A year after the final grand battle with Muzan, things had finally started to return to some degree of normalcy.
Despite the fact that Hoshi never thought he’d be able to live a ‘normal’ life, domesticity suited him well, and his family was overjoyed that he’d returned to them (mostly) in one piece.
Without the threat of demons there was no longer any need for the Demon Slayer Corps. Kiriya had released Hoshi from his service as a Hashira with a heartfelt show of gratitude alongside Akihiro, Sanemi, and Giyuu after the final Pillar Meeting. They were the only ones left, excluding Tengen, who had retired after his battle with Upper Moon Six. Although, it wasn’t like Hoshi could remain a Hashira even if he had wanted to. His injuries left him unfit for combat, and both his strength and stamina weren’t what they were, nor would they ever be again.
But most of all, simply being alive took some getting used to. Hoshi hadn’t expected to be one the lucky few to survive the encounter with Muzan, and the sudden lack of purpose left him severely disoriented whenever he tried to think about the future.
And yet, despite his wounds, it was the grief that caused Hoshi the most pain. They had won, yes, and succeeded in their mission to eradicate all demons from existence but at such a steep cost. Being a Hashira was all Hoshi had ever really known, and to have all of that stripped away from him felt like he had suffered a kind of death without dying.
It was hard to wrap his head around the fact that somehow, he was still breathing but Gyomei, Mitsuri, Muichiro, and so many others weren’t. It almost didn’t feel fair, that he got to live, and they didn’t.
Coming to terms with Gyomei’s death had been the hardest part of getting used to the way things were now. Hoshi had—foolishly—imagined that they’d get married one day, once everything was over, and he didn’t know what to do without his better half. Akihiro had been the most supportive when it came mourning Gyomei’s death. After all, he knew all too well what it was like to lose a partner.
“Hmm, the water is lovely again today, isn’t it, Hoshi-kun?” Tengen says as he lets himself sink further into the steaming water, silver hair cascading down his shoulders. Suma and Makio are tending to him, offering him fresh towels and cool sake.
“It is,” Hoshi agrees with a sigh, leaning back against the large stones bordering the hot spring they were currently soaking in. It did wonders for his mood, and the water helped soothe the pain that lingered in his bones. It was a constant, marrow-deep ache that never seemed to go away, and while some days were better than others, nothing really helped like a trip to the local onsen.
“Do you need some help washing your back, Hoshi-kun?” Hinatsuru offers as she slides into the water alongside them.
“I don’t want to trouble you—” Hoshi starts to protest, but she quickly silences him, placing a delicate finger over his lips.
“It’s no trouble at all. You know you’re never a burden to any of us.” She says, giving him a stern, but motherly look.
“Yes yes…” Hoshi mumbles, quickly giving in and letting her do as she pleased. “I’m sorry, I wish I could do it myself but… I guess I do need a hand.” He lifts what remains of his right arm out of the water and waves the stump in the air, glaring at it as if his ire at his own disability would somehow be enough to force the rest of the limb to magically grow back.
Hinatsuru stifles a laugh at the bad pun, using a damp cloth to rub gently over Hoshi’s shoulders and scrub any dirt from his skin. “Oh, we’re all used to it by now,” she says, fondly. “Tengen-sama only has one arm himself, you know.”
“Right,” Hoshi says, a bit sheepishly. “I don’t know why I keep forgetting that.”
“You’ll get used to it eventually.” Tengen chimes in, wading over to pat the top of Hoshi’s head, ruffling his short hair. His braid had been severed by one of Muzan’s barbed tentacles during their battle and had only started to gain some length back. It was about shoulder length, now, and Hoshi was still on the fence about whether or not he wanted to let it grow back out.
“Everyone keeps telling me that, but it hasn’t happened yet,” Hoshi grumbles. “I broke another cup yesterday. Fourth one this month.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Hoshi-kun!” Suma encourages. “You’re doing the best you can, and things don’t just suddenly change over night!”
“It’s not very manly of you to wallow in self-pity, y’know.” Makio adds.
The comment makes Suma’s lips turn down into a petulant pout. “Makio-san! That’s mean!”
“Oh, stop being such a wimp, Suma! Sometimes a little tough love is what someone needs to help push them forward!” Makio growls, indignant. “Besides, Hoshi-kun is a grown up! He doesn’t need you babying him like that!”
“Alright, that’s enough, both of you!” Hinatsuru cuts in, giving both women a pointed look. “None of us have any business telling Hoshi-kun what he should or shouldn’t be doing! He helped the others defeat Muzan, and if it weren’t for him, none of us might be here right now!”
As always, her reprimand is more than enough to silence the others’ bickering and it makes Tengen smile. “You three never change,” he says, leaning against the lip of the pool. “How about we all take a breath, hm? We came here to relax, after all.”
A chorus of “Sorry Tengen-sama,” follows as each of the women settles, and Hoshi does his best to stifle his laugh into his shoulder.
“Oi, Tomioka, I told you we’d be fuckin’ late because of that side-stop at Kamado’s!” A familiar gruff tone rings out from inside the bath house.
“It’s not my fault we got here late,” Comes Giyuu’s unmistakable monotone response. “I told you I knew a short-cut, but you insisted on following that out-dated map of yours.”
“Stop it you two, bickering about it won’t change the fact that we’re late!” Akihiro’s voice is short and clipped, annoyance plain in the tone of the words.
“Well, well, well, look who finally decided to join us!” Tengen drawls, turning his head to greet the arrival of the other ex-Hashira. “Come on in, the water’s fine.”
“You sure there’s enough room left for us with your harem crowding half of the bath?” Sanemi asks, raising a brow. Despite the jab, his voice isn’t nearly as sharp as it used to be, and it’s clear he’s only teasing.
“Plenty if you squeeze in next to Hoshi-kun,” Tengen replies with a smirk.
“I can make room,” Hoshi offers, moving to get up so he can shuffle a little to the right so that there’s more space.
“It’s fine, pretty boy,” Sanemi says, cutting Hoshi off as he eases into the water, sliding incredibly close to Hoshi as he does so.
“You’re still calling me that?” Hoshi questions. “I’m not very pretty any more. Muzan made sure of that.” He doesn’t mean for it to sound as bitter as Sanemi probably interprets it, which is why the next words out of the former Wind Pillar’s mouth take everyone by surprise.
“Sure you are,” Sanemi retorts, leaving no room for argument. “Did losing an eye fuck up your vision that much?”
It goes dead silent, and Sanemi seems to realize what he just said because his face quickly turns three different shades of red and he immediately turns away from Hoshi’s gaze. “Shut up!”
“No one said anything,” Tengen says, amused.
“I’m gonna fuckin’ drown you, asshole!” Sanemi snarls, lunging at Tengen and trying to drag the larger man under water.
“Oh jeez, there they go…” Akihiro sighs, taking Sanemi’s place as he gets into the bath next to Hoshi. Giyuu follows next, and the three of them watch with mild disinterest as Sanemi chases Tengen around the hot spring, still shouting a mixture of profanities at the older man.
“That’s a recent development,” Giyuu comments. “Has Shinazugawa always been sweet on you like that, Hoshi-kun?”
“Ugh, can we NOT talk about this right now?” Hoshi groans, hiding his face under the surface of the water and blowing out some defeated bubbles. “I came here to DE-stress, not BE stressed.”
“Of course, Giyuu-san was just about to drop it,” Akihiro says. A subtle jab to the ribs is more than enough for Giyuu to get the hint and his mouth quickly snaps shut. “Do you think they’ll tire out soon?”
“Maybe,” Hoshi answers. “I’ve seen them go at it for longer before, though, and neither of them likes to admit they were the one that gave up first.”
“Some things never change,” Giyuu shrugs. “At the very least they’ll work up an appetite in time for dinner.”
“If that doesn’t turn into some kind of fight as well,” Hoshi says, half-heartedly.
He does have to admit that he’s become much fonder of the former Wind Pillar in recent times; retirement seems to have mellowed him out quite a bit, and he always helps Hoshi tend to Genya and Gyomei’s gravestones.
That’s how they first started spending more time together; they’d often run into each other at the cemetery, and after a while, they started making something of an occasion out of it. Hoshi liked the company, and he could tell that Sanemi always seemed to need it.
After that, Sanemi became a regular part of Hoshi’s life. He’d often show up at the Ishikawa estate, just to check in on how Hoshi was doing, or to help him with his daily chores. He always made a comment about how it was important they look out for each other, especially after everything that had happened. Who else would be able to understand what they went through?
Hoshi had been extremely conflicted about his growing feelings of affection towards Sanemi in the beginning. It almost felt like… a betrayal to Gyomei’s memory to want a new relationship. Especially given that they’d been together for over six years. Was it really okay to be with someone else?
Akihiro knew all about it and was as sympathetic as he was encouraging. No, he wasn’t a terrible person for having feelings for someone else. No, Gyomei wouldn’t resent him if he ended up with Sanemi; he was never that kind of person. Hoshi would know that better than anyone.
“Haven’t you had enough, Shinazugawa-san?” Akihiro asks, exasperated as Tengen and Sanemi make their eighth lap around the hot spring.
“No!” Sanemi barks. “I’m not giving up until that bastard wipes that stupid smug grin off his stupid face!”
Hoshi chuckles at the display and he doesn’t miss the way Sanemi stiffens, or how his ears turn pink at the sound. Even though Hoshi can’t see his face, he guesses Sanemi’s cheeks are the same colour, and the thought makes him grin.
“Do your best then, Sanemi,” He calls.
“Th-that’s right, I fuckin’ will!” Sanemi shouts, renewing his efforts as he once again attempts to tackle Tengen into the water.
Some things never change.
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