Tickletober Drabble Day 8
(Ler!Tanjiro/Lee!Rui)
Wordcount: 988
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"What are we? Five years old?"
Rui scoffed, eyes narrowed in annoyance as he glared daggers at the daring young slayer before him.
It had been about a month now since Rui had first combined forces with the Kamado siblings. Having completely abandoned his old lifestyle under Lord Muzan's reign, he had instead chosen to join them on their quest to defeat the Demon Lord.
He'd been suspicious at first.
When Tanjiro had first made the frankly absurd offer to join forces with them, midway through their battle no less? He'd been almost certain it was some kind of trap.
A trick. A cruel ruse only meant to lower his guard enough to give him an opening to take his head. Hah! How utterly stupid!
And yet...
He'd humored him..
For whatever reason, something in the Kamado boy's eyes had compelled him at the time. It was a strange, soft, genuine look that perplexed him just enough to hesitate on killing him off right away. The way he'd stretched out his hand towards him, calloused fingers so rough yet gentle as they wrapped around his own... It had given him pause.
Just long enough to hear him out.
As it would turn out, that boy he'd thought to be such an insignificant fool would prove to be far more convincing than he'd given him credit for. And before he knew it, he'd somehow found himself inexplicably caught up in an entirely different kind of web than he was used to inflicting on others.
Where his own methods of control were sharp and deadly, a double edged sword that could turn on those it protected at the slightest hint of rebellion, Tanjiro's was more akin to a cocoon, a kind, loving thing that swaddled around the people he cared for.
They were never trapped, never forced to stay, but for whatever reason, no one ever seemed to want to anyway.
It was nothing like the prison that Rui's own twisted sense of 'family' had become, a cruel and disheartening place that thrived on fear and oppression. It had never been a family at all, he would come to realize much later.
He'd learned a lot since then, just from observing these strange new people in his life, but Tanjiro's behavior was the most prominent of all.
He'd observed on countless occasions how patiently he would deal with that annoying blonde boy. Or how he'd merely sigh as the boarheaded one continued to get his name wrong no matter how many times he corrected him. The countless hours he would spend carrying his younger sister on his back, never once uttering a single complaint, no matter how many miles they walked.
He was so patient. So gentle. So unbelievably kind.
He was everything that Rui had wanted and failed to be. Everything he'd desired out of the falsified family he'd once tried to build, and then destroyed with the very same hands.
And eventually he'd begun to think that maybe, just maybe... He too wanted to be that close with the Kamado boy... He wanted to have that loving familial bond for himself as well.
Now though?
Sitting there in the confines of a dark cave where they'd been waiting out the sun? With said boy hovering over him, fingers wiggling playfully over his ribcage like a predator ready to pounce?
He was suddenly beginning to wonder whether killing him off back then wouldn't have been such a bad choice after all...
"I saw you earlier," Tanjiro pressed on however, seemingly either oblivious or simply unperturbed by the murderous glare that was currently being directed at him. " You were watching Nezuko and I when we were playing together." he states, smiling gently despite the teasing lilt in his voice. "You looked like you wanted to join us. You did, didn't you?"
Rui's eyes widened. He'd noticed that? Ok sure, he might've cast a few subtle glances in their direction, back when they'd been engaged in that childish little spat a few hours ago. Tickling eachother and laughing as if they didn't have a care in the world. But it wasn't like he'd been staring or anything.. Longing... Wanting... Wishing that he could....
"...Whatever." He scoffed, pointedly rolling his eyes and ignoring the nervous fluttering in his stomach, "I'm not ticklish anyway, so it would be a waste of your time and mine to even- ahahaack?!"
Rui didn't get the chance to finish, letting out an indignant squawk as he was suddenly tackled to the cool cave floor, a pair of mischievous and playful hands latching onto his sides.
His eyes widened, caught off guard by the electric sensation that was now shooting throughout his body all at once. Had he always been this ticklish?! He couldn't remember his body ever having been this sensitive before!
"T-Tahahanjirohoho!" The infuriated spider demon growled through his laughter, "You- Yohohou little pehehest!! St-Stohohohop this nonsense at once!!"
"Hehe! You're laugh is so cute Rui-kun!" Tanjiro cooed, and if not for the slightest hint of affection he may or may not hold for the boy, he probably would have killed him on the spot for it.
This was humiliating. Mortifying. Downright disrespectful even! How dare he! How dare this foolish little human treat him this way! As if he were no better than some- some babbling toddler!
And yet... Deep down... There was some part of him that maybe, just maybe enjoyed this a little... A lost part of himself that had died long ago along with his humanity. And he couldn't help but wonder...
Perhaps one day, he could learn a little more about that missing piece of himself... As long as he stuck with these new and wonderful people that now surrounded him.
That said.. He still had no intentions whatsoever of letting the Kamado boy off the hook for this. Perhaps he could practice his revenge on that obnoxious blonde later...
