Moving on

Series: Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer)

Pairing: Kagome x Rengoku

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or series.


Determined decisions.

It would never cease to amaze him, that unique energy of hers. Each and every time that bright, pink light illuminated the night was just as wonderful as the girl herself, and that was something Kyoujuro was absolutely convinced of.

Only eighteen months ago, the Sound Hashira called for an emergency meeting in the Master's mansion with little to no explanation other than he had some flamboyant news everyone had to hear. No exceptions. Curiosity consumed him the very moment his eyes rested on that letter. Tengen liked to call attention to himself, but he was not irresponsible and wouldn't make up a fuss about something that could compromise their performances by making them waste time. Naturally, some of their more exuberant companions hadn't taken too well at the sight of the small slip of a girl cautiously peeking behind the former shinobi's form. The almost blond couldn't entirely blame their Wind Hashira for complaining in a not-so-polite voice that no one needed to hear about Tengen's new wife.

Luckily for him, Sanemi-san's loud protest had drowned his own comment and kept her from hearing him. Even now, the explosion that came out of the petite girl was still whispered between the Pillars. It was probably the only time he ever saw Ubuyashiki-sama at a genuine loss for words for a few seconds before letting out a soft laugh. No one expected what had apparently looked like a shy civilian take on who had to be their scariest-looking member with all the passion of a rampant fire. It was an unforgettable sight to see the young woman with her long, raven hair and bright blue eyes jump down to the garden and walk up to face the wind Hashira. Because who the hell did this guy think he was to judge someone else without even bothering to hear the other person's voice or what they had to say. Really, having manners and showing the tiniest bit of respect to others would not kill him. Truly, Higurashi Kagome knew how to make one memorable first impression. He had the sneaking suspicion that had Sanemi-san not been stunned, entirely frozen, Kyoujuro might've been forced to pull their excitable companion and stop him from attacking the newcomer. Yet, somehow, even that wasn't as shocking as hearing Tengen rush through an explanation as to just why meeting this girl was absolutely necessary to them.

Because this fragile-looking woman could kill demons without a nichirin sword.

Without any kind of weapon...

This time, the Master didn't waste any time taking control of the chaotic situation by demanding a more detailed explanation from their extravagant Pillar.

The story was hard to believe, too fanciful even for the god of carnivals.

A true-born miko, that's what Kagome-san called herself throughout her explanation. Someone with access to a well of spiritual energy, access that couldn't be taught, and allowed her to target anything that didn't fit into the human category.

Lost and looking for a way back home, the girl unknowingly walked inside an oni's hunting zone, a Lower moon demon's playground. Entirely blind to what she was fighting, the miko managed to deal considerable damage to the beast while keeping herself safe until the Sound Hashira crashed into the town and finished the fight. There had been no need to convince the unknown teen to follow, and a couple of weaker demons later, there was no doubt in either Tengen's or his wifes' mind just how effective Kagome-san's regular arrows were.

After one skeptical request for her to be dropped off inside their test grounds for a couple of days and an irritated agreement later, the Demon Slayer Corps had a new recruit.

One that knew almost nothing about the war they were fighting.

And despite that, when Ubuyashiki-sama offered their help to find a way back home, Kagome-san just shook her head, a sad smile on her face as she insisted that there was no need for that. There was no way for her to go back to where she came from. Not even with all the resources the Corps sported. Besides, this is the kind of thing a miko should help with.

Standard practices would not work in this situation. After the demonstration with their captured demons, no one could deny just how valuable a weapon the girl could become to their cause. There was a good chance Muzan would target her once he found out about her. Capable of standing on her own or not, she was still very much untrained. With Kanroji-chan entering the Hashira ranks, the spot for an apprentice was empty, and Kyoujuro didn't hesitate to step forward. He could tell the lost miko was a passionate person. Someone who held her duty with honor and her values would mesh well with the Corps; of course, he wanted to have the chance to teach her. His declaration was met with easy approval; for the last year, the Flame Hashira made sure to help the girl learn how to wield a sword and their breathing techniques. Because even if she wasn't suited to Flame breathing, it changed the fact that she needed to be constantly guarded by another Pillar, so the girl became his permanent target, despite being promoted to a Hashira a couple of months ago.

It was always such an extraordinary scene to observe this warm pink light brightening the night whenever they fought as if the sun came to illuminate the light. It made him feel like ending this war within his generation was very much a real possibility now that Kagome was here.

"Is everyone alright?!"

Bi-colored eyes looked down once more to assess the handful of lower-ranked slayers that had been pulled away from the fight against a demon too strong for them. Injuries were definitely visible, but they were all still alive and breathing. None looked life-threatening, though everyone looked awestruck at the sight of Kagome-san's unique power.

"We're all fine here," Kyoujuro replied.

The girl sighed in relief before kneeling to recover the tattered fabric the demon wore. It was an odd practice. One that wasn't well received by most of their companions and made him think of their late Flower Pillar, so similar to the way Kocho-san's compassion was so grand that it encompassed even the monsters they fought against. Not that anyone ever insisted on doing what Kagome-san did.

Because while the Kakushi would take care of burying the victims, no one would bother to do anything about the remains of the oni. No one but their Mercy Hashira, who would gather what was left of their enemies to make a grave for the humans we were too late to save.

It was the sort of logic most people within the Corps preferred not to stop to think about, the guilt of knowing that at some point, all the monsters they killed once were victims. But it was a thought Kagome refused to forget. Feeling pity for the demons was something Rengoku still couldn't bring himself to conjure, but he could understand that sort of mercy. And before long, it wasn't just the girl who did her best to find as much of the demon's remains as possible to offer the lost human a proper grave. With no need to dig deep, it only took a few minutes to make an appropriate memorial. It became a solemn moment for both of them.

"U-uhmm, thank you so much for saving us." The timid voice of one of the mizunoto sounded behind him.

"No need. Protecting others is what Hashiras are meant to do." Kyoujuro grinned; these were mostly new recruits, if he had to guess.

"Make sure to have those wounds checked out, alright?" At last, Kagome made her way back to the small group of slayers, a soft smile on her face. "That way, we can meet again later on."

"Ye-yes!"

It seemed like whatever bravery the inexperienced mizunoto conjured to talk to them had run out as the younger boy stammered off another thank you and ran off. A low laugh escaped him as he began to follow the girl on her search for a nice, secluded place to bury the demon's clothing.

"That was some nice motivation they just got."

"Hmmm..." the girl's eyes avoided his.

"You disagree?" he was pushing a little, but subtlety was never one of his strong suits. "What is wrong?"

"It's just...I feel like they're giving them too much credit." Her words were so soft that Kyoujuro almost couldn't hear them.

Oh...he supposed he should've seen this coming.

For all that, not even Sanemi ever doubted her capacity to fulfill the role of a Pillar, Kagome was always overly critical of herself. It wasn't just Flame breathing that she failed to master. After only a couple of months, it was evident the girl wasn't suited for his breathing style, and with Ubuyashiki-sama's encouragement, the miko cycled through the rest of the Hashiras in an attempt to find her style. All in vain. Despite being capable of maintaining Total concentration breathing without stopping, there was no denying her full potential hadn't been achieved yet. If not for her spiritual energy lacing her blade, Kagome likely wouldn't be able to cut off the neck of an even regularly strong demon.

These kinds of self-deprecating thoughts began popping up in her head every so often after she returned to his side. They were echoes of a past he'd yet to figure out.

Stopping with her underneath a pretty autumn sakura tree, Kyoujuro couldn't help but wonder for what felt like the hundredth time just what could've happened to chip away at her self-confidence so much. The girl who could stand her ground against a Lower moon demon when she didn't even know how to hold a sword and fearlessly talked back to their Wind Hashira without hesitating had been hurt enough to doubt herself to this degree.

"And here I thought their gratitude was quite controlled." Compared to how some others had expressed their gratitude, it really was a calm show of appreciation. "I'm still amazed when I see you fight."

"If I didn't have my reiki..."

"You'd still do your best to fight in the frontlines." It was something the Flame Hashira was absolutely confident of after this time spent together. "Even though you don't have to."

"Anyone else would do the same." Unsurprisingly, Kagome was still refusing to accept any praise.

"It is the duty of those who are born strong to protect the weak, but not everyone would." His voice was perhaps a bit too loud, but he didn't care. This was one place where he absolutely refused to back down. "You, who had no stakes in this fight, willingly jumped into the war and painted a target on yourself just to help people you haven't met. It's admirable."

"That's..." A lovely flush of red painted her cheeks.

"Even if that power is something you were born with, it was your decision to use it to help others. Mastery of a breathing style or not, it doesn't change that fact. I can see the fire that burns brightly inside your soul."

"...is it enough?"

Is it enough for me to earn this rank?

The words may not have been said, but Kyoujuro could hear them all the same. "We do our best to save as many people as we can...

"But there are only so many of us, and we can only hunt demons after someone has already fallen victim to them, but we still fight." To entirely escape regret in the lives they lived was impossible. "We push ourselves because we are the only ones who can face them. I see no difference between us."

It took a bit for him not to smile at the sight of the girl's embarrassed huff.

Mimicking her movements, the Flame Pillar knelt at her side, beginning the now familiar motions to dig a shallow grave. His gaze traveled back to her of its own volition.

The shadow that dulled her eyes was gone now, leaving behind the bright oceans of azure he'd come to associate with her. Her long, black hair fell in messy waves from the fight she'd just finished, framing her flushed cheeks. Their uniform suited her well enough, but he much preferred the bright red and white of the sakura-patterned haori Kagome wore as a coat. A gift from a friend, she once told him, while trying to explain why despite its apparently delicate fabric, the thing was just as resistant, if not studier, than the Corp's unique uniforms. In the end, her explanation didn't make much sense to him, but Kyoujuro found himself not really caring about its origins as long as it offered her that extra layer of protection.

Kagome was the Slayers' best shot against Muzan; throughout the last year and a half, the Flame Hashira had seen her bravely confront one demon after another, genuinely shed tears for the victims they couldn't help, and pick herself off the ground over and over again. He'd seen her frustration at failing to progress with her training, witnessed her losing her temper, and watched her self-doubt threaten to swallow her, only for Kagome to fight back and rise to the occasion, each and every time... And he was in love with her.

It probably took him far longer than it should for him to realize the fondness he felt for her was different from the sibling-like bond he'd created with Kanroji when the pink-haired Pillar was still his apprentice. But he'd been blinded by the admiration born from his observations about her sense of honor and kind heart. For all that they lived together, the two of them were always on the move, and his mind was often consumed by his own sense of duty, attempting to encourage his younger brother, or hunting the next oni. The priestess became his friend, his partner, someone he could trust with his life and the safety of the people they were meant to protect. And that bond became important enough to stop him from thinking about changing the nature of their relationship until about two weeks ago.

Higurashi Kagome was a friendly person.

Kyoujuro was well aware that, despite only meeting in person a handful of times, she and Kanroji kept a constant exchange of letters. It was less often, but she also wrote to Shinobu-san, Tengen and his wives to keep in contact. From her re-tellings, the girl had at least a decent relationship with more or less the rest of the Pillars, even the more antisocial ones...well, except for Sanemi-kun, he was confident one of these days, one of their confrontations would eventually come to blows.

Really, he shouldn't have been surprised to see her talking with Giyuu-san during the Hashira meeting two weeks ago, and yet, for some reason, the sight of Kagome while their grumpy Water Pillar actually bothered to keep up with the conversation irritated him. It was senseless and pointless because the priestess was a likable person. He should be happy that she could get along with most of their companions. Instead, his face had been marred by a noticeable enough frown to have Shinobu notice. With a sly smile and a soft giggle, the woman reassured her that the priestess held no secret feelings towards his fellow slayer. His protest had been noticed by Tengen, who was quick to insert himself in the conversation with a scoff, rebuking his arguments. Sure, their life occupation was outrageously risky, and the slightest distraction could spell disaster; but it was precisely that urgency that should convince him to make a move.

As much as he'd tried to, Kyoujuro was unable to argue against that. After all, the Flame Pillar had always endeavored to live a life he could be proud of, one he wouldn't regret when his fire went out.

"Kyoujuro?" Kagome's voice broke him out of his thoughts, her hands still clasped from the prayer she'd offered. "Is everything alright? Do you need to rest before we keep going?"

"No need. It's just that I've made a decision!"

"Huh?" The girl blinked, clearly confused. "Are we not going to go back to the estate anymore?"

"That we are! But that isn't the decision I've come to!"

It may be a bit forward, perhaps more than a little, and he felt confident most people would tell him to slow down. Admittedly, it may be proper advice if he could already hear Shinobu reprimand him and deliver a sermon about appropriate settings and good timing, but Kyoujuro wanted his intentions to be crystal clear. There would be no space for self-doubt to cause potential troubles. Besides, he'd always been a direct person.

"Kagome!" He turned, taking Kagome's hands into his own.

"Y-yes?"

"Please, marry me!"

Silence fell upon the clearing, and he could see the surprise in her bright blue eyes while his words fully registered. "W-what?!"

"I don't mean right now, of course, there are too many things we need to take care of, and the decision is yours and yours alone." His smile softened a little as he pushed through with his confession. "But I wanted to make my feelings and my intentions known."

"Y-your feelings as in..."

"I'm in love with you."

It was a simple statement, one that carried the whole weight of his emotions.

He couldn't help but smile at the crimson that flushed her cheeks as soon as the words left his lips. Not only was it adorable, but it also gave him some hope. Women who got into the ranks tended to be particular about relationships. Many, like Shinobu, had no time to spare for romantic endeavors, others refused to get involved with fellow slayers since there was no guarantee of survival, and occasionally, there were those like Kanroji, who actively looked for a partner. The exception to the rule. As for Kagome, not once had he heard her opinion about it, but letting insecurities stop his words would not help him.

"I-i...marriage is a bit," she stammered, her gaze couldn't leave his.

"We can go as slow or as fast as you'd like." Persistent as he was, Kyoujuro wasn't about to force her into agreeing. "As long as you're not opposed to it, of course."

"I'm not!" Finally, the priestess pushed through her shock. "I'm not opposed to it. But, are you sure...I'm not..."

"There is no one I could even consider other than you," Kyoujuro said, determined to get rid of her doubts. A genuine rejection, the Flame Pillar could accept, but not one that was borne because of her skewed views of her self-worth. "When we fight, we do so in the middle of the night, with nothing but darkness around us. But when I'm with you, it's like the night itself lights up. It's not your reiki that chases away the dark, but it's how bright the flame in your heart burns. It reassures those at your side and calms those we save in the aftermath; that's what I fell in love with."

"...not fair..." For the first time, her gaze left his. "I can't think clearly with you looking at me like that."

"Ah!" Crap, maybe he'd been too forward. "It's fine if you don't..."

"I do!" Her grip around his tightened as she looked straight at him once more. "I do really...feel for you." Her face was flaming, but it was evident that she was doing her best to speak clearly. "Let's just take our time to get there, though."

Yes, he'd charged forward, but it was one decision he would never regret.

With both of them being such prominent figures in this war, the risk of death was insanely high. It was far more common for slayers to look for civilians, people who'd remain far away from the fight to save themselves that would come from tragedy. Hell, even when a partner's death was not related to demons, it could be devastating. His mother's death almost destroyed his father out of heartbreak alone. Whoever was left behind would suffer even more now that the nature of their relationship changed, but looking at the flushed cheeks and genuine smile on Kagome's face, there was no choice but to keep going forward. No way to ignore his own feelings anymore. Because no matter what it took, he would do anything and everything to protect the happiness he could see now.

"But...I feel like I have to ask," Kagome asked, amusement beginning to color her voice. "Why did you choose to do this...well, here?"

The girl made a vague motion with her hand to signal the place around them.

All in all, despite this was an improvised confession, this little spot was not that bad. Dry orange leaves covered most of the ground, and many of the trees around them still managed to maintain a good percentage of their foliage, painting their surroundings in reddish tones that looked ablaze now that the sun was starting to peek through the horizon. Objectively speaking, it wasn't that bad, but the question probably had more to do with the fact that just moments ago, they'd finished burying the remains of an oni than anything else.

"That's because I made my choice when I watched you." There was no hesitation in his answer.

"When you watched me...pray?" Yes, she was definitely amused now.

"When I watched your compassion."

"You..."

It was little more than the whisper of a touch, a slight caress that lasted less than a heartbeat after the girl laughed and brought her lips to her in a flash. If not for the renewed blush adorning her cheeks, Kyoujuro wouldn't have been able to believe what had just happened. Heat rushed to his face as he looked at the still-smiling young woman who'd pulled the rug under him.

"Come on then," she said, pulling him with her. "If we leave now, we can reach the next town before noon and take a break."

A/N: And here is something to get back into the swing of things now that my exam week is finally over.

As always, thank you guys so much for reading, and any and all review/comment/criticism is greatly appreciated.