More meme redraws, ft @eidolonshiva's Fumiko. It's nice to redo old art in a cleaner format
And some rockstar!AU for @veilody's Otsuyu and @mandarinasart's Sameko
Bonus Gyutaro meme because I would be remiss to not give my favorite his own..... grimey man in every universe, but that's still my blorbo all the same
(ft Sameko again bc lets be honest Rengoku's ass took up all her space)
Invited mutuals to play a dash game with me where I randomized a list of my OCs and made friends with their OCs! Let's goooo!
@eidolonshiva drew Stash (he/they) from Overwatch, and Tomu hasn't been getting much attention lately so I indulged him. (SORRY TOMU..... Fumiko is my wife, I love her so). Stash loves stray cats, karaoke singing, and drinking. But he has a high tolerance. Needs more tequila before they can admit to keeping whimsy and silly in their heart. They're also a shallow gay, so Tomu can get away with so much bullshit, especially if he's indulging their alcoholic tendencies.
@veilody drew Jericho (he/him), my Monster Hunter World lancer! He's nearly seven fuckin' feet tall and soft-spoken until it's feasting time. Then he's boistrous and full of belly laughter. And BOY can this guy EAT. Just wait till he starts talking about his favorite monster, the Poalumu. He has a weak point for cute things, ADORES his Palico companion (basically his daughter), and has a secret sketchbook where he does candid doodles of monsters. Ostuyu will have her hands full with this huge guy and his huge Dad energy.
@mandarinasart drew Gambit (he/she/they/it)! Welcome to Point Pleasant, Sameko, where you can probably find strawberry milk at the Piggly Wiggly's. Gambit will show her around his hometown gladly! They love nature and the town is small enough that they can bike most anywhere-- even through patches of wilderness. He'll tell Sameko what plants are native, what to avoid, and eagerly encourage her curiosity in the world around her. Though notably, Gambit deliberately ignores a certain museum dedicated a winged cryptid. She has mixed feelings on Mothman, given it is her alter ego. He does his best to help others, but it is not quite a 'superhero' pastime. Especially not with how popular media has depicted it... (very Dandadan vibes). Most tourists are on thin ice with Gambit, but Sameko seems cool enough!
Last but not least, @gnoll-king drew Hikaru (he/him), a MHA OC! Hikaru lives such a quiet and cautious life, but every once in a while, you wanna get edgy and cringy and dangerous. He doesn't own a piano-- sold all his furniture to turn his apartment into a body part greenhouse with his quirk, Flesh Garden. But he still remembers how to play. These hands can do more than grow illicit organs for the black market. Gnoll can lay low as long as he needs, provided he brings some fresh soil or plant food with every visit... and disguises himself. You never know who has Hikaru under surveillance.
Headcanon height chart for the kodoku squad in Jacket AU. uwu
Gyutaro is the shortest because of his spinal curve, and he's still self conscious about his body so he wears baggy clothes.
Daki is the prettiest, but Fumiko is close behind. I gave her cardigan loose, mid sleeves this time. But there will ALWAYS be hand-crocheted wisteria petals on it.
Hinata is the tallest. Also least likely to carry a phone, they hate being tracked. Just look out the window if you need them, they'll be right there.
Summary: Fumiko and Hinata have a business meeting over drinks.
Word Count: 5.2k
Author's note: This is for @eidolonshiva and it's something of a companion piece to her panel here. I enjoy discussing horror and playing OCs with you. ✌️
Content Warnings: Emotional manipulation, codependency, physical harm, talks and acts of cannibalism, hypnotism/brainwashing, blood.
Fumiko's hands shook despite herself. A lump of anxiety formed in her throat as she lit incense for her own comfort. She craved a smoke, but that would open the door to complacency. Gyutaro warned her not to let herself be enticed; treat them the same as a House guest, and feel nothing of it. She quickly disposed of all unnecessary waste and assessed the tea room. The serving pot was warm, the cushions were set, the house was abuzz with spring celebrations. Everything was ready... except for her.
"Fumiko?" She turned her head to the child's voice. Kimiko waited in the doorway in a poised yet sheepish posture. "Your guest has arrived," she mumbled, her dark, worrisome eyes darting down the hall.
"Allow them in, Kimiko, thank you." The kamuro couldn't be more relieved to free herself of the company. With practiced grace she allowed the visitor to slip past her, then shut the door behind them. They wore unfamiliar garb-- nice, though a size too large, Fumiko noticed-- but the weight of their silver moon eyes was hard not to recognize. Nor was the way they swaddled their left hand, cradling it partially in their stolen clothes. "Welcome back," she folded her hands and bent her head.
"Hello Fumiko," Hinata greeted coolly though not unkindly. In fact, they surprised her by striding forth and extending their right hand. With mild trepidation, her purple-hued fingers slid out from under silk sleeves into Hinata's grasp. They squeezed and smiled-- everything short of embracing her. "I'm glad to see you alive and well," they told her. "It's been so cold lately. I do hope you've been staying warm."
"Oh," she gasped, disoriented. The distance she assumed existed between them shrank to nothing-- then she caught herself. She plastered on a softer smile before covering their hand with both of hers. "Thank you, thank you. You're far too kind." They were back to playing their contradictory roles: a demoness and a Slayer playing pretend-friends. Nothing more. "Please, come sit with me."
"Is it just us?" Hinata asked, glancing to the two lonely cups.
"It is unfortunate," Fumiko rehearsed, "but our beloved oiran will be preoccupied with other matters tonight." She settled into place and gestured for Hinata to sit across from her. "She has a rather famous visitor tonight but her heart is always fickle. If you stay long enough, we may be graced with her presence as she passes our room."
"I see." They lowered onto their respective seat though they remained fully composed in their movements. "What a shame. I was thinking how fun it would be for us all to play-- sugoroku."
"Ah--" Fumiko stammered. The mental image popped into her mind, every bit as awful as it sounded: a child's dark head bowed over a fairly simple strategy game. "All of us?" She pushed the unwanted memory away.
Hinata nodded promptly. "There's one that allows four players, isn't there?"
Fumiko nodded. "Do you play?" She began to prepare a drink, hands seeking an outlet so as not to give her nerves away.
"No," they sighed, "but it would be fun to learn, especially in Yoshiwara, wouldn't you agree?"
Giggles burst from her, which she cupped back into her mouth. "Your first game would be a cruel learning experience. I doubt those two would go easy on you at all."
"I find knowledge and growth is best earned with brutality," Hinata replied, "though one needs to develop a tolerance for it before they break." They seemed pleasantly shocked when she poured the first cup for them, though it was customary. "Thank you." They brought it to their lips, breathed in, and blinked. "Oh, Fumiko, you shouldn't have--"
"It's my gift to you," she assured sweetly. "Warm yourself before we discuss business."
With an appreciative smirk, Hinata sipped on the sake-- impressive, considering how strong it was. Most men would throw their head back before pouring it right down their throats. The Slayer even sighed just like a seasoned old drunk. She doubted the sake alone would lower their inhibitions, though. Pain wasn't the only thing they'd developed a tolerance for.
The hall had gone quiet and everyone was distracted with their own festivities. Fumiko figured she ought not waste time. "I hope you don't mind if I ask you some questions. It is, after all, in the interest of informing the others."
Hinata set their cup down with a tiny 'clink' and smiled. "That was delicious. I'd say you're owed an answer or two."
"You're quite welcome." Fumiko took their cup back, neglecting her own to pour them another serving. "How goes the plan with your target?"
Hinata's eyes rolled-- her heart pounded, though she knew the expression wasn't directed her way. "He still refuses to listen to me. Not that it matters. I promised the Kizuki a Hashira, and I intend to deliver. It won't be him, but it'll still be someone strong."
So cold. She offered them a second drink, and they eagerly took it up. She would stop after that to allow the alcohol some time to settle. "... And you're fine with that?" she probed. "There's no... conflict of interest?"
Hinata interrupted their long sip to look at Fumiko straight on. "Hashira are always ready to die in the struggle against demons. I'm only setting the time and the place."
'And rigging the betting pool,' she added to herself. Externally, she hummed with consideration before running a hand through her raven hair. "I believe there's another subject we must address: that of... Lady Tamayo."
Hinata didn't even bat an eye. "Elusive as ever." They left it at that, tilting the cup in a slow motion. The courtesan absentmindedly rubbed her silky locks between her fingers. Her quiet prompted them to tack on, "I suspect she's in a hibernation period-- unable to die of hunger, strength fluctuating and waning without regular feeding. She's likely taking cover somewhere. Once she's active, it'll be far easier to pin her down. For now I'll have to insist that you trust me when I say I'm tracking her."
It was easy for them to say when Fumiko was expected to deliver the news; if her superiors didn't lash their displeasure onto her then it would be Hinata. "That won't make our Upper Sixth very happy." She folded her arms across her chest, sparing them the entire lecture.
"It's not optimal, but it's fine," Hinata shrugged. "I really wouldn't worry about her, Fumiko. An untransformed demon rarely proves to be such a hassle. All she needs to do is lift her head and I'll take it right off her shoulders."
"What if she chooses to stay where she is?" Fumiko's brows furrowed.
"Lucky me," they grinned, "there's only so many places to hide in this land. I found you three despite your hunkering down, didn't I?"
"While true, you shouldn't toy with *their* expectations so much. Honestly, if either one of them decides to make an example out of you..." She didn't feel the need to finish the sentence. A Demon Slayer, of all mortals, knew how badly a body could hurt before it reached a limit. Tolerance be damned.
Hinata tilted their head inquisitively then leaned forward confidentially, their eyes shining almost lavender in the light. "I don't want you to worry, Fumiko... I'm sure those two will agree that this goal demands precise results. It's a job I want to do right so that everyone is happy. Compromise is a balancing act, as I'm sure you're aware."
She tittered, "What an understatement." At least they were taking it seriously. It wasn't a perfect answer, but it was allowable.
"I love when you laugh."
That admission knocked the air out of her lungs. Hinata's creased, adoring eyes were evidence of the truth. "It reminds me of birdsong. It is beautiful."
When was the last time someone had offered her such a genuine compliment? Not that the siblings didn't show Fumiko their own affections... occasionally. Warabihime's favoritism came at a social cost, and her brother wasn't one to hand out praise often. Rightfully so, of course-- they had to watch their backs... even with weaklings, like Fumiko...
"Thank you, Hinata." She rested her hand atop their head and they closed their eyes, beaming and leaning into her touch. "I appreciate you... I enjoy the time we spend together." All her former hesitance had left her. She knew this was the right thing to do.
She poured another drink for them. "Do you like being a Slayer, Hinata?"
They leaned back into their cushion, still glowing with her attention. "It's all I have. I'm good at it."
"But do you like it?"
Hinata's face flickered suddenly with something sharp, and Fumiko couldn't stop herself from fidgeting with her sleeve as she rolled it back down her wrist. "Is this related to our business, or personal curiosity?" they inquired.
Advice remained at the forefront of her mind: Don't let them into your heart or mind. Just let them close enough, and you'll find an opening. Had she already messed up? "Curosity," she answered thoughtfully, offering them the filled cup.
They slowly accepted it. "Yes. And no. I loved being in the Corps when I was one of the best. I can still hunt a demon for days without peace, and I enjoy the vastness of their power. But--" they cast their eyes to the side, "--it's hard not to take it personally when the situation is reversed... when a demon bothers to acknowledge me, the way it upsets everyone."
"So if that's the case, why do you..." She'd nearly stumbled into expressing a rude thought.
"Why do I disgrace the Demon Slayer Corps?"
Fumiko's cheeks burned as she refilled. "I wouldn't say it like-- I'm sorry."
"No need. It's the truth." And, because the conversation needed it apparently, they swallowed the sake serving whole. They exhaled, shoulders lowering. "I've marked myself and by extension I've sullied the organization. That's how it works."
Fumiko sympathetically filled the cup a third time, noticing the pot get lower. She reached for the tokkuri and discretely filled the warming teapot as Hinata went on, "The Corps is still important to me, it's just... a matter of disagreement. Our purpose isn't to save: it's to kill." She noted their possessive clinging to familiarity. "We're raised to play hero while boasting headcounts. Humans and demons are so divided in our minds, we forget all the ways they're similar. I can hardly hold misgivings against demons when they used to be human themselves."
There it was-- the opening. Just like Gyutaro told her. "No misgivings whatsoever?" she asked, feigning distraction as she set the empty flask aside.
"Well," they amended, "obviously demons are bloodthirsty monsters-- no offense-- but even humans need to be stopped, occasionally."
She allowed the comment to go unargued, though not without a grimace. "So you're here again to make that a point to the Corps? How?"
Hinata quietly examined her words and expression then chuckled, the lowness of their pitch a purr. "Is that what's bothering you? The way I keep coming and going? Fumiko, my dear friend, I return every time because I care for you. You're a rarity, you understand? Nobody could replace you-- not you, nor Warabihime, nor Gyutaro."
Fumiko tore her eyes away from them belatedly. "That's too generous of you to say," she mumbled, chest aflutter. "You risk quite a lot for us."
"As I should. Beheading is the only method the Corps utilizes to help demons anymore... but despite your supernatural immortality, the odds are still stacked against you. I want a better way-- one where we can truly work together for a greater good." They lifted the sake as though she would join them. "To the end of your suffering: to your overdue comfort and safety." With a sly wink, they drank to the health of demons.
Lying wasn't a foreign concept to her and she was nearly as good at it as her opponent. She had long noticed their evasive technique during their discussions about the traitorous doctor: a nugget of truth to betray the heart, a spoonful of illusion to stupor the mind. A powerful tincture, to be sure, but quite the common concoction.
She wondered if they would recognize the taste. "Can't the same be said for you, Hinata?"
They choked midsip and coughed, hurriedly setting the cup down to cover their mouth. "Huh?"
Fumiko's trap was set. Her heart stuttered, but her voice was warm and steady. "I feel awful about it. You're cast out from everyone, and even when you come here, it's only briefly."
"It's not so bad. It's no different than how you demons live. Surrounded by people, yet an island on your own."
"But it must be lonely nonetheless." And to that, there was no immediate answer-- Hinata swirled their empty cup, examining the trace droplets inside. "What if you could stay in Yoshiwara?"
"Impossible. At best, the Corps would find us all out. At worst, the world finds out... which I wouldn't have minded, before I got to know you."
"Do you still worry what they might think?" She asked sincerely.
"I worry that if so many people recognize what happens in the shadows, I won't be able to protect you the best way I can."
"What if you were stronger?" Their eyes finally rose to hers; her words had found their mark. "You know your own potential."
"Fumiko--" their mouth loosened, smile slipping away, "--there's more risk that way. I could lose my memories, my motivation... if you wanted to unmake me, I would rather you devour me alive. Take my strength for yourself."
"No," Fumiko gasped, "not unmake you-- improve you." That was what Gyutaro wanted them to hear, even when she didn't believe it herself. "You could get all the benefits you envy us for. Immortality, regenerative healing, eternity. You'd have your own Blood Demon Art. You would have to give up your sunrises, but the moonlight can be just as enchanting."
Hinata shook their head. Her confidence deflated.
"I know the others have strange ways of showing it, but... they like you. I do, too. We want you in our corner."
"I'm in your corner " they argued.
Another breathtaking statement. "Are you?"
"Of course I am. It kills me to stay away. When I'm devoted to the work, all I think about is you guys." They sat straight-backed as confessions tumbled from their mouth. "I worry about what trouble you might be fixing, I wonder if Daki is filling her pantry, I hope Gyutaro awakens refreshed-- I want to be here for all of it."
"Then join us. It'll just--"
"Fumiko." All persuasions lodged in her throat at the stony way her name was used against her. "I can't become one of you. I'm sorry. Nothing will work in our favor if that happens."
The sake was hot, but Fumiko felt so cold and shut out... so chastized that she couldn't bear to pour them another drink. Not that they seemed to expect a followup offer. "Was there anything else you wanted to discuss?" Hinata offered self-consciously.
"Just some advice," Fumiko murmured. "You should consider it; becoming a demon, that is. After all..."
The atmosphere shifted. Hinata noticed it too late with a flick of their eyes. The lights extinguished from the room, leaving only the dying embers of the incense. The Slayer didn't even flinch. Fumiko, meanwhile, grasped her kimono with both hands. The Upper Sixth's gaze pierced through them both. "... it's best to do what he asks of you," she finished.
Hinata's eyes blindly swept over her shoulder, then focused back on her in open admiration and annoyance. "Ah... so it was his idea all along. I should have seen it coming. Are you sure about presenting a wonderful opportunity to someone so dense they can't sense an ambush?"
"Why couldn't it work in our favor?" Gyutaro snarled from the dark. "Entertain me with your opinion."
"You don't even know if I'll turn. I could simply die."
"You'll turn," Gyutaro stated. Fumiko nodded to his words-- she felt it too. Under their insecurities and grudges, there was a demon inside Hinata waiting to be unleashed. It felt less a matter of 'whether' they would turn, and more a fact of 'when.'
"Let's say I do. What happens then? I'll be forced out of your territory," they said.
"And why's that?" he asked.
"You know why," they replied, turning to the sound of his voice. "Fumiko's crafty, I'll give her that--" they raised their eyebrows pointedly, wounding her further, "-- but she's likely tolerated at best. It'll be different for me."
"Then be tolerated."
"But then I'd be--"
"I don't care."
Reprimanded, Hinata closed their mouth. It wasn't the worst thing Gyutaro had said to them, but Fumiko could see that something had connected. They didn't even look to her for support; they dropped their gaze, embarrassed. Frowning, she rose and walked back to where Gyutaro glared at the ungrateful Slayer. "Be patient," she pleaded quietly, setting her hand on his. "You startled them."
"Don't take their side," Gyutaro hissed back. "Who do they think they are, rejecting us?" He snatched his hand away, clawing at his throat. "Like they're too good for us?"
"It's a shock," she soothed, hoping his ire wouldn't be redirected her way. "They've been conditioned to feel a certain way about it. It's not personal--"
"I'm unworthy is the problem. I haven't earned it."
Both demons' snapped to attention at the intrusion. When the demons were speaking, it was expected that Hinata would sit aside and pretend not to exist. But they flagrantly ignored the rules and turned in place, lowering their head to the floor in formal apology. "I want to stay. Keep me forever if you must, but keep me as I am... at least until I can finish my work. Until I deserve it."
A compromise. Before Fumiko could graciously accept, Gyutaro's hand dropped on her shoulder, a reminder of her place. "Your task list keeps growing-- it's taking too long." He moved to the center of the room and leered over Hinata's groveling form. Fumiko's feet were frozen to the spot. "I guess there really is only one way to make you listen." They remained still. He reached down, and an impulsive fear leapt into her throat. A small, braver part of her wanted to intervene-- he would regret killing them out of frustration, she knew it. But she couldn't bear to look. So she hid her eyes. Something cracked, and the human gurgled.
"You'll bring me the traitor, and then you'll bring me the Lower Rank Exterminator. Before the end of the week, you'll become a demon. Once that's done, we'll celebrate your new life."
"Yes," they wheezed, strained and out of breath, "thank you."
"Good." Enthusiasm had returned to his voice. Fumiko lifted her face from her hands to see Gyutaro helping Hinata upright by their forearm. Their frame shivered with raw adrenaline, right hand tucked by their ribs. Gyutaro passed by Fumiko and gave her his approval, grazing a hand through her hair. "See them out," he suggested. "They've got an early night."
"Of course," she blushed.
And as swiftly as he had revealed himself, he disappeared. The air lightened-- a tightness in Fumiko's sternum released, and she exhaled with relief.
"Now you've done it," Hinata told her. "Look at the mess you've made, throwing me to the wolves. How am I supposed to wield a sword with a broken hand?" They couldn't bother with sounding jovial-- the bitterness was apparent. Her chest knotted up once more.
"It's for the best," she insisted as she went to their side. The courtesan held her arms out but they turned away from her with a stingy pout. "Let me see it, at least."
"You set me up," they whined. "But I guess that's on me. I forgot that even the nicest demons are deceptive." Fumiko's lips and eyes stung with guilt, and the feeling compounded when Hinata begrudgingly offered their injury to her. Powerful as they were, they were still at her mercy, in a way.
It wasn't as bad as it could have been-- the skin was unbroken, but their hand was definitely broken in multiple places. The tiny puzzle pieces in their knuckles were all disorganized, leaving their fingerbones crooked. "Oh... Hinata. Why did you argue with him?"
"Because he's stubborn. Good grief, what an immovable guy... wouldn't even listen when it's good for him."
"... I'm sorry."
"... It's okay," they conceded their grudge. "I get it... you just want the best for them. I would have done the same thing in your place. I only wonder..."
Fumiko held onto that little spark of hope that she may be forgiven. "What?"
"... I wonder if he's thought this through," they blasphemized, "I serve a specific purpose and he's discarding me for it. I could do more than keep his sister safe." Fumiko stared at their pensive face, gobsmacked, and they looked her way in reply. "What do you think?"
"Even after what I did, you want my thoughts?" She blinked rapidly.
"Of course-- you're going to help me make his wishes come true. And we're going to protect them both."
Hinata said it so matter-of-factly. Oh, her heart could have exploded at the notion. "How? I don't... Me? You need my help?"
"Yes, Fumiko. Gyutaro, Daki and I need you more than ever now. He's making rash decisions: something has him rattled. There was never a chance of me leaving willingly, so why anchor me with demonhood?" They raised the damaged hand to their head, index finger twitching with a painful extension. "Think about it."
It made sense in a way she hadn't been permitted to vocalize. The past few days had been tainted with confrontation and needling. How often had she needed to de-escalate arguments, trying to coax Daki out from tantrums and Gyutaro down from rages? Hinata hadn't behaved any differently, their report was still favorable, and yet they were a sore subject recently. "I don't know... "
"You know," they nodded. "Think about it. Why would a demon need to keep a Demon Slayer?"
"To slay demons--"
"Right. And which demons stand in the way of Daki living the carefree life her brother envisions?"
"All of them," Fumiko guessed.
"Not true. She's capable of enforcing her territory against lesser demons. Who is her competition?" Fumiko floundered. They offered another hint: "Count again." They raised their hands, fingers splaying at awkward angles. The loathsome nichirin prosthetic stiffly raised a single digit.
"You mean--"
There was no way of hiding her realization: all her hairs stood on end. Her breathing shallowed. They tilted their head to look right into her eyes. "Fumiko. You know something."
"No."
"I can feel your terror."
"I... can't say. She made me swear." The fear was choking her now, throat raw as though she were drowning in saltwater.
Hinata opened their mouth, then closed it. They waved their battered hand as a nonverbal question: one of these? Fumiko shook her head. She could sense the blood leave Hinata's face as they nervously wiggled the single finger. She nodded.
"Oh," Hinata moaned with all the world's agony. "That's... bad. He's looking for Gyutaro's weakness."
"Perhaps," she hoped, "she's gotten his attention with some... other accomplishment." But she knew better-- neither women had any progress in finding the blue spider lily.
"Or he's giving her morale speeches, out of the benevolence of his heart," Hinata said sarcastically.
There had been a future forming in Fumiko's mind. One where she could stay in Yoshiwara with everyone she cared about. Where Daki was praised and adored, where Gyutaro was secure and steady, where Hinata was welcome and wanted. Game nights, stories, hunts-- She didn't realize how attached she'd become to the idea until it was dissolving before her own eyes. The Slayer's fate had been spelled out, and she'd been complicit in weakening their unit. "Oh Hinata," she sniffed, "what will we do?"
They were quiet for a while, slowly flexing their broken hand, teeth clenched together as bone scraped on bone. "... I have an idea. But you need to keep it a secret from Gyutaro."
"Why?!"
Hinata shushed her. "Because it's dangerous for us both," they admitted, "If he catches on, it's possible you'll be permanently in the obi prison for it-- you're his porcelain doll-- but me? He probably wouldn't even feed me to the dogs. I'm willing to risk it, if the alternative means standing by as they're exploited."
She was still trying to wrap her mind around it. "We can't hide it from him forever. I won't do that to him."
"And we won't! We'll come clean as soon as possible-- when it won't put either of them under the scope."
That shut down any possible argument from her. The way they kept fighting despite their hopeless situation gave her something to hold onto. "... Okay. I'll do whatever it takes."
Normally, they would grin at her abidance-- she was merely given a solemn nod. "First, find me some light."
Fumiko did just that, but she kept an eye on the Slayer. Once they could navigate the dim candlelight, Hinata gathered the clean cup and the empty carafe, setting the former at Fumiko's seat. "We're going to make a blood pact," they told her as she sat.
"A-- what? But we have a week--"
"It's not that kind of pact. I'll walk you through it," they promised.
Fumiko apprehensively picked at her own nails, then twisted her fingers together. "... Will this pact hurt?"
"... I'll try to mitigate that part." They locked eyes with her. "Whatever it takes... right?"
There was still time to back out. She could forget this conversation ever happened or she could reveal their scheme to Gyutaro, entirely innocent of any treachery.
But there was no looking away now that her worst nightmares had been stirred up.
"Let's do it."
Hinata held their hands out. Before she could react, they cut their right palm with their left index finger. They squeezed a steady red stream into her cup. "We drink at the same time," they instructed. "You'll heal quicker."
"That's unnecessary," she insisted. "I heal fine."
"Believe me-- it is necessary. I was hoping to avoid this option, but we're facing desperate measures." As an afterthought, they gave her a more honest reason: "I don't want to be the reason you get hurt. Think of it as a safety precaution."
Fumiko reached into her kimono and withdrew a wisteria-scented handkerchief, tenderly wrapping Hinata's flesh hand. Their breathing hitched and shook, but they didn't once pull away from her until she'd tightened the knot. "You ought to get this back to me in one piece... it's impolite not to. But I'll forgive you even if you don't."
"Thank you." They studied her work almost forelornly. "I'll do my best... your turn."
A shaking hand rolled back her sleeve as she exposed her forearm. Hinata used the broad edge of their thumb this time-- the flesh resisted, burning before it broke. She gasped at the blood pouring like a faucet, most of it pouring messily into the tokkuri. The splatters on the floor evaporated as she was bled until the misting liquid reached the container's neck. "Okay, now," they said, releasing her.
Nearly in synchronized movement, they both drank. Hinata's blood was rich, but no stranger than any other human's. She examined the puncture in her arm-- true to their promise, not even a mark remained.
Hinata's throat bobbed, a rivulet of demonic essence trickling from the corner of their mouth and down their neck. By the time they'd finished, their placid face had taken on a new form. She'd only seen such an expression of poignant pain on the faces of victims, moments before their death.
They dropped the tokkuri and collapsed onto their side.
"Hinata?!" She crawled to them frantically, trying to examine their face as they gasped and writhed. She peeled their eyelids apart just as their pupil blew outward, the inky black continuing into their sclera and leaving a only a white-hot ring of an iris. The pitch tendrils broke containment, spreading across their nose and temples like a blindfold.
Then their eyes closed against her fingertips, yelping out with undiluted agony. They squirmed away from her and onto their knees again where they heaved, wailed, heaved, shuddered... and rattled.
She was almost too afraid to speak up... but her strength finally came to her. She scooted a little closer. "Hinata?"
"I'm so hungry," they said suddenly.
Her skin prickled. "You're--"
"HUNGRY."
Suddenly her back was to the floor. She froze, having no other survival instinct in the face of... whatever this was. The thing possessing Hinata's body crouched over her like a four-legged beast. Its nichirin limb sizzled against the tatami floor, mere centimeters from her face, and she was assaulted by the scent of burning hair and flesh. Its lips split from ear to ear, a morbid grimace full of needles. The words it spoke were shaken by the convulsions in their muscles. "I haven't eaten in years... how much longer can I subsist on blood alone?" She could see her own horrified expression in the dead center of twin eclipses. "Who's first?"
Fumiko didn't know how to respond. She worried that saying anything might be the wrong choice.
BANG! She cried out in surprise. The once battered hand was now an elongated claw, slamming once into the ground before gouging ditches into the tatami. "Who is the first course?" it demanded impatiently.
She wasn't its target. Not yet.
"Tamayo," Fumiko squeaked. "The demon doctor who betrayed her own kind."
Hot breath seeped from between its teeth in a long exhale. "... A demon." The corners of its mouth twitched into something like a smile. "What a treat."
She gasped when the thing jolted up from her and began sprinting. Shoji doors leading to the exterior corridor slammed open and Fumiko hastily scrambled to her feet and ran after it. She crashed into the wooden railing with her ribs, leaning out to watch as the distorted creature climbed erratically over tile roofs and launched itself into the night.
Another memory of her former life snapped into place-- when her home had intricate wisteria carved into its signs and posts. The same place where she remembered the child with the board game. People would come in sick, and there was nothing her family could do for them. A mysterious stranger would come and sit with the patient, providing meditation and focus. Both patient and their visitor would vanish by sunrise, and she'd never know where they went, only that the wretched soul had been escorted to peace.
She must have known somewhere in the back of her mind that demons could be hypnotized. She never imagined the applications could be so heinous. The result: a brainwashed demon whose sole function was to consume on the whim of its activator.
And she had just released it on its first quarry of the week.
Rocker AU headcanons for bed bc MAN I had a big day
Daki still bullies Hinata in this AU. If Gyutaro is Hinata's victim, then Hinata is hers. Hinata never minds being at the butt-end of her jokes though. It's the usual 'if you degrade yourself before they can, nothing can hurt you' approach. And, of course, Hinata always lays the compliments heavy on her; they can tell she's a girl who loves being sucked up to. Unlike her brother, who doesn't trust Hinata to not kiss ass. Sometimes Hinata earns her favor by the end of the day... but the moment she sees this skeezy Soundcloud artist shmoozing up to her big brother again, she's on guard.
If Nobu ever heard Hinata had a crush, no matter how shallow, he would be BIG PISSED. Not that he wants them back at all-- he just got used to them being HIS dumbass. The idea they could 'move on,' that the guy they're flirting with isn't even hot, and that they're not broken up over being dumped anymore... devastating blow to the ego. But he just shrugs and pretends he doesn't care, says 'it's their life to ruin, let them make their bad decisions.' Anytime anything bad or upsetting happens, it's bittersweet vindication... but it hurts to see someone he cared about keep ruining shit for themself.
Hinata is still awkward around kids. They tend to treat them like adults purely because of their own rough upbringing. Rather than protect them from certain truths or wait for when they're older, Hinata levels with them. What happened to your goldfish? Well, it died. Dying happens. Why did Hinata have to be carried inside? They drank too much. Why? Too sad to function. Sometimes adults are powerless like that.
Hinata and Fumiko are personal friends! From physical therapy. Hinata has to go regularly so they don't pass out at performances, and Fumiko is in recovery from heart surgery. She's not really plugged into celebrity news, so she doesn't know Hinata used to be a big name before their crash-outs. Hinata doesn't really HIDE this from her, but they also don't volunteer the information.
Animals like Hinata more in this AU, too. Hinata has never had a pet before, but they're all about giving affection. Dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, spiders, snakes, birds-- coexistence with animals fascinates them in a way that reveals how sheltered/lonely they are. If you bring your dog to a concert they'll go 'HOLD ON EVERYONE SHUT UP..... can I pet that dog????'
Tetsuya is still a model student, but far quieter and shy in this AU. He struggles to make friends, with his top marks and devotion to the 'go home' club. He struggles with finding direction in life because he feels disconnected as a person. But he still likes movies. He also practices the clarinet.
Hinata is an adrenaline chaser. They like doing stupid shit for the rush-- they crave attention, good or bad. But their emotional regulation still needs work.
They're a HUGE FAN of Yoriichi.... they had a poster of him on their wall after breaking up with Nobutoshi, and it brought them immense comfort to have someone to aspire for (other than Junko, who clearly brings on mourning and regret). He especially resonated with them as a percussionist. Although their uncle was in a band with him, they would never dare to ask about it and risk opening a can of worms.
They're estranged from every Rengoku except Kyojuro (cousin) and MAYBE Shiori (younger brother). Kai (older brother) has a 50/50 chance of getting a hot temper over Hinata's lifestyle/behavior. He's frequently flipping between 'when will you be by with dinner?' and 'you cant sleep here anymore, i dont want to see your face.'
