a family can have.”
“That’s not right at all…” he looks over to Izuku still writhing form, “If you have such a strong bond between each other, then why do I only smell fear, terror— anger—! If your bond is true then I would smell trust! I smell none of it!”
He raises his sword.
“That’s not a bond! It’s fake!”
Izuku shook his head, silently pleading for him to shut up… but Tanjiro just couldn’t… he couldn’t! He wouldn’t stop with Izuku on the line! When Bakugo isn’t around to protect him! He’s sure if Bakugo were here— and Tanjiro refuses to acknowledge what Rui said earlier— he’ll jump at the chance to protect his friend like Tanjiro fights to protect Nezuko!
Tanjiro was determined… He will fight for Izuku in his stead!
“It’s forged!”
Rui’s eye twitched.
“You…”
Their conversation was halted by footsteps coming their way… it was another demon slayer. Izuku and Tanjiro tensed…
“Would you look at that? A small fry demon even I could handle.”
Tanjiro raises his hand, “Wait! No! You don’t understand, he’s—!”
“You better step aside… or are you stopping me from getting my promotion?” he raises his sword…
Rui remained unmoving.
“As long as I take the slow way up the ladder I would secure higher pay the higher my position becomes… almost all my comrades are dead but I still need to kill at least one demon before I leave the mountain so scram why won’t y—”
“NO— STO—”
SHHHHINGGG—!
… plop… plop plop… plop plop plop…
Tanjiro wished the slayer hadn’t felt a thing… chunks of him dropped to the ground on a heap, his blood slowly pooling around the corpse, if you can even respectfully call him that from what was done to his body. His entire upper half was chopped— diced was the proper word for it…
Rui cut him up into pieces… instantly.
“Hey…”
Tanjiro flinches, turning back towards Rui.
“What did you just say…?”
He barely manages to raise his sword at the stench of pure unfiltered rage that was wafting from the demon in waves. It pushed down on him, weighing him down like he was breathing through sludge. The air feels heavy, his skin prickling at the sudden feeling of coldness, all the hairs on him stood on end as he shivers.
“What did you say just now…?”
If this was truly the aura fighting against a moon… even one of a lower rank… what he fought was nothing.
Is this what Bakugo felt facing that lower moon?
This oppressing sensation…
It was too hard to breathe.
‘I’m sorry, Inosuke… do your best to hang on until sunrise… I can’t come back… and Bakugo-san… wherever you are… I’ll save Izuku for you!’
“The words you said just now… try repeating it again…” the volume of Rui’s voice didn’t rise but Tanjiro still felt its intensity, “Go on… speak up .”
“Sure! I’ll repeat it as many times as you want! Izuku doesn’t belong to you so give him back to us! I know this because it’s true— it’s true that your bond is nothing but forgery!”
“YOUR BOND IS FAKE!”
FWHIP! THWIP!
Tanjiro barely had the time to back up, threads as sharp as his sword flew into his face, managing to catch him on his cheek and his forehead, his sword wasn’t enough to block the blows.
“Let me get things straight… I won’t kill you just yet…” Rui starts, his fingers flexing around a spider web formed between his hands, “You know Niichan’s true name and I want to know why… and for what you’ve just? I’ll cut you up into pieces… However… ”
Tanjiro takes a step back, screwing his expression into determination.
“If you take your words back… maybe I’ll be merciful enough to kill you instantly.”
“I won’t take it back! Everything I said was true! YOU ARE THE PROBLEM! ”
“You’ve made your choice…”
Tanjiro leaps up, dodging a thread sent his way. He lands on a branch, pushing himself off as another cut appears in the bark where he stood. He lands with a roll, barely dodging a thread aimed for his head enough for him to back down.
The stench he was assaulted with earlier has finally faded, making it far easier for Tanjiro to smell the moves coming his way, the only saving grace he had with this newer opponent…
Even Rui was impressed, he gives him that, he doesn’t give into his fears at all.. Unfortunately… he isn’t very smart.
Tanjiro takes a running start— leaping through the air.
“Water Breathing… First Form—”
SCHWIP—!
“Water Surface Sla—”
CLING—!
‘My sword…—’
‘ Don’t despair… no— not right now when there’s too many people relying on you!’
The threads kept on coming, it was even stronger than before. One hit and he’ll be cut in half, he can’t afford not to focus on the task at hand. The ground beneath him crackles as a thread whips beneath his feat, sending dust flying up.
He lowers himself, another shoots past his head as he rushes forward, he only has the handle of his sword and a few inches of it left— should he aim directly for the head?! But it seems impossible— every time he got even an inch closer, his webs just whips into him, causing him to dodge… besides, with the condition of his sword he doubts it would be long enough to make a clean cut through.
The threads… Rui was manipulating it carefully despite the anger he was smelling… he was doing this to punish Tanjiro for what he says… a slow death is what he has promised.
He glanced over to Izuku, he stopped seizing, laying on the engawa… but he wasn’t breathing. Tanjiro knows it doesn’t matter to demons— but it was worrying.
“ Well? Don’t you want to take back what you said?”
Tanjiro bites his tongue this time.
“Very well…”
He drags his hand down in a swift move—
“I’m going to tear you to shreds now.”
Cascading down was a net of webs— throughout his attacks he has carefully strung them up— it was all calculated, a trap. Despite how it looked, those threads would kill him…
He can’t dodge this one this time…—
“RAGHHH!”
Blood splatters all throughout and it took a while for his brain to realize that it wasn’t his… and that his back felt lighter than usual.
Nezuko stands in front of him, arms spread out and taking the blow— the threads cutting deep into her abdomen.
(Izuku twitches )
“Nezuko!” he grabs her as her knees buckled, he felt one of her arms turn limp from how deep the cut was, he hooks his arm under her armpits and rushes behind the trees for safety.
He gently lays her against a tree.
“Nezuko— Nezuko! I’m sorry you had to protect me!”
Behind him…
Rui was shaking.
He raises his hand, eyes blown wide, pointing over to where he last saw them.
“You…” he whispers, but it carries throughout the clearing, “Are you two siblings?”
“So what?!” Tanjiro shouts back, he’s more focused on Nezuko right now— her right arm is barely hanging together… she wasn’t healing as fast— why isn’t it healing yet?!
Rui’s hands find his face, he finds himself breathing faster, shallower, and not like it matters. His pale face, for the first time, had a pop of color, the dark red of his blood made him blush a black color as he started to laugh.
“She’s a demon… and she’s still with her brother… his sister stepped out to protect her brother…”
He looked over his shoulder, and Izuku looked docile… unresponsive
“He did something like that too… he grabbed me before I could—”
His hands shook—
“This— I finally found it— a true bond!”
He took shaky, almost crazed steps towards Tanjiro.
“I FOUND THEM! I FINALLY FOUND THEM!”
He finds himself laughing… right here… right now— the world was gracious enough to give him this— no… surely this was all his lord’s doing… yes, he gifted him Izuku, surely this one was a gift as well… if not— he’ll just take her away. He can even start over! Find another mountain, find another mother and father! It doesn’t matter if they change or if they disobey because he has what he needs.
A sister that would throw herself in front of danger… a brother that would stop it from even happening in the first place…
But first… Rui has to get rid of the competition once more…
“Hey… hey, kid... Let's talk…”
Tanjiro looks up… ‘Kid’ ...? ‘Talk’... ?
“I was really touched… I have no words to describe what I’m feeling right now,” Rui placed his hand above his heart, he was smiling, it looked so soft, so vulnerable, a far cry from his expression early, and yet it looked ominous, “I can’t help but shudder at the bond between you two…”
Tanjiro listens… he can do nothing but listen as Nezuko heals for now.
“... and the demon slayer earlier, with the red eyes and blonde hair…?”
“Bakugo-san…”
“ Hm… so you do know him… Niichan tried to protect him too, you know…? just like your sister did to you… but I’ll give you a better offer than I gave him since I still have to end you two…”
He reaches his hand out.
“If you stop fighting to get Niichan back… and if you hand over your sister… I’ll let you live.”
Tanjiro’s heart stuttered in his chest.
“... Bakugo-san— what did you—”
“If Older Sister did her job right he’ll still be alive… but he will be our next meal…” he suddenly makes a thinking face, “Oh— perhaps you want an even better deal then? I’ll let both of you live then. I think that’s good enough, correct? You’ll be saving another life, isn’t that what you demon slayers do?”
Tanjiro shakes his head, holding on to his sister even tighter.
“There’s no way I’m going to agree to those terms…” he can never, “... there’s no chance I would betray Bakugo-san like that too!”
“His little Kacchan took my deal,” Rui points to Izuku, “He didn’t have any problem with it!”
“Even still!” Tanjiro shouts, “Bakugo-san has his reasons! I don’t know much about him but I know this! He will never do that! Not to Izuku!”
He doesn’t care if he angers the demon more, Tanjiro has a hard head in both a metaphorical and literal sense. Even if he dies here… he doesn’t care because all that matters right now is that he fights.
“My sister and my friend— they’re not a commodity! Even if what you said is true about Izuku— that he was made to be your brother— it doesn’t remove the fact that they’re both conscious beings! They have their own thoughts! Their own feelings!”
“You don’t have to worry… just like Niichan, your sister will learn her place… even if she doesn’t… I’ll just teach her what happens if she defies me. ”
“ENOUGH OF THAT CRAZY TALK!”
He points his broken sword at the demon.
“That’s not what a family bond is! You’re using terror— you’re using power against them! If you can’t figure out what’s wrong with your mindset then you’ll never get what you desire!”
He gets out of the safety of the trees, silently apologizing as he dodges Nezuko’s outreached hand.
“So no… I won’t let you have them… not until I stop breathing .”
“That’s okay…”
“I’ll just take them once I’ve killed you.”
.
.
.
“If you hit your head, that’d be bad!!”
.
.
.
He has to… he needs to…
His arms— he can’t feel his arms, he can still move them but he can’t— can’t feel it… but he still feels his sword bumping into his thigh so he still knows it's there. That’s all that matters… he can’t lose it… he can’t lose the only thing that could kill a demon.
He can’t breathe… it was getting hard to… and he couldn’t help but get choked up. That demon— she’s just a weakling but she still somehow did a number on him.
Again… What does that say about him?
Would he always need Deku just to be better?
He doesn’t know where he’s going… for all he knows he was walking straight to the foot of the mountain with no luck.
He has to go back for him. For Auntie Inko. They have to get back home together… he can’t bear to think of her face when he comes back without him… the guilt was already eating him alive worse than the chemicals burning away at his nerves. He can stay crippled for all he cares but he’s getting him back.
He… needs to… bide his time… wait for every demon to be killed… Deku is smart enough to hide when the sun comes, right? He just has to… to find a little burrow where he could possibly— he won’t die. He’s not stupid enough to die.
It’s blurring… darkening around the edges… he can’t black out… not now, not when he’s—
Mreoww?
Ch…
“Chachamaru…?”
Mew…
Oh… was he hallucinating? He even has a little backpack on… he meows at him once more, going as far as miming rolling on the dirt for him to understand… but he can’t really reach for him. He doesn’t want to accidentally lose the grip on his sword… okay— he swears the cat rolled his eyes at him—
Chachamaru shakes himself, managing to get the latch on the bag off enough for something to fall off… it looked like one of those… those things Tamayo had— medicine that wouldn’t need a plunger to inject into you. He picks it up with his mouth, pawing at the ground and he… couldn’t help but follow. He knelt down, letting the cat on his lap and—
“Eugh—! What the fuck…” Katsuki shivers… the pain was beginning to subside, but he still can’t properly move his arms… but it was enough in the meantime, “The hell are you doing all the way out here…?”
Chachamaru hops on his shoulder, settling on the bag and clawing at the shoulder straps for support.
“Seriously?”
Chacharmaru’s tail brushes against his uninjured cheek, facing forward.
“Right… go forward…”
He feels stupid… talking to a cat.
It didn’t even take him that long to find trouble either.
It was hard to hide when threads flew all around him, getting closer and closer to where he hid. Looking up, Nezuko was strung, the threads digging deeply into her skin, she was unconscious, no— asleep— regaining her energy. How she ended up there, Katsuki will never know.
Tanjiro was doing well for himself, he can fuck off for all he cares, what matters now is—
Dull teal eyes suddenly spotted him.
Deku always manages to surprise Katsuki.
“ Kacchan! ”
Rui and Tanjiro’s movements stuttered—
Deku falls over, stumbling. His entire body seized up the moment he got up but he kept moving because Kacchan was back and Kacchan didn’t leave him . He fought against the screaming in his head, the whispers were now yelling over the constant repetition of Kacchan Kacchan Kacchan because it's the only thing holding him down.
“DON’T MOVE!”
Deku’s whole body shook and he stumbles—
Katsuki ran, hand out, he just needs to— grab—
“Are you okay?”
He hesitates.
“Can you get up?”
Rui wrapped him around with his thread— dragging him up and up, stringing him right beside Nezuko.
First that scarred demon slayer managed to cut through his threads with a broken sword— and now Niichan’s precious little Kacchan was back?! They all failed him! His whole family failed him! He needs to start over— he needs to—
“Close your eyes!”
BOOM!
Rui recoils, assaulted by a bright light, brighter than the sun he hasn’t felt in years.
“Katsuki!” Tanjiro yells, relieved, his face suddenly screws into worry as he sees the state of his arms, the way his haori was sort of stuck at some parts, some of them bore holes that clearly show blistering bubbling red skin underneath, “Are you alright—”
“Stop fucking yammering !”
Tanjiro couldn’t help but laugh, relief flooding through him.
When the threads go up again, the two slayers go back to back. Tanjiro parries and weaves around the threads, Katsuki using one hand to send explosions, although ineffective, was enough to throw off Rui’s growing momentum. Tanjiro can tell he was spreading it thin already.
“Did you just break your sword?!”
“His threads are stronger than I thought!”
“You fucking idiot!”
The smoke from Katsuki’s explosions blocked most of Rui’s returning vision— cutting through it was an orange sword—
In Tanjiro’s hands.
“DON’T YOU DARE BREAK THAT!”
Rui clicks his tongue…
“Do you really think that’s the strongest my threads could get?”
“Blood Demon Art: Cruel String Prison.”
“KAMADO!”
Katsuki falls forward.
Red threads swirled around him in an incomprehensible pattern… it seemed slow as it was closing in… the hypnotizing red glow it seemed to hold was an omen of what’s inevitable.
Kamado Tanjiro…
A pile of pulverized human.
“Hinokami Kagura…”
Something sparked in his vision, and no, it wasn’t from himself. He watched as his sword was engulfed by flames, a dragon sweeping away at the threat with immense strength, cutting it like it was nothing special.
He watched from his spot as Tanjiro, ignoring the continued onslaught of attacks, maintained his breathing, the fire roaring, morphing into something serpent— no— dragon-like…
“DANCE!”
He was close— even Rui was dodging now, none of his threads hit its mark in his panic.
Katsuki has done everything he could do to help.
He hopes…
His sword hits the mark.
(Izuku’s outstretched hand closes.)
Nezuko was awake.
Rui’s eyes widen—
“What—”
“Demon Blood Art: Exploding Blood!”
Pink flames shoot down the thread and towards Rui with vengeance, cutting through the fire, the sword was now burning a bright pink—
THUNK!
Sparks flew, the sword has hit its mark—
His threads— Rui needs his threads! Why isn’t this working—!
Not enough…!
Not enough!
COME ON!
BOOM—!
Shhkk…—!
His head flew off.
Yukina looked out the window.
“Ah… Hachiko-chan…” she lets the crow fly onto her outstretched arm, “It’s time already?”
The crow nods.
“Well… it can’t be helped…”
She goes back into her room, limping off, opening their closet and rummaging through the folded clothes… underneath was a letter, written on a piece of paper once again filled with childish drawings, it was folded ever so neatly.
Hachiko flies right next to her, opening her beak.
“Safe travels, yes?”
She hands her the letter.
The crow nods…
‘What new trouble awaits you… Bakugo Katsuki?’ she thinks to herself…
Notes:
Taisho Secret #10:
Katsuki being involved did change a lot of things.
Because he was with Tanjiro when they fought the arrow and temari demons, Tanjiro wasn’t as injured, and therefore, less people were sent to Mount Natagumo before they arrived.
Because Tanjiro and the others are far early, they managed to get teamed up with Murata’s group, which luckily suffered no fatalities.
However, the group Katsuki was supposed to be in originally was the group with the female demon slayer getting puppeteered, as they arrived a little bit after Katsuki.
If Katsuki had stayed, they would’ve all survived.
Actions have consequences.
[Up Next: The Trial of Kamado and Bakugo]
Chapter 11: The Trial of Kamado and Bakugo
Summary:
two heads are better than one
Notes:
AAAAHHHHH I really really love this and it stretched out longer than I anticipated and I had to cut it lol.
I won't be diving much into Rui's backstory, if you noticed, I try to keep Katuski's experiences unique, as I didn't want it to be a whole "AND BUMBLEBEE!!" situation, and since I'm writing mainly from his POV, the things in Tanjiro's POV are lost. In the canon, we are shown backstories in a deeper light, in Katsuki's POV, since he doesn't care much for demons, their backstories are even vaguer, more like a footnote (sometimes even literal).
This is why I am so excited to get the Mt. Natagumo arc done because the next arc is exclusive to Katsuki!!
Anyways, enough of my ramblings.
And if you have questions about the fic, or if you just want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“What are you going to do, Rui?”
Rui opens his eyes…
Jiki-neechan looks down on him, her hands threading through his hair as he absentmindedly weaves his fingers through her own… the moon was at its highest point they swayed above the ground, her hair making a hammock… his lord was right, they really are similar…
She isn’t a spider, but she might as well be.
“... what do you mean, Neechan?”
She looks up at the moon, her hair cascades beautifully down her face with her movement, her white eyelashes catches the moon’s light.
“Our Lord would need more of me, Rui,” she whispers, “I can’t be with you all the time anymore.”
“Then I’ll come with you.”
She shakes her head, “It isn’t that simple, Rui…”
She slides her hands on his cheek, her thumb rubbing his jaw as he presses his face into her palm.
“Will you leave me?”
“No…” she laughs, it was the most beautiful thing Rui has ever heard, “No, I will still be visiting… but not as often.”
“... so I would be alone most of the time?”
“I guess so…”
Rui turns his head away from her, looking up at the moon.
“... I’ll make my own then.”
Jiki-neechan startles a bit, “Your own what, Rui?”
“My own family.”
.
.
.
“What is a family?”
.
.
.
The forest was still.
Katsuki pants, using his shoulder to push himself up, sitting on the ground. Far away, closer to the collapsing home, Tanjiro laid, having collapsed earlier. He was breathing, he could see that, but he could barely move, gripping Katsuki’s sword tight as he practically crawled over to where Nezuko landed. With all the commotion that happened, the threads have snapped, making the two demons fall. Nezuko wasn’t moving either, probably conserving her strength.
He looked over to where Izuku landed… he was slowly sitting up, he had more energy and relatively faster healing than Nezuko due to his blood diet, it made sense he would recover faster.
His eyes still haven't returned back to its foggy state…
“Oi.”
Katsuki slowly but surely gets on his knees… With that, he planted his feet and heaved himself up, his arms swaying uselessly at his sides.
“Deku,” he calls him, “Don’t ignore me.”
He stumbles forward. Deku doesn’t answer him. Deku doesn’t even look. He passes Rui’s unmoving body.
“Hey… did you really think I was going to just leave you?” Katsuki’s voice shook, “If that’s really what you believe then you’re just… being an idiot… I’m doing all of this so we can come back home, I’m not going to just… leave you behind, you hear me?”
Why wasn’t he replying? He would grab his shoulders if he could.
“Oi—! Answer me—!”
Deku stands.
“Deku…”
He moves, his arms opening, undoubtedly for a hug. Katsuki feels his shoulders sag in relief. Deku was back to normal. He was more touchy now that he’s a demon. Katsuki doesn’t like it… when Deku would try and reach for him, he would just make him hold his haori if he wants something to latch on. When he tries to be affectionate and worry all over him after training or a fight, Deku would always open his arms to check on him.
Katsuki would always dodge.
Maybe… maybe he wouldn’t this time.
He stands still, waiting for those arms to—
“KATSUKI—!”
Deku walks past him.
He remained unmoving as he felt it once more, that suffocating fog that permeates through the air. Tanjiro scrambled to get up, but he couldn’t, that last attack finally took a toll on his body, reaching his hand out as claws towards him.
When Katsuki finally turns his head…
Rui’s outstretched hand was reaching for his face.
Katsuki wasn’t dead yet, his head was still intact, his body still standing… What was stopping Rui from finishing what he started?
It was Deku.
With his arms hooked under Rui’s armpits, Deku rests his chin on Rui’s shoulder as he knelt down. One arm wrapped around Rui’s body, the other hand tangled in his hair, pressing him to rest his head on Deku’s shoulder. It was a bizarre sight… like a mother trying to calm a hyperactive child, Deku’s clawed fingers threaded through Rui’s hair in a familiar motion…
(Deku always calms down when Auntie Inko does it… Katsuki remembered first meeting him. Deku fell and ran to his mother… it looked the exact same.)
Rui was still reaching for him, his eyes blown wide, face twisted in anger and frustration.
“Rui.” (“Izuku.”)
The demon flinches. (Deku sniffles.)
“... Tired… Rui…? (“Are you tired, Izuku?”)
Rui screams. (Deku sobs.)
He balls his hands into fists, he thrashes in Deku’s hold, pounding his fists onto Deku’s back. It only caused him to be held tighter. He even started pushing at the other’s just, kicking and flailing his limbs around like it would even do something, but Deku held on.
“DIE! DIE!” Rui screams, “THEY NEED TO DIE! LET ME GO! NO!”
Drip… drip… drip…
Tanjiro and Katsuki watch in shock… big globs of tears slowly flowed from Rui’s eyes, he desperately tried to white them away, but they kept going, falling down his cheeks and into Deku’s scarf. He lets out another hoarse scream as he starts scratching himself, scratching his face, his nails aren’t as sharp as Deku or Nezuko’s but the sheer force still makes red marks appear, healed over by the demon’s fast healing.
.
“It’s okay, Rui… We’ll die together…”
.
Deku was still clinging on, pressing his cheek on Rui’s head and that action made him convulse. His scratching turned into desperate hair yanking, the yanking turned to hitting his head.
.
“I’m sorry… I failed to give you a strong body…”
.
“NO NO NO NO! STOP IT!” Rui cries out, “STOP SHOWING ME THIS! STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!”
Someone bumps beside Katsuki. He glances over him, quick and brief, as Tanjiro, using his burrowed sword for support. He took another quick glance behind him to see Nezuko now leaning against the rotting wood of the house, her box next to her, fast asleep.
“He smells like grief…” Tanjiro murmurs.
“Don’t be stupid…” Katsuki scoffs, “They don’t feel grief.”
“I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY! IT’S ALL MY FAULT—!”
“TOUSAN! KAASAN! I’M SORRY!”
“PLEASE FORGIVE ME!”
“I’M SORRY—!”
"I-!"
Tanjiro limps forward. Katsuki doesn’t move.
He placed his hand on Rui’s head and the demon stopped moving.
He watches the two delusional idiots surround the sobbing demon, the sobbing lower moon without a sense of danger at all. Deku can still understand, perhaps that thing implanted into his head was still there, lingering, even though he can now move freely without Rui’s commands. But Tanjiro? He doesn’t need to do what he was doing.
“You shouldn’t be pitying that thing,” Katsuki clicks his tongue, “He might look like a kid but he’s probably lived long enough to have killed an entire city. Don’t feel bad just because he’s sobbing his eyes out.”
Tanjiro takes a deep breath, gripping Katsuki’s sword.
“I know that…” he says, “But also know this: swing my sword at any demon’s neck without hesitation! But just this once, let me— let us afford him a bit of peace. Even as a demon… He felt pain… And he's feeling remorse for his actions. Like us he was once human too. So please… let him have this.”
“He still needs to die.”
“And I will behead him all the same.”
Katsuki looks away.
He doesn’t understand it. How Tanjiro could say something like that with such confidence. No, that wasn’t confidence, that was just flat out stupidity. Thinking like that would certainly get him killed that way, but what does he know? It was most certainly against the rules to try and keep demons alive, Tanjiro and Katsuki weren’t the only ones who have attempted and succeeded, but most of those cases are demon slayers encountering it on missions, families who have survived the initial attack keeping their loved one locked and in worse case scenarios, fed them themselves. He doesn’t get it, how Tanjiro could feel bad for Rui, Rui stopped becoming a kid when he became a demon. He stopped being human when he consumed flesh.
He doesn’t deserve kindness.
None of them do.
But if Tanjiro can still behead them even so… Katsuki doesn’t care what the idiot feels about it.
“Then do it.”
Tanjiro closes his eyes, his breathing still shallow. Rui wasn’t moving anymore and it didn’t look like he would move away either. He raises the sword, placing the blade on his neck, but he doesn’t swing. He doesn’t think that he can do what he did earlier again… Rui’s neck is tough. Can he attempt it again now that he doesn’t have a broken sword?
“We still need his blood.”
Tanjiro flinches when he feels the blade be moved, but he was surprised when it wasn’t to move it away.
“I know.”
Rui looks up at him, his hand gripping the blade, digging it into his neck… it makes a shallow cut that drips into his kimono, into Deku’s yellow scarf. He looked like he was pleading for it.
He wasn’t fighting back.
Deku finally lets go, but he holds on to Rui's hand. The demon child’s grip on it shook but he didn't move away, he pressed into the blade even more.
Deku reaches his free hand out… and guides Rui’s eyelids to shut.
Tanjiro lifts the blade—
And swings—
Butterflies flutter by.
It happened so fast, none of them could even react in time. Katsuki saw it, from afar, something white jumped from tree to tree, almost indecipherable— but it looked like it was getting bigger and bigger, that’s when he knew it was heading straight for them.
And Rui knew it too.
Before the blade can hit its mark once more, Rui swings Deku into Tanjiro, causing them to stumble into Katsuki, who took a step back before he joined the domino. The lower moon raised his fist to—
“Oops~”
Fabric fluttered in the cool air.
shhkk—!
“Seems I missed my mark!!! But no matter…”
Rui’s eyes widened.
shkk! shkk! shkk! shhhk! shkkk!
“That wasn’t a lethal dose for you.”
Landing behind Rui was a woman shorter than both of them. Her eyes, purple and dull, glowed with barely hidden malice, enhanced by the soft smile she wore on her delicate looking face. Her haori, long and patterned, made her look like she had wings as it slowly settled to a stop. Gripped in her hand was a peculiar looking sword, it was thinner, with a blade all the way at the end, mimicking a stinger more than a blade for beheading.
“hhhkkk—!”
They hear Rui choke, his hands fly up to his neck, he turns around a little too late, his clothes already soaking from the blood of his puncture wounds and instead of stopping, they merely continue, his healing wasn’t working.
He keels over, white skin revealing purple veins as it starts to discolor, foam forming in his mouth.
He reaches out—
“Niichan—”
And falls.
Dead.
.
.
.
“Tousan… Kaasan…—”
“Rui… shhh… it’s okay.”
“I’m sorry—! I— it was all my fault! I just wanted—”
“It’s okay, Rui. Don’t worry…”
“I’m sorry…!”
“We’re right here…”
.
.
.
He doesn’t turn to ash… and too bad too… his blood would’ve been contaminated.
The woman straightens up, twirling her odd sword in her fingers too fast for their eyes to track before she settles it beside her.
“Are you alright, boys?” she asks, tilting her head, “You aren’t hurt, are you?”
“Uh—”
“Don’t,” Katsuki interjects, cutting Tanjiro off before he can say anything else, “We’re fine.”
This was another demon slayer, she doesn’t know their situation and if they play their cards right, they can get out of this scott free. Deku and Nezuko both look human enough, if they can just pretend that they’re civilians caught up in all this mess, maybe—
“Is that so?” her smile turns sharper, “You’re clearly hurt. Look at all those burns on you— and oh! Your friend seems pretty bloody!!”
She offers her hand out.
“The threat has been dealt with, please head to the foot of the mountain to get medical attention from the kakushi.”
“We—”
“We’ll do that after we escort these civilians back home,” Katsuki cuts Tanjiro off… again, “This won’t take long.”
“But I insist!!” she places her free hand over her chest, “You have already done enough…”
She reaches for Deku…
“Why don’t I… escort them myse—”
SMACK!
Katsuki sucks in a sharp breath, the pain killing injection Chachamaru gave him was starting to wear off, it seems it doesn’t last long. The back of his hand meets the woman’s arm, smacking it away from Deku, making Tanjiro let out a horrified yell.
“I am so sorry for him! I don’t know what has gotten into him!” he apologizes, but he couldn’t quite get up to properly do so, as Deku was now staring off into space, “Please forgive him! He’s just worried for our—”
“— demon friends?”
The woman sheathes her sword, her smile becoming sharper. She observes their shocked faces.
“You think I wouldn’t notice?” she sounded like she was about to giggle, “I would be a pretty bad demon slayer if I couldn’t tell, no?”
She even points over to Nezuko.
“That one too… she’s a demon as well, correct?”
Katsuki begs for whatever fucking god is up there that Tanjiro would shut his damn mouth for once.
Unfortunately, God is cruel.
“Please—! You don’t understand! Izuku and Nezuko haven't hurt a human! They haven’t eaten anyone at all!”
The woman considers them for a moment, humming to herself.
“Is that so?”
“Yes!” Tanjiro nods, “Yes, please— you have to understand!”
She nods along, “Ah… I do understand.”
That has to be too good to be true. Katsuki eyes her scabbard, her hand was still on it, she was moving her sword around inside using the handle, her other hand moving weirdly, her fingers making movements like she was playing a flute.
“You see… I too believe that we can be friends with demons!!”
“You do?” Tanjiro brightens at that.
“That is why…”
She unsheathes her sword… the blade drips with a purple liquid.
“I’ll just use a gentle poison…” she says, sounding ever so sweet, “If they survive… then you aren’t telling any lies~”
Rui’s purple corpse stares up at them.
“KAMADO MOVE!”
CLANG—!
A new figure comes into view.
(In the back of Katsuki’s mind, his irritation grew tenfold.)
Blocking the strike, hooking itself underneath the stinger and parrying it upwards, was yet another demon slayer. Katsuki got a face full of his haori, made from two kinds of fabric before he got to see his face. Cold blue eyes bore down on them, landing on Tanjiro first before it lands on Deku, and Katsuki, his brow subtly quirking in confusion. Slung over his shoulder is Tanjiro’s box, which was shrugged off as he placed Nezuko down, who looked around her surroundings in confusion.
“What’s this?” The woman looked surprised, but not at all shaken, “This isn’t like you Tomioka-san~ When I asked you earlier you said you won’t ever get along with demons, so what’s going on now?”
She backs away, her haori flapping.
“You’re always like this, you know? This is why no one likes you.”
…
Katsuki and Tanjiro glanced at each other. Katsuki’s brows were furrowed, his eyes going up and down on the new slayer that entered the fray, while Tanjiro just looked mildly shocked at the woman’s statement.
“Please step aside, Tomioka-san, and let me do my job.”
There was a pause…
Katsuki wonders what he would say to such a—
“I am… not disliked by people.”
Huh…?
“Ah… I see… I’m so sorry then, it seems you didn’t know that people hate you. Oh, me and my big mouth, you know? Please forgive me!”
Huh????
“You two.”
Tomioka addresses them, which snaps Katsuki back to attention. He doesn’t know the situation with the other two but if Tanjiro was holding the other demon with protectiveness then he just has to trust him on this one.
“If you can still move… do so. Even when your body is screaming at you. Take your sister— take whoever you’re holding and run.”
Katsuki doesn’t have to be told twice.
“Tomioka-san, I’m sorry for this—” Tanjiro starts to lift Deku up.
Katsuki grabs the bag’s strap and Nezuko’s hand.
“Thank you!”
Tanjiro calls over his shoulder…
The last thing Katsuki hears is the woman’s mockingly defeated sigh.
“What you did is against the corps’ rules, right?”
.
.
.
“You are such an idiot!”
How Katsuki even had the energy to yell, he doesn’t know, but he will use it to make sure Tanjiro knows how much of a dumbass he was back there.
“Seriously?! Admitting they’re demons?! What were you thinking?!”
Tanjiro wasn’t one to back down either, matching his energy as much as he could, even though his body ached as he carried Deku in his arms.
“You slapped her hand away!”
“Because she was going to grab him!”
“She just wanted to help—!”
“We’re gonna have to look for Lady Tamayo’s new hideout again and hunt for demons ourselves!” Katsuki tsks, he can’t believe he would be stuck with this dumbass for the foreseeable future, but here they are, “And we have to go on and steal a sword before we go because someone decided to break theirs!”
“I didn’t mean to!”
“You don’t mean a lot of fucking things!”
“I’m so—”
Someone lands on Tanjiro’s back.
Katsuki pulls Nezuko back, watching the other fall forward and landing hard on his chin. He accidentally lets go, Deku flies a short distance away, his now dull (thank god) eyes looking over at them in confusion, slowly trying to get up himself.
The slayer was a girl, with a side ponytail and— wait…
She was the only surviving girl in the Final Selection.
She doesn’t waste time, Katsuki barely had enough energy to push Nezuko under and forward, her blade missing her by a hair because Tanjiro yanks at her foot.
“RUN YOU TWO! RU—!”
Her expression doesn’t change as she kicks Tanjiro’s head—
“Shit—!”
And Katsuki was a bit too late to realize he was next.
.
.
.
Seeing the two get knocked out, Nezuko dips down to grab Green’s hand, gripping it tight. The demon slayer pursued them, full on intending to chop their head off, something she can never allow to happen.
The girl swings her sword at them—
Green’s hand moved in a yanking motion, the girl’s blade stopped its movement, only to get ripped out of her one hand and embedded into a tree. The girl’s expression doesn’t change and instead runs towards it, giving them both a chance to escape.
She tugs at Green again and they keep moving…
But the girl just won’t give up. Even after her sword was ripped out, she caught up quickly, yanking it out of the bark without a problem at all. She jumps up, getting to higher ground, making catching up to them quicker—
With one final jump from a high branch, the girl descends down on them, aiming to kill two demons in one stroke… but Nezuko was smart.
Nezuko shrinks, small so she would be fast, small so she won’t get hit. This sudden change in height probably confused Green when she felt him stumble backwards. The blade misses them both but the girl tries again, aiming for Green—
Who hopped into her arms as a fuzzy green rabbit.
Being small and fast, the two of them dodged even more of the girl’s strike, with Green hopping off her to push the blade away at times, and even turning back into his humanoid form to propel her forward, switching back to a rabbit to jump into her open arms.
“CAWWW! CAWWW!”
The three of them looko up just briefly.
“AN ORDER FROM THE HEADQUARTERS!”
Nezuko skids to a halt.
“CAPTURE THE DEMON SLAYERS; TANJIRO AND KATSUKI, AND THE DEMONS; NEZUKO AND IZUKU!”
Nezuko is her… they want her?
“BRING THEM BACK TO THE HEADQUARTERS IMMEDIATELY!”
Even the girl drops her sword down.
With the crows spouting out more information, the girl leans down towards them, she grips Green tighter in her arms.
“Are you Nezuko and Izuku?”
“Ah! There he is! All awake now, yes?”
Katsuki felt his body jolt, his senses going back one by one. He winces, the pain from his injuries coming back without the adrenaline pumping in his veins. He notices small stones digging into his cut up cheek, his arm painfully tied behind his back, the ropes digging into the burns he has gained. They didn’t even give him first aid.
He cranes his head up, Tanjiro was just as stunned and just as tied up as he was. There was someone in between them, their face covered, Katsuki’s mind supplies him with the term for them: kakushi, demon slayers who were trained but don’t have enough skills or the guts to become official slayers, instead using their time and effort into acting as sort of first responders after particularly devastating demon attacks or other manners of important tasks.
He shifts his gaze on where Tanjiro was looking.
Katsuki’s heart almost leaps into his throat. He always knew this would be a possibility, Yukina wasn’t kidding when it came to her training. She might’ve not told him who these people are in name but he knows their positions and how important they are to the corps as a whole (as well as a few choice words against some of them).
This was the big leagues… the best of the best… the top of the food chain.
The Hashiras… Pillars that hold this whole operation together
Looking at them all now, Katsuki would’ve thought he was back home, this was the most normal he has seen people around him be. He knows how rare hair and eyes were, but looking at them now, Katsuki wouldn’t look as out of place as he was before.
Let's see if Yukina’s lessons stuck…
Currently there are nine hashiras, the biggest number to date… five of them not holding the main breathing forms… from their appearances alone, Katsuki can try to deduce what Hashira they might be… starting with the woman they met before. She’s the Insect Hashira, surely, he can see it clearly with her haori, it wasn’t like she was hiding it with the way she fights.
“Let’s start the trial now, shall we?” the woman from before claps her hands together, “Before we begin— I shall state the crimes you two have committed—”
“I don’t think that would be necessary!!”
Embodying fire itself— although his wild hair and eyebrows made him look more like a blonde owl doused in tomato sauce— this guy is the Fire Hashira, it couldn’t be any more obvious than that.
“The act of protecting a demon is obviously against the corps rules!!” fuck, his ears were ringing, does he have to shout like that? “We can deal with this ourselves! Let’s behead both of them together with the demons!”
“If we’re talking about beheading, I shall behead them flamboyantly!”
Katsuki didn’t even hide the way his scowl deepens as he squints, the Hashira who spoke wore his uniform sleeveless, adoring as many shining stones and jewelry on his person that he was almost going blind from the way it shined in the light… or maybe it was because of the concussion he may or may not have. He doesn’t have any outward signs of who he was supposed to be… but a snide comment he remembered from Yukina is that he was the closest Katsuki’s breathing style to was… and he was quite the obnoxious asshole, spouting about how better he was in everything, how whatever he does must be considered as art.
“Let me splatter his blood beautifully, I mean no one else can do it better than me!”
Yeah… that’s the Sound Hashira right there.
“I— I don’t think that would be necessary yet!! Let’s wait for orders…”
A woman with bright pink hair with green tips speaks up, her soft green eyes landed on the two of them, brows furrowed… in pity? He doesn’t know, but at least she wasn’t so gung ho about chopping their heads off. She was one of the recents ones, one that Yukina was raving all about, excited having another woman to step to the position, and so quick might she add. He does avoid looking at her very exposed cleavage… Definitely the Love Hashira.
“Such misfortune…”
The largest and tallest of them finally speaks up, tears rolling down his eyes and Katsuki doesn’t spot any pupils or irises… this one was the blind one, he remembers. He was clutching prayer beads, head bowing down, giving them a clear view of a rugged scar on his forehead.
“How could there be such a thing? Poor children… how pitiful… tragic…”
Okay, Katsuki gets it, they’re fucking doomed by the narrative, that guy doesn’t have to rub it in.
He looked older than everyone else, something of an achievement when you’re in the corps. If he was the eldest and with that big of a build, he must be the Stone Hashira.
When everyone was done speaking, Katsuki let his eyes drift elsewhere, looking for anyone else. There was someone younger than them (just as baby faced as Katsuki currently is) looking up in the sky, not paying them any mind. His uniform was tailored to have longer pants and sleeves, long hair fading into a light teal color.
“Earrings.”
Tanjiro stops his frantic movements.
“Stop fucking moving around,” he grits out, “These are the Hashiras we’re in front of. We have to show some respect.”
‘But of course, if they justifiably piss you off, you can always fight back! It’s not like you would ever have to see them if you’re careful enough not to get caught!’
Worst advice ever, by the way, Yukina needs to stop encouraging Katsuki to beat people up after telling him to show respect, knowing full well he wouldn’t hesitate to throw a punch or too, quirk or no quirk.
“The Hashira??”
“At least your friend here knows some manners!” the kakushi huffs, “You are in the presence of the highest-ranked swordsmen within the Demon Slayer Corpse!”
This doesn’t seem to phase Tanjiro at all, he has a stubborn one track mind.
“N-Nezuko— where’s—!”
He really needs to learn how to shut up. Katsuki spreads his palm flat on the ropes he was tied with, releasing little sparks of his quirk at a time, keeping his back carefully out of anyone’s line of sight. He doesn’t dare move, glaring up at their soon to be prosecutors.
Tanjiro didn’t get the memo.
“Nezuko—! Zenitsu! Inosuke! Murata-san—” Tanjiro goes to sit up. He watched as he struggled to keep his head up.
That was fine… keep talking, keep your eyes on yourself while Katsuki does his thing…
“Forget about execution.”
Both of them almost flinch. There was another one? Sitting up sharply— and regretting doing so— Katsuki looks up at the tree near where they stood, seeing someone lazing around on a sturdy branch. With a white snake resting around his neck, the demon slayer looked down at them with mismatched eyes, the lower half of his face bandaged up.
The Serpent Hashira, obviously.
“What are we going to do with Tomioka?” he points out, “He’s not even tied up and it’s giving me a headache. According to Kocho, he also broke the corps rules, even going as far as ordering them to run. Shouldn’t he be punished too?”
Following the pointed finger, Katsuki didn’t even notice he had his back to the other hashira, he adjusts himself accordingly. Tomioka was the guy that helped them last night and Tanjiro seems to know him. He was looking away, far apart from the group. He must be the Water Hashira… Yukina described him as someone who’s a bit confusing and a bit of a loner with a questionable sense of fashion.
Which means the Wind Hashira is all that’s left.
“Let’s think about his punishment later…” The Insect Hashira, Kocho, says turning back towards the two of them, “I have a question for the boys…”
She allows for Tanjiro to focus for a moment.
“As members of the Demon Slayer Corps, you should already know why bringing a demon with you on your missions breaks the rules… why did you do it?” she asks, “I’m just surprised… it isn’t everyday you see this sort of matter, but having not one, but two of you do the exact same thing? It’s nothing short of baffling! I would like to hear your explanations…”
Tanjiro meets his eyes.
“Kamado Tanjiro… Bakugo Katsuki… Why did you bring a demon along as a member of the corps?”
“We don’t need their explanations,” the Sound Hashira grips on the handles of his weapons.
Kocho ignores him, “Come on, take your time… let’s start with Kamado first, shall we?”
“My— my sister— my younger sis—”
Tanjiro breaks into a coughing fit. It seems she took pity on him, approaching him with a gourd, crouching down and offering it up.
“Drink some water…” she says, placing the opening to his lips and Tanjiro gratefully drinks, “Drink slowly, you broke your jaw after all… I also added some painkillers to it,” she tilts her head towards Katsuki, “Perhaps you want a sip as well? Your arms must’ve really been bothering you, Bakugo…”
“I would rather drink vinegar.”
“Suit yourself then.”
She turns back over to Tanjiro
“Well then, Kamado Tanjiro, go on…”
Tanjiro lifted his head up, he wasn’t feeling much better, but it was a start.
“The demon— she’s my sister,” he starts to explain, Katsuki straightens up, suddenly realizing this would be the first time he would hear how Tanjiro ended up this way, “When I left my home, my family was attacked by a demon! When I got back— everyone was dead. Only my sister survived but she got turned into a demon!”
Everyone…
“But you have to listen— even though she’s a demon, she has never attacked any human! She won’t eat them, or hurt them, not now— not ever!”
“Don’t make such a reckless remark in front of me,” the Serpent Hashira drawls out, “Since she’s family, of course you’re on her side. I wouldn’t trust anything you say.”
“No! You don’t understand! I became a demon slayer to cure my sister! Even then she hasn’t eaten anyone! She’s been a demon for two years and—”
“Quit it. Your turn is over,” the Serpent Hashira cuts him off, “How about you, huh…? the other demon must be yours then.”
Katsuki scowls at him.
“Kamado already explained his side… how about you? Are you as delusional as him?”
“Well, of course I became a demon slayer to find a cure, but do you really want to know what led to this?” Katsuki sneers, “It’s not like it would change anything but fine! We got kidnapped.”
The hashiras all focused on him, even Tomioka.
“We got kidnapped by Lower Moon Six.”
This caused a stir. They start speaking over each other, questions of outraged overlapping and Katsuki can’t help but bathe in the chaos of it all. They want to hear his story? Well, here it is, they wouldn’t want to execute someone with vital information. If he knew this would’ve caused such an outcry he would’ve volunteered to blabbed way earlier!
He knew this would happen, it was already a given, but he would be stupid not to go down without some sort of fight.
“You think I’m fucking lying?!” he barks out a laugh.
“Of course! How could you have possibly survived the encounter?!” The Sound Hashira counters.
“Because I am just that good,” he grins, “And to tell you what… We were kidnapped because we knew something.”
He then leans back, manspreading, looking ever so casual.
“But hey, since we’re gonna die here anyway, I might as well shut up and let you lob my head off! What Kibutsuji is looking for isn’t all that important anyway .”
“Now listen here—!” The Sound Hashira goes right into his face, “You can’t just go around saying that without any proof! At least that guy claimed his sister hasn’t eaten anyone, but what about yours?!”
“He drinks my blood, dipshit, I’m not that stupid to let him go off and eat another human!” Katsuki leans forward as well, not to be outdone, “How else are we so confident bringing them around with us?!”
“Your blood!” The Love Hashira all but shrieks, “I admit that is a one of a kind sort of dedication but—”
“Isn’t that the same as having eaten someone?” The Flame Hashira finishes.
“Is blood transfusion the same as murdering someone? Do you even hear yourself?”
“Oh, just cut his head off and be done with it!” The Serpent Hashira shouts, “He’s starting to piss me off!”
“DO IT YOU COWARD!”
The Serpent Hashira moves, branch shaking as he prepares to drop down—
“Guys!”
That made him freeze, looking down, he saw the Love Hashira raise her arms, waving it around to get the attention of her, her voice shouting above the hashiras that were all causing a stir.
“Uh— uhm—” she blushes, “L-let’s wait for Oyakata-sama. I don’t think this is something we should deal with on our own, I mean!”
That has… somewhat calms everyone down…
“Please excuse him! He doesn’t know what he’s saying! I can assure you this, thoug” Tanjiro tries to fix the situation, “They’ll fight with us! My sister and Izuku— they’ll fight alongside us for the sake of humanity! For the Demon Slayer Corps! So ple—”
“Well— it seems things are already getting interesting!”
Katsuki’s head snaps to the left.
White hair, open uniform revealing his scarred abs, an even nastier scar on his face that looked oddly familiar… standing there was the last hashira, and in his hand…
Nezuko’s box.
“So these are the dumbasses that traveled around with demons, right?”
The Wind Hashira.
“Now what’s your damage?”
Katsuki and Tanjiro’s eyes were focused on the box. Nezuko is surely in it, Deku as well, he can turn into a rabbit, he would be small enough to be nestled in Nezuko’s arms as she rests.
Kocho finally stands away from Tanjiro, her smile dropping, looking serious for once rather than that almost blank fake serene expression on her face.
“Shinazugawa-san,” she starts, her voice steady, lacking the flutter it had earlier, “Please don’t act rashly.”
“What did you say about these demons?” he ignores her, of course, “They’ll fight as a member of the corps to protect mankind, right?”
He reaches his free hand to his sword.
“That kind of thing…”
“HEY—!”
“WILL NEVER HAPPEN, YOU IDIOT!”
They watched in horror as the sword stabbed through the wood, exiting out just as swiftly, this time with blood.
Deku… Deku was tiny . He hasn’t seen him injured in his rabbit form yet but if that sword went through him— it was enough to catch his neck—
“YOU FUCKING BASTARD!”
Katsuki jumps to his feet, the ropes loosens around his arm, burnt and frayed. The hashira’s eyes widened. He faces his palm towards Shinazugawa, the sparks barely hidden in the bright sun above when—
“ACK—!”
The Serpent Hashira lands on his back, grabbing his arms back again, digging his knees into his lungs. His breath gets pushed out as he lands harshly, moving the rocks below them—
“How did he get out of the ropes!?”
They were too distracted with him to notice Tanjiro getting a running start—
“Whoever hurts my sister!” he was already up in the air, head thrown back, “I’ll never forgive them!”
BANG!
Tanjiro’s forehead makes contact with Shinazugawa’s fat head, blood gushes out from his nose as he pulls his sword out of the box. They fall harshly, the hashira shaking in disbelief.
He slowly pushes himself up…
“Pfft—”
The Love Hashira covers her face.
“... excuse me…”
Tanjiro stands in front of the box protectively.
“You little shit.”
The Serpent Hashira digs his knee deeper into Katsuki’s back, making him choke, “Don’t even think about joining your friend.”
“Not… my friend.”
“Since you can’t distinguish kind demons from vile demons, I think you might as well quit being a Hashira!”
… okay, Katsuki was just riling them up, not questioning their whole ass positions, Tanjiro needs to calm down. The reason why they’re the hashiras is because they’re the best of the best at doing their job, questioning whether or not a demon was kind or vile isn’t in the job description. Killing demons is their priority, weak or strong, good or bad, all of them gets the chopping block, Katsuki isn’t naive about that fact, that’s why he’s bargaining with information, not moving their hearts.
“I think I’ll just kill you right here right no—”
“Oyakata-sama has arrived.”
Tanjiro was shoved to the ground as everyone kneeled to bow their heads. If Katsuki wasn’t restrained, he would’ve done it too, already feeling the phantom sensation of Yukina bashing her bokken on his back for his poor form. It was almost scary, how fast all of the hashiras lined up to kneel a bow, with Snake-Boy sliding to the pebbled ground, one hand gripped tightly on his arms (his grip strength was something else entirely) and that creepy snake he had wrapped around Katsuki’s neck like a threat.
He watches as the man is guided to the engawa by two identical girls, his children.
Yukina told him that he was sick. A degenerative disease that soon rendered him blind. He asked why he was sick, she told him it was always like that. The Demon Slayer Corps has passed down its leadership to the eldest sons of the Ubuyashiki family, the ones who have also established the Corps… Yukina doesn’t tell him the full history, as she as well don’t know much information despite getting access to some records in her time as a demon slayer, but it was common to see leaders have children young and die young… because of a sickness the men seem to have.
Yukina thinks it's because their family is cursed.
‘How can someone so kind be cursed to such a fate’ she would say.
Looking at him right now, yes, Katsuki can see how people in this time consider him cursed.
The upper part of his face was covered by purple discoloration, Katsuki can almost compare it to rot. His eyes now glazed over with cataracts. His movement, slower, his daughters guided him delicately, watching their own steps. He lifts his head up, likely feeling the sunlight on his skin before he looks forward once more.
“You’re all here, my children…” he greets, “and Good morning, everyone. Today’s weather is great, isn’t it? The sky as blue as ever… all the familiar faces are here, I hope.”
He moves his head around, like he wawa looking at them, maybe some semblance of normalcy.
“Welcome to the semi-annual Hashira meeting…”
There was silence… Scar-Face was the first to speak up.
“It’s great to see you in good health, Oyakata-sama…” and what a shocker it was, he sounded calm and respectful, contrary to his appearance and demeanor earlier, hell— his whole manner of speaking changed, “I sincerely wish you good fortune and may all your hopes be fulfilled.”
“Thank you, Sanemi…”
“Forgive my bluntness, however… Before we begin the Hashira Meeting regarding the demon slayers, Kamado Tanjiro and Bakugo Katsuki, bringing demons with them, can I seek clarification?”
Katsuki barely winces at the feeling of the pebbles digging into his chin as he moves his head to stare up at the hashira, not bothering to hide the bewildered look on his face. So the man can speak like this and still chooses to stab the only evidence they have of their claims?? What even is this?!
“Yes, I do apologize for the confusion,” Oyakata-sama lowers his head down slightly, as if he was looking down, “And I apologize once again for putting this out without a prior warning, but I do hope you understand my decision.”
Everyone looks up.
“In the matter of those two slayers… they have my approval... I wish you all to accept them as a part of the corps...”
Notes:
Taisho Secret #11:
Nezuko feels a little bit more like herself when she’s around Izuku. It feels like she’s taking care of her little siblings again, getting them out of trouble. That fog in her mind gets a little bit more clearer.
That doesn’t mean Izuku would just let her do all the work.
When they’re together, they pingpong the protective brain cell between each other.
[Up Next: Resist!!]
Chapter 12: Resist!!
Summary:
letters from cultivators
Notes:
Finally got to the scene I really wanted to write.
Everything spiraled out of control, let me tell you that. I might actually post the outline once I'm done so you can see the changes I made, and let me tell you, some of them went places.
Sometimes the characters don't want to follow the narrative I set up for them, and who I am to deny them that?
And if you have questions about the fic, or if you just want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
What…?
They didn’t even have to argue for their case. They didn’t even have to say anything to try and explain themselves in front of the leader, the one spearheading this whole operation… they would be accepted… just like that? Katsuki doesn’t believe it. There has to be some sort of price to pay. Some sort of hidden agenda. There is no place for demon sympathizers in an operation that kills them for a living.
There’s just no way!
“Even though the Master wishes it so, I still have trouble understanding and accepting your request…” Boulder-Shoulders admits.
“I also flamboyantly oppose!” Eyesore agrees, “I can’t accept a demon slayer bringing a demon along!”
“Although I respect Oyakata-sama from the bottom of my heart, I cannot begin to try and understand why this choice is the right one! I respectfully and fully oppose this!” Owl-Hair shouts, not looking angry like the others, still with that smile on his face.
“I don’t really mind or care… I’ll just forget about it anyways…” the youngest of them all mumbled, more to himself than anything but his volume was loud enough for everyone to hear.
“If Oyakata-sama thinks it right then I do too!”
Finally! Someone with a damn brain! And it was Bubblegum, no less. At least there was someone somewhat on their side of things.
Katsuki sucks in a sharp breath when Snake-Boy speaks up next, “They can’t be trusted…” he glares down at him, “What I hate just as much as demons are people who defend and protect their actions. Let alone one that’s insane enough to let himself be used as food.”
“Carrying out the task of slaying demons defines the Demon Slayer Corps,” Scar-Face speaks up, he looked like he was about to bash someone’s skull in and that might just be Tanjiro, “Please severely punish Tomioka and the two offenders… let me behead those demons they carry around…”
And Katsuki thought that was it. Everyone has said their parts (although Butterfree and Taisho Era Emo over there remained silent), he thought it would be the end of this whole thing. Nothing else needs to be said, no one else needs to be convinced because that is their boss. There is no way Oyakata-sama would just let them disrespect his decision like that, right?
But it was simply not in his nature, as Yukina puts it, Oyakata-sama cares deeply about the children he sends off to die, it was drilled in his head, the master cares about all of their opinions, all of their worries and woes.
At first Katsuki was angry, as he often is these days, he just couldn’t wrap the idea around the system he was going to be thrust into. How could he…? Katsuki had thought, How could he just sit around and let all these people die? It was so unfair to Katsuki, how people his age, even younger, felt like they didn't have a choice but to pick up a damn sword. Being a hero wasn’t at all like this! They were actually properly taught, they would have guidance in the field work, they graduate and reach their full potential when they are adults . They weren’t just pushed into a forest to survive for a week. They weren’t just told to chop off a demon’s head or die. Why was that so necessary to be a demon slayer? Why does he have to almost die to be taught a lesson?
And it was the first time… the first time Katsuki has ever seen Yukina be really angry… so angry at him she told him to pick up his bokken and fight her. So angry that Katsuki was full of bruises by the end of it.
So angry that Katsuki can’t even look her in the eye because Katsuki doesn’t know what it feels like to be responsible for a life. Responsible for hundreds and thousands of lives.
Death is such a common thing in the Demon Slayer Corps not because Oyakata-sama didn’t care for them… it was because it cannot and never will be avoided.
Loss is something constant… and Oyakata-sama is doing his very best to make it easier for those who manage to survive…
Yukina’s mangled leg… Tadashi’s father…
‘We didn’t even got to get married’
Katsuki remembers the box full of money Yukina never touched…
“Get the letter…”
Katsuki looks up, well, as much as his neck would allow.
“Yes…”
His daughter takes a folded letter from her kimono, she opens it, eyes scanning over the paper before she addresses them all.
“This letter was written by a former Hashira…Urokodaki Sakonji…”
Tanjiro gasps, trying to move his head from under Scar-Face’s hold. He knows this guy.
“I will be reading out a small part of the content…”
“Please allow Kamado Tanjiro and his demonic sister to be together,” she starts, “Nezuko has an unyielding mental power. She is still capable of rationality from her humanity… even when she’s hungry, she won’t eat humans, and she hasn’t done so in the two years that have passed since I took them in.”
Two years, huh… they got turned into demons the same year then…
“Although this situation is something hard to accept momentarily, it is definitely the truth.”
Tanjiro's eyes were focused on the girl, wanting to hear everything that the letter said… Katsuki would have to ask him who this man was to him later…
“In the case that Nezuko does attack a human, … I, Urokodaki Sakonji, Kamado Tanjiro, and Tomioka Giyu, will slit our stomachs, committing the act of seppuku, to take responsibility.”
“So what if they’re willing to commit seppuku?” Scar-face grits out, “If they really want to die, they might as well do it right now!”
He looks towards their master.
“That is not a guarantee at all!”
“Shinazugawa is right! Killing her after she has eaten a human is way too late! The person she would’ve killed would never come back to life!” Owl-Hair agrees.
Their lord hums, “Yes, you are correct…”
Katsuki’s heart stalls for a moment.
“Indeed… they can’t guarantee that she won’t attack humans, that they both won’t attack humans. There is no way of proving it either… However… you can’t prove that as well…”
Scar-Face grinds his teeth down, swallowing any words he was about to say.
“Nezuko hasn’t eaten people in two years. That is a fact. For her, three people are already gambling their lives… to deny this, the opposing party must also give something of equal value… is there someone willing to do so?”
No one answers…
“As for Izuku, I have already been made aware of his situation even before Nezuko’s…”
Katsuki perks up… he did? He knew?? Since when—
Yukina you little—
“Although he consumes blood to survive, that blood was given willingly, he hasn’t harmed anyone—”
Katsuki feels his shoulder throb.
“— in the two years he’s become a demon… surely, just like the others, Katsuki is willing to lay his life, isn’t that correct?”
“Y-Yes, Oyakata-sama,” tumbled out of his mouth without Katsuki meaning to.
Of course Katsuki was willing. In fact, he was the right amount of insane to do it. Deku had undergone so many operations just so his body would only need blood as opposed to blood and flesh to survive, he isn’t going to doubt Tamayo’s abilities just like that. They still had to get home afterall, Katsuki wouldn’t let Aunti Inko’s baby become a murderer, she doesn’t deserve that.
Though it does disturb him… how ready he was to do so.
“Now that we are all on the same page, there is something I would also wish for all of you to know…”
“Tanjiro has met Kibutsuji.”
“How even is that possible?! Even a Hashira hasn't encountered Kibutsuji!” Eyesore exclaims, he leans forward, knocking Bubblegum down, to glare in disbelief, “This brat!”
“What does Kibutsuji look like?! How strong is he?! Where did you two meet him?!”
“Did you fight with him?” the kid asks.
Scar-Face started shaking Tanjiro, yanking him by the hair, “What did Kibutsuji do?! Did you find his hideout!? Answer me—”
Tanjiro’s head was suddenly dropped as everyone went silent (Emo helped Bubblegum get back up). Oyakata-ama’s finger was up to his lips, how anyone even managed to notice from all the fuss, he wouldn’t know.
Katsuki suddenly felt… unseen. He was also there on that mission… was he erased? He doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t want to draw even more attention to himself, he’s not that much of an idiot knowing full well he has angered almost half of the Hashiras just by flapping his lips. Perhaps it was because Tanjiro’s case was being discussed first? Perhaps having the cushion of that letter, having a former and current Hashira backing him up would help soften up some of the blow, so Katsuki was being set aside for now.
But he knows the inevitable conversation of how Katsuki met Kibutsuji way earlier than Tanjiro would come to view… if Oyakata-sama already knew of Izuku’s condition… just what else does he know?
“Kibutsuji sent his subordinates to kill Tanjiro…” Oyakata-sama starts to explain, “Perhaps to silence him… but this is the first time Kibutsuji has shown himself. I really do not want to let that go… and it seems what happened with Nezuko was beyond Kibutsuji’s expectations… Do you understand?”
No one replies… it seems that was it.
“Aside from that—”
“No.”
“Shinazugawa.” someone hisses.
“No, I don’t understand at all, Oyakata-sama,” Scar-Face continues, “If she’s a human, we could let that slide, bringing a civilian demon hunting is distasteful— dangerous even, sure, but at least I could respect wanting the people you care about with you. But this? There is no way I would accept this when she’s a demon.”
“Shinazugawa-san—”
“Think about the mentality we have while fighting— the number of sacrifices we made! I can’t accept it!”
In one swift motion, Scar-face removes his grip on Tanjiro’s hair. He lifts his scarred up arm, his other hand reaching for his sword in one smooth motion, drags the blade of his sword into his arm…
“Shinazugawa!”
No amount of shouting the hashira’s name can deter him from doing what he was planning to do. Katsuki can see it in his eyes, in the way he was hunching over. It was a look his mother has learned to look out for in his youth, a sign that he was going to use his quirk for something other than a lightshow, getting pulled back before he can even attempt to do what his toddler mind was whispering at himi would be fun. That habit still hasn’t disappeared, Deku even learned it, that’s how the nerd got better in shutting up and dodging when he needs to, he knows if Katsuki’s blasts would hurt or not.
They all watched, his blood dripping on the rocks below…
Deku and Nezuko would be fine, besides, Deku knows not to consume blood from a wound, Yushiro told him, and made sure that the little shit knows not to do it.
“Oyakata-sama! I’ll even prove it to you how ugly and disgusting demons truly are!”
“Sanemi…” Oyakata-sama sounded almost… defeated…
But it wouldn’t work, not on—
Katsuki heard scratching…
Scratching.
“Oi, demons,” he lets his arm hover above the box as he steps on it, letting his blood seep through the hole he has created, “It’s time for your meal… come on out and eat me!”
The box shook, Scar-face grins.
“There it is… come on now! Don’t be shy! Show your true nature! Don’t worry, I’ll give both of you swift deaths right here and now! Go on!”
“NEZUKO!”
Katsuki felt his blood turn cold. Everyone’s eyes were focused on the box, on the Wind Hashira, but Snake-boi was focused on him. He can see the way the blood drained from his face, the way he started to squirm, but Katsuki couldn’t bring himself to shout and struggle like Tanjiro…
Deku has consumed blood, has known the taste of flesh… but he has never acted like this— he has been around bleeding humans in one of their missions, there is no way—
“He’s a marechi,” Snake-Boi whispers, loud enough for only Katsuki can hear, “If you don’t know what that means… you’re about to find out.”
Wait—
“Wait! What do you—”
“Shinazugawa,” he speaks, ever so calmly, as if he didn’t just gave Katsuki a heart attack, “They can’t go out in the sun. If you don’t go under a shade, they won’t come out.”
“Wait! Hey—!”
“Oyakata-sama, please excuse my manners…”
“HOLD ON!”
They watch him jump into the shade, throwing the box to the floor. He approaches the box once more, stabbing through the same whole and they can actually hear Nezuko grunt in pain.
“Stop it!” Tanjiro shouts, he tries to get up—
“Grab him.”
Eyesore gets up from his place, stomping on his back, pressing his foot down hard enough it yanked the wind out of his lungs.
“NO!”
“Come out, demons!”
STAB… STAB… STAB…!
“I have your favorite human blood here!”
Katsuki can’t blow up. Not yet. Not yet— if he uses his quirk now he would soon have his head chopped off than Deku’s. He claws his fist into the rocks below, trying to stop the tiny fireworks of sparks that ignite in his anger. He was just laying here… helpless…
He needs to think rationally, he survived this far by thinking most things through to a degree— even if he can escape by using his quirk, people in this era wouldn’t understand that Katsuki isn’t a demon. They would be alarmed how he could walk under the sun. They would kill him, and then Deku, and then Tanjiro and Nezuko.
For the first time, Katsuki finds himself cursing his own quirk… something that he’s been prideful of, the driving force of his want to be a hero, something that made him and everyone else special… would get him killed.
Something Deku was heavily ostracized for lacking, would get Katsuki killed.
He can’t blow up the problem anymore, and even if he did, there was no guarantee Katsuki can run with Deku out in the sun, without his sword, without his bag.
Pathetic…
As he spirals, the box’s opening was opened… Shinazugawa stepping back.
Tanjiro was screaming but Katsuki can barely hear him over the ringing in is own ears. Kocho was scolding Eyesore for being so rough, or something along those lines as Katsuki finds himself unable to breathe.
“Shinazugawa is a marechi…” the Serpent Hashira leans down, “that what makes him such an effective demon slayer… those scars on his arms? He did that all to himself… and you know why?”
Katsuki doesn’t answer, watching the box ever so carefully.
“His blood makes demons drunk…” he continues, “it’s intoxicating… Marechi’s are humans with rare blood… blood that demons crave to consume because just one… one human with marechi blood… equals at least one hundred humans.”
A pale, clawed hand goes out of the box.
“De…ku—”
“Your friend already tasted human blood… what more when it’s Shinazugawa’s?”
No… No no no no— DEKU—!
(Deku looked downright murderous, teal eyes looked like it was glowing in the dark, his pupils sharp and trained right at him. With one arm out of the bars, sharp claws ready to scratch at the place Katsuki used to be. His other hand was on the wooden bar, the wood splintering underneath his grip. )
Deku slowly emerges, stepping out of the box. His eyes were slits as he stared at the blood pooling on the tatami flooring, his gaze slowly lifting up, up, up to the main source. His mouth was agape, he was sweating hard, even swaying on his feet, head tilting to the side as saliva ran down his chin, dripping onto the floor to make another puddle.
He was thinking about it.
Deku was thinking about it.
He isn’t special, none of them were.
Katsuki isn’t like Tanjiro who can do another breathing form in a desperate situation. Deku isn’t like Nezuko who only needed to sleep to heal her wounds.
If anyone was going to be executed… it wasn’t the Kamados.
No one was vouching for them.
If Deku decides to attack…
“DEKU!”
“DEKU LISTEN TO ME!”
“DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT YOU HEAR ME!”
“DEKU!”
At this rate…
They’re never coming home.
Katsuki reaches his hand out, his shouts finally cut off by an elbow digging into his back, his lungs struggle to expand, he can’t even breathe without the air being pushed the moment he even slightly moves.
He couldn’t even blink, couldn’t even look away…
Deku slowly reaches out—
.
.
.
Her siblings were never the violent types, however, with a family as big as hers, fights are quite common.
Sometimes it was verbal spats, a little pushing here and there, but there never were fights where they had to pull the two apart. Never.
But it did happen once.
Their brother got sick.
To the younger ones, it was something so devastating, seeing their strong older brother bedridden like that, his lungs sounded like it had water in them, they heard from down in the village that what’s-his-name’s cousin died of a disease similar to that.
And it didn’t help at all that father had just passed away months prior, the wound was still so fresh.
She handled it well the first few days, but money was short and their mother couldn’t get much work off of sewing garments with so little clients. She was down in the village, currently looking for other jobs to fill the void, sometimes going into the woods to pick up herbs… and if she was lucky, perhaps she can even make that watered down soup with blue flakes in it she always made when one of them were sick… that is if that herb was in season.
As the days went by with their mother being out of the house most of the time, and older brother looking more and more like their father on his deathbed…
Tension rose.
And a fight broke out.
‘Niichan is gonna die!’
‘He won’t! Stop it Shigeru , you’re scaring your younger siblings!’
‘It’s true, Takeo-nii ! He’s gonna die and he’s gonna leave us alone!’
‘Stop it!’
‘He’s dying! Tanjiro-nii is—!’
It happened so fast.
She was wiping down her brother’s body when she heard a crash and a cry.
Her heart felt so loud back then…
.
.
.
Her heart felt even louder now.
“KUU!”
Everyone jumped at the yell.
Nezuko emerges from the box, equally as sweaty, equally shaking from the smell of Shinazugawa’s blood alone, but her slitted pupils weren't focused on the Hashira alone.
She grabs Deku’s hand before he can reach out, tangling her fingers between his and gripping it tight, using her other arm and shoving it into Deku’s face—
CRUNCH!
Nezuko winces, but she holds strong, biting down her lower lip, even going as far as drawing blood. She holds Deku in place as he grunts, trying to haphazardly throw her off of him to no avail. Deku’s hands gripped on the arm covering his mouth, and he bit down harder, Nezuko simply used her now freed hand to run her fingers through his curly hair, resting her cheek on his back, her face towards the crowd of onlookers.
Her mouth opens and closes as she gulps, squeezing her eyes tight…
Deku’s eyes clouded over… his knees buckled, going down down down, not at all there in the head anymore.
Nezuko follows him down, still patting his head like he didn’t just almost mauled someone in front of him, much closer to the blood pooling on the floor, mind you, but his eyes, now clouded over, were looking at Katsuki.
His jaw unhinges from her arm, and she drops it down, still keeping the firm grip on him so he won’t run off.
Deku was never a violent person.
He remembers in their childhood, spending their time in the local park, catching bugs, that Deku never really participated. He just watched them with that sickeningly worried look on his face, looking down at the grasshoppers and cicadas that buzzed within their clasps before they were shoved in clear boxes to be shaken around later once they got back to the playground.
His big green eyes would look down at the bugs, stubby little fingers hovering near his chest. They even joke around that Deku was afraid of bugs, going as far as to stick it in his hair or shove it in his face to get a reaction.
Deku would always scream.
But he wasn’t scared.
Katsuki notices a lot of things about Deku.
When they eventually got bored of the bugs, he would watch Deku silently go over the box, whispering something. He couldn’t quite hear it but Deku would open it, letting the bugs jump out and back into the forest.
Once, he even saw him delicately pick up a grasshopper that couldn’t quite make it because one of its legs got torn off…
Katsuki remembers just staring at the sight.
They were just bugs, it wasn’t like they had any feelings. It doesn’t matter if they get shaken, lost any limbs, they’re nothing compared to all the other animals.
But he watched Deku gently placing the grasshopper down…
And Katsuki had thought… ‘How dumb’ ... It can’t survive out there with a missing limb, Deku was just releasing it to get killed.
So no… Deku was never violent…
But now… Katsuki can’t see that anymore…
Why is it that Nezuko managed to snap him out of that trance? Did his yells not matter? And earlier, during the mission, Tanjiro was the one who arrived to Rui first. He was the one who fought to get Deku back.
And when it was all said and done…
Deku had the gall to hug a demon over him?
What has Katsuki done? What did he do to be ignored like this?! Cast aside like he’s— like he’s nothing anymore?
His head turns towards Tanjiro.
What does he have that Katsuki doesn’t?
“What happened?”
“The demon girl used her own arm to stop the demon boy from attacking even though they were provoked by Shinazugawa-sama… they’ve both calmed down now, despite the bloodied arm right in front of them, they’re both ignoring it.”
Deku looked down at Nezuko’s bitten arm, it was slowly healing up. He then looks back at the Hashiras watching them, just now realizing that they were there.
Not once did his teal ( not green… never green again ) land on Katsuki.
Tanjiro and Katsuki both took big gulps of air as the pressure in their lungs disappeared. Kocho was glaring up at the Eyesore while Tomioka grabbed Snake-Boy’s arm.
“Nezuko!” Tanjiro shouts, stumbling into the engawa.
Katsuki didn’t move from his spot. He simply sat up.
“That’s not enough proof—” Shinazugawa starts, “He was going to attack me! You all—”
A flapping of wings caught everyone’s attention. Looking up was Hachiko, Katsuki’s crow, with a letter carried carefully in her beak. She lands softly in the arm of the girl to Oyakata-sama’s left.
“Ah, there you are Hachiko-chan, you arrived just in time…”
The letter was taken from her beak, and she finally huffed and puffed, “Sorry—! Hachiko is sorry! Kacchan, sorry. Hachiko slow! Kacchan sorry!”
“I told you don’t call me that,” Katsuki snaps, and Hachiko cowers into the girl’s hair.
“The final letter has finally arrived… Can you please read it out?”
The girl to his right nods, unfolding the letter, her eyes scanned the page.
“Like Urokodaki-san’s letter, I shall get straight to the point...”
“No, read all of it.”
She looks up at her father, that small smile on her face twitched.
Katsuki finally straightens up.
“I know this is a tall order coming from me, it has been a while since I ever wrote a formal letter and I do apologize for my brashness… Oyakata-sama, please allow for Katsuki and Izuku to remain in the Demon Slayer Corps.”
This… this was from… Katsuki can recognize those doodles anywhere.
“In the short time that Izuku has stayed in my home, he was nothing but sweet and gentle. He has taken a liking to my son and my son has taken a liking to him in return. Izuku has a kind spirit, one that I am most certain would use all of himself in order to protect.”
Yukina… Yukina sent a letter.
“And despite his brash nature, Katsuki, my first ever student, is nothing but determined. He has infinite potential, with a drive to win, and a killer breathing style to boot. Did I mention he made it all on his own? I’m proud of that brat.”
Yukina…
“So please, and I don’t beg much of you, let them stay… I would even offer a collateral. If Izuku ever attacks someone, if he ever draws even a single drop of blood— I, Yaoroshi Yukina—”
From the corner of his eye, he sees Shinazugawa back away, finally dropping his arms down to his sides, his eyes widening, the scowl on his face morphing into a snarl of shock.
“— will take full responsibility and commit seppuku.”
“You can’t just—”
“And please do tell Sanemi to write back to me, I’m getting tired of being ghosted, do you know how stressful it is to raise a kid all alone and worrying if he’s out there carving himself out aga—”
“She has a kid!” Shinazugawa shouts, “It’s not her responsibility to— she can’t— she doesn’t—”
Any and all arguments seem to be ripped out of Shinazugawa’s throat. Katsuki would’ve been very satisfied and even smug if he weren’t so shocked. He knows Yukina. He couldn’t even savor the moment. This absolute asshole was connected to Yukina. He knows she has a child, she’s literally on a first name basis with him!
He tries to wrack his brain on when she would ever mention someone like—
Oh…
Her husband’s friend.
Tadashi’s unofficial godfather.
“Settle down, Sanemi.”
That got him to shut up.
It just dawned on both of them— Katsuki and Shinazugawa— that if Izuku did attack the Hashira…
Yukina would’ve killed herself.
She didn’t even include Katsuki— or even blackmail Shinazugawa into doing it. She offered up her own life…
Maybe it was stupid, maybe it was brave, but Katsuki learned from the best after all and he can see, from the way the letter was written on the back of a child’s doodle page, and the way she mentions her child ever so casually… she’s using her kid, the fact that she was a mother, the rare few to actually start a family in the corps.
That smart bitch.
“Tanjiro isn’t the only one to have met Kibutsuji,” Oyakata-sama starts getting their attention back once more, “In fact, Katsuki was on the same mission… although way before that, two years ago… you have encountered him face to face, have you not?”
And once more, Katsuki was put on the spot.
From the Hashiras’ faces, they were starting to put together that what he was saying earlier wasn’t a lie. He wasn’t bluffing or planning anything (he was planning to use it to live) nefarious. It was the truth.
Katsuki can only nod.
It was bombshell after bombshell, none of them even dared to bombard him with questions as they did with Tanjiro.
It was then, in the silence, did Katsuki realize they were asking for an explanation.
“I… We were— we were kidnapped… by Lower Moon Six.”
Why can’t Katsuki stop the stutter in his voice? He was confident earlier, the way he even sounded so smug about it too, all of that confidence was gone in a blink of an eye, this wasn’t like him at all.
“She was looking for something for Kibutsuji… we didn’t know what it was, we didn’t know where it was, she was…”
Crazy.
“... livid…” he chooses to say instead, “She was unstable. Desperate… in the end, I knew then she was going to kill us… but Kibutsuji killed her first.”
Katsuki didn’t even begin to describe the depravity of that scene yet, but the Hashiras immediately looked… sick, shocked, angry…
“He reeled her in with false sweetness… crushed her head in… just because she couldn’t find— she couldn’t find what he was looking for.”
Katsuki feels someone, Bubblegum— when did she even move— crouch down next to him to provide him comfort. Even Tanjiro stared at him sadly.
He doesn’t need those sad eyes… or any of their pity.
Tanjiro had it worse. He came back home to a dead family and yet no one placed their hands on his shoulder. No one looked at him with sadness. They all called him delusional and possessed, so what’s with the sudden gentleness? Even after Deku tried to attack someone?
To be fair, Bubblegum seemed to be advocating for both of them anyway.
He doesn’t continue after that.
He doesn’t tell him it was his fault Deku was turned instead of killed. He didn’t tell them that he was only spared so he could be killed and eaten. He didn’t tell them that Deku had attacked him with so much pain and anger, how his shoulder still throbbed with the scars of that morning, the way it was gnarly, ugly, an evidence of Katsuki’s cruelty, of Deku’s true feelings buried deep down, warped by his demonic instincts and the need to hurt.
“What was he looking for, Katsuki?”
“The Blue Spider Lily.”
Tanjiro gasps.
Everything after that was a blur.
Katsuki was hauled onto a kakushi’s back to be brought to who knows where, Tanjiro did the same thing. Nezuko drags an unresponsive Deku in her box, glaring over at Shinazugawa as she does so.
To everyone’s surprise, Shinazugawa even attempted to trail behind them if it weren’t for the fact that their meeting wasn’t over yet.
Katsuki was suddenly… tired.
He doesn’t close his eyes though. He simply rests it on whoever was carrying him, trying to block out Tanjiro’s shouting, wanting to bash his head into Shinazugawa once more for what he did, this time including revenge for Deku’s sake, not that Katsuki even cares.
Tanjiro was… concerned.
He has only known Katsuki for a short while, but he was never this quiet…
Maybe Katsuki should take a nap…
Yes… that sounds good.
He’ll worry about everything tomorrow.
Notes:
Taisho Secret #12:
Yukina’s husband is Kumeno Masachika.
[Up Next: Rehabilitation Training]
Chapter 13: Rehabilitation Training
Summary:
Recovery time
Notes:
This was a bitch to write due to the lack of action but it was plenty fun!!
And if you have questions about the fic, or if you just want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It was the screaming that ultimately woke him up.
Katsuki had a dreamless sleep, which he was thankful for. Having a stress induced nightmare about the whole situation just seems so tiring, more so when he just blanked out and basically crashed the moment his body felt that danger was no longer looming above their heads… or more like blades hovering near their necks.
He first notices the feeling of soreness across his body, concentrated mostly on his arms that he can barely make twitch. He was laying that, that was obvious enough, with a blanket that felt a little bit too hot on his skin as of the moment. Other than that annoying screeching noise to his right, the only thing keeping him awake was the urge to scratch at his arms, which he can’t even muster enough strength to do, frustrating him enough to jog his brain for one hell of a rude awakening.
“NOOOOO!”
Ugh…
“YOU CAN’T MAKE ME! YOU CAN’T MAKE ME! DO YOU HATE ME THIS MUCH AOI-CHAN?! THIS IS SICK! SICK!”
Katsuki wants to strangle that voice, whoever it was from.
He opens his eyes, blinking rapidly as it adjusts to the soft light filtered through the light curtains flowing in the breeze. The outside world was too purple in his opinion, too bright and purple, but he doesn’t focus on that, letting his eyes wander around the room. It was a decently sized room with rows of cots in two rows, facing each other. The beds were mostly empty, save for himself and three other people. He recognizes the one a bed away from him. Why that appalling boar mask was such an eyesore, who wouldn’t remember such a horrendous thing? He couldn’t really tell if the idiot was asleep or not because of that thing on his head, but he was in the same position as Katsuki, tucked in real good, and not moving anytime soon.
Beside him, next to the screeching, was Tanjiro, already sitting on his cot, hands waving around to try and calm the guy cosplaying as a banshee. He had bandages all over the cuts on his face, probably more underneath the greenish white comfortable clothes they were changed into, looking a bit miffed as he tries to placate the guy.
There was a girl pinching the bridge of her nose, she had black hair in pigtails with a butterfly pin— same as that Kocho girl’s and that fucker that roundhouse kicked him unconscious— blue this time. He could clearly tell she was wearing the demon slayer uniform, although underneath an apron he sees Tamayo use often when dealing with patients. She had a tray on the bedside table with some food and a small cup for tea.
“For the last time Agatsuma, do not call me that,” she sighs, looking like she was already sick of it, Katsuki would be too— actually, Katsuki was already sick of it, “You need to drink this! Do you really want your arms and legs to stay like that forever?!”
“NOOOOO!”
There came that wail again… and it was coming from a blonde teenager with a fuckass bowl cut with orange tips—
Oh… okay, he’s looking a bit familiar.
He was thrashing around the bed, doing mental and physical gymnastics, trying to reason with her. He probably thinks sheer volume alone would win his argument.
“Zenitsu! Calm down— Katsuki is still asleep! You’ll wake him up!”
“Why can’t I have what he has huh!?” the blonde— Agatsuma, turns his head towards Tanjiro, his eyes bulging out, “He gets to have ointment rubbed all over his arms by a pretty girl! AND ALL I GET IS BITTER TASTING MEDICINE!”
“Because he was doused in acid, you idiot!” Aoi slaps him with her towel, “You were injected with venom! Kocho-sama already gave everyone the antivenom but for it to work faster and properly you need to take this medicine!”
“I DON’T WANT TO!”
“If you don’t shut up I’ll take that medicine and shove it so far up your ass you would be swallowing it.”
“E… eh…?”
He watches the snivelling fool’s head slowly, stutteringly, before stopping.
There was a moment of silence… Katsuki thought that was it, that he can finally go back to his dreamless sleep and pretend all of what happened yesterday— or how many days have passed, hasn’t happen, and that he was back at home, on his bed, waiting for his mother’s much more acceptable screeching to start his day, but no…
Oh no no no…
Because the universe just loves Katsuki…
“WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!”
Katsuki would’ve grabbed the pillow he was laying on and covered his ears with it, maybe his whole head to muffle his screams, that is if he can even move his damn arms. Instead, he turns his head away.
Apparently that was… offensive.
“DON’T JUST LOOK AWAY FROM ME!”
There was a loud smack.
“OW! THEY’RE BOTH BULLYING ME, TANJIRO!”
“If you would just— calm down, Zenitsu…”
Ugh…
“You are hopeless,” Aoi can only shake her head, “If you still don’t take your medicine after I’m done with Bakugo-san, I’ll make sure you do.”
“WAIT—!”
The girl moves away from him, effectively dodging his nubby little arms trying to catch her in a tear filled hug.
She tries her best to smile at him, “I am so sorry about that,” she says, getting things ready on his bedside table. There he can see a similar tray of food, “You woke up pretty late so you’re probably hungry. Can you get up on your own?”
Katsuki wouldn’t want to be caught dead not being able to do anything and so he nods. Unfortunately, getting up on his own involves having to use his arms, and currently, they’re not very cooperative.
He lifts himself up by his elbows, wincing and it was obvious on his face, Aoi was quick to prop up the pillows, grabbing his shoulder to help, only for it to be shrugged off.
“Oh—”
Katsuki levels her with a glare.
“Oh, right, sorry, you can do it on your own.”
She backs off… and Katsuki would have to say it was the most embarrassing two minutes of his life.
“Are you al—”
“Fine.”
Aoi nods at him slowly. He avoids staring right in her face as a pair of pitter pattering footsteps run right back into the room. A little girl, with her big bug eyes looking up at him, smiled, carrying some bandages and a small circular tin of something. She had butterfly hair clips too, not so detailed though, pink colored as well.
“Here it is!!” they cheer, walking over to Aoi with their armful of supplies.
Aoi smiles, taking it from their arms, “Thank you, Kiyo.”
It was a bit… embarrassing… to have to be taken care of by other people. He was so used to Yushiro practically being in his beck and call whenever he has done something idiotic during training, no matter how minor the injuries were, he just somehow manifested the next day like he lived just at the foot of the mountain and not towns over. Yushiro was rough around the edges whenever he did first aid, or any sort of aid for that matter, and the very first major injuries Yushiro had to take care of was when they first met. He didn’t spend that long of a time with them for him to learn to get used to Tamayo’s gentle handling, in fact, she never did get to touch him aside from taking a blood sample, so this felt entirely new.
“Are you feeling alright, Katsuki?”
And by god, Tanjiro was hovering.
As if the teen didn’t have a broken jar, multiple lacerations, and probably some broken ribs. The glare he sent his way didn’t deter him at all.
“He’ll be perfectly fine in a couple of weeks,” Aoi says, picking up the small tin of ointment, “Kocho-sama has prepared for this and as long as this ointment gets applied on the area of the burns every day he’d be good as new.”
Weeks…
Ugh, more time wasted… He just hopes that these burns won't damage his pores.
The skin on his arms were littered with splotches of browning purple-ish burns and sores, they were more concentrated on his sword arm, the one that pierced through that stupid ball of silk in the first place. It didn’t look like normal chemical burns, that caused the skin to turn blotchy red, but then again, it came from a demon blood art and could be thankfully healed with whatever magic that Kocho person can cook up if she can have medicine for short limbs over there. He lets the girl rub the ointment on the burns, even the one on his face, completely dead set of glaring at the empty bed in front of him instead of that annoying freak near the door, equally glaring daggers right back at him like he committed some great sin.
“I’m surprised that it was only chemical burns you’ve gotten,” Aoi continues her little spiel, “From what the Kakushi have said, you are the only survivor from that area of the mountain, most of what they found were either bones or straight up mush…”
Despite her voice trailing off, her hands remained as steady as ever.
“MUSH?!”
“You were there first, right?” Tanjiro asks, “That’s what I heard from Murata-san, that there was someone who went in earlier than the rest before they let the first group up the mountain as they were waiting for us.”
“HE WAS ALMOST TURNED TO MUSH?! SERIOUSLY?!”
“I blew her fucking head off,” Katsuki says in finality, he doesn’t move his head to glare at the blonde, just giving him a well deserved side eye.
“WHAT EVEN IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!”
“Zenitsu! Quiet down! This is a hospital—!”
“You all seem to be doing well.”
Amongst the chaos of Tanjiro trying to placate the dandelion head over there from yelling even more, a plain looking demon slayer walks in with a smile. The way Tanjiro reacted with a small gasp means he knows him… how many people does this guy know?
“Murata-san!”
After Aoi bandaged his arms once more, she left them to their own devices, giving the new guy a stool to sit on while he talks to Tanjiro.
He didn’t really have a choice on not hearing in on their conversation. He was ranks above them apparently and was in the group Tanjiro and Pig-Head were in when they entered the mountain. He was visiting as he heard all about Tanjiro being severely injured and wanted to check up on them. Katsuki learned what the others were there for as well, with Eyebrows being stuck with shorter arms and legs— almost getting turned into a spider— and Boar-Head over there for a crushed throat. No wonder he was silent, it was a good thing, Katsuki didn’t want his ears ringing from two loud fuckers at the same time, there isn’t much of Tanjiro’s kindness that would stop Katsuki from obliterating them to hell and back.
The conversation quickly took a turn when Zenitsu hopped off his bed to hobble over and hide behind Tanjiro when Aoi, walking in on them, holding the cup for his medication, seethes in anger at his refusal to drink it once more.
“Well… I’m glad to see all of you having some fun…”
Katsuki, who had been finding the windows outside more interesting than the conversation, lets his eyes wander towards the plain looking slayer once more. There was an air of gloom around him as he slumped in his seat— he almost looked like he was shaking as the smile on his face slowly fell into a grimace.
“I was called into the Hashira meeting for a detailed report on the Mt. Natagumo mission… It was hell …” he shivers, clutching his pants, “The Hashiras were really scary… even though the casualties are less, that doesn’t mean there were still a lot and they even attributed it to us being so atrociously undertrained… some of them even pointed out how some of us didn’t even follow orders… they even demanded the names of our trainers….”
Katsuki wasn’t there to witness it… but he does look away at the mention of not following orders. That was probably a jab at him, he didn’t wait for the others to join him, which was one of his major mistakes, but it was better for Katsuki to have come alone rather than dragging other people to die alongside him when Rui eventually figured out Deku’s existence…
Deku…
Katsuki stops himself from wondering where he is—
“... and all I can really say is the Hashiras are really scary!!”
“Hello there~!”
Katsuki looks up again. The Insect Hashira stood behind Murata with that smile plastered on her face, making her look docile and softer.
“KOCHO-SAMA!”
She turns her head at him, even tilting it a little, “Hello?”
“GOOD DAY, MA’AM. GOOD BYE!”
And with that, Murata ran off, disappearing in a flash, going as far as to slam the door shut in his panic. Coward.
“My, my, how odd,” Kocho shakes her head, that smile still on, “Goodbye then!!”
She turns her attention back towards the four of them.
“Are you all feeling any better?”
Tanjiro nods, “I’m feeling quite alright!! Thank you for having us.”
She waves his gratitude off, “Ah~ no need to take me, I am simply doing my job!! I’m simply here to deliver a little message.”
“A message?”
“Once you get better, it will be time for your rehabilitation training,” she starts to explain, “Since it is probably your first time being so heavily injured like this, I thought you would appreciate someone explaining it to you, yes?”
“Rehabilitation… training?”
Three weeks.
It took about three weeks before Katsuki’s burns were healed enough for some action… and those were the longest weeks of his life.
For one, Tanjiro and Boar-Boy were sent off to rehabilitation two weeks into their stay, and each time they came back more tired than ever. If that wasn’t any foreboding enough of their fates once their arms were all healed up. It was a bit surprising seeing Tanjiro with all his seemingly boundless determination, lay down and cover his head with his blanket immediately after returning with nothing more than a simple apology. Dandelion-Hair was quick to screech in horror, assumptions made in his head.
Eyebrows were… not a very good roomie when they were all alone. Katsuki, for all intents and purposes, was quiet. He didn’t speak to any of them other than a few words at best, though Tanjiro always kept on chattering away at him if he weren’t so distracted talking to that blonde buffoon.
Said blonde would often times complain about being lonely, about how he felt like he was talking to a vegetable rather than a person, and if Katsuki didn’t have a secret to keep he would’ve blasted him to hell and back for that. Katsuki admits he wasn’t the most friendly person out there… yeah, that’s it, that’s all you would get. There isn’t a but to it. He was only in the corps for one thing and one thing only, trying to get his butt back home.
Eyebrows was honestly jealous over the fact that Katsuki seemingly has better treatment. If he would just shut up and take his medicine without complaint, the girls would definitely dote on him too… Katsuki just hates the fact that Aoi kept looking at him like someone to be coddled.
What even gave them the impression of that?
He hasn’t visited Deku.
Not even once in the whole three weeks. Tanjiro said that he was rooming with Nezuko in a blocked off room. Nezuko was asleep most of the times he visited to recover from the fight weeks ago, but Deku, who was usually coherent, able to say a few words, maybe even whole sentences, who would flock to any sort of attention given was… almost catatonic. Of course he doesn’t sleep like Nezuko. He just chose to sit next to her, letting her head rest on his lap when she sleeps, or just, stare into the blocked out windows. Tanjiro had a few scares where he would try to open up the newspaper lining the walls that the butterfly girls added as a precaution.
“Maybe he would liven up once you visited, Katsuki.”
If he even visited.
Deku can stay catatonic for all he cares… once they find the cure and they got back home they can go back to their separate lives like nothing has ever happened…
If they can even manage that…
It was quiet… too quiet. Bowlcut has long since given up on complaining about his medicine, his limbs almost back to their original length, if not just a few more days til it was back to normal. He was quiet today, he would usually just grumble and complain under his breath whenever Katsuki mustered enough of himself to comment about his big fat cowardly behavior, calling him disrespectful and a brat. He wants the other to go back to yelling honestly.
Times like these are what Katsuki dreaded the most… the quiet… when things are starting to slow down.
He could almost ignore the flow of time when he’s busy. Training with Yukina had his body aching too much for his mind to catch up that it has been days, weeks, months… years… Time was something so hard to grasp without anything else going on. Before it was as easy as trying to get through school, trying to ace every test, getting his grades up, getting a squeaky clean record so once he steps foot in UA’s entrance exam everything is just the matter of winning.
Now it was just a blur.
A dread filled blur.
Thirteen became fourteen became fifteen.
Katsuki is fifteen years old.
The age he was supposed to be once he’s in UA.
Katsuki was supposed to be blasting off villains’ faces… not demons.
Katsuki was supposed to be starting to make a name for himself.
Katsuki wasn’t supposed to be here.
Here in the past, fighting a war that wasn’t his, carrying a burden with teal eyes.
He was supposed to be better than this.
He is better than this…
But why…
Why was he losing?
With heavy dread (more with Eyebrows than himself) it was time for the two to join them in their training.
Pig-Brute was at the front of the weird conga line they had created, Tanjiro in the middle, with Bowlcut grabbing his shirt, shaking as they walked. He chose to lag behind, his lips quirks downwards. Such a strong reaction for a bit of training. He has gotten worse shit done to him when he was with Yukina, this one wouldn’t be as brutal than what he had with her, surely.
It was like they were walking to their death sentences.
Dramatic.
They enter a dojo-like area. All the butterfly girls were there, including Smiles sitting at a table full of tea cups, he hadn't seen her much around the estate so this was the first time since she roundhouse kicked him to next Tuesday.
“Now that Bakugo-kun and Agatsuma are joining us today let me go through what we’ll be doing one more time…”
Katsuki listened to Aoi attentively.
“First you would be stretched by the girls,” she gestures to the mats laid down on the side, the little girls screwing their faces in determination, “Since you were all mostly bedridden, this is a way to loosen up your stiff muscles.”
That was understandable enough, Katsuki always stretched whenever he woke up, even long before he was sent in the past. It made sense, if he wanted to be a hero he needed all the training he could get before the real thing, so that doesn’t scare him as much, even though he can practically feel the negativity from the other two coming on him in waves.
“Next up, reflex training. There’s medicinal tea in each of those cups. You have to splash your opponent. If they stop your hand from throwing the tea, you can’t move it anymore. You have to pass this in order to go to the next part. You will be going against me, or my assistant, Kanao.”
So that’s Smiles’ name… she got that stare in her that Katsuki doesn’t really like but he can tell she’s one hell of an opponent. She easily beat him and Tanjiro, and although they were injured and at a disadvantage, her kicks alone would be enough to make a grown man winded, or better yet, gain a broken rib. She’s fast… extremely fast.
“And finally, whole body training. We will be doing tag. Once again, you will be going against me or Kanao. Do you two understand?”
Katsuki just grunts a confirmation when a movement in the corner of his eye makes him pause.
Eyebrows, with the most serious expression he has seen on him, slowly raised his hand.
“Excuse me… can we take a short break?”
“We haven’t even started yet,” Aoi looks at him in confusion, “Or is there something you’re confused about?”
“No… no,” he stands up, his sleeves flopping about, bangs covering his eyes as he turns to the door, “No, I just have something to… take care of… and some people to… talk to…”
“The fuck is he on?” Katsuki mutters under his breath.
“Come here, you two.”
Well, fuck, thank fucking god he wasn’t a part of it. He isn’t even afraid of this new sudden personality change, just hella confused and he wants nothing to do with whatever he had going on.
“I ain’t going,” Boar-Boy grumbles.
“I TOLD YOU TO COME HERE, YOU HEAR ME?!”
Before anyone else could do anything, they were both dragged by the scruffs of their shirts, kicking and screaming, thrown outside the door in a matter of seconds.
“YOU TWO SHOULD BE APOLOGIZING TO ME! YOU WERE BOTH IN HEAVEN BUT YOU’RE ACTING LIKE YOU’RE IN HELL! YOU’VE BEEN PLAYING AROUND WITH GIRLS ALL THIS TIME, EVERY DAY?! AND YOU HAD THE GALL TO ACT HALF-DEAD WHEN YOU COME BACK?! WHY, HUH?! YOU SHOULD START APOLOGIZING TO ME! HELL— SLIT YOUR STOMACHS WHILE YOU’RE AT IT—”
“He…” Katsuki turns to the girls, “He does know we can still hear him, right?”
Aoi simply sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose.
What a fucking degenerate.
Eyebrows enjoyed the training a bit too much.
There wasn’t any doubt that he has some talent in him, if he can handle all that after just being recovered… or perhaps he was just insane enough not to care about all that because he was hanging out with girls.
The stretching was hell, Boar-Boy was right about that, it even hurt more because of his fuckass arms… he would have to sneak out to try and practice his quirk once he finds the perfect opportunity.
Unlike Bowl-Cut and Piggy, he didn’t even get to the final round of the training because of Smiles.
Tanjiro was her first victim. He just went on to touch the cup and got splashed without the girl even blinking. The other two were lucky because they got Aoi, but Katsuki was up against her next.
He didn’t even get to touch a cup.
She was fucking insane and that smile was taunting him, he was sure of it.
Absolutely soaked and seething, Katsuki had one thing and one thing in his mind.
Defeat that mother fucker.
The other two didn’t share his sentiment.
As days came by, it was only him and Tanjiro left fending for themselves mostly against Smiles. Aoi has long since given up on being their opponent— Tanjiro can defeat her just fine and Katsuki was having a severe case of tunnel vision. Bowlcut and Boar-Mask started not attending. It was understandable for the coward, but even Katsuki was a bit disappointed in the latter. His spunk disappeared. But no matter, he doesn’t have time to focus on the wimps. They can hide all they want, pretend to sleep all they want, but Katsuki was going to defeat Smiles one way or another.
He is going to win.
“You’re very determined, huh, Katsuki…?” Tanjiro says, a hint of laughter in his voice as he scratches his cheek, “I just wish Zenitsu and Inosuke were as determined as you.”
Oh… this wasn’t determination.
This was a want— no… a need— to win.
If they’re not going to bother showing up they could at least help by getting out of Katsuki’s way.
And by god, Katsuki can’t even believe he was going to admit this, but he felt… well, something, whenever he had to walk alongside Tanjiro once their training was over. The way he would frown, looking down at the floor, so deep in thought… one thing he can appreciate about Tanjiro is his drive.
He still wouldn’t stop.
Although Katsuki had the feeling that their motivations are way different.
The moon was bright out tonight. It was another thing that Katsuki had taken for granted. He never really paid as much attention to it, the sky was just a big black ink in the sky, with a few dots of something sparkling here and there. Nothing of significance. The moon wasn’t that great either, just a big ol’ circle.
But right here, right now, in the past, and oh so far away from his home, the night sky was something magical.
He heard all about it. Light pollution wasn’t something a hero-to-be would be worrying about, but the sky here looked gorgeous, clouds and clouds of stars dotted around the sky in clumps, slowly moving as time passed by. He can even see the craters on the moon.
It was a worthy experience, he thinks. The good in the bad.
“KACCHAN!”
And the moment was, once again, completely fucking ruined.
He looks over at Tanjiro, keeping a steady expression as the stubborn freak pants, surprising, honestly. He probably ran all the way here. He leaned against the sliding door, taking a few moments of br—
“The hell did you just call—?!”
“Katsuki-kun!” Tanjiro cuts him off, there was a sense of urgency in his tone that he just couldn’t help but tense at, “I figured it out! How Kanao is doing it!”
How Kanao is doing what? What is he—
“You know, a bit of context sounds nice right about now.”
“Total Concentration Breathing Constant!”
Tanjiro says…
As if it made complete fucking sense.
There was no way in hell Katsuki would just let the two of them suffer training alone today.
Just trying to constantly breathe like that all day— it felt like hell! In fact— why didn’t Yukina tell him all about this!? She should’ve known about it! If she’s friends with Scar-Face and a cultivator, shouldn’t she tell Katsuki all about these things?
Although… She is a newer teacher…
But that doesn’t mean she had to keep him in the dark about this!
At least he’s not… overreacting like Tanjiro is. He looks over to the other side of the courtyard… yep, the other was definitely crying. So he did actually try to do it continuously. Katsuki was doing it much slower, trying out movements of his techniques, getting the feel of it before he could even try to attempt.
As much as Yukina bulldozes training into him, he was taught to use his brain too. The entire reason why Explosion Breathing existed was to compensate for his (unbearable) weakness.
But this? There was no trying to compensate for this.
Seriously…
The look on Tanjiro’s face though… that kicked puppy look. Ugh. Makes Katsuki want to vomit.
He even overheard it… blowing into a gourd until it breaks…
That’s total and complete utter bullshit.
They can’t possibly be able to do that! All these feats were already hard enough to train on his own, how can he possibly believe pre-quirk people are capable of doing that with breathing alone!?
Then again, he’s no better than them if he can’t even do it on his own.
But he refuses to suffer alone for this.
“Hey.”
The other blonde looked up, it was early in the morning, barely any sunlight was peeking through the windows. He blinks, rubbing the sleep from his eye with his still discolored (and getting better) hand.
He turns away.
“Don’t fucking ignore me!”
He screams, covering his ears as he falls flat on his ass, tangling with the blanket, scrambling to save his dignity as he stutters for a response.
“THAT’S RUDE, YOU KNOW?! YOU SHOULDN’T BE DOING THAT! I COULD’VE HAD A HEART ATTACK!”
Katsuki simply rolls his eyes.
“If you’re in your mid fifties, maybe, but you’re like, what, twelve?”
That got a rise out of him.
Bowl Cut points an accusing finger in his direction.
“YOU’RE THE ONE TO TALK! I’D HAVE YOU KNOW I’M OLDER THAN YOU, KATSU-KUN!”
… huh?
“The hell did you call me—!”
He squeaks, looking around, trying to look for Tanjiro no doubt. He even went as far as to try and grab Boar-Head’s still half-asleep body as a shield, making the poor guy fall out of bed and onto the floor. The other blonde would’ve been in for another round of pummeling if it weren’t for the fact that he was still dazed.
“HOW CAN YOU BE SO MEAN, HUH?!” Eyebrows shouts, “YOUR FACE HAS SOFT FEATURES AND ALL YOU EVER DO WITH IT IS SCOWL AND MAKE UGLY FACES! IT’S GONNA WEAR DOWN YOUR YOUTHFUL LOOK, YOU HEAR?! WHY CAN’T YOU JUST SMILE FOR ONCE! MAYBE THEN I’LL LISTEN TO YOU!”
He wants Katsuki to smile, huh?
Katsu-kun grabs the front of his shirt, making him squeak in surprise. He didn’t even have the guts to grab at Boar-Boy again as he was slowly dragged away into the halls. Like a kitten held by the scruffs of their necks. He shook in place, teeth clacking, shivering from a nonexistent cold, or maybe it was the cold fear that’s slowly flowing through his veins right now. He was being kidnapped, you know?! Why shouldn’t he react like this?! Who knows what sadistic plans Katsu-kun has for him?! Surely this is how he dies, not by a demon devouring his skinny body down to the bone, but by a scrappy soft looking teenager younger than him.
Oh the horrors.
“Oh! Katsuki-kun! What are y—”
Zenitsu would look up to see Tanjiro’s expression. He looked so dumbfounded, so shocked that he almost choked on his own spit. The butterfly girls that were helping him train his breathing hid behind his legs, all in varying levels of fear, clutching at his clothes.
“E-eh?? Tan-Tanjiro, what’s with that…”
Zenitsu slowly… ever so slowly… his head stuttering in movement… looks up.
“… that f… face…?”
Katsuki was smiling.
And it isn’t a pretty one either. He no doubt has a face built for smiling if he wanted to, but this smile was too stretched, too many teeth, his eyes having a dangerous glint in them, slightly squinted with hidden delight.
He couldn’t help but let out a scream.
Which ended with him somehow getting shoved in front of a table with a bunch of herbal teas and a very confused looking Tanjiro in between them. Inosuke somehow found his way to them eventually, probably not wanting to be alone, he was behind Tanjiro, holding on to the edge of his clothes.
“E-EH?! WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING HERE?!” he shouts, moving to stand, “NO WAY! NO WAY I’M TRAINING! I HAVE FREE WILL YOU CAN’T MA—”
“Sit. Your ass. Down. ”
“Right, yeah, of course, so sorry…”
Zenitsu’s voice trails off.
Not once did Katsuki drop that creepy smile of his. What are people feeding the guy, anyway?! Such young people like him, blessed with a face like that but a rough attitude?! So unfair.
“You are gonna help me win.”
“The hell you mean by that?”
“Zenitsu… Katsuki-kun…” Tanjiro tries to intervene, but Katsuki was quick to reply back with equal hostility.
“Smiley has a winning streak and I plan to break it,” he sounds so serious about it too, “And to do that I need to train.”
“Why not just have Tanjiro do it?!” Zenitsu crosses his arms, “He’s better than me anyways! Or Why do I have to put up with your demands?!”
“Because you’re faster.”
What?
“Me?! I’m not that fast! That time with Aoi-chan was probably just a fluke, you hear?! A fluke!”
Katsuki rolls his eyes.
“You honestly think I would fucking believe that?” he sighs, “You’re even more of a dumbass than I thought.”
“THE HELL YOU JUST CALLED ME, KATSU-KUN?!”
“Zenitsu!”
“WHAT I MEANT, EYEBROWS!”
“Katsuki-kun!”
Eyebrows?!
Zenitsu furiously covers his brows with both eyes, cheeks flushed, “You’re very disrespec—”
SPLASH!!
…
…
…
“BAHAHAHHAHAHA! LOOK AT WHAT HE DID TO GENTIZU!”
“Katsuki-kun!” Tanjiro scolds, quick to offer Zenitsu some help by using his own shirt to wipe the herbal tea from his face, “That was extremely uncalled for! You could’ve waited for me to—”
SPLASH!!
“Zentisu!”
He still had the tea cup up, hair dripping with the nasty smelling herbal tea, his eye twitching in irritation. Splashing him without a warning! Shame on him! Shame on you Katsu-kun!
“BAHAHAHAHAH! HE DID IT TO BOOM-BOOM TOO! THIS IS AMAZING!”
The tea made Katsuki’s spikes flatten, it dripped onto the table and tatami floor, soaking through the neckline of his clothes.
The duo were silent, letting Inosuke laugh and Tanjiro fret, eventually the butterfly girls that rushed to get Aoi came back to the chaos of the two blondes soaked.
It was the most silent they have seen both of them.
Katsuki combs his hair back in that really cool way that it made Zenitsu even more angrier, how effortless it just looked, how natural it was to him.
Red meets honey.
Oh.
Oh ho ho…
It. Was. On.
“HEY! HEY FIGHT ME TOO! I WANT TO—”
“SHUT UP”
Motivated by the want to win and the want to prove this brat wrong, the others could do nothing but back away from the battle ground that was Zenitsu and Katsuki. They didn’t talk, but you can tell, oozing out of their very pores, that they won’t back down. With each block of a hand, and another attempted splash, more tea was on the table and less was on the person.
They were focused, their eyes not leaving their targets and it made everyone dizzy to even try to track their hands.
Everyone else was shocked at the speed that Zenitsu was displaying, who would’ve thought he was even capable of that? But Tanjiro, one of the people who assured Zenitsu didn’t doubt it at all, it was really his true strength, just as he had sensed, the blonde was truly strong. It was just at this moment, he was finally able to showcase it without having to brag to girls, this was him in his element.
And it was truly amazing.
“Should we stop them?” Aoi finally asks through Inosuke’s wild cheering, “They might break something.”
“I think it’s better to let them be,” Tanjiro sighs, holding Inosuke back by his shirt as he excitedly, and still, attempted to run to join in the fray, “It looks like neither of them are backing down.”
Crackle… pop. pop. pop.
Huh… it smells sweet… like burning sugar…
Kzzz… zzzt… zzz…
And an incoming storm as well…
Looking back up, Tanjiro could faintly see smoke rising away from Katsuki’s palms, creating wisps with every sharp movement, sweat falling from his forehead. If anyone looked any closely, they would see tiny sparks of light, popping here and there, like little fireworks dancing in his hands.
Somehow, Katsuki’s hair was even spikier, fuzzy? Inosuke himself can feel something shift in the air, it felt tantalizing, electrifying even, it buzzed over his skin and made him even more excited with his own energy. Zenitsu’s hair was sticking up in some places, and with every time he touched Katsuki’s hand for a block, the red eyed blonde would jolt, ever so faintly before moving on.
It was amazing.
“Katsuki is holding back,” Aoi comments, making Tanjiro turn to him, “And Zenitsu doesn’t realize his own strength.”
“How can you tell?” he asks her, smiling.
“... From how they move. How they present themselves…” she continues, “But don’t take my word for it… it’s not like I have enough experience in the field to know…”
“I think so too.”
It was Aoi’s turn to look up at him.
“You have a talent,” he says, “You can read people well… that’s very valuable even out of the field.”
“... How…?”
“Well, you’re training us to get back to our work, aren’t you? I think reading us can help us improve faster, don’t you think?”
Isnt't that an amazing thought...
BOOM!
ZZZTTTTT!!
S P L A S H ! !
“I WON!” “I WON!”
“NO, I DID!” “NO, I DID!”
“I GOT YOU FIRST!” “I GOT YOU FIRST!”
“GRAAAAHHHHHH!”
Inosuke tackles Zenitsu down.
“WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, YOU KNUCKLEHEAD!?”
Aoi holds back a laugh, clutching her stomach.
“I WANNA DO THAT TOO, GENJUTSU!”
“NOT MY NAME!”
The two blondes were soaked to the bone, managing to splash at each other at almost the exact same time. It was hard to tell which one really did land the blow first, with Zenitsu’s face filled with both smoke and tea, while Katsuki was thrown the entire cup.
“GET OFF ME, YOU IDIOT!”
“FIGHT ME, MONITSU! FIGHT ME!”
“NO! NO! GET OFF!”
She bursts out laughing.
.
.
.
Peeking through the slightly ajar dojo doors, Shinobu couldn’t help but smile softly, a hand over her chest at the sight. Ah… so she didn’t need to intervene after all.
Bakugo riled them both up all by himself, she didn’t need to get her hands all dirty.
It was really refreshing, seeing someone as determined as Kamado to train, although a bit disheartening that the others weren’t joining him. Bakugo does train, but never alongside the other, and Agatsuma and Hashibara weren’t inclined to continue with their rehabilitation training either.
But looking at them now with such high energies…
Oh, and Aoi is with them too, she seems to be having her own fun…
“You are truly something else, Bakugo-kun…”
She walks away, with nothing but the flutter of her haori.
She wonders where Kanao was…
.
.
.
“Ah… so you are awake… of course, silly me, you don’t sleep like she does, don’t you?”
Shinobu herself doesn’t know the reason why she visits. She already had the tests done, taken blood samples, the works, she doesn’t have to visit as often as she does, lest she risks encountering Kamado on the way, now that would be embarrassing now, wouldn’t it? For someone in the opposition to visit the very demons she had threatened to kill?
Ah, such silly thinking indeed.
She slid the door shut, not minding the darkness at all as she sat in a seiza right at the exit. She never ventures beyond that space, it felt disrespectful.
The demon girl slept on one of the cots, long flowing hair cascading down like an inky waterfall. Eyes shut, breathing even and peaceful.
Sitting down right beside her, on the floor, tufts of green and white moved. Glowing in the dark, his teal eyes, dull and seemingly lifeless, just stares at her every movement, his hand over his mouth, absentmindedly picking at the dried skin of his lips. It was not obvious within the darkness of the room, but his fingernails were already caked with layers of dried blood.
He doesn’t move. He doesn’t approach her.
He simply watches.
She just finds him rather fascinating.
Or perhaps she was just…
Those dull eyes…
Kanao came to them with the same dull eyes.
Shinobu admits, at first, she wasn’t that inclined to follow her sister’s decision that day, but she had to admit, throwing money in the air was the best choice she made in her life, one she will never regret making.
Kanao flourished, is still flourishing, from that dull eyed child they ran away with.
She’s still struggling, of course, that cannot be avoided with a past like hers, but Shinobu isn’t here to fix her, just to be here and support her in ways that matter.
Seeing Aoi finally connect with other people her age outside of Kanao, it brings her hope.
Aoi, too, was troubled. Not the same as Kanao, but troubled all the same. She just couldn’t handle being a demon slayer, being out on active duty. Her swordsmanship deteriorated, her hands shook, the fear she felt. She barely survived, she had told her, she just had to be saved. She found another purpose by helping around the mansion, doing chores, and keeping the patients in check. Shinobu was nothing but grateful, relieved that the girl had found something she felt like could be her new calling.
Although she felt the insecurities crawling on her back, the feeling of being useless…
Seeing her, laughing wholeheartedly, softening up once more.
It brings her hope.
Aoi can do it, surely Kanao can too.
She just has to believe in her girls.
Shinobu guesses seeing the demon boy with those eyes…
She couldn’t help but feel drawn.
“My my…” she watches as the demon boy tilts his head, “She would've loved to be able to talk to you.”
They sat in silence once more.
Notes:
Taisho Secret #13:
Everyone is distracted by Zenitsu and Katsuki’s fight to realize that Katsuki was throwing hands with his explosions and that Zenitsu was basically controlling static.
Zenitsu gained the ability to be sort of statically charged because of the lightning that shot him, making him sort of have a quirk of his own, something that Katsuki will definitely take note of later.
Aoi has her own little special thing. With the Kamaboko squad being the five senses, and Nezuko having the sixth sense, aka her strong sense of self, Aoi’s schtick is that she can read people quite well by using mannerisms.
[Up Next: New Mission]
Chapter 14: New Mission
Summary:
A calm before the storm
Notes:
I lowkey did not mean for this to be longer so I had to cut this chapter into two, the part that would be getting deeper into the actual mission would be in the next part. I did not expect for this to happen honestly. This goes to show, sometimes, outlines don't freaking matter.
Anyways, have some Shinobu and Izuku interaction.
And if you have questions about the fic, or if you just want to bother me, go to my tumblr!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Shinobu was quite privy to what Kamado does at night… ever since he recruited the youngest of her girls to train him with Total Concentration Breathing Constant, he’s been training himself to try and do it even in his sleep. His methods were… a bit unorthodox, but it was effective, even managing to drag the hot-headed Bakugo into his routine.
She notices things— she tends to do that a lot, this being her mansion after all— so it wasn’t really a surprise when she sees him inside the room where they kept his little sister and his friend… the two demons she was told to spare by Oyakata-sama himself. She always did wonder why he would rather train his breathing in this stuffy back room when he could be doing much more wonderfully on the roof, with the cold fresh air to fill his lungs, but she chooses not to judge. Choose was the keyword here, as Shinobu judges quite a lot actually.
It was clear though.
Kamado was here to keep the demons company… or well, one of them company, as his little sister was still sound asleep at the moment.
The sight beholding her was something odd. In one point in her life she had Kamado and his little demon friends by the point of her stinger, ready to execute one, if not all of them for the simple act of betraying the corps by letting two demons live, even worse, travel with them, but now… now she was watching Kamado cross legged in the middle of the room, his little sister’s snoozing body tucked neatly on a spare cot, and the other demon, splayed on the floor like a child, furiously writing something on a notebook…
For one, she didn’t think that demon could even read, let alone comprehend the world around him in her initial check up of the two. Secondly, why she didn’t at all feel a little bit disturbed was odd.
Then again, her behavior has been odd lately as well. She’s been passing by the room every time she was in the mansion. If she wasn’t off on a mission or helping with the injured, she would pass by, peek through the door, just to see what the demon boy was up to.
At first the demon— Midoriya if she can remember correctly— just stared into space. He wasn’t like Nezuko, who can recover through sleep, so she thought nothing of it. Maybe he was bored and had nothing to do. Demons don’t need to sleep after all… the more she passed by, the more it felt… wrong to just leave him there. She had overheard Kamado talking to Bakugo about him.
“Shouldn’t he be getting something to eat by now? He was very injured when—”
“He’ll be fine.”
“Katsuki-kun.”
“Just drop it, okay?! That dumbass will be fine! He’s always fine! Besides— do you really want to tell Bug-Eyes that Deku needs to drink blood? In a damn hospital? You’re out of your damn mind.”
“Maybe we can sneak in…? Draw blood from ourselves?”
“No.”
“I can give him my own blood! You don’t have to give yours— you can just draw the blood from me and—”
“No, Tanjiro.”
“At least visit him sometimes! He gets lonely!”
“...”
“Katsuki-kun! Hey— Hey, wait a second!”
Perhaps Midoriya was just hungry.
She doesn’t understand why she even did it in the first place. Feeding a demon blood while in a place for the injured? Bakugo was correct, it was a risk, something she wouldn’t even allow… but those blank eyes— and the reaction he had to Shinazugawa’s blood during the trial… it probably took a lot of energy to even close the wounds on his body if his bloody clothes were of any indication that day.
And so, besides herself, she went over and took some blood that was meant for transfusions…
And fed it to the demon boy through a pipette.
He didn't register it at first… but the cloudiness of his eyes slowly faded. He was indeed hungry. He lets her drip more blood into his mouth, not even lunging at her even though he clearly wanted more. Those slitted pupils were back as the pipette finally emptied.
She smiles at him.
And he smiles back, looking unnatural with sharp teeth that doesn’t really fit within his mouth. He opens his arms, stretching it out and—
“Oh—”
She backs away, not as fast as she normally would dodge, but she didn’t sense Midoriya wanted to attack anyway.
“Oh, no, no, Midoriya-kun,” she lightly scolds, “I don’t want hugs right now.”
Midoriya looked absolutely confused. Sad even. That bright smile on his face slowly morphing into a confused frown, tilting his head at her once more.
“... Mayo,” he says… like she was supposed to understand it, like it meant something, “Mayo?”
Shinobu’s own smile dropped, and it rarely ever does. Though her expression doesn’t morph back into her old resting face, it shifts into a soft frown. She held her hand close to her chest, in a sort of fist, her other hand clutched the pipette tight as it hung next to her.
“No, no,” she waves her free hand, “I’m not Mayo, Midoriya-kun~”
He makes a grumbling noise.
“Ah, you probably don’t recognize me, you were so out of it during the trial, yes?”
Why was she even doing this? This isn’t a part of the deal. She agreed to house the two demons, but not… not interact with them… so why was she even here in the first place? Entertaining them? Entertaining him?
“Listen carefully, okay? My name is Kocho Shinobu. I’m currently housing you and your friends for recovery after their mission in Mt. Natagumo.”
There was a recognition in his eyes. He smiles once more, nodding.
“Kacchan?” he asks, looking around.
She doesn’t know anyone named Kacchan either.
“No, no, I don’t recognize that name, Midoriya-kun,” she says, as softly as she’s been talking before, without a hint of false sweetness.
“Boom boom?”
She blinks.
“Ah… of course, Bakugo-kun.”
Midoriya nods, she swears his eyes sparkled for a moment, must be the trick of the candlelight in her lamp.
“Yes, he is recovering well.”
“See?”
She shakes her head, “No… I’m afraid he—” doesn’t want to see you, “is a bit preoccupied at the moment. I will tell him you’re looking for him though, if you wish?”
Midoriya smiles brighter, practically bouncing on where he sat.
“Alright,” she gets up, finally, “Now I must get going. I have other matters to—”
“Thank you, Mayo.”
“Not… not Mayo, Midoriya-kun—”
“Thank you.”
“... You’re welcome, Midoriya-kun.”
She didn’t end up telling Bakugo-kun. She knew he wouldn’t go anyway.
It was… weird. She didn’t know why she even did that, why she even bothered, but she did so anyway, like the demon boy was like any of her other patients.
Despite herself, she still went, fed him blood, kept him company, albeit short.
She doesn’t even understand why she felt glad that he had company today.
It was Kamado, still, but she felt glad anyway.
“Good evening~”
Kamado didn’t even have the time to jump.
It surprised him, of course it did, she was fast, and too quiet, able to get near him in an instant. Her face was right next to his, too close for comfort. It took her several times to get his attention, even, the demon boy already stopped writing by the second call.
He straightens up, he didn’t even notice he was slowly slouching.
“I see you’re working very hard~”
He slowly tries to get— quite respectfully— away, a blush on his cheeks, but she just moves even closer.
“Even though your friends…” she pauses, “... some of your friends went off during their own things…”
Midoriya-kun gave them a one of glance before staring back down at his scribbles.
“Don’t you feel lonely all by yourself?” she asks, shifting to sit politely beside him, her eyes drifting over to Midoriya-kun sprawled on the floor, “Hm, somewhat lonely.”
Undeterred by her sudden appearance, Kamado immediately returns her smile with a determined one.
“Not really! Because once I mastered it, I can teach it to them!” his voice was, rather loud, though Shinobu takes it was just from his enthusiasm, it reminds her of Rengoku and Kanroji when they get particularly riled up, “And— ah, Katsuki-kun wanted to be alone on the roof… so I figured I should come down here and keep Izuku-kun and Nezuko some company, is all!”
That’s right. Just before coming by here, she spotted Bakugo up on the roof. Perhaps that is why. That boy was very prickly, Kamado must be such a resilient friend to be able to stay near someone with all that anger… All the yelling she heard from their shared room was already headache inducing, she couldn’t possibly imagine having to deal with that every single day, on three separate fronts no less.
Still… how noble of him.
Here he was unbothered having to train all by himself, even making sure his friends could catch up to him, not only that, but he was nice enough to keep Midoriya-kun some company, even though he wasn’t at all related to him by blood like Nezuko was… it showed, really, even in their first unfortunate meeting, he held that boy and protected him. It was kind of Kamado… to care for someone else that wasn’t really his responsibility. Bakugo should be the one here, keeping Midoriya company. He probably used to be a complete stranger, banded over their same goals. They didn’t have to interact more than that but Kamado chose to. He reaches out… he even tries to mend the two’s seemingly strained relationship even if it wasn’t his business.
She wonders… if she were here… would she do the same?
“You have a beautiful soul, don’t you?”
She could see Kamado’s shoulders turn up… before it fully relaxes, returning to the meditative position he had before. His smile has gone softer.
A yanking on her haori brought her attention back to Midoriya-kun.
“Ah! Apologies, Midoriya-kun, I kept you waiting didn’t I?” she allows herself a small laugh, shifting her position to face the boy, who was behind the two of them, “You’re very patient, aren’t you?”
“Kacchan?”
“Not today, I’m afraid, you heard Kamado, he’s training, yes?”
She doesn’t understand the demon boy’s insistence on seeing Bakugo. He’s been avoidant as of late. She keeps on overhearing more and more conversations of Kamado trying to drag him into the room with him, even if it were just to take a look, but it seems he’s as equally as stubborn as the rest of his friends. He is diligent in training, but to the one that keeps on begging for his attention, he isn’t quite as willing. It wasn’t her place to judge, of course, no, never, but she does feel bad about the demon boy, having a friend like that. At least the Kamados had each other, siblings after all, it surprised Shinobu that Bakugo was even willing to go and find a cure for a friend he seemingly does not care about. At least he had company today.
“No Kacchan?”
“No Kacchan today, Midoriya-kun.”
Midoriya kun sat up, smiling and nodding along, he is very patient, that he was! She reaches from within her haori, taking out a vial of blood. She’s been increasing his intake lately, seeing as he won’t attack her. Kamado cranes his neck over to them, looking slightly shocked.
“You’ve been feeding him?” he asks, in awe even.
“Of course,” she replies, ever so casually, patting her thigh. Midoriya took it as a sign to sit up, “It would be improper of me as a host not to, don’t you think so?”
“Uh— uhm, yes, that’s… that’s right, I didn’t mean to—”
“I was just being silly, Kamado,” she giggles, “You’re not in trouble.”
She hands him the vial. He smiles at her, taking the vial delicately in his hands, uncorking it with his teeth and gulping it all down in one go.
“All done?” she asks, his reply was enthusiastic nodding, “Hand it back over, please.”
And the demon boy does, just as asked, “Thank you, Mayo!!”
“No—”
Before Shinobu could deny she was this ‘Mayo’ person once more, Kamado beat her to it, speaking before she could. He looked frantic, embarrassed even, going out of his meditative pose to kneel right beside him, the boy just looked confused and happy to be there.
“Izuku-kun, that’s not Tamayo-san!” he tries to explain, it was gentle too, like speaking to a child, and at the moment, Midoriya probably was, “That’s Kocho-san, okay? Kocho-san.”
“... Mayo.”
“Izuku—”
Shinobu places a hand on his shoulder before he could burst a blood vessel at his insistence on being so polite, “It’s quite alright, Kamado,” she says, “Let’s just… let him, alright? No harm done.”
“Ah, apologies! I didn’t mean—!”
“You do tend to apologize a lot, huh?”
Kamado laughs, so carefree… she couldn’t help but laugh along.
“Uh… Kocho-san…?”
“Yes?”
Since his concentration was already broken anyway, she lets herself humor him more, just this once. She doesn’t look over at him as she does, fully focused on Midoriya going back to what he was writing all about, her eyes scanning the upside down page, it seems Kamado was doing it too.
“May I ask why did you bring us all here?”
She takes a few moments to collect her thoughts. Hm… why did she do it? Why was she humoring him? Why does she feed Midoriya? Why does she let Nezuko sleep on a proper bed instead of her box?
“Midoriya and Nezuko’s existence has now been officially acknowledged,” she starts, “and the four of you were injured so seriously… and also…”
Those were two of the most obvious reasons…
But deep down… a reason she’s been trying to enact all along, something that her own sick and twisted heart just can’t fully accept… yearns to at least try.
For her.
“I’d like to entrust my dream to you.”
“Dream?”
“Yes.”
It felt impossible to do… even now, she just can’t bring herself to do it. She was not naive, all demons have done the crime of taking a human life, no matter how innocent, man or woman, child or adult, they have all committed grievous crimes, ones she cannot allow herself to brush aside, to reconsider. There were nuances with each demon that her poison kills, their circumstances, their past… she knows there has to be a story to each and every one.
She told her so.
She always told Shinobu to keep an open mind. They were here to slay them, yes, but underneath those monsters were humans. She reminds her of that. She tells her to be compassionate.
To smile.
Shinobu was never like that. Shinobu can never think like that.
But now?
It was… somehow easier.
And perhaps it was because of the demon boy…
Midoriya looks up at her, those teal eyes, they were soft, held so much emotion now that they weren’t blank, it held admiration, perhaps not for Shinobu, perhaps for the person he sees her as right now, but admiration nonetheless.
“My dream… that we can become friends with demons.”
Shinobu’s smile has become smaller… she didn’t really feel like she couldn’t quite smile like she wanted to right now.
“I’m quite sure you can accomplish that!!” she continues, “Better yet… I think you already have, yes?”
Midoriya scoots up, using his elbows to slide on the wood, the notebook was swatted aside so he can prop himself up. He smiles, offering his hands out, and she finds herself taking them.
The boy’s hands were cold, and yet she felt warmed.
“... oh… you don’t smell so angry anymore.”
What?
She felt her breath taken away. What does he mean by that? Smell angry? She lifts her chin up, her thumb writing circles on the back of Midoriya’s palm, looking at Kamado with barely hidden shock. He could read her that easily?
“For some reason, I’m always picking up an angry scent from you,” he continues, it doesn’t seem like he understood the implications of his words, the accusation he was throwing out. It sounded like a simple observation, and to him, it probably was, “even though you’re always smiling…”
She looked down at Midoriya once more, even with such sharp nails, he held her hands delicately between his, their hands, both small— though he would probably grow more with age… if he ages at all— both delicate looking… she gathers up her courage. She never talked to anyone about this, not even to Oyakata-sama when he would pry. Not even to Himejima over some tea.
“Yes… you could say that I’m in a constant state of anger…”
She lets Midoriya play with her hands, squeezing, turning it over, bending her fingers, intertwining his own with hers.
“Ever since my beloved big sister was slaughtered by a demon… Everytime I see the tears of those who’ve lost their loved ones to one, everytime I hear those cries of despair…”
She almost felt ashamed, still keeping that smile on her face, she didn’t want to distress Midoriya, he was looking at her. Looking at her face. She felt her anger, ever simmering, rising to the surface… stopped by a fog of grief and sadness.
“This anger just keeps building up inside me… and it just continues to swell.”
Her smile widens, still soft, still beautiful, Midoriya was smiling back at her, she has to reciprocate.
“Deep down in the innermost… deepest parts of my body— there’s this revulsion I can’t fight.”
Stop looking at her like that.
Those teal eyes full of wonder, those teal eyes full of admiration, those teal eyes— soft, caring, kind— stop looking at her like she mattered. She was nothing to him. She almost killed him. Does he not feel angry at her back? For that demon she slaughtered so gruesomely in front of him? Does he not feel her wrath? The deception on her skin? Why should someone like him look at her like that?
Like she was something so amazing.
She’s nothing great.
She will never be great.
She will never be her.
“My big sister was a kind-hearted person like you, Kamado” she continues, she finds herself unable to even stop, “She felt sympathy for demons… even on the brink of death, she still felt pity for them.”
How disgusting.
“Unlike her… I couldn’t bring myself to feel that way.”
How vile.
“How can you feel sorry for something that’s killed humans?”
How filthy.
“But if that was how my sister truly felt, then I must carry it on.”
She was ruining it.
“If there was a way not to kill these pitiful demons, I have to keep trying to come up with it.”
She was defiling it.
“Without ever extinguishing the smile that my sister said she loved so much…”
So stop…
“But now… I’m getting a bit exhausted… Demons do nothing but lie. Losing all their reason out of self-preservation, they murder humans with nothing but their instincts, and even then— some out of the cruelty of their rotting hearts… so please, Tanjiro… please—!”
Stop looking at her like she did. With those bright eyes. Like she was something—!
Shinobu gasps.
Soft hands— soft yet cold hands— cradled her face, a thumb slowly swiping on her cheek bones, careful with the sharp nail. Slowly lifting her head, she didn’t realize the boy had sat up once more, they were now eye to eye. Those teal eyes, sparkling with so much emotion— and for a moment, Shinobu could see lucidity.
“ ... Great… did… ku ” the words came out rough, it didn’t quite roll out of his tongue well, it was slurred, stuttered, not all that soft as he intended it to be, “ ... job… best… ku… did… good… ”
(“Good job, Izuku!”)
(“You did so good, Izuku!”)
(“That’s my baby! You’re just the best, Izuku!”)
“Oh…”
Tanjiro smiles at the scene.
“Looks like you don’t need to entrust me with your dream, Kocho-san.”
Shinobu felt a little bit lighter.
.
.
.
Block, snatch, grab, block, grab, block, snatch, grab, grab, block, snatch, block—
“He looks like he’s going to pop a blood vessel.”
“Don’t be like that, Zenitsu!”
“ME NEXT, BOOM-BOOM! ME NEXT!”
Snatch— block— grab— block— block— snatch— grab— block—
“All of you are improving well. I can’t believe you would be able to pull it off!”
“Eh?! How mean, Aoi-chan! Did you not have faith in me!?”
“In you, maybe—”
“Wha?! Tanjiro! She’s being so mean to me again!”
“It’s because of your stupid attitude!”
Block
Grab
Snatch
Block
Snatch—
SPLASH!
“YOU MOTHER FUCKI—!”
“Alright!”
Aoi puts herself between a very soaked Katsuki and a very unimpressed Kanao… or as unimpressed as she could be, just staring up at the chaos in front of her.
“That’s enough,” she crosses her arm, “You lost again so give the other guys a chance to challenge Kanao, alright?”
Katsuki wasn’t going to stop and let someone else win against her first!
He was about to open his mouth to argue even further when Agatsuma let out a particularly wimpy screech. The sliding doors banged open, revealing the Insect Hashira with her unchanged smile, eyes squinted close with a slight hint of danger. They all went quiet, watching her observe the training room in complete silence, her bug like eyes landing on each and everyone before it finally settles on Katsuki, whose shoulders slowly rise with each ticking second, with each silent drip of the offending liquid that still clung to his hair, his clothes.
She claps her hands, enthusiastic.
“Ah! There you are~”
She moves inside in one swift motion, her haori fluttering with each sway.
“I was looking everywhere for you guys, but alas, I should’ve known!” she approaches them with silent stops, “I’m glad to see you all recovering well— and bonding too~!”
Agatsuma squeaks, hiding behind Tanjiro. Aoi squirmed a bit under the hashira’s gaze, not of nervousness, but more like embarrassment if the pink of her cheeks couldn’t already make it clear.
“We were— well the boys wanted— they—” she stammers, trying to get a word out to explain their rather rowdy nature so early in the morning.
Hashibara beat her to it, “We’re tryna see who can beat Kansuki!”
“HER NAME IS NO WHERE NEAR MINE!” Katsuki was quick to shout, his head snapping towards the other, who just stared blankly at him with that idiotic mask of his.
Kocho could only laugh.
“Oh my~ I’m so glad you are all having fun~!” she says, all their attention back to her, “I do have to apologize, however, I would have to cut your training short with Kanao, she has a mission to attend to.”
Kanao was suddenly alert, her gaze finally zeroing in on the hashira, already getting up from where she sat, fixing up her skirt to follow her mentor out the dojo.
Katsuki scoffs, crossing his arms… now he had to wait for her to—
“You too, Bakugo-san.”
Huh?
“Well, you’re healed enough, correct?” she tilts her head in response to that silly surprised look he had on his face, “This mission is a bit time sensitive and currently, you’re the only other person available for this, as your other friends are already recommended for another mission soon.”
(“Another mission?!” Zenitsu hisses, “Isn’t that too soon!?”)
“Right…” was the only thing Katsuki could even get out. He looked at her, and back at the others seeing if they heard it right, but they just stared right back at him. Tanjiro just nodded his head for him to go.
“I’ll get your bag ready!” Aoi blurts out, quickly excusing herself to rush out of the dojo for the preparation.
“Thank you, Aoi!” Kocho calls out to her, placing a hand over her chest and smiling even softer than before. She then turns to him, gesturing for the door, “Now go on,” she says, “Your uniform and your katana is on your cot. Another slayer will be joining you, he’s already out at the entrance, he will explain the mission.”
Katsuki just… nods, jogging forward to catch up as the two butterflies already walked out the door.
“Oh, and Bakugo-san?”
Katsuki’s jog slows as they walk through the grounds.
“Izuku-kun will be ready when you are.”
Notes:
Taisho Secret #14
Shinobu visits Izuku whenever she isn’t busy. At first she just passes by the door, but after feeding him blood, she came back diligently ever since, avoiding Tanjiro’s visits in the process.
At first it was her distrust over demons that made her extra vigilant, checking on the room just to make sure Izuku won’t attack anyone while they were unguarded, but as soon as she realized Izuku was just hungry and doesn’t mean any more harm, she finds herself visiting to feed him blood and keep him company.
On five separate occasions, she had to stop Sanemi from trying to enter the mansion to talk to Katsuki, on an additionally three separate occasions, she had to stop Sanemi from sneaking in to see Izuku and Nezuko (Izuku more specifically). He got into the hallway by his third attempt and was threatened enough by Shinobu to not come back about a week prior to Katsuki’s mission.
He would return, the ninth time, only to find the Kamaboko trio training, to which he got an earful of Zenitsu and Inosuke screaming.
Shinobu… did not… rescue him from that.[Up Next: Grinning Faces]
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