Pairing: Ice!Hashira!Reader x Akaza/Hakuji
Content: Fem-bodied!reader, smut, MDNI!, character death, attempted SA, kidnapping, some manga spoilers at the end
Summary: You've been searching for him everywhere. Now that you're trapped in Infinity Castle togheter, can you finally atone for sins?
Authors note: So I basically got obsessed with Akaza after watching the movie, my baby boy! I was looking through his tags, ready to inject more obsession into my veins but there were not many 😫so I decided to write! I also wanna thank my beloved @lovereren for beta reading 🫶🏿 Here is my little twist to the story, Akaza here is not +100 years old! Please let me know what you think 🩵
Credit: Dividers by @thecutestgrotto
It all happened quickly, one second you were activating your second breathing to behead Muzan, and the second you were falling down into a castle. You used your Ice Breathing technique to break some of the floors meeting you. Panic rushed over you at first when you saw Muichiro fall, but you let out a breath of relief when you saw him accompanied by Giyomei. Once you landed, you rushed to find him. You killed some demons on the way, looking through each room. Which was when you felt an earthquake and rushed up. That’s when you saw him, Akaza, near a barely conscious Giyu and a heavily injured Tanjiro.
You charged in without thinking, protecting your friends. Tanjiro was left in awe seeing you fight an even battle against Akaza with hardly any injuries. He knew you were strong, as he heard that you had the best battle endurance and fighting skills out of all of the Hashiras. Giyu admitted himself that you were stronger than him, not that he would ever admit that to you. Tanjiro could see that even Akaza was amused by having met an even stronger opponent. One thing that caught Tanjiro’s eye was that Akaza's Blood Demon Art technique, called Compass Needle, forms the shape of a snowflake, which resembles your hairpins, which are also snowflake-shaped. Then he remembered his conversation with you, “I have a dark sin, I need to repent from.” Could the sin you spoke about be related to Akaza?
You and Akaza get separated, and you catch your breath. He was as strong as he was rumored to be. Tanjiro told you everything about his devastating battle that left you without a Fire Hashira.
“You must be strong, for only gravely injuring your haori. I normally don’t fight women, unless they’re strong. See yourself as worthy.” Akaza chuckled. You were not here to entertain him. After catching your breath, you took your haori off and continued your battle.
This time, you’re left with scars, and your left eye is injured. However, you managed to chop his head off. You turned around to have a look at the state of Tanjiro and Giyu. They were badly injured, but there were no fatal wounds. You called upon your raven to summon the medicine team.
“How is he not dead?” Giyu asked, pointing behind you. You turn around to see Akaza with a half-generated head.
“Have this not gone long enough?” You said, visibly upset.
“Huh?” Akaza smiles, amused, taking a fighting stand.
“Akaza! Akaza!” Your lips trembled. “Hakuji!” You cried out. Akaza looked at the tears streaming down your face, and all of a sudden, he was eleven years old outside of a Dojo.
“You’ll be training with her.” Keizō smiled, showing the door open. There you were, practicing your stand.
“I see, you’re breathing is getting better,” Keizō beamed. You rushed over and bowed.
“Am I going to fight a girl?” Hakuji asked. He didn’t mean to sound misogynistic, but he was scared of injuring you.
“And he looks too injured to be training with.” You countered quickly, pointing at his beaten face. Hakuji turned around to hide his now red face, making Keizō laugh.
“You will be training with him once his face is healed,” Keizō ruffled your hair.
Your training with Hakuji started three days later. Hakuji had the strength and the battle experience, but still lacked the battle intelligence, which was how you ended up throwing him onto the ground. You took a break to drink some water; the coldness down your throat was exactly what your heated body needed.
“I am impressed, you’re strong.” You looked up to see a blushing Hakuji, standing in front of you.
“Thank you,” you answered, taking a scoop of water and giving it to him. You needed a second to hide your warm face.
He sat down next to you and muttered a small thank you when you handed him water. You watched him down it quickly; it was too quick, making you giggle. Hakuji tilted his head in confusion but ignored you.
“Where did you learn to fight like that?” He asked, putting down the wooden cup.
“I grew up with my two older brothers and my parents. My brothers taught me how to fight, not that I ever had use for it, because they would fiercely protect me, and I used to feel so safe with them around.” You smiled sadly, getting a few flashbacks from your old life.
“My brothers were the ones giving me the nickname Yuki, as I always wore my snowflake pins.” You giggled. Hakuji had noticed that you always wore them; they must be precious to you.
“What happened to them?” Hakuji asked further, not meaning to sound insensitive. He was just curious, like most kids were.
“Demons attacked my village and killed my family. I was saved by members of the Demon Slayer Corps. I ran away, while my family got slaughtered in our home.” Hakuji felt his heart sink.
“But Keizō found me and raised me alongside his daughter Koyuki. I decided that I wanted to get stronger which is why I asked Keizō to train me.” A smile painted itself on your face. Lifting Hakuji’s spirit.
“Keizō has a daughter? How come I’ve never seen her?”
“She is sick and stays mostly bedridden. I tend to care for her as Keizō is often out making us some money.” You got up and continued your training.
With Hakuji in your life, things grew easier with him, helping with chores, easing your work. You felt less lonely, though you had Koyuki, her frail health meant she often needed rest, leaving you alone in silence. Over time, between shared training and daily tasks, you and Hakuji grew fond of each other. You cared for Koyuki, and while he took on the cleaning, the two of you would share the meal duties. It didn’t take long until you and Hakuji built a strong friendship.
You called Hakuji over one day to the bedroom you shared with Koyuki. She was resting when you slid the door open, her eyes lighting up when you stepped inside with him at your side.
“Koyuki, this is Hakuji.” You said softly, gesturing at the boy next to you. Hakuji felt honored that you trusted him with her. He knew she was the dearest person to you, and you don’t trust many people around her.
Hakuji bowed quickly. “It’s an honor to meet you.” Making Koyuki blush, which made you giggle. She blushes too easily around boys your age.
You helped her up and moved to the kitchen to have dinner together. Now that you trusted Hakuji, you wanted Koyuki to have a change of scenery, as she’s been in her room for weeks. Hakuji stood by your side in the kitchen, helping you prepare the Katsu Curry. The air was filled with the sound of simmering curry and oil crackling in the pan.
Koyuki observed quietly from her futon. She noticed the way your eyes lingered on him, the way his voice softened when he spoke to you. Her cheeks warmed, though she said nothing, the blush giving her away. The two of you were close, and closer you would get the next seven years.
Seven years had passed and your freshly eighteen-year-old self was on your way to the market to get some groceries. Walking outside, you saw the walls of the dojo smeared with paint, with slurs carved into the wood.
“Hakuji!” you called, and he came running.
His eyes fell on the damage, and his knuckles turned white. You didn’t have to say much, you both knew it was the rivalry dojo that was behind this. They have harassed Keizō ever since he got the dojo.
You sighed, “Watch over Koyuki while I’m gone.” Normally, when you get harassed by the samurai, you would stay with Koyuki all day. However, you desperately needed to get the groceries done. Hakuji’s heart flutters as she is someone you consider dear to you. The trust you had meant a lot to him.
He waved you goodbye and walked into Koyuki’s open bedroom. He told her what had happened and that you sent him to watch over her before he sat down next to the door, juggling with his balls. She watched him quietly before speaking.
“No.” He collected the balls to focus on her.
“Even when you can’t change the scenery?”
He shook his head. “I’m content with you and Yuki.”
“There’s a firework tonight. You should take her.” Her lips curved into a smile.
Her smile dropped, and Hakuji’s heart sank, seeing the sadness in her eyes. “Because I always wanted to go. But I never get better in time. Every year, I fall sick, just like now. She won’t go without me.” But then her smile restored itself, although her sadness didn’t fully vanish. “But if you ask her, she might go.”
Hakuji felt heat rising in his cheeks. He quickly looked away, embarrassed, not wanting Koyuki to see his pink cheeks. However, it was too late, and he left her fighting back a giggle. Meanwhile, you walked back from the market with your fresh groceries tucked against your hip.
“Yuki!” a familiar voice called. It was the last voice you ever wanted to hear.
Haruto came running with his minion trailing behind, blocking your path before you could reach the dojo. Over the years, you had grown more beautiful, catching the eyes of many men, none more persistent than Haruto, the heir of the rival dojo.
He walked up to you, towering over you, smirking. You bit the inside of your cheek to contain your anger. Haruto had the audacity to try to start a normal conversation with you after what his dojo just did. You couldn’t lash out; Keizō always wanted to avoid any form of problems with them, even when they started it.
“Yuki… every time I see you, I can’t help but think how beautiful you are. But you’d look even more beautiful in my arms. You belong somewhere finer than this old dojo. At my side, you’d be worshipped.”
“Save your words, Haruto. They mean nothing to me.” You rolled your eyes and brushed past him.
The smirk on his lips twisted, “You’ll come around. One day.” He said, watching you walk away.
During dinner, you decided to make some tea for you guys. Hakuji set his chopsticks down, looking at you.
“Hm?” You turned around smiling. Hakuji’s cheeks turned faintly pink, his eyes moved quickly to Koyuki, who gave him a firm nod. His focus went back to you.
“Come with me to see the fireworks,” Hakuji said, shyly.
Your heart picked up a speed that was faster than you wanted it to. You tried to mask the joy in your chest, glancing at Koyuki.
“You should use the kimono I gave you for your birthday.” Koyuki smiled. Your eyes softened, and you rushed, hugging her before running to get dressed. Hakuji smiled softly, watching you run excitedly. Koyuki’s heart fluttered, seeing both of you happy.
You walked up the hill together, lifting the hem of your pink, white-flowered kimono with one hand, your matching purse in the other. Hakuji led the way ahead of you; his dark blue kimono matched yours. There was something about him, also dressing up, that sent butterflies to your stomach.
“Here,” he said when you reached the hilltop.
He spread a blanket, and you sat down beside him. Just moments later, your eyes lit up when you heard the shooting. You’re in awe watching the bursts of color bloom above. Your excitement clouded your mind, and you reached for his hand.
“Thank you… For bringing me here,” you whispered.
“If I knew this would make you this happy, I would’ve taken you sooner.” He smiled.
His words caught you off guard, warmth rising in your chest. It was then that you noticed you were still holding hands. Hakuji didn’t say anything; he only smiled. He looked at you with lovely eyes, and you leaned your head on his shoulders. You held your breath waiting for an answer, and your body relaxed when you felt his head rest lightly on yours.
You walked back home that night, still holding hands. Your gaze flicked down to his large hands. They were rough, from all the training and labor, but they held you so tenderly. At the dojo, you exchanged “good night” before slipping into your separate rooms. Not knowing that Keizō was watching you guys from his window.
Morning light spilled across the dojo floor. Keizō sat with Koyuki beside him, you and Hakuji at his side. You were playing Mahjong, now that Keizō was off work and Koyuki felt a bit better. Your conversation and giggles turned into silence when Haruto entered with his father. The man coughed, decorating his white handkerchief with dark blood spots.
Keizō rushed over, inviting them in. You rose up, making some matcha tea for you guys. Hakuji moved next to Koyuki. He could feel Haruto’s eyes lingering on him; once their gaze met a smirk was painted on Haruto’s face. It took everything in Hakuji’s power not to attack him.
“A proposal,” the father rasped. “A peace offering. If my son marries her—” his eyes flicked to you, “—our feud will end.”
Your breath caught in your throat and you were unable to move an inch. You tried your best to hide the sadness that was dragging your body down. You slowly glanced at Hakuji. His eyes didn’t move and his face was unreadable. Not knowing that he was thinking the same as you. Don’t be selfish.
“I’ll think about it,” Keizō said calmly with a smile. The son and father duo nodded and bowed to Keizō. Haruto gave you a smirk, making you sick to your stomach. The room became silent after they left. You lowered your eyes and took a deep breath.
“I’ll accept it. If it helps the dojo, if it brings peace… you’ll have more students, and no one will trouble us again.”
Keizō shook his head in disapproval, and you tilted your head slightly, not fully understanding why he wouldn’t take this deal. “You are all my children. A dojo means nothing without the ones who fill it. I don’t care for titles, or numbers, or alliances. What matters to me is your happiness. All of yours.” His eyes flicked between you, Koyuki, and a hopeful Hakuji.
Keizō that day declined the marriage proposal, earning the wrath of the rival dojo. However, the head of the dojo still wanted to sustain the peace treaty. After his death, Haruto became the heir and decided to take revenge rather than honor his father's vow of peace.
Four months later, you were asleep in your room. Koyuki had been getting better recently and was eagerly helping you and Hakuji with their chores. That night was calm; only the sound of rustling wind outside the shoji screens filled the silence. Then you heard the steps creak against the floorboards. At first, you thought it was just Keizō making his rounds, but before you could sit up, shadows loomed over you.
A rough hand clamped down over your mouth. Another yanked you by the arm, dragging you out of the futon. You thrashed, your sleepy state got replaced by the rush of panic.
“Koyuki!” you tried to scream, but your voice muffled under the man’s grip.
However, it was enough to wake Koyuki up, her eyes going wide at the sight of two men dragging you away.
“Yuki! Let her go!” Her voice tore through the dojo as she scrambled after you. But one of the men shoved her back. The moonlight gave her a better view of the man’s face.
“Stay quiet, girl!” he snarled. She recognized that voice.
Hakuji had just poured himself a drink of water when he heard Koyuki’s screams. The cup slipped from his hand, and he sprinted down the hall. He found the door to your room was wide open. Your futon was empty, and Koyuki was sobbing on the floor. He could feel panic rushing through every single cell in his body, but he had to get it together for both of you.
“Haruto took her!” Koyuki cried, her hands trembling as she pointed toward the door.
Hakuji clenched his jaw and fists. “I’ll get her back.” Koyuki nodded while tears were streaming down her cheeks.
Outside, you were dragged into the woods behind your little village. “Leave me alone!” You screamed, kicking and trashing around. Haruto’s friend restrained you, pinned your arms, and forced you onto the ground. While Haruto lined himself up in front of you.
“If I can’t have you voluntarily, I’ll have to take you by force,” he sneered, lowering himself.
“W-what do you mean?” You felt your eyes glaze over.
“You can’t keep rejecting me if you’re carrying my child.” Haruto’s voice was low, almost intimate, while he dried your tears with his thumb. You gasped and kicked him in the face.
Everything happened so fast. One minute, Haruto’s minion was holding you down. The second he was on the ground, he was punched several times by Hakuji. Haruto rushed to grab a wooden stick to hit him, but Hakuji caught it with his hand. It was as though he had sensed Haruto’s movement before it even happened. Hakuji stood up, and a brawl erupted between the two, leaving Haruto unconscious. While Hakuji was left with a few bloodied knuckles. He glanced at you, who was still trembling, and his eyes softened. You rushed into his safe arms, sobbing.
“You’re safe now,” he said, stroking your back gently.
You were now in Hakuji’s bedroom, tendering his wounds. He flinched when you pressed the alcohol to his torn knuckles.
“Please… stay still,” you whispered, your fingers brushing his as you wrapped the bandage.
“Mm?” he hummed, his eyes flicking up to meet yours.
“Thank you… for saving me.” You bit the inside of your cheek.
“It was nothing.” He smiled.
You shook your head softly. “No, it wasn’t nothing. Why would you risk your life like that?”
His smile faded at your comment. “I want to protect you,” Hakuji said, his eyes burning with determination.
“But… what if the opponent is too strong?” You asked, getting flashes of your family’s screams as they were getting slaughtered by demons.
“Then I’ll get stronger. No matter how many times I have to push myself, I will. I’ll fight until my body breaks if I have to. Because I want you to feel safe again… as safe as you used to, before all of this.” His promise unlocked something in you. It was safety, the kind of safety you thought the demons devoured with your family.
“Why?” Your voice was barely above a whisper. His ears turned red, and for once he looked away.
Your eyes soften knowing it meant that he cared for you deeply. You linked your fingers with his, making Hajiku flinch a bit when he locked his fingers into yours. It was painful but a beautiful kind of pain.
“I’m a criminal,” Hakuji said low. He pulled back his sleeve, exposing the dark tattoos encircling his arm.“With these hands… I can’t give you the kind of life you deserve.”
To his surprise, you leaned in and pressed your lips gently to the inked skin. Then you rested your head on his shoulder. “I don’t need a lavish life, Hakuji. All I want is a simple home… filled with love.” You whispered.
Your eyes softened as you dreamt aloud. “I see us in a little house, in the woods. The mornings are quiet except for birdsong, and I’m hanging laundry while you chop wood outside. The evenings… we sit by the fire, warm and safe.”
For a moment, he was silent, imagining that life.“I see us walking down the path to a small garden. You’re tending to the flowers while I bring you water. I see you smiling… and no one coming to take that smile away.” He said softly.
“That sounds perfect.” You giggled.
You lifted your head, locking gaze with his blue eyes. He looked at you with soft, lovely eyes, making you shy under his gaze. It felt like he was holding the dream in his gaze, as if you were already living it.
Hakuji’s hand gently caressed you, and his rough but gentle fingers left a fire on your cheekbones. The world froze still, and it felt like it was just the two of you. You leaned in slowly until you were eye-to-eye. The bravery vanished, and you froze, looking him in the eyes. Hakuji, looking into your eyes, felt this magnetic pull. He felt entranced and moved closer, locking your lips. His lips were softer than you imagined, a strong contrast to his rough hands that were now caressing your face. The kiss was gentle, as he was scared that if he pressed any further, you’d break. Nevertheless, he didn’t want to ruin it as he got hungrier. His hand was behind your head, pulling you closer, making you squirm a bit.
You sat down between his legs, wrapping your arms around his neck. Your lips moved in sync, exploring each other's mouths with a growing hunger. He traced your bottom lip with his tongue, sending shivers down your spine. You gasped, opening your mouth slightly, inviting him in. Your tongues met, tentatively at first, since neither of you had a lot of experience. The moaning you managed to pull out of each other made you more confident but also needier. You explored his mouth, tasting him, while he sucked gently on your tongue, making it tickle between your legs.
He pulled back slightly, leaving a thin string of saliva connecting your swollen lips. Hakuji gently traps your jaw between his fingers and guides your gaze to the mirror standing in front of you. You watched as he slowly left wet and hot kisses along your jawline, down to your neck. Leaving each spot with a coolness where his warm lip had once been. His tongue darted out, tasting your skin, which made you gasp. He chuckled softly, sending the vibrations all over your body. He slid down your dress, causing it to fall to your waist. You quickly covered your breasts. He opened his eyes after giving your shoulder a final kiss, focusing on you.
You watched him lift his head up and gently replace your arms with his. He rolled your nubs between his fingers, pressing more kisses upwards on your neck until he reached your ears.
“You’re so beautiful.” You felt his hot breath land on your neck. Your gaze fell, but Hakuji abandoned one nipple and lifted your head once more.
“I think you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid my eyes on.”
Those words made you so happy that you could cry. He slowly reached down and began hiking up your dress. Yanking your dress over your head, he paused only briefly at your fully nude body in the mirror.
“So beautiful,” he whispered, admiring you and sending even more pressure down between your legs. It felt weird; it was as if it was shivering in an unknown anticipation. Your body knew what it wanted, even when your mind was a few steps behind.
Your breath caught in your chest as you watched him slide his hand between your legs. He smiled once he found the slickness it produced. His finger pulls that wetness up and over your clit, gently rubbing in circles.
“It feels so good,” you moaned, feeling a pressure building up in your pelvis.
Hakuji responded by planting a kiss on your cheeks. You could feel his hard length on your lower back. He felt your body tensing on his lap, understanding that you were close. Your moaning and squirming gave him the confidence he needed, so he increased the pressure on your clit. You bit your underlip, feeling your belly getting all tight.
"God, Hakuji," you moaned, rolling your head back against his shoulder.
"That’s it, let me make you feel good," his voice was low and soothing against your ear.
He covered your mouth with his hand, letting you cry when you reached your first orgasm. You turned around, planting him a soft kiss on the lips as a thank you. Hakuji patted on his futon and gave you space to crawl over and lie on your back. You watched him remove his kimono, showcasing his built body. There was no secret that Hakuji was built, but seeing him in this setting made your need for him grow stronger. Your gaze fell on his long and veiny length that slapped his stomach. Its head was pink and shiny with precum, aching for you. Hakuji hovered over you with his hands next to you on each side. You gave him a nod, and he used his hand to guide himself into you. He let out a small groan, feeling your pulse around his tip.
“Holy fuck,” he groaned, clenching his eyes shut as he shifted his hips forward once more, until he filled you up completely.
He listened to the sound of your shaken breaths as you were trying to adjust to his size. It stung, but Hakuji’s soft kisses made the pain bearable. You could feel his cock twitch inside of you; he was being so patient with you. The pain vanished, and it became more pleasurable having him inside of you. He felt your pulses calming down and your body relaxing more.
“You can move now.” You said, planting your hands on his back.
When he shifted his hips backward, he saw that you had coated him in your milky white arousal. He slowly moved his hips back and forth; the sound of your mixed juices drove him crazy. You let out small moans, Hakuji was slowly but accurately hitting your sweet spot, and it felt out of this world.
“Want me to go faster?” He asked, thinking he might be boring you.
Curiosity got the best out of you, and you nodded. While using one hand to support him, Hakuji linked his fingers with yours, placing your arms above your head. You wrapped your legs around his waist to feel him deeper inside of you, and Hakuji buried his face in your neck. He picked up the speed, and you felt his hips slap against yours, with his tip hitting you directly on the sweet spot.
“Oh my God,” you cried. He looked up, seeing pleasure plastered on your face.
Hakuji was pouring all the love he had for you and more. You bit on his shoulder, feeling an orgasm washing over you. After a couple of softer strokes, Hakuji groaned, and you felt him fill you up.
You were resting a while before you had to slip back to your bedroom. Hakuji lay with his head on your lap, while his arms were wrapped loosely around your waist as though afraid you might vanish if he let go. You gently played with his dark locs, weaving through the strands with a tenderness that made his chest ache.
This was where he belonged. Not in the shadows of his past, but here with you, in your arms. For the first time, he felt worthy of receiving someone’s love, as if the warmth you gave him was slowly stitching together the pieces he had long thought broken beyond repair.
“You’re back,” Koyuki smiled tiredly, feeling a weight on her chest lift, seeing you looking unharmed. She hasn’t slept since you were taken, waiting for you to return safely home. It was during times like these that she despised her fragile body.
“I am,” you smiled, lying down in your futon. Koyuki kept staring at you. “What? Do I have something on my face?” You giggled.
“A smile, like you weren’t just kidnapped moments ago.” She playfully squinted her eyes.
“Gods, Yuki.” She laughed, holding her hurting stomach.
“W-what?” Her laughter was contagious.
“Your smile isn’t the only thing you brought with you.” She laughed, pointing at your neck. You traced your fingers over your neck and flinched at the sore spot. Heat rose in your face, remembering Hakuji’s kisses.
“There is only one person, that you’d let do something like that.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
“Ehm, Hakuji proposed to me.” You hid your smile under the blanket, trying to maneuver from an interrogation about your steamy session with Hakuji.
“You’re joking!” Koyuki squeeled. “What did you say?”
“Yes.” You smiled, letting sleep take over you.
In the following days, you were sitting in front of Keizō and Koyuki with Hakuji by your side. You looked down, focusing on breathing steadily. Keizō was wearing his warm smile as always, while Koyuki struggled to contain her excitement.
“Keizō, Yuki, and I seek your blessing for our union,” Hakuji said, laying his forehead on the ground. You followed suit, closing your eyes.
“Hakuji, Yuki, rise up.” Keizō started.
You lifted your head, meeting him. The anticipation consumed you, and you yearned for an answer.
“The two of you are my children, and I always put the happiness of my children above my own.” You bit your trembling underlip, and your eyes began to prickle.
“You have my blessing, but the two of you are not my only children.” His gaze fell on Koyuki, whose smile disappeared.
“I intended for Hakuji to be the heir of the dojo and carry my legacy. My only condition is that you take care of Koyuki for me. If she were ever to be married, I want this to be a safe haven for her to return to.”
You and Hakuji gladly accepted the condition. The engagement announcement spread like wildfire around the small village, even reaching the ears of those who shouldn’t have known. You waved a smiling Hakuji goodbye, as he was off to visit his father’s grave. Meanwhile, you were off to the market to buy some ingredients for the engagement feast you were planning with the three of them. You were shocked when you saw the townspeople standing outside the porch.
“Yuki, you need to hide.” One of them grabbed you.
“Why? What’s wrong?” The terror in their eyes sent shivers down your spine.
“Haruto and his men didn’t dare to take Hakuji and Keizō on, so they poisoned the drinking well…Killing Keizō and Koyuki.”
You didn’t believe him; it had to be a lie you told yourself, running indoors. Your legs gave in when you saw their lifeless bodies. There were blood stains on their clothes, which supported the man’s claim. Nausea crept in, and the room was spinning. A pair of arms dragged you out of the dojo.
“Yuki! Haruto, and his men are looking for you. You have to hide.” The same man said.
Your head was running at a mile a minute; what do you do? Where is Hakuji? You looked at the road Hakuji took when you parted ways. The man pointed at the opposite road, “That road is safer, it will lead you to the woods.” Maybe you should take the road Hakuji took, maybe warn him, be there for him when the news breaks out. Then the sound of a group of men marching and talking grew, which sent shivers down your spine.
“Yuki! Run! Now!” The man yelled.
Your body moved on its own, taking the road he had pointed towards. You ran into the woods, your lungs were on fire, and you lost the ability to breathe through your nose as snot threatened to run down your nose. Sweat was running down your back, accompanying the tears streaming down your face, and you almost gave in; it was too painful.
“Yuki!” The men yelled. Fueling your adrenaline to keep going, despite the pain.
Relief rushed through your cells once you found a cave. The sky was painted in pink, and the sun was about to set. The demons might come out, so you decided to seek shelter there for the night. The cave was humid and a bit wet, but it was the best option for now. You could always go back home tomorrow morning. Your lips trembled at the thought of your now broken home. You shook off the feeling and needed to regain focus.
You went out gathering wood, leaves, and rocks. Luckily for you, they were dry. Inside the cave, you hit the stones against each other. After a few attempts, you managed to make fire. You lay on the ground, thinking about Hakuji, maybe he’s alright, you hoped. With tears streaming down your face, you tried to imagine your home in the woods with Hakuji. A little while after falling asleep, the wind put out the fire, leaving you freezing all night.
The sound of muffling voices woke you up in the morning. It felt like you had hundreds of pounds sitting on you and you couldn’t move. You saw a white haired woman and two more petite girls who were exact copies of her. They, with the help of men dressed in Demon Slayer Corps uniforms, helped you to safety. You fell asleep for three days, as the cold night left you feverish. The name of the woman who not only saved you, but also cared for your sick body was no other than Amane Ubuyashiki. It was a three-day ordeal, but you were finally able to move.
“Amane, could I please leave to see Hakuji. I-I need to see if he’s okay.” You asked, cleaning the cloth you used to clean the floor. After she rescued you, you felt indebted to her, which was why you decided to pay her back by keeping her home clean, although she had insisted that you not do so.
She looked at her daughter before lifting her gaze at you with pitying eyes and took your hands, leading you to the sofa. “Yuki…Hakuji is on the run.”
“He killed all sixty-seven members of Haruto’s dojo. He’s currently on the run; it’ll be too dangerous for you to go back, as they will name you an accomplice. Just stay here until it all has died down.”
“Nothing has changed! I am still that scared little girl who runs away when things get scary!” You laughed. Amane wrapped her arms around you, pulling you into a hug. “It is my fault, my heart told me to run to him, fight by his side, but I was a coward.” Your laughter turned into cries. She stroked your back, listening to your cries until you fell asleep.
You wouldn’t bring up Hakuji for another month, although your heart yearned for you to do so. You asked once more, and Amane told you to come with her to see Kagaya Ubuyashiki. He was seated down, with a kind, warm smile that reminded you of your own father.
“Yuki, please sit down.” He smiled. You did as you were told, watching Amane leave the room.
“I see that you want to see your fiancée.” Kagaya started.
“Yes, I want to make sure he’s alright. Perhaps support his legal case and get him a light punishment.” You pleaded desperately. You hoped to get him to safety, perhaps here, until you figured out your next moves.
“Yuki…Hakuji is dead. In his place is this ruthless demon called Akaza.” Kagaya said with a heavy heart.
He wouldn’t have transformed into a demon; he wouldn’t have agreed upon it. Not after knowing what happened to your family and how much you despised them. Amane closed her eyes, hearing your heart-shattering cries from the room. You felt your heart carrying guilt, but you were done crying. From that day on, you trained in order to join the Demon Slayer Corps, and within a year, you were known as the Ice Hashira.
Your main objective was to find Akaza and put a stop to his massacres. You could see blood dripping down your hands every time you went to the villages victimized by his brutality. Every search for him failed, but you never gave up. The heart-shattering news that Akaza had killed Rengoku, you were consumed with guilt.
“I have a dark sin, I need to repent from.” You said to Tanjiro. The two of you were seated on a pair of rocks near the lake. The night sky was drizzled in stars, and the two of you were accompanied by fireflies.
“What’s the sin?” Tanjiro asked.
“I created a demon alongside Muzan.” You mumbled, looking at the two fireflies lying in sync together, before parting two different ways. You wondered what exactly happened that turned him into Akaza.
“Where is she?” Hakuji groaned, punching the samurai.
“We don’t know, we lost track of her in the woods.” Another said, coughing up blood before collapsing.
Once Akaza was done, he rushed into the woods trying to find you. But you were nowhere to be seen. He cried out in pain, having lost his entire family. On his walk back was when he met Muzan, and Hakuji became Akaza. Akaza loved fighting, he wanted to get stronger. No, he needed to get stronger, but for whom? He couldn’t remember.
That was until he was standing in front of you. He took a good look at you; you had grown so beautiful. His heart ached seeing the injuries his strength was responsible for. The same strength he built to protect you was the one harming you. Akaza gave you a warm smile before using his powerful Demon Art, Annihilation Type, to punch through his own body.
“Did he just kill himself?” Tanjiro muttered.
Your breath caught in your chest, seeing his now destroyed body move towards you. You picked up your sword, ready to attack with your fifth form. Akaza came up close, and your heart jumped before speeding. Giyu tried to use the little energy he had left to help you, but his trembling body had given in. Akaza gave you a warm smile and gently lowered your sword. He fell on his knees, wrapping his arms around your waist.
“Yuki,” he cried, leaving Tanjiro and Giyu dumbstruck.
Tears welled in your eyes, feeling him hold you once more. You cupped his face, lifting it to have a greater look at him. Who you saw wasn’t Akaza, it was your fiancé, Hakuji.
“Yuki, I am so sorry that I couldn’t protect you like I promised. I am sorry that I couldn’t turn my life around.”
“I-I am sorry too! I shouldn’t have run away from you that day! I should have protected you as well.” Tears streamed down your face.
“No, you did the right thing. Your safety was all I ever cared about.” Hakuji leaned onto your stomach, wanting to take in your warmth and smell for the final time. He could feel his time was running out. You played with his pink locs, the color might be different, but it still had the same softness to it.
“I forgive you, and you can rest now. I’m capable of protecting myself now.” You smiled through your tears.
Hajiku could proudly agree, seeing how you held yourself against an Upper Moon. You leaned down, wanting to feel his lips again, and you kissed him, letting your tears merge together as one.
“Rest well, my love. I’ll see you later.” You whispered, seeing him disappear. Although Hakuji was gone, you felt a weight lifting from your body.
You luckily survived the Infinity Castle alongside Giyu and Sanemi. It was a bittersweet feeling; you felt victory for finally putting an end to Muzan’s terror in the world, but sorrow over the friends you lost. After the disbandment of the Demon Slayer Corps, you went back to the dojo and decided on training young female samurai, still carrying on the legacy of Keizō. You passed away peacefully in your sleep on your 25th birthday. It happened really quickly, your tired body felt light.
“I got a boar!” Hakuji beamed into your bedroom, waking you up.
“Oh, sorry, I thought you’d be awake by now. I’ll put this in the kitchen and start dinner!” He smiled, walking out.
You giggled at his silliness and stretched your tired body before running over to the kitchen, hugging Hakuji from the back. Your gaze locked, and he smiled before continuing to cut the meat. He felt as warm and safe as you remembered. You turned your head to your left, looking through the window. The sun was shining and you could hear the birds sing. You admired the green woods, the plants, and the animals. It was all peaceful here, even though they were all covered in flames.
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