Hello again! Tis I, once again- Red! This is my new KNY Imagines blog, and I’m ready to give it a second shot. You can find my old blog @tanjhero-a - alas it is dead! For now, help me fill out this one with new requests! They’re open!
YES! A new blog. This blog is slowly in the process of being cleared out and archived. If you would like to make new requests and follow me once again, please head here!
why hello stranger i would like to request something for Kyojurou Rengoku please :) you are a (new?) pillar and Kyo helps you train!! You're sparring and... maybe things get close... maybe someone gets pinned to the wall/ground... maybe someone gets distracted by the proximity & that's how they lose the sparring match.... overall just steamy training please!!! love ur work ⭐⭐⭐
A/N: i struggled w/ getting u what u want after you slandered my main man but u just HAD to write the perfect request so I couldn't ignore it >:((
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“Again! On your feet!”
You’ve heard Kyojurou say that more times than you can truthfully count at this point. You suck in a shaky breath before squaring your shoulders, getting up off the ground and readying your stance again, dummy sword in hand. Kyojurou’s already beginning to move forward, stalking your form as you put one foot behind the other, keeping your eyes on his.
“Right,” you give a curt nod. “Come at me.”
His eyes positively shine as he bounds forward, striking swift and quick. You barely manage to block it and retaliate with your own swing, but predictably, it doesn’t hit. Kyojurou’s laugh booms through the dojo.
Training with him was always like this. Intense, sweaty, and energizing. Though you have yet to beat the pillar during one of your spars, he’s incredibly positive and keeps you motivated even when you’re knocked on your feet again and again. You’re not discouraged just yet.
While you continue to play on the defensive as Kyojurou continues to bombard you with several quick slashes, you notice something. It was odd how it caught your eye, especially after all the times Kyojurou had drilled into your skull that paying attention and keeping alert was crucial, even during training. But when he dived forward again, his hair flowing behind him, the sun peering into the dojo caught light to a small, meager detail.
A single drop of sweat, falling from the pillar’s chin and down toward the ground. It really was just a single moment- a mere drop of sweat really wasn’t worth getting distracted over, wasn’t worth the following of your eyes- but suddenly you saw it, and then you saw everything else.
Kyojurou’s face flushed from the strain of training, his eyes bright and passionate, and then less innocent details. Like how his yukata had come slightly untucked from his pants, his chest peeking through the clothes. And how just the slightest tease of skin had you wondering what on earth Kyojurou would look like in more fitting clothes, or none at all.
These rather intrusive and embarrassing thoughts earn you a sharp blow to the stomach, and you’re once again falling to the floor. This time, though, Kyojurou doesn’t give you space. Once your back hits the mat, his wooden sword is thrusted toward your face, hovering over your nose as the pillar stands over your body victoriously.
“What was that?” He questions you with a smile, and you swallow when you notice his chest moving with his heavy breaths. “You hesitated! Why?”
Why was a rather awful question to ask, because if you answered it honestly, you’d have to tell him that you accidentally got distracted by his hot, sweaty body, and that was mortifying to admit.
“It won’t happen again-” you start to lift yourself up but Kyojurou puts the blunt end of his sword on your chest, forcing you back down. The movement was barely aggressive but somehow your breath is still knocked out of you purely by how unexpected it was. You stare up at your partner incredulously.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Kyojurou raises an eyebrow at you with a cocky tilt of his head. You squint your eyes before looking away.
“I just got distracted-”
He huffs an affirming noise with a nod. “Mm! What was it? Assess your distractions and figure out ways to overcome them so you can grow stronger in battle. Tell me what it was!”
It’s hard to deny that the flush of your body wasn’t merely because of training anymore, but at least Kyojurou was none the wiser as to why you were sweating so bad. Your body is exhausted, though, and you’re having trouble thinking up a believable lie quick enough for him. The pillar gives you a mere two seconds before he’s dropping his sword, and you finally look up at him again before you tense up as he drops to his knees.
Straddling you.
“Kyojurou-”
The pillar leans forward, one of his hands placing at the side of your head as his face looms over you, eyes just as wide and blazing as ever. You can only try to make yourself as small as possible as he traps you under him.
You are, quite honestly, growing increasingly more worried about your poor heart in your chest. It’s pounding much too fast at this point, adrenaline and something else driving it crazy. At this point, you wouldn’t be surprised if you even stopped breathing correctly.
“Trust and honesty is a crucial rule that pillars must stick to with each other. Why do you continue to hesitate?”
Kyojurou stares down at you, but you’re not even meeting his eyes anymore. Your eyes are glued to the new view inside of his yukata that he’s given you.
And then he says your name and you quickly look away. “W-what? What?” When you meet his eyes, his smile has dropped- which is a bad sign- and his eyebrows are furrowed, confusion written all over his face. Haha, uh oh!
“I- you see, um, I-” You try your best to splutter out a dumb excuse as to why your fellow pillar just caught you ogling his chest, but again, nothing is coming fast enough. His expression has already shifted into something different- and perhaps it’s just you, but his pupils seem to dilate as his eyes rake across your body from head to toe.
The intensity of his gaze is making you squirm, something that doesn’t go unnoticed by Kyojurou. When he looks back into your eyes, you swear that you see something dark in them- but it’s gone in a split second as he clears his throat. All too suddenly, he quickly sits up so that he isn’t pinning you to the ground.
“I see!” Kyojurou says, the smile coming back to his lips, but your blood runs cold. He sees? Sees what? What conclusion did he come to, exactly?
You can’t really say that whatever conclusion he came to is wrong, but you’d like to at least try!
“How about this, then?” The pillar hums but it sounds more akin to a purr with how it rumbles through him. The sound is almost sinful, truthfully, and you’re acutely aware how he’s still straddling you as his smile grows sickeningly sweet. It doesn’t match the look in his hooded gaze. “If you manage to finally knock me off my feet,” Kyojurou leans to grab his sword by your side, and did you imagine him arching his back just a bit more than necessary? Probably. “I’ll reward you.”
You blink several times as the information processes in your head. “Reward?” You enunciate slowly. The word is heavy and laced with something sweet as it leaves your tongue. “What kind of reward?”
Kyojurou laughs. It’s loud and thundering like it always is, shocking you out of your wandering thoughts as he stands. His hand reaches out for you and you take his offer, clasping it as you stand up with him. Right as you’re about to let go, his grip tightens, and you yelp as you’re pulled forward, right into his chest.
“Knock me off my feet, and you’ll see,” Kyojurou leans down and whispers the words in your ear. His breath sends goosebumps across your skin, the words and their implications sending shivers.
But in a mere moment, before you can even comprehend it, he’s on the other side of the dojo, his legs planted firm on the ground as he smiles brightly. “You better get ready!” He says. You almost think he’s joking, but then you see his body shift and his eyes narrowing on you. You flounder, scampering over to your own sword that lay discarded on the ground- because you know that look, perhaps more than anyone else does.
You’ve barely picked it up before he’s already right behind you, readying a swing. Wood smacks on wood as you block his attack, but you’re stumbling backward from the force of the blow and how unprepared you were for it. Something in the air has shifted now, and when you quickly get in your stance to defend yourself from another blow, you can see the change in Kyojurou’s energy, too.
He’s serious, now. You tighten your grip on your sword, taking the split moment he gives you to prepare yourself for the sparring session ahead greedily, trying to once again focus on your breathing. He’s serious now, but…
“Come at me!” You practically shout. Kyojurou grins.
october is one of obanai’s favorite months, primarily because of the opportunity to scare the bane of his existence; children. in order to really drive home the scare factor, you two need to pick out some large pumpkins to carve.
warning(s) - none
word count - 1,004
You sat perched on a hay bale, feeling the straw prick your exposed skin. It had been a while since you’d arrived at the pumpkin patch, and your lovely Obanai was still trying to pick out the biggest pumpkin to carve.
“It has to be perfectly carvable,” he had insisted, surprising you with his dedication. Normally, you’d think the aloof man wouldn’t care much about holidays. However, he was persistent.
lmfao my coward ass self finally decided to formally open them
Special thanks to Red for helping me set up my commissions post <333
Intro: Hello!! My name is Lynn, thank you so much for taking the time to read these. If you have time, please consider reblogging so that a lot of people would see it, thanks! :DD
*sobs* I said thank you twice in the same paragraph
Very good!! If any of you would like to support a young, independent artist, Lynn’s commissions start wonderfully cheap at 3$! Please spread the word and get a commission too if you can! ✨💕
hi, can i req a kyojuro x reader? maybe his s/os family is also unsupportive like his dad is and he comforts them about it? whatever you choose to do is fine! ty!
A/N: yes... my main man, i will do anything for him. Thank u for the request, I hope a small drabble is okay!
---
Visiting your family estate was... a chore, to put it mildly.
It was earlier this morning that you got a letter via crow, your father requesting your presence for something- of course, he didn’t specify what it was. If it was truly important for you to come or not, because they knew if you deemed it unimportant, you wouldn’t come. It made you bite your lip and tension rise in your body just thinking about returning home.
You put off your visit for as long as you could, waiting until the day’s end to finally suck it up and begin packing. You decided you would leave for your estate at dawn tomorrow- it was probably about something frivolous, something like heritage or marriage like they loved to spat on and on about- but you wouldn’t be able to forgive yourself if they actually had something important to say. If they needed you.
And your parents knew that. They were always so good at wrapping you around their finger, and you hated that more than anything.
As you pack tonight, you realize that you don’t have any food prepared for your journey. It’s not a very long walk, but you’ll need something to eat at least once. Just as you’re thinking about making some rice, a bustling force bursts into your room.
It says your name with enthusiasm and energy, and you’re not surprised that it’s Kyojurou who’s interrupted this silent night for you.
“Kyojurou,” you smile at him, rising from the floor, “what’re you doing up so late?”
“Training!” He says, and you’re not at all surprised by his answer. You head to his side and give him a quick embrace before heading back to your bag, Kyojurou’s eyes following you as you do. “Are you headed somewhere?”
“Mm,” you nod with a hum, focusing on folding your clothes. “It may be a couple of days, I’m not sure. My parents requested me to come home.”
“Your parents?” Kyojurou’s voice perks up and when you look behind your shoulder you see his eyebrows raised with a curious look on his face. “I don’t think I’ve heard you speak much about them?”
You nod, rolling your eyes and holding back an insult or a few choice words that came to mind from just thinking about them. “Yes, that’s probably true. Not much to talk about.” The tone in your voice doesn’t go unnoticed by Kyojurou, but you pretend it never happened as you focus on packing again. “I was going to leave in the morning, and I was thinking about making some rice for onigiri. Something simple I can eat on the way there,” you change the subject smoothly.
But, of course, Kyojurou doesn’t buy it. He kneels beside you on the floor, taking the piece of clothing you’d probably refolded four times now away from your hands. Silently, he folds the cloth perfectly, slips it into your bag, and then gives you a look.
A simple look- something in his eyes that’s prodding for more. It makes you sigh.
“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but my parents can be...” You struggle to come up with the right words. Your hands spin in thought before you give up, shoulders slumping. “Difficult. Domineering.” Emotionally-taxing was a good word, too.
“Ah!” Kyojurou hums, smiling and closing his eyes as he nods to himself. “I think I understand.” When his eyes open again, they’re soft and warm as they gaze into you. You never understood how he could do that- how he was always able to radiate such kindness and look at you as if he was staring right into your soul. It was slightly off-putting sometimes, but other times- it might be comforting.
Your posture slacks. “Of course you do,” you smile. You haven’t forgotten what his own father was like- how stifling his home could be. It would be a long time before you forgot your first meeting with his father.
A broken man who was miles deep in grief, and let it consume him.
Of course Kyojurou understood.
“Well,” Kyo grasps your hands in his, suddenly pulling you up to stand with him as his eyes shine. “I’ll help you make rice! You’re leaving tomorrow?” He’s already ushering you outside of the bedroom and toward the kitchen. “We can make more than onigiri, you know! I know when I travel, I take several bento boxes. Senjurou helps make them! A healthy body is an energetic body, ready to take on anything-”
Kyojurou lovingly talks your ear off the rest of the night as the two of you make not only onigiri but several other dishes as well, at his insistence. By the time you’re finished, he helps you finish packing your clothes and then he gives you kiss after kiss after kiss when you’re finally at the doorway and ready to leave. It makes you laugh how much he swarms kisses all over your face and Kyojurou beams, holding you tightly against him.
“When you come back, I’ll be waiting to hear all about it,” he nuzzles his face into your hair, planting one more kiss to the side of your head and your ear. “I know you can do it!”
His reassurance warms your heart. Standing on your tiptoes, you kiss his lips, relishing in the shape of them against yours. He always feels so lovely when his lips are curved up so joyfully. “Thank you, Kyojurou.”
Knowing that he’s waiting for you to come home- your true home- makes the trip at least somewhat worth it.
A/N: This is a bit more of an introspective work. I wanted to expand on Kyojurou’s character- most of the things you read with him are all the same with his attitude and characteristics. I wanted to stray from that and explore the idea of how Kyojurou deals with negative emotions and insecurity, how he’s been impacted by his mother’s passing and his father’s emotional neglect. It’s a small drabble, a bit unfinished, but I hope y’all still like it!
—
Kyojurou Rengoku is a passionate man, full of love and spirit. If one glanced at the Flame Hashira, they could easily see the kindness that radiated off him in warm waves. If one glanced at him, it was easy to assume that he was as happy as the smile he gave to everyone around him.
And that was true. Kyojurou was very happy! He was happy because he should be happy- he was lucky enough to be blessed with a strong body, mind, and heart. He had a family, a loving brother, a roof over his head.
What reasons did he have to be unsatisfied? Unhappy?
The answer is none. He has no reason to feel like that, which he wishes you would understand.
May I request Tanjiro, Genya, and Kyojuro w/ a reader who gets cold rly easily! Thank u!
A/N: cheers! here’s hoping I don’t burn out in two days!
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Tanjirou ☆
I imagine because of how Tanjirou grew up, he’s pretty used to the cold, and he knows exactly how to prepare for it, too
He was very used to his siblings huddling together or asking Tanjirou to carry them so that they can be a little warmer- or doing things like heating up yams so they can hold it in their pockets to stay warm
So, even if you perhaps tried to hide your shivers from Tanjirou, I think he’d notice you’re cold right away. And he’d immediately try to help warm you up without even asking, really
Wraps his arm around you and brings you close to him. He doesn’t make fun of you or anything, even if no one else is cold-
Instead he’ll smile, “it’s chilly, isn’t it?” And he’ll offer to get you more layers. Or help you get inside, or in a sunny spot! Whatever you need
If he notices you outside and maybe you’re shivering because Inosuke is standing in front of the sun for you, he will not be afraid to pick up Inosuke and move him somewhere else for you
Or he’ll help get you a warm drink- a warm belly makes a warm body! He’s got a lot of solutions and then some for you, all you need to do is ask. But if you want to hold his hands...
He’ll do it, but he’ll be blushing a lot
“Because of the cold!!” (he isn’t cold)
Genya ☆
He probably doesn’t notice that you’re cold at first, I think
Genya is just a little dense. He’ll notice you’re shivering, or maybe rubbing your arms, but instead of assuming your cold, he just wonders if something is wrong with you
And he doesn’t. Ask. He’ll just stare at you and wait for you to say what’s wrong
Then a gust of wind goes by, and he notices you react even more, and that’s when it’ll finally click
Genya doesn’t mean to sound judgmental when he asks, “you’re cold?” but it kind of comes off that way in his tone of voice
It’s just odd for him! He feels fine, so why are you more sensitive? Once he gets past that, though, he’ll wonder what he can do
Absolutely will not offer to warm you up with his hands and/or body. He thinks about it exactly One Time and then vows to never think about it again
If he has a coat, he will very, very shyly and without words- offer it to you. Do NOT deny his coat he will never offer it again if you do
As time goes by, he gets more and more used to being mindful of your sensitivity to the cold. If the two of you are going out somewhere, Genya will check if you have a coat/scarf first.
“It’s so nice out today! I don’t need one!”
He stares at you.
“...Okay i’ll go get one”
Not that he minds lending you his! It’s just horribly embarrassing to walk around with you in his clothes- so if he can make sure you use your own, it’ll help his dear old heart
Kyojurou ☆
Aah, the flame pillar. my one true love. Am I going to be predictable and say because he’s the flame pillar, his body runs hot?
Yes I am. His body runs hot
Because he rarely ever gets cold, he’s used to people being more sensitive than he is. So he doesn’t think it’s odd at all for you to be cold when he isn’t
He does think it’s really cute though. Especially cute when he takes your hands in his, “your hands are so cold! I’ll warm them up!” and your cheeks flush
Now your face is warm, as well as your hands! Isn’t he helpful?
But Kyojurou also wonders if it means you get sick easily- because you’re cold more often? Is that how it works?
He’s not sure, but it does make him fret a bit. So Kyo will always offer his arm around your shoulder, his hand in yours, or perhaps just his cape so that you aren’t ever cold when he’s around
Secretly, he likes that you’re sensitive. Doting on you makes him happy! You might catch him pouting if you take someone else’s help from your chills because of this, though
Of course he’s happy that you’re warmer now....... but Kyojurou likes being the reason you’re warm. He won’t admit this to you since he’s aware it’s a bit childish
Might also tease you just a bit, but always in a lighthearted way!
Fictober Day 1 - Stormy Night with Inosuke Hashibira
It was never your forte to face thunderstorms with a straight face–especially at night. Inosuke’s ready to do all he can to help you feel safer, even if he doesn’t exactly understand your circumstances.
Warning(s): None
Word Count: 807
Your form shook as another clap of thunder echoed throughout the Butterfly Estate, holed up in the furthest corner of your room. With each creak of the building, you hugged yourself ever so slightly tighter, trying to keep your focus solely on the flickering candle before you.
The lights had gone out temporarily about an hour before due to the storm and rain, which wouldn’t have been a problem under normal circumstances. However, once the thunder and lightning began, everything took a turn for the worse.
Shinobu had assured you the Kakushi would solve the issue–but only after the storm had passed.
So you were left here, alone, to brave one of your worst fears. Peachy, isn’t it?
A/N: Commissioned fic once again for darling @knyheadcanons-imagines :)) Thank u so much for your constant love and support 💕
It’s a beautiful day today.
Even more beautiful, Tanjirou finds himself daydreaming, with Hayami tending to the garden at the Butterfly Estate. She simply radiates and shines just as bright as the sun; the flowers she waters help frame her like a gorgeous picture. If there was ever a way to save a single moment in time, for him to hold it in his hand so he can look at it and remember it forever- he’d easily find a way to create that with Nezuko. And then… And then maybe this moment, too.
Soft violet eyes meet his own, and Tanjirou barely registers it until Hayami’s pretty pink lips form a smile, directed toward him, and suddenly Tanjirou feels like bursting.
It’s also comedic how red he gets, but he tries to ignore it as he (eagerly) waves her way. She waves back, and to Tanjirou’s surprise, she sets her watering can down next to the flowers.
And walks his way.
Now would be a good time to tone down his blush, Tanjirou thinks. So she doesn’t notice- yes, that would be good.
Too bad it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
“It’s good to see you, Tanjirou!” Hayami smiles again- and how can someone be so pretty so effortlessly?
“Good!” Tanjirou squeaks, and then clears his throat- “good to see you, too! I didn’t know you were coming to the estate!”
It’s totally embarrassing how he stumbled in his speech like that- but like the friend that Hayami is, she doesn’t acknowledge it and instead nods her head. He almost breaks down when she doesn't warn him before she pulls him into a hug, his arms stiffly and awkwardly hovering around her before he manages to kick himself into gear and hug her back. But again, if Hayami notices his default, she doesn't mention it as she pulls away. “Yeah! I’m meeting up with Kanao. We’re going on a mission tomorrow. Are you here for similar reasons?”
Her head tilts as she asks the question- it would have made him blush harder because of how cute it is, but unfortunately, Tanjirou is already at max-capacity with blushing.
“A-ah, no, actually. For once,” he laughs, nervously raising a hand to awkwardly scratch the back of his neck as he takes a small step back. Just enough so he isn't so close- so he can breathe a little easier. “Nezuko and I are taking a bit of a break. We’re trying to help Shinobu, too. She’s been tracking some of Muzan’s movements, so she asked for our help.”
Hayami’s eyes light up in surprise. “Oh, really? That’s good, then! The closer we can get, the better. I hope it leads somewhere!”
“Thank you!” He feels a rush of determination at her wish of good luck- and he responds in kind. “Good luck on your mission, too!”
A kind, simple exchange. Hayami smiles and thanks Tanjirou, and then she goes back to watering the flowers. Tanjirou leaves for his duties as well, heart beating a bit faster than before, but it always feels nice to talk with a friend.
The rest of the day goes swimmingly, but it feels like it’s a bit brighter now that Tanjirou knows Hayami is at the estate. He feels a bit foolish for going out of his way to find her several times throughout the day, but she always lights up when he comes around, so perhaps it’s not that foolish. When the night comes, she visits his room, visiting with Nezuko and wishing her a good night along with Tanjirou. He quickly wishes her the same, and he definitely doesn’t watch her as she leaves, walking off to her own room.
And no one can understand Nezuko anyway, so he definitely didn’t do that, and he definitely didn’t have hearts in his eyes, either. And, most importantly, he definitely didn’t go to bed smiling just from thinking of how cute Nezuko and Hayami looked together when they talked tonight.
——
Tanjirou wakes up with a gasp, heart thundering in his chest as cold sweat falls from his temple.
It wasn’t often that Tanjirou had night terrors, but when they hit- they hit hard. But he’s- he takes a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling shakily as his fists find the covers and twists the material between his fingers. He’s fine, he’s fine…
But then a flash of his dream hits him, kicks him in the gut- it was just a gruesome image of blood, blood, blood covering platinum hair and violet eyes.
Tanjirou shivers, and before he knows it, he’s on his feet.
Isn’t this weird? Isn’t this childish? He remembers all of the times that his siblings came to his side at night, crying and shaking from a nightmare- he remembers rubbing their back, holding them close, lulling them back to sleep with him under thin sheets. He’s always been that- the big brother, the pillar of stability and rationalization.
So Tanjirou hesitates when he finds himself in that same place, that same scenario- but this time, he’s the child, twiddling his thumbs outside of the door and wondering if he should really go through with this.
It was just a dream.
But what an awful dream it was.
“Hayami?” His voice comes out quietly, but it’s somehow still so loud compared to the thick silence of the night. Tanjirou winces, already regretting doing this, but unfortunately, the sliding door opens before he can run back to his room.
It’s Hayami on the other side, of course, properly dressed for bed and looking a little bleary-eyed, her hair more messy and tangled than it usually was during the day. He must have woken her up.
“I- I’m sorry, Hayami, you should go back to bed,” Tanjirou quickly whispers, but she merely shakes her head and rubs her eyes.
“No, it’s okay,” she whispers, too. It comes naturally because of how dark it is, how late it is. “Do you need anything? Everything okay?”
Tanjirou shuffles in his spot, his lips already pulling awkwardly on his face. He’s a terrible liar, really- he’s even worse when it’s Hayami. “It’s nothing big,” Tanjirou shakes his head lightly, looking at the floorboards. “I’m just worried.”
She doesn’t reply right away. When she does, it’s not with words- but an invitation as she slides the door open a little more, moving to the side as she looks at him kindly. Tanjirou doesn’t say anything either but eagerly takes her offer, slipping inside her dark room before he can convince himself not to, Hayami sliding the door shut behind him. She walks back to her mat, folding her legs underneath her as she sits down on the blankets and Tanjirou awkwardly moves to sit beside her; as she watches him, she laughs through her nose.
“No need to be so tense, Tanjirou,” She reassures him quietly. “Relax.”
“Right,” he does as she says with a sigh, pulling his lips together and lacing his hands in his lap. When he looks up, she’s looking at him expectantly, still wearing that kind smile. He melts. “I had a bad dream,” he admits quietly, “about your mission. I dreamed you got really hurt, and I just… I really don’t want anything bad to happen to you, Hayami,” his brows crease on his forehead as he speaks.
“Tanjirou,” Hayami softly sighs, and one of her hands reaches forward to place atop his on his lap. He flusters at the touch, blushing anxiously- and he’s thankful for the dark cover of night that hopefully hides his hot cheeks from her. “There is no need to worry. I’m alright,” she squeezes his hands, “and I will be after the mission, too. I’ll be back, and I will be fine. I promise.”
“Thank you,” he whispers meekly. “I know, it’s still just…”
“You can’t help it. I get the same way,” she hums. “Do you want to stay here for the night? I will probably be up early in the morning, but you’re more than welcome to stay.”
“Oh- I- I couldn’t-“
“Please. If it helps, I want you to stay,” Hayami reassures him swiftly, and Tanjirou hesitates. He looks at her sliding door, then back at her- and…
His head sinks between his shoulders shamefully. “Thank you, Hayami.”
“Come here,” The girl tugs on his hands, urging him closer, and he looks at her curiously as she helps him lay on the mattress. Soon enough, before he realizes what’s happening, his head is in her lap and her fingers are running through his hair.
Huh.
He’s pretty sure he’s blushing again- or he never stopped. Either way, if the moon cast her gaze on him now, she would reveal his wild beating heart and love-struck gaze, so he prays that he will stay blanketed in the darkness. No words are exchanged as Hayami begins to hum, her hands still coursing through his strands so soothingly that he feels his eyes getting heavy from the motion. Eventually, the hum becomes a soft, quiet song- lyrics hanging in the air that he can’t really grasp because of his muddled mind.
Before he realizes it, he falls asleep like that. Safe in her hands and her watchful gaze, he sleeps, and no more dreams haunt him that night. The only thing he pictures is a field of lavender that sways from the wind and a soft song that rings beautifully in the air.
——
Of course, when Tanjirou wakes, Hayami is gone. She said she’d be leaving early, and surprisingly, Tanjirou slept heavily enough that he didn’t stir even once throughout the rest of the night. It’s still morning, but it’s getting late- so he tries not to fluster too much from the idea of sleeping in Hayami’s bed as he rushes back to his room and gets ready for the new day.
Despite Hayami’s reassurances and the facts that he knew- which is that Hayami is more than strong and capable, she’s smart, too- Tanjirou couldn’t help but fumble around as he helped Shinobu today. It probably didn’t help that he was still replaying last night over and over in his mind- not only the dream, but the way Hayami sang, and the way she looked so beautiful with the moon shining behind her. And remembering how lovely, wonderful, beautiful she is… it creates more awkward fumbling and an anxious spike in his chest. He was worried. Something about his dream last night struck a chord deep in him and no matter how much he tried to push his anxieties to the side, the funk wouldn’t leave.
Because what if something did happen? What if she really did get hurt, all the while as Tanjirou was separating herbs for medicine? At least it’s useful, he thinks, because if she really did get hurt, Tanjirou knew first hand that they had more than enough supplies to take care of her, no matter what.
But even that still made his gut twist with fear. Because what if it wasn’t enough? What if, what if, what if?
What if Kanao walks into the estate alone?
That’s ridiculous, of course! Such a thing wouldn’t happen. Definitely not. Tanjirou eventually had to slam his head hard against a wall, almost creating a crack in it (the wall, unfortunately, as his head was still as thick as a stone and wasn’t splitting anytime soon) to shock himself out of his bad thoughts. He has things to do!
So Tanjirou buries his nose in his work, moving viciously and making the nurses make worried comments, but that’s fine. He’s fine! And so is Hayami! Yes, yes. Everything is fine.
And yet.
There’s something inside Tanjirou that shatters when he sees Kanao come through the Butterfly Estate gates, a limp body in her arms; the body covered in dark stains of blood and familiar blonde hair that covers their face, messily tangled and equally as dirty. He’s not exactly sure what shatters- a part of him, deep inside and hidden somewhere that’s locked away, and maybe it’s a part of him that’s been left abandoned and unassessed because of how undesirable and ugly it is. Maybe it was a part of him built up from seeing so, so many people die, seeing his family’s corpses, seeing things he shouldn’t have seen over and over again, grotesque and gut-wrenching- and seeing her, too. Seeing her just like that, just like all the other skeletons in his closet. It’s- it’s…
Something vicious and primal comes clawing up his throat, his heart, his head. Let me out, let me out, let me out, it begs. It wants to throw him into a frenzy, it wants to throw him into disarray, and it wants to destroy him.
And Tanjirou swallows that beast down, as hard as he can as he leads Kanao quickly to the private rooms in the estate. He keeps swallowing it down- because he has to. Even when his heart drops when he sees Hayami’s face; when he sees the slashes in her torso, the gash on her forehead. Even then, he clenches his fist, and that’s it. His blunt fingernails somehow manage to make indents and make his palms bleed, but that’s the worst of his damage. The physical damage, of course.
He can’t speak for the emotional damage yet.
Tanjirou is also keenly aware that he can’t do anything. He can’t help heal her, he doesn’t know how that works. The best he can do is protect her, but that opportunity has passed. Now there is nothing.
As the nurses rush in and out of the room, carrying out baskets of bloody towels and carrying in more and more gauze and supplies, he finds that the best thing he can do for himself is walk away. He walks to his room, and once he’s sure that it’s dark enough, he unlatches Nezuko’s box. Tanjirou was mildly expecting her to be asleep, so he’s a bit surprised to see her sakura eyes staring up at him.
He takes his shite luck wholeheartedly though, and he holds her tight. It doesn’t matter if Nezuko doesn’t hold him back, because he just needs something to ground him.
She does, though- one hand reaching up to hold his head against her shoulder, the other one rubbing his back. Tanjirou gasps, tenses, and finally, the beast in him comes out. It scratches his throat viciously as it does, causing him to cry out, and it bursts through his eyes and makes him sob.
Maybe he holds Nezuko too tight, and maybe he cries and sobs too loud.
But for now, in the safety of her arms, that’s okay.
So he lets that beast come out, as ugly and undesirable as it may be.
——
It’s hours later that Tanjirou finally feels well enough to go outside his room, and when he does, a little nurse immediately comes to his side and gives him the good news.
Hayami is fine, of course. It definitely looked scary, but she would heal and be back in the field soon enough. No lasting damage, no risks of infection.
The best outcome.
That was only mildly true, Tanjirou thinks, because the best outcome would be the one where she returned to the estate happy and unharmed. But- besides that- this was surely the best outcome. He thanks the little girl earnestly for the news, and he quickly makes his way to her room where she rests peacefully.
He comes in and out as the day continues. He still has a job he has to do, after all, but Tanjirou always comes back to her room when he can. It’s only a day later when she wakes.
When her eyes blink open, violet irises murky and slightly faded from exhaustion and confusion- it feels like Tanjirou is finally allowed to breathe again.
There’s an impulse he feels to jump and wrap Hayami in his arms, and his arms flinch from that impulse, but he stops. Freezes. That probably wouldn’t be a good idea- he’d probably hurt her even more if he squeezed her like he wants to, just so he can feel her heartbeat, make sure she’s really alive.
She is alive. Her eyes are open, they’re swimming with morality, shining as they look at him, and she smiles.
He’s still frozen.
“Tanjirou,” Hayami sighs, one of her hands reaching forward and placing atop his shaking ones on his lap. “I worried you again, didn’t I?” Her face falls a bit, the smile on her face becoming strained as she coughs and her eyebrows knit together. “I’m sorry.”
“No,” Tanjirou finally swallows, willing himself to speak as his hand wraps around hers, holding it tight and securely. “Don’t be sorry, it’s not your fault that you got hurt. I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” he apologizes quickly. It bursts out of him because the words have been repeating in his head over and over since he first saw her in Kanao’s arms.
Hayami merely huffs, squeezing his hand back as she gives him a knowing look.
“Why would you be? You were supposed to be here, not with me. There’s no reason for you to be sorry, either.”
His mouth opens and closes dumbly. Tanjirou wasn’t sure what to say to that- his brows furrow on his forehead as he squints. And then, reluctantly, he sighs and bites his lip.
“Then neither of us should be sorry,” he says and Hayami smiles.
“That sounds fair.”
A silence wafts through, then- it’s not unfriendly or bad, but Tanjirou still itches to say something else. And he’s also vividly aware of the fact that he’s still holding her hand, but he doesn’t really want to let go. “I’m really happy that you’re safe,” he says and winces. That’s not what he really wanted to say.
Hayami doesn’t seem to notice- she smiles and nods.
“I know you’re hurt, but…” Unknowingly, Tanjirou’s eyes grow big and soft, almost pleading as he looks her way. Unknowingly, it makes Hayami’s heart skip a beat as he asks, “would it be alright if I hugged you?”
“Of course, Tanjirou!” Hayami replies instantly, her smile growing already, and unknowingly, that makes Tanjirou’s own heart skip, too. She shuffles around on her pillows, using her free hand to help prop herself up on the pillows- and then Tanjirou is already surrounding her, arms holding but not suffocating as they cradle her body gently and securely. Tanjirou exhales a shaky sigh as he hugs her, her own hands coming to slowly wrap around him.
“I’m really glad you’re safe,” he says again, against her skin, and she hums. Her hands move up and down his back, her eyes shut as she relaxes against him.
He’s warm. Warm and safe, so unlike the cold feeling of demons, of war and survival. Tanjirou is a welcome contradiction of the world they are surrounded in, Hayami thinks.
“Thank you, Tanjirou.” She says earnestly and honestly, pressing her forehead against his collarbone with a sigh.
And then she winces when she tries to move her arms again, and Tanjirou bursts to life.
“Right! I need to get the nurses- and I need to tell Shinobu you’re up! And Kanao, too. She doesn’t show it, but she was really worried.” He paces around the room quickly and Hayami giggles as she watches him. The sound makes him freeze, looking at her with wide eyes.
His lips form a smile as his eyes soften. “I’ll be right back,” he promises, and then he leaves the room in a flash.
Alone in her room, Hayami laughs again, leaning against her pillows with a flustered grin despite all the gashes and slashes on her body that urge her to do anything but. The hummingbird pace of her heart simply disagrees with the burning and throbbing.
——
It was agreed, or perhaps the word is forced that Tanjirou became one of Hayami’s main caretakers as she healed in the estate.
It was ridiculous, of course, because Tanjirou really didn’t know the first thing about nursing other than the things he knew from being an older brother in a big family. But it was agreed (forced) nonetheless, as long as another nurse was by his side in case he did something wrong.
But he was careful. Always careful, always thoughtful. He always checked in with the nurse before he gave Hayami her medicine, and always asked if he was doing it correctly when he helped rewrap her bandages.
Hayami was honestly flattered by how determined he was to help care for her. Flattered, and maybe a bit embarrassed. Having Tanjirou constantly at her side was nice, of course, but she felt odd for looking so weak in his eyes.
So when Tanjirou focuses on making her herbal tea one day and accidentally trips as he moves forward one day, the tea porcelain falling to the floor and shattering in a million pieces, Hayami supposes that maybe something in her breaks, too. Some sort of subconscious decision that she doesn't have the resolve to hang onto anymore.
“Tanjirou!” She gasps, sifting upright in her bed. Thankfully, he didn’t fall along with the tea. “Are you okay?”
“Oh!” He laughs a bit shyly. When Hayami starts to remove her cover, his head snaps up and he quickly waves his hands as he reassures her. “No, don’t get up! You could step in it! I’ll clean it, don’t worry!”
Hayami isn't sure how she feels when he turns his back to her to clean up the mess. “Are you sure?” She hums with disbelief, frowning a bit as she strains to look at the mess.
“Of course- ah!”
The porcelain is surprisingly sharp, and Tanjirou winces with a small grunt as the shard he picks up digs into his skin and cuts, droplets of blood already running down his digit. He sighs, looking it over- it’s not that deep, but it still stings.
“Tanjirou!”
He freezes again. Oops.
“Did you cut yourself?” Hayami asks, concern and something mildly-accusatory in her tone as she desperately tries to look around him from her spot in bed. He looks at her over his shoulder, smiling reassuringly-
“It’s just a small cut-“
“Come here.”
He’s sort of surprised by how stern she sounds. “Wh- it’s no big deal, really! It barely even hurts-“
“Tanjirou,” her lips pull, and his stomach swirls as he sighs and stands, leaving the (surprisingly sharp) porcelain shards on the floor as he heads to her side. Hayami reaches for the medical box by her bedside- the medical box used for her needs, plenty of gauze and adhesives so she has plenty of supplies in case she needs it if one of the nurses isn't around to help. Tanjirou immediately shakes his head as he watches her rifle through it.
“That’s yours, Hayami!”
“I don’t care, you cut yourself. It could get infected!” Her hands reach toward him, grabbing and pulling him toward her bed. “Come on, Tanjirou. You know these things are important.” She only settles when he finally sits down beside her, and she grabs a cotton pad, dabbing it in alcohol and then grabbing his hand as she begins to clean the cut.
He barely reacts at the sting. “It’s just a small cut, it’s fine…” He tries again, but she merely shakes her head as she focuses on cleaning the blood.
“It’s still important.”
Hayami dutifully cleans the cut, and no words are shared as she quickly wraps it in a bandage. The amount of care she put into it wasn’t needed- not at all- and Hayami realized that, of course.
Her lips pull again as she holds Tanjirou’s calloused hand in her own.
“Be careful, Tanjirou. You don’t… you don’t have to work so hard to help me. I’m fine, too.” She meets his gaze with a soft exhale. “I promise.”
“You almost weren’t-“
“But I am,” she urges, her eyebrows furrowing tensely. “I am, Tanjirou.”
There's a cutting silence that drags heavily between the two of them. Tanjirou doesn't meet her eye anymore, his eyes heavily focused on the bed sheets instead. As the silence continues, Hayami swallows as she eventually breaks it, her thumb running across Tanjirou's palm. "I appreciate everything you're doing for me. It makes me so happy that you care," she whispers. "But you act as if I'm dying. And I need you to know that I'm not. I'm getting better, you know."
She knows that he knows. He's been by her side all this time- it would be impossible or extremely ignorant to be blind to her progress. And Hayami knows that Tanjirou isn't ignorant.
"You're right," Tanjirou sighs. His body moves again, coming to life as he squeezes her fingers gently. "I got so scared before, and I let that take over me. I know you're capable of doing things by yourself, but I just..."
It feels strangely similar, this moment. A sense of deja vu washes over him, and he realizes- this moment is not at all unlike when he came to her before, worried at the mere concept of her getting hurt from a dream he had.
"I'm sorry, Hayami," he frowns as he meets those beautiful violet eyes again. "I'll try to be less intense."
"You're fine, honestly," her head tilts as she gently smiles at him, "it's been irritating me, too. Not being able to get better fast enough. And I don't want to get frustrated at you for helping me."
Tanjirou nods. "That makes sense." And then his eyes drift back to the mess of tea, and he hums, his expression wincing again. "We should clean it before it sticks on the floorboards."
Despite the negative outcome of what he said- because Shinobu would surely be furious if the tea sank into the floor- Hayami beams at Tanjirou. "We should!" She agrees, and eagerly she stands with him, helping pick up the pieces with careful, loving hands.
I’m the person that requested the night terrors thibg I’m so sorry I didn’t see that you don’t write for Zenitsu!! 😭😭 my brain doesn’t function well on small amounts of sleep ;-; I apologize but I also say thank you very much for being respectful and kind enough to write the request and show the part of the rules! Ty and I’m sorry again 😭💕
It’s no issue! After hearing your request, I’m not very surprised to hear that you don’t get a lot of sleep. I’m definitely the same! I don’t get a lot of sleep either. I can get pretty uptight about people reading my rules, but I try to not get overly heated since I know half the time it’s a small mistake. It’s not good for me to get too mad @ strangers haha
But I’m really glad you liked the request, even if Zenitsu unfortunately wasn’t a part of it! It was really fun to write, and I hope it did something good for you ✨
I got a lot of new followers when I wasn’t looking!! Hello! Thank all of u for following and all the notes, too 🙏
I’ll pin this post to let all of you know that I am rarely active on this blog, but I do update it with a new story or Headcanon every once in awhile. But, yes, unfortunately I’m not very up to speed w/ this blog. But thank you for your interest and love nonetheless!!
May I request Tanjiro, Zenitsu & Inosuke comforting their s/o after they’ve had a particularly bad night terror? Like hasn’t been this bad in a while type, I personally struggle with night terrors :/ thank you!
A/N: (sadly grabs your hand and leads you toward my rules) I would like for u to read these
Tanjirou Comforting S/O After A Night Terror
I think Tanjirou has lots of experience with night terrors himself- they aren’t very frequent, but he’s definitely no stranger to them after everything he’s seen
So , because of this , he would hopefully be pretty good at holding your hand and calming you down whenever you had a nightmare
For a seriously bad terror- I’d imagine it would scare him, too, seeing how frightened and affected you are from whatever you just saw in your dreams
But he wouldn’t show you he was scared, of course. Tanjirou wants to be your pillar and your comfort in these moments, he wants you to rely on him and lean on him
He’d do his best to calm you down and bring you back to the present with him as he wraps his arms gently around you, his hands running up and down your back soothingly
Whispers in your ear that you’re safe and he’s safe and that he’ll protect you no matter what
Tanjirou would definitely offer for you to talk about it; he thinks it’s important to talk about night terrors somewhat so you can further process the dream and be able to understand it, and if you can understand it, you can come to terms with it and feel ok again
But he also wouldn’t press you to talk about your terrors right away, either. He’s more than fine with giving you time for that and holding you in the meanwhile, coaxing you to go back to sleep with him
Inosuke Comforting S/O After A Night Terror
I’m honestly not sure if Inosuke gets night terrors; personally, I don’t think Inosuke dreams that often to begin with. If he does, he never remembers them when he wakes up
You would probably have to explain them to him so he doesn’t freak out the first time he sees you wake up crying from a nightmare- if you didnt, he’d probably think something was wrong and that you were under attack or something
It would also take him a bit of getting used to. Inosuke is a bit hard headed, so if he hasn’t experienced it himself, he has a hard time understanding it. But he’s a bit more patient if it comes to you and something you’re sensitive about. He’ll try not to be brash about it even if he doesn’t get it
But he doesn’t like seeing you upset, either. Inosuke is a bit at a loss with how to help
After you wake up shaking and visibly distressed one night- a lot more than you usually are, with your eyes darting back and forth and paranoia practically seeping off you in waves, Inosuke finally decides that he has to try
He’ll help get you out of bed, first. Inosuke doesn’t really explain why, but he’ll be insistent on bringing you outside and out of whatever housing you may be in
For Inosuke... he’s not great with words. And he’s not great at understanding. But he thinks- well, if he can do anything for you, he can help distract you from your nightmare
The cool air in general helps clear his head, at least, so he hopes you’re the same way. But if you’re still looking anxious, he will offer to get you some snacks or tea. And if you say yes, he’ll do it, but... he’s not very good at making tea
Almost breaks the fragile porcelain several times, and the water is way too hot, but hopefully his efforts will mean something to you regardless
If you ever read my works on Ao3, I’ve been on there for years (since 8th grade, actually) as SmallAnxietic. I decided to finally change my username, and it might take a bit to show up, but my name there now is SimplyRed. Decided to line up my username with my actual pseudonym that I use pretty much everywhere.
I’m not sure which of you will need this information, but I’m putting it out there just in case!
Read your rules so canon wise Rengoku (Kyojuro) is 20 (at least what i read on wiki). Not sure on your rule or if you have an opinion on an age gap. But can there be a headcanon for Rengoku with a crush on a shy older/younger reader or vice versa? Not a huge age gape. I mean like 1-2 years difference? If that makes sense at all or doesn't sound weird? Sorry the idea popped in my head and just stuck
A/N: this intrigued me and I’m a sucker for Kyoujurou, so I decided to write this. Even though this blog is so, so dead. Here I go!
Also, I don’t really have any opinions on age gaps, as long as they’re legal. Kyou is 20, so I decided to make the reader older than him and around 25. This is enough of an age gap that it would be noticeable, but not really a problem or big deal. Hope it works!
Kyou Crushing On Shy, Older Reader
I wouldn’t imagine that he’d be very affected by your age, in terms of his crush on you at least
But your shy nature would be endearing to him, especially since you were older. It was very cute in his eyes, and made him that much more interested in you
He’s also a stickler for traditions- he’s just grown up that way. So, since you were older than him, he’d treat you with utmost respect when he first met you and he’d always use honorifics if he spoke to you
It takes awhile to get him to tone it down on all that- because he does respect you! And he likes you. It just makes sense for him to treat you with respect and titles, but as your friendship continues and you tell him it’s really not necessary, he will Try to tone it down
Kyou is also very defensive toward you. He believes in you and he knows you can fight your own battles, but you’re also... shy. So you don’t really speak up if someone is bad-mouthing you
Kyoujurou does. He gets very fired up- in a polite way- if he hears someone disrespecting you, especially if it’s behind your back
So he’ll defend you. Hopefully, it doesn’t taint your image to have someone younger than you defending you in your place- but you’ve never cared about your status in that way, so Kyou tries not to either. He tries to just care about You instead, and how he can’t stand people being rude to you- not because you’re older or anything like that.
I also don’t imagine it bothers Kyou that he’s younger than you. Once he finds out he’s a bit infatuated, he won’t shy away from the thought of a relationship because of your different ages. It’s not a huge deal to him that you’re not the exact same
He likes looking up to you, honestly. It feels nice to have someone you look up to, and someone you love at the same time
Due to you being older, though, he wonders if you’re in a rush to get married. Should he be in a rush, too? Should he ask to marry you instead of asking you to go on a date? Would that be the right thing?
Kyou is known to be a bit of a hot iron bullet, speeding through LOTS of different things, so if you give him any reason to think you’d want to speed up your relationship... boom. Done. He’s right there with you
Likes to tease you with honorifics every so often after your relationship blooms past the usage of them. He likes how you get all flustered when he calls you ‘senpai’.