Don't Talk to Me

by 125389

A second impression, a star-crossed meeting, a misunderstanding. Each was there to do his job, to keep matters strictly business, but when have things ever been that simple?

"When was your last period, Sumiko-chan?"

It was only Tanjirou's second day at the Tokito house, so he was still unused to being called "Sumiko" and didn't answer promptly. Upon realizing he was being addressed, he stared back blankly, and the woman asking him tapped on a calendar and said, "Do you remember when your last period was?" He knew as much about periods as any teenage boy would; in other words: next to nothing. His female friends didn't disclose such information to him, and he was unsure if Nezuko experienced it as a demon. He'd heard it involved blood and discomfort, but everything beyond that was a mystery such that he could only stammer, "Uh…"

"Oh! You must think I'm asking because you'll be seeing clients. Sorry for scaring you, but that's not it. The madam asks maids too. She'll give you less client-facing chores during that time." The three vital skills for Yoshiwara's working women were beauty, musicality, and conversational ability. Oirans flaunted all three while standard prostitutes usually mastered two. Tengen had assembled what he viewed as a circus, and each clown in this circus was only capable of one of the three skills. Tanjirou could snare someone in a day-long discussion if he felt like it, but he was tone-deaf and looked odd as a girl. Accordingly he'd been demoted to being a maid, but the prostitutes working alongside him appreciated how diligent and likable this funny, energetic "girl" was to where they treated him as an equal regardless. Presently the maid was fumbling for what to say, and he settled on haltingly answering, "It's never happened to me."

"Goodness! Here we were saying to each other, 'Poor thing could be mistaken for a boy,' but it's because you're a late bloomer. No shame in that. We were all girls once." When she left him, he exhaled uneasily because he was learning quickly that being a woman was much harder than he'd anticipated, and if he was leaving here with anything, then it was a newfound respect for how much women, particularly sex workers, endured. He was still adjusting to being surrounded by amorous sounds and explicit conversations, but his coworkers floated effortlessly through this world like they'd forgotten they were confined in sexual slavery. Fortunately the morning granted him a break. Because the district focused on nightlife, its earliest hours were also its quietest, but this peace was disturbed when the breeze wafted a whiff of a demon towards him. He stuck his head out a window to survey the surroundings, but he found nothing noteworthy except for a striking individual approaching the house.

Genya didn't notice he was being watched, and upon entering the madam's office, she cooed, "Dumpling! Have you had breakfast yet?" The Tokito house's mistress hadn't always had this occupation; before this position she worked alongside Genya's mother and was regarded as her confidante, so she was aware of the Shinazugawa family's plight. She'd known Genya since he was born, and in his youth his round face topped with a tuft of hair had resembled a dumpling. His features had sharpened as he grew, but she couldn't abandon his childhood nickname or her habit of doting on him, especially since she'd learned of Sanemi's cruelty towards him.

Tanjirou, who'd been discreetly observing everything, entered when she called for him, and she explained, "Our new maid, Sumiko. If you need anything, then don't hesitate to ask her." Genya glanced at him, vaguely thought he seemed familiar, and then looked away as he timidly mumbled, "Hello."

Genya had made no positive impressions on Tanjirou so far, so this behavior contrasted so severely with their past interactions that it dumbfounded the latter. Additionally he hadn't gotten a clear view of Genya during their last encounter at the Butterfly Estate, so he now looked with fascination. This previously unknown side of his personality combined with his appearances piqued Tanjirou's curiosity greatly, but as much as he wanted to talk to him, he couldn't because the madam had commanded that he go retrieve breakfast for their guest. Upon finding the other maid, Satomi, she whispered, "Your boyfriend?" He denied this vehemently, and she laughed, "You worried me because you were staring at him like you knew him. I didn't wanna think a nice girl like you would be with a guy like him. He looks like trouble."

"I've met him before. Why's he here?"

"He cares for the plants."

"Do you know his name?"

"I came in just three weeks before you, so I've only seen him once. You should ask the ladies who've been here longer."

Genya was unaware that he was the source of such interest as he spoke with the madam: "Has Sanemi visited you since I was last here?"

"You shouldn't concern yourself with him so much given how he treats you."

"I'm sure he doesn't mean it."

"Don't make excuses for him. You fixed your attitude, and he damn well can fix his too, especially since he's older."

Genya didn't know how to respond to this, and at his silence she gently appended, "His nonsense undoubtedly makes Shizu turn in her grave, but he does mean well. He doesn't want you near him because he's scared for your safety, and I am too. You could work and stay here instead. The house could use some muscle. We just lost a doorman last week."

"I couldn't..." The thought of living in a brothel made Genya's face burn, but he recomposed himself and inquired, "You said you lost somebody? What happened?"

"He disappeared. We don't think he deserted because all his stuff's still here, but it's a possibility since there's been an uptick in runaways and deaths." This sounded like a demon's work to Genya, but he couldn't consider it at length because there came a knock at the door. Tanjirou entered and set a food tray down, and because he was now directly in front of Genya, it afforded him a better look at the maid. Most everyone who encountered "Sumiko" agreed she was peculiar: she had cropped hair, masculine mannerisms, and a voice that sounded artificial, and when her sleeves slid back, rough hands and strong arms were revealed. Genya, however, liked unconventional things, so this strange looking "girl" circled all the way around to being... cute. Thus it took all his strength just to eke out a small "thanks," and Tanjirou beamed because this was the first time Genya had expressed courtesy towards him.

Tanjirou was made up heavily, and because the prostitutes were the ones who'd plucked, primped, and painted him today, it was a vast improvement from the fiasco of yesterday. They'd managed to hide his scar's color, but it was impossible to conceal its texture. The combination of something unusual about his forehead, his earrings, and his maroon gaze gave Genya the feeling they'd met before, but that thought was eclipsed by a brilliant smile that continued to occupy his mind even as he finished eating and headed for the courtyard. He'd been tasked with building a pergola, and on his previous visit he'd established its posts and prepared the vines meant to cover it. He now continued his assignment, and as Tanjirou peered at him from the kitchen window, he mulled over how he'd discerned that the smell of demons was coming from Genya. Because he was under the sun though and because the scent was barely perceptible, Tanjirou thought it might've been because he just returned from work and got blood on him.

Two prostitutes, Yukie and Megumi, entered the kitchen to help the maids, and as they worked it became apparent that Tanjirou favored the window nearest the garden for how it granted him a view of Genya. Yukie teased, "Sumiko-chan, are the flowers that pretty?" She darted to him, peered outside, and exclaimed, "It's better than flowers! It's a boy!"

Without looking up Megumi said, "Oh, the gardener? He's a miracle worker. No one knows how he does it, but after his visits the place looks unreal. Good luck getting a word out of him though."

Tanjirou said, "Yeah he can be standoffish," and Satomi concurred, "He looks like it."

Yukie laughed, "Megumi's saying he's quiet. He's a sheep in wolf's clothing." This intrigued Tanjirou, and he inquired, "Do either of you know his name?"

"We've always just called him Gardener-san."

"Hm, the madam probably knows. I'll ask her."

The women cried simultaneously, "No!" and when he stared back with surprise, Megumi explained, "I'm sure you've heard about the increase in runaways. Because of that, most of the houses are cracking down hard on boyfriends. If the mistress suspects that you fancy him, then you'll get beaten."

"It's not like that!" He resumed his chores with agitation, and the women exchanged knowing looks. Yukie crooned, "You're so obvious, Sumiko-chan."

He furrowed his brow. "What's obvious?"

"Forbidden things are exciting, yeah? Don't worry. We'll cover you. Here, bring him his lunch, and you take these to fix so that you can sit out there and talk to him." They handed him a food tray, a bundle of wicker, and some broken baskets, and then they ejected him from the kitchen.

Genya had accomplished a fair amount in the hours that'd passed, and thinking that nobody was looking, he'd paused his work to take a break and to idly play a game of keeping a feather in the air by walking beneath it and blowing it upwards. A breeze sent it off course, but a puff came from behind a fence and redirected it. Tanjirou emerged with a giggle and blew the feather back towards Genya, but it drifted to the ground because the latter had frozen with mortification.

Tanjirou had countless questions he wanted to ask: who was Genya's cultivator, what Breath did he use, how was his most recent mission. Tengen had forbade them from exposing themselves as demon slayers though, so he instead chirped, "Hello, here's your lunch." On this overcast spring day with its damp chill and somber skies, that this radiant vision of joy and summer should pierce through the gloom and approach Genya; it embarrassed him to where he lost his appetite. He took the tray out of politeness rather than hunger, escaped to an isolated bench, and closed his eyes as he pinched the scar on his nose while inwardly berating himself for looking stupid. He sighed, opened his eyes, and nearly died of fright when he discovered Tanjirou standing next to him. A glance was given to the spot adjacent to Genya followed by a cheerful inquiry: "May I sit with you?"

"Uh, sure."

"Everyone here praises your work. Do you only handle the garden, or do you tend the indoor plants too?"

The ladies normally gave Genya space, so to be spoken to rattled him such that it took a moment before he replied, "Both." The instant it left his mouth, he realized how curt his one-word answers sounded, so he added, "Not the flower arrangements though."

"Then you must be responsible for the bonsais. I've always wondered how you keep a tree small and make it into those shapes. How'd you learn how to do that?" Tanjirou could convince a rock to speak, so cracking Genya's shell wasn't overly difficult for him. It made Genya suspicious how the maid would sometimes accidentally use masculine first person pronouns, but he nonetheless grew so captivated that time became nonexistent as their conversation progressed. For Tanjirou this wasn't like speaking with Zenitsu or Inosuke; there was something softer and sweeter, he felt much more heard, and his desire to know the gardener felt different somehow. He wasn't sure how to phrase this though, so he instead smiled and said, "You're a good listener."

Genya mirrored his expression, glanced away, and murmured, "You make it easy to listen." The most cherished blossom is the first one that breaks through the frost, and Genya had unintentionally duplicated this feeling with his words and smile. Tanjirou had previously known him as a scowling, inconsiderate menace, but that wintry impression was now replaced with one of blooming fondness. The polarity enchanted him, and he thought being relaxed among the flowers suited Genya much more than being angry and violent. Perhaps it suited him too well though because it made Tanjirou aware of how handsomely Genya had grown into his features, how statuesque and shapely he'd become, how lovely he was to talk to and to be around... He separated himself from these ideas by increasing the speed of his weaving, and at the sight of this, Genya was reminded of his own task, whereupon he hastily stood and exclaimed, "How long have we been here?!"

"Ah, sorry! I talked too much!"

Genya reassured, "It's ok," and then he added, "It's nice talking to you."

"Then you won't mind if I follow you?" This was how Tanjirou wound up on the veranda adjacent to where Genya was working, and the former said, "I'm gonna take the tray to the kitchen. I'll be right back."

He was greeted by Megumi saying, "Damn, girl. If all it takes is an hour for you to conquer a man, then you're about to be our biggest earner once you hit your glow up."

"An hour?! Hopefully I didn't make him fall too much behind..."

"Was it good to where you lost track of time?"

"Huh...?" He couldn't fully process her insinuation because he was again expelled from the kitchen, and although her words had planted a nagging seed in his mind, he forgot it as he became engrossed in Genya's company once more. Eventually the gardener opened a door to a room behind where Tanjirou was sitting, and the latter glanced at the half-finished pergola and inquired, "You're done for the day?"

"I'll finish it tomorrow. I've some other stuff to do." He began gathering the houseplants into the room so that he could care for them, and on his final trip to retrieve the supplies to do so, he found that Tanjirou had lay down in the futon, where he continued talking and weaving. His movements gradually slowed, and his words diminished until everything fell from his hands as sleep overcame him. He'd been struggling with bouts of drowsiness from his circadian cycle being disrupted because while he rose with the sun, Yoshiwara rose with the moon, and not even his eagerness to maximize his time with Genya could repel his exhaustion. He ended up sprawled across the futon with baskets and wicker flung everywhere, and while part of Genya found the scene ridiculous to where he had to suppress his laughter, another part of him thought it was endearing how harmless and untroubled Tanjirou appeared.

Tanjirou later awoke, and he found that his baskets had been stacked, the wicker had been gathered back into a bundle, and he'd been moved under the duvet. The second door in the room that led into the main house opened then, and Genya appeared and said, "You're awake. They're looking for you." He'd washed up and changed into pajamas, and Tanjirou asked, "You're sleeping now?"

"I am."

"It's still so early!"

"I'm up early."

From somewhere in the house behind Genya, the madam barked, "Sumiko!" and then she growled, "Where's that goddamn girl?"

Genya winced and whispered, "You should go out the other door. Pretend you couldn't hear her because you were outside or something."

Tanjirou had just stepped onto the veranda when he was caught and dragged along by Yukie, who hissed, "Satomi's about to be flayed by the boss, and you're in there fooling around! Look at you! You're a mess!" She hauled him into another room to adjust his clothes, hair, and makeup, and then she snickered, "You bold ass bitch. Pulling these stunts when it's only your second day. I respect that."

He evaded punishment by doing more than his share of work, and only when the house was dark and still did he go for his bath. When he exited the bathroom, he was struck by an intense smell of demon blood coming from the courtyard, and he became torn between whether to retrieve his sword, to contact Tengen, or to request aid from Zenitsu and Inosuke. He'd already had a false positive that morning though, so he resolved to first investigate this himself.

The demon in question was unaware of this impending danger because he was occupied with feeding his blood to the vines meant to cover the pergola. Whenever Genya helped at the Tokito house, his schedule was as such: work from dawn until early evening, sleep, awake in the dead of night to use his Blood Demon Art on the greenery, nap, and then wake at daybreak to repeat the pattern. Presently he was at his favorite part in this routine: moonlit gardening as a demon. Plants were wonderful because they were predictable; water, prune, and nourish them, and they returned the favor with beauty or food. People on the other hand were mercurial; they could be malicious for fun, or they could let a single, bitter incident undo years of love. For this reason he preferred the company of plants over people, and he especially enjoyed it around the witching hour. Nobody was awake to judge or rebuke him, and it felt incredible being a demon. Of course Gyoumei and Shinobu dissuaded him from doing it too often with warnings of "You don't know when you won't be able to turn back," but Genya wouldn't be himself without his rebellious streak.

So here he was after a nibble from his supply of demon parts. He knew to not grow anything too much because then it'd be obvious something unnatural was afoot, so when he deemed the vines adequate, he took to strolling through the courtyard while flicking his blood over the other vegetation. It pleased him to imagine how delighted the madam would be when everything was completed, and he was so lost in his thoughts and the serene atmosphere that he nearly didn't sense the person approaching him.

A benefit of being a demon was that it granted a hyperawareness of humans, much like how hunger increases people's sensitivity to the aroma or presence of food. He'd only ever been interrupted a handful of times, and in those instances he'd just hide until the person completed their trip to the restroom, kitchen, or wherever. This individual though was rapidly nearing him, so he fled to the property's perimeter.

Tanjirou sprinted into the garden and stood sniffing furiously, and although he detected blood all around, no demon was present. He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and traced the source to the northernmost wall. Genya meanwhile was waiting for this interloper to return to bed, but panic surged through him when they instead headed towards him. He followed the wall to the eastern side, but Tanjirou sensed the change in direction, realized his prey was aware of him, and chased after. They played cat and mouse around the edge of the property, and after two laps Tanjirou was irritated to where he ended the game by cutting diagonally across the courtyard. Genya didn't know why this person was following him or how they were keeping up, and when they cornered him such that he'd be caught if he went left or right, he scrambled into the house.

Running indoors wasn't possible because it'd wake everyone, so they now crept up and down hallways and in and out of rooms. Tanjirou was near to screaming with frustration because the scent was fading, but his target finally stilled. Genya had reverted to being human, and he hastened into his room and lay in his futon. Just when he thought the ordeal was over, his door slid open, and whoever had been behind him tiptoed in, kneeled next to him, and sniffed at him. Creepy! Was this why they'd pursued him, just to smell him?! He wanted to see who it was and to throw an elbow at them, but he decided feigning sleep was the safer decision. Thank goodness it was dark because Tanjirou would've otherwise seen through this act, and as he sat addled by why his nose had led him here, he decided he'd get his answer by checking for fangs. As he neared Genya's face, a notion suddenly surfaced: "I could kiss him." He had no idea where that came from, but it unsettled him that he'd even consider such a thing. He became so abashed that he left Genya's room and returned to his own, but it was tough to sleep with that thought buzzing around in his head. Accordingly he was groggy when he met with his group in the morning, but then he exclaimed, "Zenitsu! Do you recall when I broke that guy's arm at Final Selection?"

"Yeah that was scary."

"Did you get his name?"

"I didn't. Why?"

Inosuke interjected, "Which guy?" After a description from Tanjirou, Inosuke said, "I remember seeing him on the mountain. He ran into me while I was pooping."

Zenitsu and Tanjirou dissolved into laughter, and Tengen muttered, "I swear you three share one rotten, deformed brain cell." They returned to their places, and Tanjirou resolved to ask for the gardener's name at the first opportunity. From his spot in the kitchen, he saw Genya exit his room, and he brought breakfast over, greeted him, and was so keen to speak with him that his goal slipped his mind. He instead inquired, "Did you hear anything weird last night?"

Genya's pulse quickened, and he said carefully, "No. Did you?"

"Yeah, in the garden. Your room's next to it, so I thought you would've heard it too."

"I was asleep the whole time. Did you make this? It's good. I would've never thought to put cinnamon in this." Genya was referring to the food, and although he was being sincere when he said it was tasty, his ulterior motive was to change the subject. This plan succeeded, and Tanjirou burst into conversation until he grudgingly excused himself by saying he had to return to work. Upon his reentry to the kitchen, Satomi said, "You can go talk to him. I'll cover you."

"It's alright. I'll stay and help since you already covered me yesterday."

She was too meek to push back, so it wasn't until it was nearly noon when Yukie and Megumi appeared that he found himself being forced towards the kitchen door again. Megumi said, "Don't play coy with us. Yukie told me what you did yesterday. Try to be more careful though because we think the madam's onto you. Here's his lunch, here are your baskets, and take these to share with him." She gave him a container of konpeito, and then they sent him away once more. Tanjirou in his naivety had gone around yesterday evening asking as many people as he could for the gardener's name, and consequently this created some rumors, some of which had trickled down to the mistress. He was unaware of all this though, so the warning mystified him.

No matter, his stress vanished upon finding Genya beneath the nearly completed pergola. It was a cool, drab day, and the garden's colors shone in contrast: luxuriant green, vivid blossoms, violet soul. There was something darkly romantic about how all this beauty sat against a backdrop of heavy gray, and it made Tanjirou remember the impulse he had last night. This disturbed him, but it was undetectable to Genya, who graciously accepted lunch along with the dessert of konpeito. He was so at ease that he unthinkingly chewed the candy, and this startled Tanjirou, who cried, "Are your teeth ok?!"

Genya was perfectly fine, but he realized it'd been careless to do that with a witness present. He hurried to switch the topic: "Uh, yeah. Sorry about that. Here, I've got something better." He gave some chocolate squares to Tanjirou, who said, "Wow! How'd you get these?"

At this point in history, chocolate was an uncommon and expensive treat in Japan, and he'd only sampled it once before when a traveling merchant had passed through the village near his home. Even then, they could only afford a meager bar, and when it was split six ways among the Kamado siblings, he'd taken the smallest portion because he was the eldest. Now excitement saturated his features at being offered such a generous amount, and Genya felt his chest tighten at how adorable the sight was. He answered, "I get them for free from another place I work at. Have you worked anywhere else before coming here?"

Tanjirou couldn't admit to being a demon slayer, so he instead went farther back: "My family and I used to make and sell charcoal."

"Are you from somewhere rural?"

"Yeah, the mountains west of here. What about you?"

"An hour's walk south."

"You're from the city? I've always wondered how people don't get overwhelmed by it."

"You get used to it. I favor it over the countryside. My current home is with my mentor, and he lives in the mountains. Sometimes it drives me crazy how there's nothing out there."

"That's the charm of it though. Things are simpler, and you've got space to breathe and think." That was exactly why Genya disliked languid, rustic living though; it gave him room for contemplation, and when he thought too much, the misery of his situation caught up to him. He preferred to distract himself by remaining in perpetual motion, but maybe there was merit in easing up. To work at his own pace at a task he enjoyed while Tanjirou sat chattering and weaving; Genya couldn't deny that he wanted time to slow so that he could savor this bliss for a little longer. Tanjirou continued, "I get how some people find it boring, but I like it. Well I've defended peasant life. Now it's your turn to defend the city."

As Genya gave his description, Tanjirou became entranced until it culminated in him saying, "It sounds so neat when you say it! I'd probably get lost immediately, but still, you make me wanna see it."

"I could show you one day. We could—oh, I'm sorry. I forgot—I—sorry..." What had started as a promising reply had tapered off into an awkward mumble, and Tanjirou said, "Why are you sorry? I'd love to go with you!"

Unlike Genya, Tanjirou didn't understand how Yoshiwara functioned, and he'd presumed the women were free to move about just like anyone else at another job. He didn't know they were regarded as chattel and that they were imprisoned within the district until they'd worked off their debts to their respective houses, so his answer sounded like he was subtly requesting aid in deserting. Genya knitted his brows and asked quietly, "Are you trying to leave?"

"No...? What I meant is we could go when I'm out of here."

"When do you expect to be out of here?"

Tanjirou shrugged. "A few days maybe?"

"Didn't you just arrive three days ago?"

"Yep!" He yawned then, and Genya shook his head and said, "You must be tired. You can borrow my bed again."

As he settled into the futon, he thought it was odd how a whiff of demons was still present. Regardless Genya's scent was comforting to be enveloped in, and he slept until he was roused by a nudge. Genya's face hovered over him and said, "I didn't want you to get in trouble again, so I woke you a bit earlier." Tanjirou made himself presentable in the mirror, and then he opened the door to the courtyard, discovered the completed pergola, and exclaimed, "You finished!"

"Yeah I've just got to get the vines on it, and then that's that."

A pang pierced through Tanjirou when he realized he'd miss Genya's smile along with the laughter and emotions that accompanied it, and he murmured, "You're leaving tomorrow?"

"After breakfast, yeah. I wouldn't skip your cooking."

"Oh... I wanted us to talk more."

Genya hadn't anticipated such candor, and he fumbled for an answer and then decided it'd be best to follow suit: "Me too. If only we had more time together." This elated Tanjirou to learn that his sentiments were shared, and he said fervently, "We could write to each other! Not while I'm in here of course but afterwards. Oh! What's your—"

"Hey!" The hiss interrupting them came from Yukie, and she motioned for Tanjirou to follow her. Genya gave a consoling look and said, "I'll see you tomorrow then," and with no other choice Tanjirou reluctantly left.

It was difficult for Genya to sleep knowing he'd have to leave soon, and as he lay in bed mulling over this, there came a scratching at his door. He found his crow, and it relayed a message from Gyoumei: "There's a demon in the district, but don't engage it unless it's necessary. You're needed elsewhere, so leave by ten tomorrow morning." Demon or stalker or whatever was lurking, Genya still woke in the black dark to give a final sprinkle of blood to the vines. For the pergola to be entirely covered would be abnormal, so he'd trained the greenery to coil around just enough that it'd be marvelous by his next visit. Maybe a fraction of him was also eager to return because it meant getting to see a certain maid again, and as these rosy thoughts circulated through him, he ambled through the garden to feed the plants one last time. Upon discovering a scattering of leaves, he frowned because he thought he'd tidied everything, and he retrieved a rake to collect the debris.

There came a metallic snap, a dull crunch, and a terrible agony in his shin. He swallowed a curse and glanced down to find that a foothold trap hidden under the leaves had nearly severed said body part, and in response to the noise, someone was coming from the kitchen. He realized with horror that a person had been hiding there the whole time to where he'd overlooked their presence, and he frantically freed himself and commenced limping away until a figure blocked his path.

Tanjirou had lost so much to demons, so when he discovered he'd lost someone else, he gasped with pained disbelief, "It is you." Buried beneath layers of denial was also the opinion that Genya looked hot as a demon, but that thought was smothered under a growl: "I should've known. Something about you seemed too good to be true."

He'd dropped his falsetto, and it made Genya think there was definitely something unusual about this "girl." If she stated she was a girl though, then he wouldn't argue against that, so he pleaded, "Sumiko, wait!" The only response was steel nearly grazing his throat, and he was bewildered by why a brothel maid would not only have but also know how to use a sword.

Art praises the sun as a symbol of life and hope, but not much is said about how it also causes disasters like sunstrokes, droughts, and burns. The point is this wasn't aureate-rays-dissipating-shadows Tanjirou; this was relentlessly-scorching-the-earth Tanjirou. Still, he was suffering the same turmoil he'd felt when Nezuko had turned, and his slashes weren't focused as a result. It gave Genya an opening to seize his hands, and after some aggressive yanking he succeeded in taking the sword away. He hurled it over the wall, but he'd thoughtlessly turned his back to Tanjirou, who felled him with a headbutt to the spine. With his opponent dazed he kneeled on Genya's upper arm and pulled the attached forearm backwards to snap it at the elbow. That was twice now he'd broken that arm, and Genya jolted awake and pushed at him with his free hand. He remained firmly planted though, and he tugged and twisted the ruined limb viciously with the intention to wrench it off until Genya resorted to biting his attacker's thigh just hard enough to hurt without causing injury. He twitched with surprise, and Genya shoved him away and got up. There was no way a normal human girl could have such strength (barring Mitsuri of course, but she was an outlier), and as they stood panting and glaring at each other, (incorrect) realization tinged Genya's countenance as he said, "How are you casting a human presence?"

"What...? You think I'm a demon?!" The accusation's absurdity enraged Tanjirou, and he grabbed the rake dropped by Genya and swung it with full force. Genya had taken a demon's horn from his pocket to eat as a booster, so he'd healed enough that he was able to dodge this. Instead the top of a large bonsai got lopped off, and this incurred instant consequences. Tanjirou hadn't even blinked before he was slammed to the ground hard enough that his vision and breathing temporarily went out. The first thing he saw upon regaining his sight was Genya's incensed face snarling, "Do you know how long that tree took me?!" Ah, there was that side of him that Tanjirou knew best, and to contribute to the nostalgia, he answered with a reenactment of their first meeting by squeezing the forearms pinning him. When Genya felt his bones fracturing, he jerked a hand free and aimed a hook at Tanjirou's temple meant to punch through his skull. What a mistake; it split his knuckles from crimson to ivory, but the only damage to Tanjirou's forehead was some smudged makeup. A sliver of his scar peeked out, and Genya strove to recall why it looked familiar.

There wasn't time to think though because they were now properly clashing, each with the flawed assumption that he was confronting the demon haunting Yoshiwara, but with every strike exchanged Genya's goal seemed to shift from exterminating Tanjirou to protecting the garden. Certainly he didn't want his work destroyed, but he also couldn't bear harming this person who'd shown him such kindness. Tanjirou, however, thought he was being toyed with, and he roared, "Stop fucking around!" Genya was thunderstruck that such unbridled fury should come from sweet, bubbly Sumiko, and he froze even though Tanjirou was charging towards him with his eyes set on the demon's neck. This would've ended in tragedy were it not for a light turning on in one of the bedrooms in response to the racket. Genya thought this was an adequate signal to end their conflict, and he swiftly retreated to his room and settled into his futon only to get throttled by an exceedingly persistent maid who had followed him. He removed the assailant from himself, lay back down, and hissed, "Piss off!"

Because Genya had restrained himself, Tanjirou was minimally wounded, but the same couldn't be said for his ego. He felt like he'd been belittled, like this demon perceived him as so unthreatening that lying in bed was an acceptable choice. He was offended but also baffled, and he demanded, "Why aren't you fighting back?!"

"Why are you so determined to fight me?!"

"Because I'm not gonna let you keep killing people!"

"What are you talking about?! I can't believe this shit. A demon disguised as a maid is accusing me of being a murderer."

"I'm human! But what's with you? You were in the sun, but now you're like this."

"None of your business."

"How are you changing back and forth?"

"I'll throw your ass out in two seconds flat if you don't leave right now!" Before this threat could be fulfilled, a scream came from the garden, and a woman shrieked, "There's blood everywhere!" An order to remain in place was issued, and officers were summoned to the house.

Tanjirou couldn't leave the room without someone seeing, which would undoubtedly get him and Genya in trouble, and they exchanged aghast glances when they heard the authorities request that the madam do a headcount. She began at the farthest end where the maids' room was, and when she found only one person sleeping in there, she exclaimed, "We've lost a maid!" They acquired a description from her, and now along with a murder investigation, there was a missing person case. The commotion attracted Tengen, and when he overheard that Tanjirou was the cause, he had to leave so that his guffawing wouldn't be heard. This situation wasn't funny to Tanjirou though, and he sought shelter as the sound of the search neared them. The room had no closet, and he could neither fit in the dresser nor was it in a position suitable for hiding behind. There was no other large furniture, and when he heard that they were only three doors away, he tensed with dread. Genya's solution to this was to lie in the futon on his side with his back facing the door leading into the house, and he hugged Tanjirou to him so that his frame would conceal the smaller figure.

Oh... this was... an interesting feeling for Tanjirou. The search had been paused so that the voices in the hallway could discuss something in hushed tones, but frankly he didn't mind if it meant getting to stay like this for a while longer. He should've known better than to crave such a thing. Maybe being in a brothel was finally getting to him, or maybe it was because he'd spent all this time being slightly too fascinated by Genya. Maybe the current situation weakened his ability to suppress certain thoughts he'd been having about a particular gardener, or maybe it was because it felt heavenly when Genya held him tightly. Whatever the reason was, Tanjirou tried and failed to stop the blood from rushing into his face... and somewhere south.

When Genya identified what was pressing against him, it caused a storm of shock and bemusement to churn within him, and yet there was a fraction of him that felt flattered. How wonderful that he could get such a reaction, even if he now had innumerable questions about what all was going on with this "girl," and how gratifying to have evidence of Tanjirou's thoughts towards him. Genya had worried that he was the only one who'd seen something in how their conversations deepened effortlessly and how they shared lingering glances, and it relieved him to learn he wasn't alone in that feeling. It must've relieved him too much though because to his chagrin, his body started mirroring Tanjirou's.

Hell was lying in that futon, getting hard against each other, and not being able to do anything about it. No amount of words could describe their humiliation, but suffice it to say, they both willed that the roof would collapse and crush them to end their torture. Mercy came in the form of the sound of the search being resumed, and they held their breaths when they heard the room adjacent to them being opened. As footsteps neared them, Genya remembered to breathe, and he did so slowly and evenly so that it'd appear he was asleep. A line of light shone in through the door being cracked, and the madam whispered, "Sumiko." They both feared that their heartbeats' volume would incriminate them, and they prayed she wouldn't enter the room. Their wish was granted; she couldn't see anything past Genya, and she and the officers moved on. Only when they couldn't hear the search party anymore did Genya sit up and exclaim, "I knew something was weird about you! Why are you here in the Tokito house?!"

Tanjirou's dignity was in shreds, but he still had enough in him to retort, "Why should I answer your questions when you ignored mine?"

"You're a pervert, aren't you?! You're getting off on infiltrating a place full of women and acting as one! It was you chasing me around and sniffing me yesterday, wasn't it?!"

It took all Tanjirou's willpower to not rip Genya's head off with his bare hands then and there. "That's not it! I was using my nose to try and track down a demon."

Genya scoffed, "Well good job. You found him. Now are you gonna tell me that the smell of demons gets you going?"

"Don't talk like you're not aroused!"

"You got hard first!"

Damn, Genya got him. Tanjirou pulled the covers up to hide his face, and there followed the world's most uncomfortable silence until he mumbled, "It's because you make me feel... I don't know... fuzzy when you're around, so when you held me..." Genya could no longer stay mad, and he sighed, "Why are you here and posing as a girl?"

"I can't tell you until later."

"You're definitely a pervert. I'm reporting you to the madam."

"You better not! And anyways aren't you the bigger pervert?! You thought I was a girl, felt that I wasn't, and still got turned on!" Damn, Tanjirou got him. Genya reddened and faced away, and after a pause Tanjirou laughed, "You may be tall and scary, but I don't think you're the demon I'm looking for. You were more worried about the plants than me trying to behead you."

"I'm not that tall, and if people think I'm scary, then that's their problem." Genya picked at some fluff on the sheets, and then he muttered, "What'd you say about feeling fuzzy?"

Tanjirou squirmed and said haltingly, "I... well... you heard me." He rubbed uneasily at a welt on his arm and asked, "And what are you feeling?"

"It's pretty obvious, isn't it?" Genya glanced away, and when he looked back, his gaze momentarily darted to Tanjirou's mouth. Tanjirou brushed his hand against him to encourage him to continue speaking, but the latter interpreted this as something else. He moved closer cautiously, asking for permission with his eyes, and this astonished Tanjirou to where he couldn't immediately react. Only when their faces were nearly touching did he turn away and say, "Um! Not there..." Really it delighted him that Genya was interested in him, but he had qualms about kissing a demon.

Genya instead pressed his lips to Tanjirou's jaw and then murmured, "Is that ok?" and this caused such giddiness that it took a moment before there was a breathless answer of "Yeah." The action was repeated with a bit more confidence, and heat surged through Tanjirou when he felt the scrape of teeth and the trace of a tongue. Genya tasted curiosity and desire, and he took this as an invitation to discard his inhibitions and to sink into the pursuit of that intoxicating flavor. He trailed kisses over Tanjirou's throat and down to his collarbone until fabric impeded him, and when he pulled the layers apart, it revealed a spectacle lovelier than any blossom he'd nurtured.

Golden skin, brown nipples, terracotta blush; it was all explored by an extraordinary mouth and hands that were simultaneously firm and gentle. Tanjirou had initially been wary of letting a demon touch him, and he still struggled to shake the disquiet that this was wrong somehow. How could this be a fall from grace though when it felt like he was ascending? So he dropped his defenses, clutched at Genya, tried to find anything to hold onto as his past and future slipped from him until only the present remained; spring's chill countered by their warmth, pleasure thrumming through his veins, Genya's weight on him. The constellation of their entwined bodies outshone the stars above them to where he almost abandoned his obligations and doubts, and he burned so brightly that it kindled Genya to part Tanjirou's kimono to reach between his thighs. Tanjirou reflexively spread his legs and gasped, and while this was music to Genya's ears, it discomposed the former to hear his own voice and to have his body move automatically in such a way. He became daunted by the direction they were headed, and he pushed lightly at Genya and said, "Let's stop." When this earned a questioning look, he added, "It's just... I don't think this is a good time."

Genya drew back and exhaled to cool his nerves. "Right. Sorry."

"It's fine. Don't be sorry." Some seconds passed as Tanjirou straightened his clothes, and then he said, "You're human again. I asked about how you change back because my sister's become a demon. If you know anything about how to restore her humanity, then please, it'd mean everything to me if you'd share it."

"I wish I could help you, but I'm human. Being a demon's just a temporary thing for me." This disappointed Tanjirou, and Genya couldn't think of what to say to solace him. He instead tentatively took Tanjirou's hand, and when the gesture was answered with a squeeze and a pull, he understood it was a request for more. He embraced Tanjirou, who nuzzled against him with a sigh, and a moment settled between them and started growing into something tender. They were interrupted though by the distant sound of the search party returning, and Genya whispered, "You should go."

The problem with being an honest person is that it meant Tanjirou was garbage at being furtive; thus he was caught on his way back, and the madam cried, "Sumiko, what happened to you?! Is that your blood in the yard?!"

"It's not mine. It's from a guy I fought."

"What?! Did you kill him?!"

"I didn't. May I go to bed now?"

"No! We've to tell the officers so that they can look for him and so that we can press charges!"

"Uh, could we not do that? I don't think there's gonna be any more trouble." This statement filled the madam's imagination with all sorts of grisly possibilities of what Sumiko could've inflicted on this fellow such that he'd never dare to misbehave again, and she said slowly, "You're sure you don't wanna press charges?"

"I'm positive. I just wanna bathe and then sleep." How could she argue against this terrifying girl who'd single-handedly trounced a man, doused herself and the garden with his blood, and was now acting like it was nothing? She yielded to Tanjirou, and the remainder of the night passed uneventfully. At daybreak the sunlight erased Genya's blood, but no questions were asked because everyone thought he'd washed it away. The bonsai Tanjirou had mutilated couldn't be repaired in only a few hours, so Genya had placed it in an inconspicuous location indoors and substituted a suitable one in its stead. He stood back to survey his work one last time, and he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. The madam passed him a money envelope and said, "It's sublime, dumpling. Make sure to eat before you leave."

Tanjirou meanwhile was enduring torment from Tengen, Inosuke, and Zenitsu. The chaos he caused had sprouted several rumors throughout the district, and Tengen gleefully repeated one he'd heard: "The man-hating, ass-kicking maid of the Tokito house!" At the howls of mirth, Tanjirou stood and huffed, "Well if we're done here, then I'm going back to work." He thought he was delivering breakfast to the madam, but when he found Genya within her office, they shared a meaningful glance until the latter resumed his conversation. His chest ached at the sight of Tanjirou exiting the room, and he thought this would be the last glimpse they had of each other for a while.

This was proven false when he was later at the entryway putting his shoes on, and a voice behind him said, "You really did make it as beautiful as they say. Everyone's outside right now admiring the courtyard."

"I don't even know where to start with you," Genya laughed, and then he continued, "Good luck with whatever you're up to though. That demon you're hunting has got it coming."

"Hopefully it shows up soon so that I can hurry up and get out of here. I'm holding you to what you said about how you'd show me the city." At the implication of a future meeting, Genya felt a flutter beneath his ribs, and he murmured, "Will we see each other again?"

"Sumiko-chan!" called a woman's voice. It sounded like people were dispersing from the garden, and in the final seconds they had alone together, Tanjirou stood on tiptoe, kissed Genya's cheek, and answered, "We will." The last sight Genya had of him was a smile, and then he was gone so that all that remained was the echo of warm words and twinkling laughter.

The sole spectator of this scene was hidden from them, and he grinned at the sight of Genya walking off with a flushed, dreamy expression. Sanemi disliked the inevitable scolding that came with visiting the Tokito house's madam, but he tolerated it because she was one more avenue for him to get news of his brother without having to interact with him. Of course whenever he inquired about him, she'd say, "Why don't you just ask him yourself?!" but she'd ultimately oblige him and would sometimes include stories about his mother, which always enthralled him. His trips were usually scheduled so that only one Shinazugawa was present at a time, but it gladdened him that he'd miscalculated today because it allowed him to witness this event. It also made him think Genya had awful taste in women.

Regardless of anyone's judgment of his preferences, Genya's pulse raced with anticipation when the Tokito house requested his help some days later, but it staggered him when he found the place and much of the district in the middle of repairs. The madam exclaimed upon sighting him, "Thank goodness you're here! Look at this mess. You wouldn't believe everything that's happened!" After she rambled about the demon and who all had died, he asked, "Is everybody here alright?"

"Yes everyone in our house survived. We did have a loss, but it was a runaway. Do you remember Sumiko? She got lucky in that she escaped right before the demon attacked. She even left behind money to pay back her debt. What a strange girl." This dispirited Genya to learn that the sunny soul he so cherished was now just a memory, and he felt foolish for believing in Sumiko's vow. Tanjirou hadn't been insincere though; he'd meant that they'd meet again because they were both in the corps. Genya, however, didn't know this, and when he realized they couldn't contact one another because they didn't get each other's names, he sighed in resignation and began his chores with a heavy heart.

Tanjirou meanwhile was also suffering as he lay in his bed in the Butterfly Estate, and when he awoke after some months, the following day was marked by him and Sumi chatting while he had lunch. After recalling his experience in Yoshiwara, he said, "Sumi-chan! There's a slayer with a mohawk, and he has a scar going from his right ear to across his nose. Do you know his name?"

"He's tall and wears a purple yukata, right? His name is..."

"Shinazugawa Genya!" he exclaimed at a scarred, sculpted back standing in the hot springs, and he scrutinized the delicious display before him while said person was still facing away. It's said that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and this was true for Tanjirou, who wanted to pick up where they'd left off. It seemed though like all the progress they'd made had been reset because Genya turned, scowled, and savagely snubbed him before leaving. Tanjirou didn't realize that without the makeup and kimono, he wasn't recognized as "Sumiko," so he assumed the rudeness was because their long separation had made Genya shy. This was no problem; this issue had been overcome once before when he was Sumiko, and he'd surely conquer it this time too.

Genya, however, found his tenacity distasteful, and he couldn't understand why this pest was so drawn to him. He did his utmost to keep to himself, but his efforts were futile because the swordsmiths kept bombarding him with visits to tell him that Mitsuri and Tanjirou were inquiring after him, inviting him to eat with them, asking that he train with them, and so on. His temper rose with every message he received until things came to a head at the sound of a knock upon his door. In a barely restrained voice, he said, "Yes?" and when Tanjirou entered, sat down, and started blathering about who knows what, Genya was so outraged by his audacity that he exploded, "Don't talk to me like I'm your friend when you broke my goddamn arm!"

"Hey, you hit a girl. I had to, Genya. You were completely at fault. Oh, are you talking about the second time?" The last part baffled him, but there came a more concerning matter when he noticed Tanjirou eyeing his mouth. Tanjirou gulped and moved towards him, and this stunned Genya because he now had an inkling of why this idiot wouldn't leave him be. The idiot, however, dispelled the suspicion with his presentation of the tooth, and this resulted in the tooth's owner grabbing him by the arm, dragging him to the door, and flinging him out. This didn't affront Tanjirou though for he simply thought Genya was hangry.

Although the nuisance had been physically removed, his words remained stubbornly in Genya's mind, and he tried and failed to determine what was meant by his arm being broken a second time. It further puzzled him when Tanjirou was unperturbed by his transformation into a demon. Genya usually worked alone because his peers in their ignorance had turned their blades on him more than once, but Tanjirou just carried on in his annoyingly overfamiliar way to where even when the former seized him by the throat, it was merely answered with nonchalance and a glimmer of... titillation?

Whatever that was, all these aspects continued to bother Genya up to when he found himself in a dreadful situation following their confrontation with the Upper Moon: trapped at the Butterfly Estate with Tanjirou in the neighboring bed. It thrilled the latter to have this company, and he prattled incessantly until Genya considered pummeling him unconscious to silence him. Fortunately this didn't have to happen because Tanjirou's burst of energy drained him to where he fell asleep. Genya was thankful to finally have peace, and when he glanced over, he snorted at the scene of Tanjirou sprawled across the bed. He thought it looked ridiculous, but a fragment of him also found it cute to see someone who was so ferocious in battle now in a vulnerable, carefree state. Hm... he could've sworn he'd had that feeling about someone else before, and as he tried to recall whom, there came a tap at the window.

Tanjirou's crow stood bearing a letter, but because said person was sleeping, Genya took it for him instead. The envelope was colorful and smelled of women's perfume, and amidst drawings of hearts and sparkles, "Sumiko-chan!" was written in feminine handwriting. He frowned because that name had been consigned to a corner of his mind, and as he set the letter on the nightstand for the recipient to read upon awakening, he realized with horror why the voice, earrings, and scar were so familiar. When Tanjirou later woke and resumed his babbling, Genya couldn't look at him.