There was a world where Rengoku had a threesome with Mitsuri. Sadly, that world is not this one.

In fact, that world has been lost to the Pattern Screamers.

There will never be another world like this one.

To you.

Rengoku woke to the sound of morning birds. His eyes focused slowly from the light peering through the window onto the bed. He leaned up slowly noticing that he didn't have a shirt on, leaving his toned and somewhat scarred muscled chest exposed. As he sat up, he pulled the covers off of himself, he glanced to his right to see a sleeping body.

Her ivory hair draped over the sheets, shining against her black horn. Her breaths were quiet and slow laying on her side only in her white undergarments, in unconscious brevity.

For a moment, a specific thought crossed his mind.

"Did we?... No, we didn't."

He remembered most of the night after they entered the square. He shook his head remembering all of the stands she took him to. All of the small little games they played, the music they danced to.

"She was so happy…"

More cheerful than anything he had seen before. Maybe it was because it was the first time, she actually enjoyed herself. The pain, weight, and guilt of her empty humanity gone…

A sudden headache reminded him they did drink some. Not much, but enough to make them tipsy for some of the night. That's why they were probably in bed together. They hadn't done so before.

He yawned taking a look at the brighter morning light. "Seems like we're staying in."

He scooted back into the covers and the movement on his partner's side of the bed picked up as she shifted in her unconscious state to awaken, slowly. She opened her eyes to Kyojuro staring at the ceiling on his back.

"*yawn* Morning…" She rubbed her eyes.

"Morning." He replied meaningfully.

The demon moved a bit and adjusted herself, going through the same set of memories that the flame did, becoming a little red in the process, but it didn't bother her as much now that she thought about it.

She sat too, pulling her legs up and glancing over. She couldn't stop herself from smiling pleasantly, which he noticed. "Last night… It was pretty great."

"I thought so too." He put his hands on his chest, interlocking his fingers. "We had a lot of fun."

"Yeah haha... What do you want to do today?" She asked getting an inch closer for an answer.

He thought back to the day before. He could hardly believe the difference one day could make considering how he felt now.

"You said an apartment?"

She perked up. "Oh yeah! Let's go look later."

"…Alright!" He shot his fist into the air.

In contrast to the day he left his family, he seemed to be getting his mojo back.

[=============]

"He's not here?"

Mitsuri clasped her hands with a curious and somewhat sad look on her face. The boy in front of her felt a bit guilty for making such a pretty girl sad.

"I'm sorry, but he's already left." Senjuro stood behind crack in the gate as it was partly ajar. "I'm… the only one here at the moment."

"That's too bad. Do you know where he went?" She asked.

She saw him shake his head. The boy was Rengoku's little brother, Senjuro, but he seemed so down compared to how kind and nice he usually acted. Something must've happened.

"Are you okay? What's wrong Senjuro?" She moved a bit closer with an expression of empathy, causing him to feel even more guilty as he looked away.

"I-It's nothing." The avert of his eyes was she picked up on. Obviously, something heavy. A part of her started to worry for Kyojuro. What if it involved him?

"Please Senjuro, what is the matter? You look down. Did something bad happen?"

She pressed further. A more serious tone. She noticed that he only retreated further, dodging, evading not only her, but must've happened to him. When she wasn't here. "What if…"

Kyojuro was here. Now he's not, and he left. Why did he leave? You wouldn't leave your family behind, especially not after what he went through on his train mission. Her fear started to bubble. She needed answers.

"Senjuro. What happened. Tell me." Senjuro gulped as she intensified a serious yet asking glare. Coupled with the hand on his arm, he forced himself to relive the moments when his brother did return before making eye contact with the Hashira.

"Come sit down. I can tell you."

He left open the gate as he started to step back into the front area. She entered. The concern she was feeling before only intensified. Step by step she followed he opened the front door and led her to a living space with a small table. She sat, her thumbs twiddling in scared anticipation.

Senjuro sat on the other side, looking down, and avoiding eye contact.

"When my brother came back, he was okay. His injuries weren't bad…" He noted.

Now she gulped, waiting for the bad news. He hesitated before speaking again.

"Umm, he… " He shut his eyes, remembering it again. "He had a fight with our father."

"What! Why?!" She slammed her hands on the table, which scared him a bit. "Kyojuro isn't the type to fight anyone!"

Confronted by the enclosed Hashira, he started to fumble his words. Stuttering only made it worse for Mitsuri as her pleading expression intensified.

"I… He…" In his mind, the sound of the colliding fist bounced around like he was back to the moment it happened. Any sort of explanation he was trying to think of started to fly out the window. "He p-punched him!"

Her eyes went wide.

"A-And he- Father- Father yelled at him for being controlled by a demon and- "

"WHAT!" Her animated visage became more incredulous and spiteful at the mention of a demon. Senjuro, who has never been in a major conflict or has ever dealt with one, could only babble on.

"T-T-The demon... There was a demon! And she- " He didn't' get to finish as he was cut off again.

"Senjuro! Are you okay?!" She rapidly enclosed and inspected his body for any bruises or cuts or worse, but didn't see any, which was good. But if he was saying was true then…

Her mind went to the worse place possible.

Demons. Controlling blood demon arts. Hypnosis. Kyojuro.

She stopped breathing. It made sense why Kyojuro would act like Senjuro said. He would never do such a thing! If there was demon there and it was holding him hostage, then why did it control him and not devour him or his family?

"It- The demon- It was- It made- " Mitsuri resumed her breathing and started to hyperventilate when her thoughts couldn't be fully formed. If the demon could control someone like Kyojuro, then it must've been powerful.

But Shinobu said that he was with his girlfriend. Then that meant that…

"W-Was she being controlled as well?"

Now that she thought about it, she was avoiding telling her the truth of where he was until she told her that he was with his girlfriend. Was that a lie? He didn't have one before the mission, so it must've been! Something to prevent her from worrying, to hide the demon's true intentions and location. But what demon had the power to brainwash two Hashira?

Her eyes widened. A Kizuki. An Upper Rank. It was the only explanation.

She immediately bolted out of the house, sprinting with fire in her lungs as she started to run. Her mind running. Her anxiety through the roof.

"He's… He's in danger! I need to find the demon and fast!"

[=============]

"This is the living room, not terribly large, but enough for two people. And in there is the bedroom. You required only one bedroom for the both of you, correct?"

The older man, set of greying brown hair and a grey kimono, presented the apartment closer to the outskirts of the small town. One bed, one bathroom, a living space for the two of them. Comforting.

Rengoku, looking around the space, was quite satisfied. It was fully furnished too. "Yes, that is right."

Mukago, wearing another mask to cover her face, nodded too.

"Good. You two are lucky. The previous tenet left without taking anything with them. I was going to have to empty the apartment, but I'm lucky I ran into the two of you!"

He chuckled lightly, and the blond thanked him. Before handing him a piece of paper.

"That's the rent for this place and where you can send it for me. If you can sign there, I can lease this place to you and it will be all yours!"

He handed him a pen and Kyojuro looked over to his companion before signing. Mukago took the pen after him and signed as well. The man chuckled again before making his way to the door.

"Alright! I'll see you later!"

He left quickly, leaving the two of them alone. She took off her mask and set it down to finally enjoy the place in its entirety. She plopped herself on the couch and laid down with a giant smile.

Something about the apartment felt right and for once… in a long time… she felt genuinely happy. Certain. Alive.

She giggled a bit as Kyojuro beamed as he looked around as well. Something about this place. A small corner on a two-story building of a quiet town. Incredibly peaceful.

He noticed the ajar door to the bedroom. "Do you want to see the bedroom?"

Mukago sat up and parted her hair. "Sure!"

She got up and followed him into the bedroom. When they entered, the room had a queen-sized bed and headboard, a lamp, and a night stand. The closet was closed, but they could tell it was empty. Mukago was the first one to take off her kimono, leaving her in her white undergarment shirt and shorts. He followed short after, taking off his haori to put it away.

He closed the closet, before glancing around at the room again.

"Simple. I like it!" Rengoku crossed his arms. Mukago shifted over to the edge of the bed and sat on it, kicking her feet.

She shot him another smile and he sat down next to her. His blond to red hair fell the same length as her as she sat next to her.

"I wonder… what's next? A job?" She wondered, glancing up.

"I think I saw an izakaya not too far from here. Maybe we can ask?"

Watching her eyes lit up, he felt a small mote of joy build up on top of the rest. Ever since she showed up in his life, his entire world had been thrown upside down and righted before his eyes. He had never believed that a demon would save him, that he'd want to protect one, protect her…

He was taken out of it when a rumbling emanated between them. Mukago embarrassedly stared down at herself, as the noise had come from herself.

"Speaking of Izakaya, I guess I'm pretty hungry…" She rubbed her stomach, sensing the drool pooling in her mouth. She wiped some of, noticing the taste. A particular taste of metal. "Iron…"

Oh right. She was a demon and human food was definitely not going to cut it. She pouted realizing that she couldn't just get human blood on demand anymore.

She moved her vision over to Kyojuro. The affection in his eyes focused entirely on her, her small and soft form, her smile. He realized that she was going to ask him for something.

"Do you… mind?" Mukago unknowingly inched closer to him.

All he could do was beam before he started to unbutton the top to his uniform. "Right."

The master's words. His own blood as penance. Tanjirou said he does this countless times for Susamaru and his sister, important people he couldn't live without. Demons he loved.

As he shifted closer, he wondered that same thought. Love. His heart started to beat harder as the world seemed to be getting slower. His body almost had a mind of its own. His neck exposed itself, more and more, as he came closer.

"O-Okay, I'm going to…"

Her body moved, and her mouth ever so slightly opened to reveal her small but bladed canines. Her words faded for the motion of her own body and actions.

Each of their breaths filled the silence of the room, their bodies practically moving on their own. The blond demon slayer, shirtless with his muscled bodies exposed to the warming air, unconsciously putting forth one of the most vital parts his body. The Kizuki, her fangs revealed and saliva-filled mouth opening, falling, tracing a direct path to it.

"Mukago…"

He could feel her breath mixing with his as their faces were far closer than they had ever been. Without a word, the heat of her breaths fell on his neck. His own became heavier, the feeling of her demonic hands on his shoulders to steady herself entirely dull in comparison. His own hand went to her waist and subconsciously began to pull her in.

"…haa…"

She was so close. She couldn't stop herself. The absolute essence and mixture of human soul before her. His soul. His fire. His flame.

The tips of her piercers touched the surface and he tensed under her. His hands didn't stop however, they only continued to grasp her, hold her, and let her know that it was okay to continue further. She couldn't stop herself, nor did she want to.

Her claws began to wrap around his neck as he pushed, further, and harder, and faster, and more, and…

The force increasing on his neck couldn't be handled by the position they were in. Their bodies started to fall backward on the bed. Mukago shut her eyes and he did the same as they fell. The world slowing even more.

The fangs, the broke the skin and dug, pierced straight to a vein where the nectar awaited.

"Ah."

Kyojuro shut his eyes at the first-time pain breaking through his neck. On his back, the weight of the demon was inconsequential. His body, by instinct for some odd reason, gave, stilling. Mukago held herself up over him, beginning to take in the ichor from him. "It's so… warm."

Incredibly. Hot, comforting, everything she's ever wanted, liquified into pure undying, unforgettable, unbearable ecstasy brewed and siphoned from the heavens, leading to the deepest level of hell.

She couldn't stop herself. She didn't want to. She-

Her eyes shot open. As did his. The sound of rapid dashing and the door flying open.

FIRST FORM: SHIVERS OF FIRST LOVE!

"Get down!"

Kyojuro sensed the intruder too late. Something broke into the room and he pulled the demon on top of him with him as he rolled off it to the floor. A crack splintered as whatever flew into the room shattered a hole into the head board. The blurs of motion made him stand so fast to defend against whatever it was.

"Stay back Mukago!"

"What's going on?!"

She hovered behind him as he held his hands out. Her eyes focused, snapping out of the haze to see the wavering and floating form of pink and black. It was like a sword, but longer, amorphous, like a whip.

She then turned her eyes towards the door, open, and the figure of the one standing in the doorway.

Her short stature filled entire doorway. Her pink braids faded to a green, matching her socks. Her haori and open cut uniform was risqué, but she was a demon slayer at first glance. Tired, panting, and angry with the hilt of whatever her sword was.

"Mitsuri?!" Kyojuro exclaimed the connection between the girl and her name.

"KYOJURO! I'LL SAVE YOU FROM THIS DEMON!"

She didn't care to see her fellow Hashira, only the form of the clear demon behind him. Her one horn and the ever so small black sheen covering her pupil, confirming what she was thinking was true. The absolute worst.

She pulled back her whip to her hand and steadied herself, focusing intently on the two. She was about to launch another attack before Rengoku blocked her sight.

"Mitsuri!" He held his hands out wide to block her entirely from his fellow Hashira. They were cornered and she was standing in the way of the only exit. "Stop! You can't!"

"Move Kyojuro! I don't want to hurt you!" She cried out. "I know you're under the demon's spell, BUT YOU HAVE TO FIGHT IT!"

Her shouts baffled the two, especially him, what she was saying. She was incredibly mad; he had never seen her so furious. He held his arms out towards her and pled. "Please listen! I'm not under any demon art!"

He took a step towards her but stopped as she flinched back in fear. "Don't come any further!"

Mukago took a second to compose herself seeing the outraging demon slayer facing them down. They knew each other, Rengoku and her, and she thought he was being controlled. "Shit."

If she didn't do anything, then it would be Kyojuro's father all over again.

"Stop! This instant!"

The other two froze as Mukago shouted out. Rengoku swiveled his head and the Love Hashira braced for an attack or anything that could come from the demon. What she didn't expect was the Kizuki to throw herself in front, now blocking him.

Mukago steeled herself. Right when she thought they had escaped it all. Right when she thought it was over. It was like it was never going to end. This endless cycle of being hunted, hiding, running, or otherwise. If she didn't do something now, it would never end.

"How dare you come and attack us!"

"Wha... how dare I?" Mitsuri blinked at the sudden shift in the demon. She was expecting something violent, an attack or something, but not that.

"And how dare you! I'm not controlling him! I would never do that to him!"

It was then she got a look at her eye and the Kanji displayed on it. Lower Four. Not an upper rank.

"I won't let you stand here and hurt him again! Not after what his father did!"

"H-His father…" Oh god. What did his father do? Was she wrong? Did she assume wrong again? Did she not get all the facts? A part of her started to sink.

"If you wish to fight us, then fine! Come at me! I'm the one you want! But don't ever try and hurt him! I love him and I will NEVER let you!"

At the word love, she felt her knees shake and the furious and bracing expression she was wearing to possibly fight an upper ranked demon change to that of realization and then regret.

"D-Did you say love?"

Mukago felt a hand on her shoulder as the blond stepped up beside her. She relaxed seeing his calmer demeanor. He glanced at her and they locked eyes for a second before returning their attention to the Love Hashira.

Mitsuri, on her end, saw the eye lock and she collapsed to her knees with a ghastly look on her face.

Both of them screamed out in worry.

"Mitsuri!"

.

.

.

"So… that's what happened."

The apologetic mix of pink and green became even more ashamed of her actions. She lowered her eyes and clasped her hands now sitting on the couch at the behest of the two standing in front of her. Kyojuro could only appear understanding after hearing her side of the story. "Don't be so down Mitsuri. Everyone makes mistakes."

The girl then pivoted to being very apologetic with tears at the corner of her eyes. "But I've shouldn't have barged in! I-I-I'm sorry Kyojuro! I should've listened to the whole story! Please don't be mad!"

Mukago sighed and Mitsuri's eyes looked up and looked away, now with her feelings of anger depleted at the demon. The girl looked genuinely more upset than her.

"It's okay… I forgive you. Just don't worry about it." She remarked.

"Are you sure?! I hope I didn't ruin your relationship!" Mitsuri escaped her seat and suddenly stood before the demon. Mukago was a little surprised when she took her hand lightly. "You said you loved him… I'm glad Kyojuro found someone."

It was like she didn't even remember she was a demon, and she felt more appreciative of that. Like she was human.

"Thank you…"

Mitsuri let go and took a step back to see Kyojuro and Mukago together, and then she smiled.

She couldn't believe what they told her. The Kizuki turned, the master approving, and now, together… Herself still without her own. She sighed, composing herself for the last time.

"I'm happy for the two of you. I wish you both the best. I've… overstayed my welcome. It was rude of me to barge into your lives, so I'll be leaving now."

Kyojuro nodded slowly. Having known her for some time, it was best to let her do her own thing. "Very well."

Mukago agreed as well and they both watched as Mitsuri took her leave. She opened the apartment's door and left as quickly as she came in. Kyojuro went over and locked the door, slumping his shoulders, sitting down on the couch.

"I… didn't think she'd show up."

"She was certainly a character." Mukago commented.

"You should meet the others, haha..." He crossed his arms and boasted cheerfully. Her chest warmed seeing him back to his old self.

After that, the air in the apartment started to grow still. The silence between the two of them grew, but it didn't feel awkward or wrong in any way. They began to look into each other's eyes. Her strawberry pupils couldn't tear away from his own emblazoned ones.

Her feet carried her in front of him. They didn't look away for a second. Focused on each other. The way lovers would.

Both of them felt like speaking, words that needed to be said, but nothing broke. Their breaths the only sounds present now, nothing to possibly interrupt.

They could feel it. They knew what the other was thinking. There were no words that could be exchanged between them. Only action.

[====LEMON=====]

Actions. Movement. Her swaying body couldn't stop herself from falling, falling onto his shirtless scarred body. Her demonic hands reached into his fiery hair, her eyes shutting like his as they pressed their bodies up against each other. Her lips made first contact. The pressure allowed him to feel the contours, the softness.

The blond maneuvered his hands so that rubbed against the smooth covering of her exposed legs, reaching to the bottom of the shirt, lifting and removing it from her body, leaving her chest exposed.

He didn't open his eyes however. Instead, his own palms rode upwards to from her stomach to her breasts, the small but noticeable delicate mounds filling his hands. She moaned into his mouth as he moved to pull her against her.

He stood, not breaking, but holding her aloft as she wrapped her legs around him. Kyojuro made sure to be careful as he carried her to the bedroom, breaking the kiss after placing her down and propping himself on top of her lying form.

He gazed at her topless and blushing body. Her heaving, demonic presentation making his heart skip. His mouth, her name left it.

"Mukago."

"Yes?" She asked waiting, but already knowing what he was going to say. She just wanted to hear it.

"I love you as well."

The affirmation. The statement of absolute emotion from the sturdy yet compassionate demon slayer melted the final, most infinitesimal slate of ice surrounding her heart.

In that moment, the final wall had crashed. Everything was exposed to him, and she could never want him to look even more. She wanted him to see everything, to give it all to him.

Instead of responding her hands reached up and locked him into a heated embrace once more. Her claws raked through his blond locks as his found her way to her shorts.

Kisses. Heat. At some point, Kyojuro found the last of his clothing removed, embracing the demon entirely.

As the Flame Hashira, nothing had felt as hot as this moment. Not ever.

Mukago tried to record his entire body just with her fingers. Her mouth, meanwhile, was invaded. She mingled with the intruder; her own flesh wrapping around his as they coated one another in each other's saliva.

She tensed and moan vigorously when a sudden mote of heat pulsed from the center of her opening. She instinctually pulled him in, causing him to forgo her mouth for her neck. He gripped her body, feeling the warmth envelop him as he went deeper and further into her demonic body.

To Kyojuro, the heat that surrounded him was more than he could ever handle. It was like the entirety of every single worry in the past few months had been vindicated, released, proof that she was truly free. With him from the throughs of the endless cycle of demons and demon slayers.

He couldn't stop himself from thrusting.

"Ahhh!'

Over and over, and over.

"Mnngg..."

He caressed the side of her face, putting his weight on her.

"K-K-Kyojuro!"

He kissed her neck as the buildup in his lower regions couldn't be contained. It burst from him in wave after wave of pleasure.

Mukago moved her nails to his back and dragged them small of his back to the top, not drawing blood, but enough to send shockwaves through him as the waves died.

Their bodies panted, their breaths heaved and mixed. They couldn't stop staring, and taking in the exasperated expressions of each other. Mukago brought her hand to his head and he saw something very particular caught his eye.

Black wisps began to pour and leak down from her horn. They touched and pricked his temple, and the blond shook his head in confusion.

Mukago only served to laugh.

"I hope you don't mind."

He blinked, wondering what she was up to.

It's then he felt another weight on his back, startling him. He turned his head backward, but he didn't have to turn too far. Their arms placed themselves around his neck and he stared right into the visage of an exact copy of her.

"Two?" He turned back to the original. Mukago only smiled.

"Three."

Another appeared on his left, pressing his lips against his for a second before breaking. He appeared just as confused, so she spoke exactly what she was doing, exactly why.

"Kyojuro… I've spent so many years alone, lost. You're the only person that's truly been in my life."

Her eyes sparkled. Past the mark of her rank, he could see the honesty behind her words.

"I want to love you. I want to give you everything I have… I want you to have it all, all of me.

The flame in his soul only burned hotter and brighter.

"And as many me's as you desire…"

She shifted her body around so that she laid on her stomach. He pushed himself up slightly to examine her body, her small, petite, curvaceous sides. Her back, leading to down where she used her hands to spread where he had entered before.

The small droplets of white leaking from her opening excited something within him. The two other sets of arms pushing, forcing him down onto her.

"Annnggghhh…"

He laid on her back, his pelvis immediately slamming into her backside and entering her once more. He groaned, clenching his body and hands onto the demon as the others, as real as her, began to stroke and rub other parts of his body.

One them held him by the chin and engaged in more vibrant kissing.

The other placed pecks on his shoulder, caressing him with her claws.

Kyojuro became lost in her. His member fully engorged inside the warmth of her, while that same being, lost in her fangs, and body. He rapidly pulled in and out, harder and faster with each stroke.

"Rnnnnngg…."

The sudden shock of pleasure forced him to reposture. He grabbed Mukago's shoulders, held by the other two demons, helping him deliver each continued thrust.

"Ahhhh…"

Mukago pulled back her head and she felt her one horn grasped by him. She couldn't stop her mouth from opening like a dog in heat as the rapid pulses of mating took over her mind.

The fire was immense. And they both couldn't handle it.

Kyojuro's knees buckled. Mukago's back arched and he wrapped his arms around her torso, clutching, cradling, locking, practically merging their bodies together.

The fire flamed and they were surrounded in a chaotic tornado of orange and red. Incandescent flames that bared no heat as they shared their orgasmic ecstasy.

[===LEMON===]

They collapsed, the visions and illusions disappearing, leaving the two alone in the suffused daylight.

The blond panted, turning to the demon who turned right back. Mukago's eyes blinked slowly, admiring the golden light that punctuated his blond hair that faded to red. His poignant kind eyes emblazoned with rustic fire smiling back at her.

She moved herself into his embrace, opting to hear his heartbeat as the only sound in her entire world. Kyojuro held her tightly, her ivory floral scent invading his nostrils as he opted to smell her white locks.

He let out a breath caressing her in his arms. And spoke what was on his mind.

"I love you, Mukago."

"I love you too." She looked up into his eyes. That same warm smile.

Kyojuro pulled her in one final time. The sweat and fluids and dull sensory overload dying in the wake of slumber setting over the summer sun. Mukago felt that same sensation of unconsciousness take her and she let go without hesitation.

The two lied unconscious together.

The mixture of white and blonde underneath the rays of light over them.

A fulfilled wish, summoned from a lifetime of being afraid, alone, forgotten.

A swordsman whose belief in family and himself brought strength.

And now…

A lifetime to protect her. Absent of demons and slayers.

A life wanting to be lived, and a Hashira never to be forgetten.