"I wasn't born a demon," Douma said the next night when he visited Gyutaro. "I was chosen by his Lordship."

In actuality, Muzan had been angry and pumped him full of blood hoping to kill him as he mocked Douma's status. He had stopped when Douma was shown to have the ability to take more blood than an average person. He had zero hopes for Douma's strength, then Douma had become the third strongest demon in the world just because he had nothing better to do.

Honestly, that probably made Muzan even angrier.

"Who?"

"We are forbidden to say his name," Douma said. "It's quite silly. Maybe he's shy?" Or scared. Oops, did he think that out loud? "Strong demons such as myself have the ability to give our blood to humans to turn them into demons. Ultimately, it's his Lordship who decides whether the transformation will occur."

"How does he decide?"

"I have my theories," Douma said. "…It'd be best not to share. I haven't transformed anyone yet, but I have a good feeling about you and Ume."

"What happens if he doesn't choose us?"

"Ah. Um, you'll probably die?"

Gyutaro frowned. "No. No way, I'm not taking that chance."

Douma pouted. "Aw! Hold on, I really think you'll be chosen! He doesn't let just anyone turn other people into demons you know! My decision has weight in this!"

"Being hunted by demon slayers sounds awful."

"It's really not that bad, Gyutaro! All your ailments are healed, you'll never get sick again and you live forever! His Lordship must be over a thousand years by now and I know others who are over thr- two hundred! Won't you consider it?"

"Things are really looking up for me and Ume," Gyutaro said. "I'd rather keep things going on this path. Ume has a future here, I know she does. I just need to give her a good start."

"Beginnings don't matter when you're a demon! You can start over and over again! How many times do you think I've restarted my cult?" It had to have been at least six times in the original timeline by this point. Only once in this timeline so far since he had better control.

Gyutaro gave him an odd look, then shook his head with a sigh. "Are you going back to your temple?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Turning us into demons is the reason you stayed, isn't it?"

Perhaps Gyutaro was smarter than he thought.

"It is the main reason, yes."

"We're staying human."

That was it then. Douma would have to change the siblings against their will. He sighed and tapped his fan against his temple. How unfortunate.

"Gyutaro!"

Both turned their heads to the doorway where Ume burst in, arms holding a wrapped bundle. She looked excited and unwrapped it, picking out a handful of something small and round and shoving it in Gyutaro's mouth, then turning around quickly and shoving more into Douma's hand that had gone up to protect his neck instinctively. He had to drop his fan to cup his hands together and prevent her gift from falling to the floor and scattering.

As Gyutaro choked, Douma stared down at his palms full of colorful sugar.

"Kompeito!" Ume said. She looked like she wanted to toss them in the air like confetti. "When I was looking around the rich district I saw some glass jars of them. All I had to do was bat my eyelashes and some boys just handed them to me!"

Gyutaro coughed and hacked harder, he refused to actually spit any of them up though.

Douma, meanwhile, moved them to one hand and plucked one up to admire the color and shine of the sweet.

"What, you don't like it?" Ume asked. One of her cheeks was stuffed as she spoke.

"I can't eat this," Douma said faintly. He shook his head and smiled. "I have more than enough sweets at home, Ume! Please, keep these for yourself! Enjoy them!"

She shrugged and held the jar out so he could put them back in.

Gyutaro finally managed to either crunch through the candy or swallow them whole and he scowled. "Were you trying to kill me?"

For a brief moment, Douma imagined the reason he would turn Gyutaro into a demon was because his life was threatened by candy. He hid his laugh, but Gyutaro seemed to have sensed it anyway judging by the narrowed eyes in his direction.

"I bet I can get other men to do things I want," Ume said. "I thought it was only here but if the rich district is the same, I can probably get a lot of good stuff."

Gyutaro frowned. "I don't like the idea of you wandering around alone. The last time you had a rich client was the samurai."

"Then Douma can go with me! Right, Douma? You fit in there!"

"I live there," Douma corrected with a short laugh. He blinked. "Oh, you want me with you?"

Gyutaro scowled. "I can go too, just wait for me to finish work."

"You want me to go with you?" Douma asked again. "Really?"

Ume nodded. "Yeah! Gyutaro scares everyone off 'cause he thinks its funny."

"It's hilarious."

"I'd love to accompany you!" Douma said quickly. "Don't worry, Gyutaro! I'll make sure she stays safe!"

He leaned over and ruffled their hair, causing both to immediately squawk and retreat.

He laughed. "When do you want to go? Do you want to go now? The night is still young!"

Ume flattened her hair and yawned. "No, I'm going to go to bed. Maybe tomorrow morning?"

Douma's smile twitched. "Ah. I'm not available in the daytime."

"Afternoon?"

"Sunlight and I do not get along," Douma said. "It's a special condition I have."

Gyutaro gave him a dirty glare. Douma might have left that part out when he was talking about becoming a demon. Ume was still unaware of what Douma was, but he suspected she would be told soon.

Ume looked surprised. "So that's why you always barge in at night, huh. I guess tomorrow night is ok." She smirked. "I get to sleep in!"

It'd be rude to interrupt their plans by turning the siblings into demons right now.

It wasn't a 'but,' he reasoned. It was just not time yet.


Douma collected Ume almost as soon as the sun disappeared over the treeline. She had clearly attempted to clean her clothes and brush her hair before going out so he made a mental note to buy both siblings something new to wear. He hadn't gone shopping in decades.

As soon as they made it to the edge of the rich district, Ume darted in front of him and stomped her foot.

"Douma, you're going to sell me!"

Douma almost dropped his fan. He stared at his hand, briefly wondering if he'd somehow been poisoned. Why else would his muscle have spasmed like so?

"Eh? Sell you? Ume, I don't own you," he said. "If I did, I wouldn't have been paying for your company for the past few weeks!"

Her hand gripped his sleeve. "Come on! If someone like you pushes me forward, I'll probably get accepted into the best House there is!"

"What about Gyutaro?"

"He'd never agree to it and none of these assholes like him!"

Douma gently tapped her head. "I mean Gyutaro would be alone, wouldn't he? He can't live with you."

Ume looked down at the ground, squeezing his sleeve tightly. "No… but maybe it'd be better? He wouldn't have to work so much anymore. He spends so much time looking out for me… If all he had to do was worry about himself then I'm sure he'd be well off! And I want to be an Oiran! I know I can be one!"

The siblings simply must stay together. Just another reason for them to become demons! Gyutaro seemed perfectly happy resting inside of Ume and they were together all the time.

"Enough of that," Douma said, tapping her head again. "Gyutaro wants to take care of you! If you're so worried about how he spends his time, talk to him about it! Don't sell yourself off without considering your other options. There's much more to being an Oiran than beauty you know and Gyutaro may be able to help you more than you think."

He gave her another tap as if to seal his message inside her.

Ume stared at him for a minute, brow furrowed. "Huh."

"Hm?"

"You actually give advice."

Douma chuckled. "If being sold is all you really had planned tonight, then I think I'll be taking charge of this little trip of ours, thank you!"

Ume seemed surprised when he quickly ushered her into a shop for a new kimono. As usual for the siblings, she would not refuse anything he gave her. There was a line to be fitted, but all Douma had to do was lift Ume's chin and ask the owner if she'd be so kind as to take care of her and Ume was in front, free of charge. She really did have a pretty face.

He was sure Ume would take complete advantage of his generosity and pick out as many kimonos as possible if given enough time, so he slipped outside to some vendors selling handmade jewelry and hair ornaments. He'd choose these himself before she could get her greedy hands on anything.

Of everything the vendor had, it was the pins that caught his eye.

He remembered the samurai whose eye had been gouged out by a pin. Ume had thrown it out because it'd been the samurai who had given it to her. A pin would be a useful hidden weapon incase a situation like that arose again.

At least until he turned them into demons.

For now, though…

He plucked one from a display. Its decorative ends were jeweled, a subtle rainbow of colors when he held it up to a lantern. Its surface was rough, but it looked similar to the kompeito that Ume was so excited about yesterday.

"The sun really brings the colors out," the vendor said.

Douma hummed, considering. He picked out a second and placed them in front of the man.

"Can you sharpen these?" Douma asked. "And make them shine!"


"I thought the point was to get things from other men," Gyutaro snickered a few hours later as Ume twirled in front of him in her new clothes.

Douma waved his arms helplessly. "I couldn't resist dressing her up!" he whined. "She has such a pretty face!"

"You're hopeless."

"You'd do the same in my shoes!" Douma said. He pointed his fan down at him. "Worse, even!"

Gyutaro held up his new kimono. "No, I really wouldn't have because I wouldn't have gotten you shit."

So mean!

Douma pouted. "This is why you only got one kimono," he told him.

He turned away from Gyutaro's rude hand gesture and pulled the sharpened pins out of his sleeve to show Ume. She gasped.

"May I?" he asked. She nodded and sat down quickly.

Douma sat behind Ume and gently began to brush through her hair with his claws. Despite being the most attractive of the siblings, she still had plenty of tangles and dirt. He worked through it carefully until there was no resistance, then placed the two pins in a section he had pulled up.

"Perfect!" he said with a clap of his hands and a big smile. "You look beautiful!"

"She always looks beautiful," Gyutaro hissed.

Douma winked. "Of course! But this enhances it!" He placed a hand on his chest. "A personal touch… Can you blame me for the praise?"

Ume, meanwhile, was gazing at her reflection in a small mirror Douma had also bought, touching the pins gently and tilting her head in different angles. She was smiling and Douma found himself looking twice. It wasn't cruel or hollow. This one seemed to be genuine. Almost pure.

"Gyutaro look at it!" Ume said, flashing the pins at her brother as she posed like a graceful Oiran. It was a sharp contrast to her tone. "It looks amazing on me! I love it!"

"So he knows how to pick jewelry, I'm not surprised," Gyutaro huffed. His lips twitched. "Yeah. It looks nice. You sure your little brain can figure out how to put it up yourself?"

"I can do my own hair, Gyutaro! Not that I'd need to! I'll have all the Kamuro I need! And Douma! Douma can do it too!"

Something in his chest flipped.

He opened his mouth.

He couldn't think of what to say.

He closed it and smiled, scratching at his cheek with a claw.

"He has better things to do," Gyutaro grumped.

"Douma, you better!" Ume snapped, hands balled into fists. She hadn't seemed to notice his speechlessness. "You better do it when I say! You bought them!"

Douma flapped a hand at her. "Of course! Of course!"