A/N: Bruh, the Kamaboko Squad bouta be larger than life. I can already imagine Minoru and Inosuke butting heads. Oh, and let's not forget Genya. Or Zenitsu. God forbid we forget about these 4. They'll be arguing for days on end. Then, Zenitsu would go full-on sailor on those hoes-gosh, the chaos is imminent.

I hope you people enjoy it. Pain, suffering, and struggle go into all chapters-appreciate my work, or I'll die a horrible death. I'm kidding, I swear. Enjoy!

(*This takes place before Zenitsu's Final Selection.*)

"Murata-kun, I have come with paper and pen, just like you asked!" Abiko-san handed the teen both things before taking a bow.

"Oh! Thank you, Abiko-san!" He bowed his head in gratitude.

"You're very welcome. I will have breakfast done shortly. You can get it when you're ready."

The teen nodded, bowing his head one more time. The woman only smiled, leaving him alone with his thoughts and paper.

'Right. I-I should write a letter to Zenitsu! He might not have passed Final Selection yet, but I can try just in case! I should write one to Hanae too!'

Hanae had already left the wisteria house, having been called to a mission two months into healing. She apologetic for having to leave so soon, but duty is duty. They both know that.

He began to write.

"Dear Zenitsu"

And then he's stumped. What should he tell him? Hello, Zenitsu, I'm your universal bond mate, and we should work together!

That's not that bad of a thing to write, actually.

'Whatever. Just write something already! Doesn't matter what it is...'

"Dear Zenitsu,

It's Murata here! How are you doing? I'm doing...okay. I've saved a person! How cool is that? I also told her all about this time-travel stuff. She handled it pretty well...I hope you're taking this well, too.

I almost died when I came to. If I hadn't tripped, I would be gone! Ha, funny, isn't it? To die so quickly after getting a second chance...

Well...we should meet up somehow! All three of us. We should talk about strategy and stuff. We need a plan, right? A method would be helpful.

I hope you're well. Write to me as soon as you can! I want to see you. I mean...we died together! We're Universal Bond Mates! That makes sense-I just would like to see you, y'know?

Sincerely,

Murata"

He smiled at his work, placing the pen back into the ink pot. He'd send it when Mochi got word of whether he got into the Corps yet. Hopefully, that'd be soon!

He missed the blond. He hardly spent time with him, yet he still felt...a bond with him. Of course, he did-they're Universal Bond Mates!

Didn't make him miss him any less.

(*Present Day, Which Is A Small Amount Before Zenitsu Has The Mansion Mission*)

Murata glanced at the sky. The sun was going down, painting it in a display of warm colors. The night will be here shortly, the demon following suit.

It's been months since he left the wisteria house. He had healed nicely, thanking Abiko-san at least a hundred times before he departed. The mission he was led to was easy and gave him a break from terribly life-threatening situations. His life was still threatened, of course, just less than before. He was also still waiting on Zenitsu for that letter.

Now, he was investigating the rumors of "ghosts" roaming a village at night. Some say it's one-others say it's multiple. Whichever it may be, whoever dares to wander the streets at night, gets killed.

Or rather, eaten.

Other slayers have disappeared when going here. So this time, the Corps decided to send Murata and 2 other people with him. They were new slayers, by the looks of it.

Both were boys, one hot-headed, the other boisterously loud.

They kinda pissed him off.

"Kenta, I swear to god, if you don't shut up, I'll kill you."

"Haha! No need to worry, my friend! Even if the demon finds us due to I, I'll protect you!

"I don't need your fucking protection!"

"No need to be embarrassed Minoru, slayers are allowed to be scared!"

"I'll kill you!"

"Okay, I barely know you people, but I think it's best if you both be quiet before we draw too much attention to ourselves." Murata sighed. "So please, be quiet."

The brunette, Minoru, sneered. "Hah?! You tryin' start somethin'?"

The coal-eyed man's eye twitched. "I have a higher rank than you, so you better respect me. I'm only telling you to be quiet-"

"So you are trying to start something! I'll kill you!"

"Don't talk about killing like that!"

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"I'm older than you!"

"So?!"

"I'm more experienced, so listen, you brat!"

"Fucking hoe!"

"What are you even talking about anymore?!"

"You!"

"What's wrong with people these days?!"

"Funny coming from you!"

"What does that even mean?!"

"Quiet."

Both slayers' mouths shut at the command. Turning around, they found it was Kenta who had spoken.

"The demon's here." He spoke quietly and coolly, the complete opposite of the way he was before. He was practically a whole new person.

All three boys unsheathed their swords, senses frantically searching for the offensive being. They moved closer, backs together, forming some sort of triangle.

Murata heard the demon before he saw it. It wasn't anything loud-only the soft sound of air, and the crunch of gravel. He moved backward when he felt the rush of air in front of him. He slashed, and the demon appeared. Its arm fell to the floor as it hissed in pain before disappearing once more.

Before it disappeared, all three slayers were able to see its appearance. It was beautiful, with pink eyes, and purple hair. It hung in curls over its shoulders, framing its delicate face. Large, purple eyelashes hung over her eyes, making the bright pink eyes and black sclera pop.

Her clothes were a beauty, as she wore a black sakura blossom kimono. The bottom seemed to have been cut short.

The arm he had cut began to disintegrate, showcasing manicured nails, and an incredibly detailed kimono sleeve.

"What the fuck," Minoru breathed out.

"We're dealing with an invisible demon. That's why people claimed it was a "ghost". It makes sense, considering what Ryuu-kun told us."

Tick, tick, tick, tick. The closer the teen got to the town, the louder his pocket watch ticked. Abiko-san had found it in his uniform and returned it to him before he'd left. He effectively ignored it, as it always did this. Mainly whenever something that hadn't happened last time happened now. Yet, no one ever mentioned it whenever he went on joint missions. Was he the only one who could hear it? If so-why?

Was the watch magic or something?

...

'So this is the place...'

Murata looked around, watching as people hurriedly walked passed him. Anytime someone saw him, they'd scramble away, whispering fearfully among each other. They probably recognized his uniform.

Supposedly 2 other slayers of a lower rank were here with him. His eyes darted around the market, searching for clothing similar to his. He spotted them, on the other side, talking to a merchant. The teen began to speedwalk his way there, ignoring the strange looks people gave him (and the loud ticking in his ears).

"Hey," he called. The two slayers turned-one scowling, the other giving him an endearing, lopsided grin.

"Ah! I presume you're the higher rank we're to work with?"

"Yeah-"

A rough pat on the shoulder interrupted him. "I'm Kenta Akashiro! This adorable menace-"

"What the fuck-" The adorable menace looked disgusted.

"-is Minoru Etou!"

Murata was already tired of these people. "Um, nice to meet you guys. I'm, uh, Murata."

The brown-haired teen scoffed. "No last name to give us, huh?"

The teen's eyes narrowed. "Well-not really-"

"Great! Well, Murata-san, we've already found someone to tell us about the "ghost"!"

"Do you have to yell...?"

"HAHA!"

The brunette cringed away from the loud laugh, already wishing to have been put on a different mission. Preferably as far away from them as possible. But, alas, that was not the case.

...

"Well, my girlfriend was the one to first tell me about the rumors." Ryuu, the one person willing to give them information, began.

They had met his girlfriend at the market: who was helping her father sell fruits. She had heard what Kenta and Minoru were saying (everyone did) and told them she knew someone who could give them more information. The three (more like two) talked, and then Murata came up.

The girl brought them to his home, telling them to be very quiet. They sneaked in and reached the boy's room.

He lived there with his parents, but they were out. The teen had told the three that they didn't condone people like them-hunting "ghosts," "monsters," and "demons" when they didn't exist.

"My friend, Takeshi, didn't believe them. He wanted to prove that-and so he went out at night. I went with him, despite my parents telling me not to. Yet, even as they tell me they don't believe the rumors either-I know they do. My curfew was 7:00 instead of 9:00, and my parents never go out at night either."

"Those are some fucking bullshit parents you have," Minoru muttered. That earned him a smack to the back of the head by Kenta, whose goofy grin didn't falter in the slightest.

"We went an hour before sunrise due to my insistence. We were wandering for 30 minutes when it happened. Everything just turned...oddly silent. I said we should probably go home, but Takeshi didn't listen. He just told me off.

While he was, suddenly...his..." Tears filled the boy's eyes. He hiccuped. "H-his HEAD was just...GONE. It rolled right at my feet. An invisible force just...savagely trashed his body a-and-"

The teen choked on his spit as he cried. Murata reached over, patting him on the back. Despite how awkward it was to watch him cry, he rubbed soothing circles on his back.

"S-sorry..." Ryuu's voice cracked. "I ran. It chased after me for a bit, slashing my leg. I tripped, breaking my nose in the process. It clawed at my leg for a while until the sun came up.

That's when I saw her. She was absolutely beautiful. The most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, and the sun was burning it. And then-it-she was gone.

The boy lifted his blanket, revealing his bandaged leg. "It left me crippled. My parents don't let me go out anymore.

Can't have crappy parents with bullshit curfews when you can't even get up."

The red-wood-eyed teen grunted out an apology before turning away.

Murata continued comforting the boy as they asked him a few questions. He answered, giving them helpful information, but nothing really as important as the story itself.

'Just what kind of demon are we dealing with here?'

The trio listened and looked for any shifts in the air. Kenta, this time, heard it first. He moved Minoru out of the way, feeling a gust of wind coming from where the boy just was.

"T-thanks."

"Mhm. Be careful-it's a strong one."

"Yeah, yeah..."

They went back to searching for a disturbance. It happened once more, this time down low. It slashed Murata's calf, leaving four shallow claw marks-he had heard the tell-tale sound of rocks and moved back enough to only catch the brink of the attack.

He hissed at the pain, cursing inwardly.

'Fuck, that hurt.'

"Are you alright, Murata-san?" Kenta asked worriedly.

" 'M fine."

They continued on. It's really only much of a one-sided battle. The demon would hit them, they'd regain their bearings, then go back to searching.

Minoru had a wound that rendered his right arm almost useless. Instead of slashing it, the demon only smacked it, dislocating his shoulder. He effortlessly popped it back into its socket, but it hurt too much to move. The teen almost collapsed-having to take a (short; by Minoru's insistence) break.

Murata had a pretty bad head wound, dripping blood into his eyes. His vision was red, making him practically blind. His head pounded with the pain of the injury, a headache coming on. The demon had also attacked his shoulder-clawing at it rather than smacking it.

Kenta was the least injured of the three. Most of his cuts were shallow- the only injury he had that made him slightly disabled was a large bruise on his cheek, where the demon had hit him.

'Come on, we just have to hit it again and kill it! Or do we have to battle it to sunrise?'

He took a moment to glance at the pocket watch attached to his belt (despite the blood in his gaze). It's been around one hour since sunset-they still had plenty of time until they'd see the sun again.

'How the hell are we supposed to defeat this thing?! Why is it so fast?! Are we going to die already?!'

He once again sliced widely at the air in front of him. He hit nothing. The demon had already learned not to underestimate their speed and went faster. It dodged every attack sent its way. Even when they heard the crunch of gravel, they weren't fast enough.

'We're too close together to use much breathing techniques without there being friendly fire...'

Murata looked towards the lower ranks. He jerked his head in the direction he wanted them to go and made a spread-out motion with his fingers. They both nodded before putting this semblance of a plan in motion.

Shizuka had watched from the shadows as the slayers wandered aimlessly through the streets, fighting over nothing. People always fought over nothing. They were always so loud-while Shizuka was silent. She was always hushed.

That's why so many people had died in her hands. People who were too confident, people who were too loud-or just people who crossed her path as she had a hunger to sate. The demon slayers were annoying-always noisy and confident. Bragging about strong they were-how weak she was.

They didn't live for long. None of them did.

This group was...different. They held on despite how fast she went, how much strength and anger went into hits. The ginger-headed boy was the loudest of them all, yet he was the one with the least amount of injuries.

The confident one was heavily injured, yes, but he didn't even care. He'd hiss in pain, cursing under his breath, and then go back to searching. He popped his shoulder blade back in its socket like it was nothing! Even as it hung, useless against his body, he still swung his sword!

Maybe this group wasn't like the others. They were just as loud-but weren't as toxic. Maybe she'd just let the other two live-better yet, turn them! The older one, though?

He could die.

...

The older had come up with some sort of plan. It was a stupid one-they all split up. Did he really think they could take her, separated, head-on? No-that was impossible. Shizuka had learned long ago that her silence was power. Her invisibility was power.

They had too much trust in one another. People were always so trusting. That's what got them killed. She crippled a boy because he trusted his friend. He trusted that they wouldn't get hurt.

The boy's friend is dead now-decapitated in front of him. She rendered the boy's left leg useless. This is what trust got you. Trust was nothing but a lie.

She'd trusted long ago and almost died. Thank goodness Muzan-sama was there to pick her up from the dirt, dust her off, and give her everything she'd ever wanted.

Her invisibility turned out to be her greatest weapon. The shadows welcomed her, an old friend from long ago. Her uselessness wasn't useless anymore. It was power.

She'd kill them before they took that power away from her.

Shizuka aimed for the raven-haired boy first. Blood was in his eyes, so he was practically blind. That left only 2 more senses for him to use-hearing and feeling. She could work with that.

The demon aimed down low, swiping at his legs. As she made the shallow cut on his calf deeper, she could hear the choked scream he held back. If he had let it out, she might have taken pity on him. But he didn't, so she continued with no mercy to spare.

She could see the wheels turning in his brain. He was searching for something in his mind. Whatever it was, she didn't care, as she grabbed both of his legs.

She meant to force him to the ground, but she had no time to, as she heard a voice say:

"San no kata: Kien Banshō (Third Form: Blazing Universe)."

Her arms detached by the elbow as a sword cut them off. The demon screeched in agony-the pain forcing her appearance. She looked wide-eyed at the culprit behind her hurt, seeing red-orange hair and coal eyes.

"You brat!" She screamed, using her speed to dodge the blade coming towards her neck. She disappeared, stumbling onto her feet using her stumpy, bleeding arms. It will take a while for her arms to regenerate again, leaving her vulnerable to an attack.

Well, vulnerable, if they knew where she was.

Shizuka prided herself on being patient, quiet, and calm-yet whenever she was met with a challenge, all of her virtues fell away, revealing her true self; a lying, hypocritical coward.

She ran away, not bothering to make her footsteps light in her rage. All three slayers could see and hear the gravel crunch beneath her feet. She was vulnerable, too pissed off to realize.

'Stupid brats! They were supposed to be weak! I was gonna turn them! Now, I'll just have to kill them all!'

She noticed just in time, though, a person running up to her, sword raised. The teen stopped near her, bringing his sword down to the right.

"Ni no Kata: Sōsō-Shinata Kaze (Second Form: Claws-Purifying Wind)!"

"G-gah!" She fell to the ground. The demon could only stare, dumbfoundedly at her back, blood seeping through her clothes. The pink sakura blossom design slowly turned red.

"AGH!" Her body became hot-burning with uncontrollable rage. She couldn't believe them. She was Shizuka, Demon of the Shadows, Master of Silence! How the hell had they managed to render her so...so weak?

She couldn't go back to being useless. Her silence and her invisibility-they were power. She couldn't go back to the way it was. She couldn't-never again.

'Muzan-sama trusted me...he trusts me with his blood-I'm special. He noticed my uselessness and helped me turn it into strength. He gave me this blood demon art! I-I was going to get stronger! I want to become a lower moon! How...how can I with these brats in the way?!'

Shizuka struggled to her feet, her stubs of arms nowhere near regenerated. Her back stopped bleeding, the cut slowly healing itself. She's sure if the teen hadn't had a hurt arm, he would have been able to nearly cut her in half.

The demon tried to collect her bearings. She couldn't let her anger control her. She was a calm, quiet demon, right? So that's what she had to be. Forget her anger-just be calm and silent-

"Hey! Demon! Where the hell do you think you're going?" The brunette yelled.

'Just ignore him. Keep walking-keep walking. You have plenty of time to kill him.'

"Running away, are you? Haha, that's not a great look for you, I'd think!" The bastard ginger grinned, eyes scanning her general area. He was trying to look for her, but she wouldn't give him that.

'You can kill him too. You'll be fine...'

"You were so confident earlier. What happened? Are you just...scared?"

The teen didn't just say that, did he? The one teen who hardly landed a hit on her. The one teen who almost screamed because of her. He's calling her scared?

She stared at the raven hair. His eyes were closed, blood covering the lids. He was leaning on the ginger, putting all of his weight on the uninjured leg. He was covered in cuts and bruises, all of which she inflicted. The only cut he hit her with had already healed.

He was useless almost the whole fight, and now he's calling her scared? He's the scared one! Not Shizuka! Never Shizuka! How fucking dare he!

All Shizuka could see was red, then, the next thing she knows, words are being said, and a blade was connected to her neck.

"Ni no kata: Nobori En Ten (Second Form: Rising Scorching Sun)."

The red gave way to the sky, and her cheek hit the ground. She took in the sight before her. The brown-haired slayer was supporting the older one, saying words to the ginger she couldn't hear. She could only hear the clink of metal as he sheathed his sword.

He decapitated her.

She was dying.

What?

"This is so unfair! I'm not supposed to die! I'm SPECIAL! He said so! WAHHHHHH!" She began to let out screeching sobs. Shizuka didn't want to die. Not when she still had cowards to kill. Not when she still had things to do.

She stared at the three faces before her. One with an unmoving grin, another scowling, and the last looked at her with pity. His eyes weren't open, but Shizuka could see his eyebrows furrow, and his mouth turn downward.

He was sad for her.

Tears slipped down her cheeks. He tried to kill her, and she tried to kill him. Yet somehow he looked uncomfortable watching her cry. She might be reading too much into this, but...she'd rather die being pitied than slapped around.

Maybe dying isn't so bad.

"Haha, dear friends! We have reached our goal! The demon has been slain!" Kenta laughed vociferously.

"If you don't shut up, I'll kill you."

"No need for such violent words, Minoru!"

"I'll say what I want!"

"Haha! Indeed!"

Murata disregarded their antics, mind focusing on the demon. He was confused at the way his heart clenched when he heard its screams. It was a demon-why would he pity such a terrible creature?

Part of him wished he had opened his eyes in its final moments, but it was hard to. His cut was still bleeding, and his eyelids were crusted with dried blood. He felt astronomically dizzy.

Blood was everywhere. The demon's blood disintegrated along with the body, but their blood was still coating the ground. The teen was sure his blood was about, considering how much his head pounded.

He had dealt with blood loss before. That's how he died!

"-urata-san! -rata-san!"

'Is someone saying something...?'

"Oi, Murata, wake up!"

His eyes snapped open. When did he close them? Why were they crusted over with blood again? He turned towards the voice.

Minoru stared back at him. He vaguely noticed that the teen was holding him up. When he tried to lean off him, though, he started to fall backward.

"Woah, there! Careful, Murata-san! Don't want to make that head wound worse, now would we?" Kenta caught him, gently leading him to the ground. He sat, leaning his head on Minoru's, who sat next to him.

"Oi! The fuck?! Get off me!"

"No...'M tired..."

The younger only huffed. He didn't say a word when Murata slid an arm around his shoulder (ignoring the hiss of pain) and started talking to him like he was an old friend.

"Heyyy, Minoru...did I ever tell you how pretty your eyes were...?" He slurred, feeling like a drunken man as a confused haze went over his brain.

The teen stiffened at his words. "Fuck off."

"Ha ha, you think I'm hitting on you...? 'Course I'm not...Just a compliment..."

'I'm so tired...'

"Oi! Don't fucking fall asleep-we need to get up and get help, dumbass!"

'But I'm tired...'

He watched as Minoru and Kenta led him to stand, vaguely helping them out. The ginger supported him, and they began a slow trek back towards Ryuu's home.

The teen's mother gasped when she opened the door.

Kenta gave her no time to speak. "Hello, Miss! I apologize for the intrusion! We were just wondering if we could stay the night...?"

The woman, flabbergasted, stuttered out a yes, before letting them inside. She seemed too worried about them to care that they were getting blood all over her floor.

"Woahhh...what a nice house..." Murata giggled to himself, forgetting that he'd already been here. "Too bad we're getting blood everywhere..."

"Who's blood...is it?" Ryuu's mother was hesitant to ask.

"Ha...only ours, that's for sure..."

Minoru rolled his eyes, before reaching over and taking Murata from Kenta's grip. He nodded at him, and the ginger began to speak.

"I am Kenta Akashiro. My friends over here are Minoru Akashiro," the brunette gave a weak nod, "and Murata."

"We apologize for intruding into your lovely home! We just need someplace to stay for the night, and then we'll be out of your hair!"

"You're the people Ryuu mentioned, correct?"

The raven-hair teen watched as his surprise took over his teammate's face. The shock didn't affect Kenta for long, as his usual wonky grin came on and said: "Indeed!"

"Well-so-did you...eradicate the ghost...?"

"No, of course not-we just beat each other up for fun-"

"No need to be rude, Minoru! And yes, Miss, we have indeed slain the ghost!"

The woman let out a loud sigh. "Thank goodness! Ryuu will be happy to hear that. He's always been having nightmares about his friend, and knowing that it's gone should help ease his fears."

She smiled kindly at them. "Thank you, dears, for helping this town."

Murata giggled again. "Ooof courseee...we'reee GLAAAD to help..."

Her smile melted into a frown. "Is he okay?"

Minoru grimaced as the older began to playfully tug at his hair. "He's lost a lot of blood."

"Wait here-I'll get the first aid kit!" Ryuu's mother hurried off down a corridor, leaving them alone with their wounds and their thoughts.

"Soo... demons, am I right?"

Kenta let out a loud laugh. "Yes, Murata-san. Demons indeed."

The younger brunette only rolled his eyes before slapping the older's hand away from his hair. "Small talk really isn't your fucking thing, is it?"

"Hahahaha, maybe..."

"You're such a weirdo."

"I'm a nice weirdo, though...!"

"You really fucking not."

"Nahh...You guys love me...right, Kenta?"

"Haha, you are correct!"

"Fucking speak for yourself, redhead."

As they bickered, the mother came back out with the kit in hand. She helped them clean their wounds, wrap them up, and dealt with Minoru's dislocated shoulder.

After a hearty meal, she led them to the guest room to rest. Murata was the first to fall asleep, Minoru following shortly afterward (despite the pain in his arm). They both suffered from blood loss, and it was a miracle they managed to stay conscious this whole time.

Kenta, on the other hand, was still awake and talking to Ryuu's mother.

They were drinking tea in the kitchen, looking out the window at the night sky...

"Mrs. Natsugawa, how did you know so much about taking care of wounds?"

The woman paused; "Ah...I used to be a doctor."

Kenta smiled; "That makes sense! Being a doctor is a very respectable career, and of course, a woman like you would!

It would be odd if such a kind, gentle, and respectable personality did not have a job to suit!"

Mrs. Natsugawa giggled lightly at the teen's antics before half-heartedly shushing him.

"The others are sleeping, Kenta!"

"Right! Apologies, Mrs. Natsugawa!"

"Shh!" She laughed as she tried to quiet him down. She gave him a warm smile; "Call me Kiku."

"Of course, Kiku-san!"

The woman sighed exasperatedly at his loudness.

...

"Caw, caw!"

Murata made his way out to the engawa of Wisteria House at the call. "Mochi!"

His crow landed on his outstretched hand, a letter tied to her leg. He smiled giddily, ruffling the feathers on her head. "Thanks, Mochi!" The crow cawed happily, letting the young man untie the letter.

"Murata, you dumbass, why the hell are you walking out here by yourself?" Minoru stood in the doorway to the engawa and glared.

Murata rolled his eyes. "I can walk myself. And, besides, it's not like your any better-"

"I have a dislocated shoulder, idiot."

"Whatever."

The brunette rolled his eyes again. Of course, Minoru had to come along a ruin the good mood he was in. What a rude person he was.

"HAHAHAHA, MURATA-SAN! Who is the letter from?"

A certain vociferously loud ginger crept up behind Minoru and scared the shit out of him.

"KENTA WHAT THE FUCK-"

"Haha!"

Murata just shook his head as they started to bicker. He let Mochi fly away before sitting down on the wooden engawa. He unraveled the letter and ignored the two teens looking over his shoulder. He hardly had a chance to start reading before Kenta was shouting again.

"AH! It's a letter from our friend, Zenitsu-san!"

"Wait-you know Zenitsu?"

The red-wood-eyed teen scoffed while the redhead nodded vigorously. "Indeed! He saved my sister and me during Final Selection and did the same for Minoru!"

"I didn't fucking need his help-"

"Haha! It is okay to admit weakness, Minoru!"

"Shut up!"

"I apologize, but I cannot do so! Murata-san and I are having a conversation! It would be rude if I stopped talking in the middle of it!"

"You're always talking, dumbass!"

"Haha! That is quite true indeed!"

Murata felt a vein throb in his temple. Did these two always have to fight? Couldn't they be normal for once?

He let them fight as he took the time to read the letter.

...

Dear Murata,

I'm so glad you contacted me! I met another person who was sent back! Genya Shinazugawa-a friend of mine. We really need to meet-not sure how or when, but we should!

Keep in contact! We have a lot to talk about.

Zenitsu

...

I met another person who was sent back!

He met another person who was sent back.

Genya Shinazugawa-someone he vaguely remembered during Hashira training. They hardly talked-but when they did, the younger was quite rude.

Was he really one of the people sent back? Did-did he die like him and Zenitsu?

Murata clutched the paper tightly in his hands. Three of six. Three of the six people sent back were working together.

His eyes burned with unshed tears. Would they actually be able to do this? Were-were they actually able to save the timeline...?

The young man began to laugh, despair and joy mixing together and echoing in the sound. The held-back tears flowed out.

The sound made Kenta and Minoru stop fighting and turn towards him.

Neither knew how to feel at seeing someone with a higher rank laugh hysterically, crying as he stared down at the letter in his hands.

A/N: While I was in the middle of writing this chapter, I learned that my father was in a coma. If I don't update as frequently, either this is the problem, I'm dead (lol), or I'm just lazy. If I'm honest, I don't feel too sad. I haven't cried. I don't like crying so I just...don't. Welp, life sucks, people die, I'll cry sometime, yadda, yadda, yadda, blah, blah, blah. Whatever.

(Edit: I added to the chapter, and learned that he didn't make it. Again-I haven't cried. Well, I have, but I force myself not to. I don't like crying.)

Fucking hell, my life sucks. I swear, one of these days, I'm gonna have a whole mental breakdown and fucking explode. I swear on absolute god I will.