THE COLOR OF THE WORLD
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Disclaimer: Kimetsu no Yaiba belongs to Koyoharu Gotouge
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Genre(s): Adventure/ Hurt/Comfort
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Warning(s): Typo is my most loyal fan, spelling mistakes because English is not my mother language, Possibly OOC, and a lot of Angst. I hope. Not Beta.
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Manga: Chapter 99, 100, 101
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As her eyelids fluttered open, she noted that her sight was hazy. Blurry. All shapes and scenes are combined into one color. She couldn't move her hands. Nor her legs. And normally, that would send her into a panic. Would awaken her survival instinct. Yet between her consciousness and subconsciousness, she felt slender hands cradling her close. So warm, so soft. She knew she'll always be protected from the cruelty of the people or the world itself if she stays like this.
She heard a conversation. Hushed and rapid. Almost like the other person is trying to stop another before they—he. Must be he. His voice was deep and smooth. Filled with power between all that gentleness. Like a campfire in a lonely cave—he could leave without saying goodbye to the rest of the family, "It must be hard since you have no successor at hand," the other person continued, "It may be impossible for me since I am a humble coal burner. But one day, someone will—"
"No need."
That smooth voice cut in.
"Master of their craft will alwaysfind their way to the same place. Even if the times changed, even if they have taken different paths to that point, they will alwaysgo to the same place."
"You seem to see me as some kind of special human. But that's not true," small Nezuko, pressed closed into her mother's bosom listened in silence as Father's guest voice echoed in the silent house, "I couldn't protect a single thing that was precious to me. I couldn't achieve what I was supposed to achieve in life. I—"
"—am a man of no worth."
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Ah. This is a memory.
A memory of a past that was long gone.
And I remembered the owner of that smooth voice now.
Don't. Nezuko's fists clenched. Small and teenager blend into one. Just don't.
Don't speak like that. Don't think of yourself like that.
You have no right.
You have no right to demean yourself after what you bring to our door.
The technique to kill a demon. The demon itself.
Who are you? What are you?
Why are you involving my Father in a thing that could—will—is—was a danger to my family's life?
I hate you.
I hate you I hate you I hate youI hate you—
"I hate…you…?"
When Nezuko opened her eyes—for real this time—the first thing she saw was Inosuke, hanging onto a ceiling with the might of his fingers alone. Like some kind of a deranged lizard.
Nezuko blinked.
Inosuke huffed.
And both of them screamed.
"AAAAAAAAAAA INOSUKE? WHAT THE HELL?!"
"NEDUKON!" the young man jumped off, landing on the girl's stomach with enough power to knock the breath out of her. He started jumping, up and down, ignoring Nezuko's pained squeal, "NEDUKON LOOK! I WOKE UP SEVEN DAYS BEFORE YOU. THAT MEANS I'M STRONG! PRAISE ME!"
Then all hell went loose.
"YOU STUPID PIG!" Zenitsu who, apparently heard the commotion and immediately scampered toward the source, launched himself and nailed the muscled teen right on Inosuke's ribs with the top of his head, "SHE'S HURT! ARE YOU TRYING TO FINISH THE JOB AND KILL HER OR SOMETHING?!"
"WAAAHHH NEZUKO-SAN!" Naho who, also heard the commotion, threw half of her body on Nezuko's chest and sobbed.
"YOU WOKE UP! YOU FINALLY WOKE UP, I'M SO HAPPY!" Kiyo cried
"I'LL GIVE YOU SOME RED BEAN BREAD, SO PLEASE DON'T DIE AGAIN!" Sumi wept.
"OI YOU GUYS!" a…white cloth thing barged upon the front door, fiercely admonishing them all, "NEZUKO-CHAN JUST WOKE UP! DON'T DISTURB HER!"
"AAAAAAA!"
"KYAAAAA! MONSTER!"
"I'LL PROTECT YOU, NEZUKO-CHAN! NOW PREPARE YOURSELF, DEMON!"
"WAIT, ZENITSU-SAN! THAT'S JUST AOI-SAN CAUGHT UP IN A LAUNDRY!"
"EEEP! DON'T UNSHEATH YOUR BLADE HERE!"
"PRAISE ME!"
Nezuko sighed. Listening to all the commotion with cracked lips quirked a little upward.
I'm home.
For the week onward, Nezuko was confined in the butterfly manor to heal, while Zenitsu and Inosuke went to their respective jobs. Apparently, the poison Gyuutaro's had administered—a last-ditch attack that he did, puncturing Nezuko's lower jaw with that grisly sickle—had spread to every single inch of her veins, weakening her cell and will surely kill her off in minutes if her brother didn't come to burn the sickness away. So, she had to relearn everything after her short coma; waiting for her stamina to come back, moving her muscles so it won't feel too cramp anymore. And speaking about her brother, he appeared not long after Aoi—freed from the embrace of the bedsheet—managed to calm everyone down. With a smile so bright that could blind everyone present, like a sun shining through the darkness. A contrast to his sleeping figure, stuck in a coma after the heroic deed he'd done.
Not to mention, he could speak now. It was stilted, awkward. Most of his vocabularies are a mess and he stuttered through the most basic verbs. Yet it was a huge improvement nonetheless. Definitely a leap through a chasm instead of a small rock he had been doing for the past few months. Nezuko cried right there and then, happy that, she may not find the cure as of now, he may not remember everything before this incident happened, (and it was concerning that somehow, Muzan found a way to force-teleported the orange-haired boy into his territory without anyone knowing. It was a one-time thing, right? Daki's dead, there's no more sash for Muzan to used as a beacon to pinpoint after all. Right?), but Tanjiro is healing. Tanjiro is living. He's not just surviving anymore and the hope of restoring his humanity back is now rising through the roof.
Her mood did dip a little bit, however, when she got letters from Haganezuka, her blacksmith.
Well, maybe calling it letters was a bit understatement of the century.
I HAVE NO SWORD FOR YOU
HATE HATE HATE
FUCK YOU FUCK YOOOUUUUU
GO TO HELL, ASSHOLE!
Two months had passed since her coma and still no swords for her to use.
It's just a little chip, though! Nezuko messed her frayed hair, frustrated at her unfortunate situation. Is he mad because I actually broke it before?!
So, with Oyakata-sama's permission, she's now on the way to the blacksmith village. A hidden village, it turned out. Because of that, she was not allowed to go to the place by her lonesome and had to be carried on a Kakushi's back while her eyes were blindfolded by a black cloth and then was covered by a burlap sack (usually, they never covered the recipient head completely. And the color of the blindfold don't matter. But knowing Nezuko's sharp eyes, able to discern a location by the color of the fog alone, they have to take other countermeasures). Every time they travel a set distance, she will get passed to the next Kakushi. On top of that, as they explained, both the paths and the Kakushi frequently changed. Even the crows that led them got swapped out as well.
Nezuko gets why they were so paranoid. Blacksmiths are important assets to the demon hunter. If the demons annihilate them, that means they annihilate the slayer's chance to retaliate their attacks back.
It took a while. The wind of the early morning changed into the warm of the day, signifying hours that it took to arrived to this location (whether they take a detour or not, she will never get the answer. For all she knew, this village may not be that far from the Butterfly Manor and she'll never realize it). And when the Kakushi's took off all the blindfolds, Nezuko smiled in awe over the amazing buildings. Tall, sturdy, decorated. Surrounded by shrubbery and wild foliage. It will never be compared to the Red Light district, yet they have the uniqueness that only belongs to their own. It's like she just step into those expensive wax paintings.
And this smell, oh. There must be a hot spring nearby. Will they allow her to take a small break and soak in it when she's done with her side mission?
The Kakushi pointed her to the biggest of the building, where the chief of the blacksmith village resides. The chief himself is a small man. With white shoulder-length hair and partially bald on the crown of his head, he's wearing a meticulous kimono and the same Hyotokko mask Hagenazuke usually wears that concealed most of his complexion. Nezuko's eyebrows rose a little at how long the mouth of his mask though. Is it because he's the most important person in these place, that's why his mask is, well, more 'unique'?
"Hello there, my name's Tecchikawahara Tecchin, very nice to meet you," his voice pitched. Almost like he's whistling, "I may be the smallest but I'm also the best at my craft. Now bow your head so low, it touches the mat."
Or maybe it signifies the arrogance of a person, "No."
"That's not very polite, young lady "
"Respect is earned, not given."
"That is true. Take some dough cakes then."
Huh. He's more amicable than he appeared to be. Nezuko bowed slightly (just low enough to show respect but not so low that's she's practically groveling) and accepted the confectionary, slowly munching the snack while Tecchin explained about Haganezuka's condition, "Unfortunately, Hotaru has gone missing right now. As per usual," oh, is that Haganezuka's first name? It's so cute, "Whenever he's frustrated with something, he always throws a tantrum then goes off somewhere. Sometimes, I wonder if he actually grows up…"
"Running away is a pretty childish thing to do," Nezuko solemnly nodded, "But it is my fault too for either breaking the sword or chipping it." She may not be a blacksmith, but she knew how it feels if someone else broke her precious thing.
Tecchi shooked his head then spoke, "No, you're wrong," the air that surrounded him suddenly turned cold, and the atmosphere around them felt like it was trying to choke the living out of her.
"It's his fault for creating a sword that could actually break."
He's pretty scary. Nezuko scratched the back of her nape. The rest of the blacksmiths promised to find Hotaru for Nezuko's sake and in the meantime, they offered her a chance for a quick dip in an onsen, as it does wonders for the injured body such as hers. She was on the way to the place, ascending through the stony stairs as her lips thinned in worry. I hope there'll be no bloodshed. It's not anyone's fault that the High Ranking Demons' attacks are too strong for the blade to endure.
"Ah! It's you! Nezuko-chan!"
Huh?
When her foot descended upon the last steps of the stair, a feminine voice had screamed for her name. Burgundy orbs flitted to the source of the shouting. And the first thing that appeared on the forefront of her mind after she traced who was that voice belongs to was 'What a humongous pair of breasts.'
Then the next was, 'If she won't stop jumping up and down like that, those boobs are going to spill out.'
"Kanroji-san?" Nezuko blinked incredulously as the older woman—one of the Pillars—dropped her entire body onto her embrace, crying senselessly, "What's wrong?"
"I got ignoorrreeeddd!" she wailed, hands flapping up and down, resembling a little bird trying to fly for the first time, "I asked him his name and he ignored me! He looked away and doesn't answer my question at all! Isn't that cruel? I'm a pillar! Now, all that good energy I got from the spring is completely gone, waaaahhhh!"
Oh whew, it's nothing serious, Nezuko sighed. Just someone with no regard for ethics. But it'll be like pot calling kettle black if Nezuko said so, as she herself doesn't really care about honorific if that person disrespects her wellbeing in the first place. Besides, "Did you greet him when you're still in the onsen?"
Mitsuri hiccuped, "Yes?"
"Then I think he's just embarrassed," Nezuko continued, "You're a pretty woman and you're not wearing any clothes. Maybe he felt that it was rude of him if he look at you like nothing's wrong," she sagely nodded, "Good, good. What a polite young man that he was."
I take it back.
The moment Mitsuri was placated enough and the woman was now happily skipping down the stairs, eager for the Matsutake mushrooms they'll have for dinner, Nezuko continued her journey to the spring. The smoke whipped her skin, the particular smell pierced her nose. The giddiness she got on the prospect of enjoying herself had to dwindle for a little bit when a bloody tooth smacked her forehead center (gross!). A tooth, that belonged to a mohawk-haired teenager who was entirely naked (though fortunately, had half of his body still submerged inside the hot water) and scars littering most of his open skin. Their eyes met and Nezuko tched.
"It's you," she deadpanned, "The rude guy."
"Wha—"
She remembered him. Oh very well, indeed. He was one of the participants of the Demon Slayer's test a year ago. The one who thoughtlessly punched the hell out of little kids, as Nezuko then did the same to him seconds after. Naho told her about him. His name is Shinazugawa Genya.
From the resemblance of the family name alone, it is clear he is Sanemi's sibling. And knowing the difference in age, certainly the younger one (the hell Shinazugawa's family eating? How could they be so tall?). Nezuko wasn't prejudiced, always looking for the best trait in people before the flaw. But, judging from their explosive brashness, it is clear they cut from the same cloth.
"Do-do-do-DON'T LOOK AT ME!" Genya scrambled back, both arms immediately flew forward and covered his uncovered chest, submerging his body even deeper into the water. His face flushed astonishingly red, sharp eyes that were so unfriendly a moment ago quivered in embarrassment, it literally changed into a swirl, "I'm indecent!"
Huh. Cute.
Hey, maybe he does know about common decency.
"Sorry," Nezuko bowed (let it be known that she'll apologize when she's in the wrong). She put the box that contained Tanjiro down, let the brother out so he could join her in the onsen. Or maybe Genya himself, as he instantly stripped to nothing and went after the bumbling guy. Genya shoved his face to the water when Tanjiro came too close for comfort. Nezuko snorted unladylike, "Be nice. You don't want to taste my uppercut again, do you?"
Genya froze.
Nezuko took off her haori, then her uniforms. She put her undergarment inside the box and lowered her entire body into the hot water adjacent to the boys' own pool. She let out a comfortable sigh, listening to the bickering voice of the others that echoed among the white puff (or, more correctly, Genya's sneer of contempt and Tanjiro's hum of content). It was two minutes after she silently enjoy the miraculous treatment of an onsen when the mohawk kid spoke once again," Hey," he started, "I want to say…my bad. About that fiasco on the exam site."
Nezuko hummed, eyes still closed, "You should say that to Ubuyashiki-chan instead."
"I did. I did. I—," a splash, a snarl, her brother seemed like he want another attention. Genya forcefully shoved him away, "I want to say sorry to you too. For…unknowingly looking down on you. Just because you're a girl, doesn't mean you're weak. You've passed the exam after all. And two of our pillars are some of the scariest ones also."
She chuckled. Shinobu is scary. Her demeanor and her poison. Not to mention, as she heard from the hushed admiration coming from the other slayers, Mitsuri is actually stronger than all the Pillar's combined; at least, in terms of brute strength, "Sure, I accept your apology," Nezuko chirped, "Let bygone be bygone. You've realized your mistake, so I shouldn't let the anger fester. It's not healthy."
"Okay," Genya lowered his body, half of his face covered by the water once again, "Okay…"
There was a lull in the conversation.
"This is your brother, right?" then Genya opened another. He pointed toward the child form of Tanjiro, swimming along the edges part of the rocky décor of an onsen, "I heard from Aniki—um—Sanemi that you're trying to turn him back to human."
"…yes," It was a harmless question. Yet it made Nezuko's eyebrows furrow. Not at the content itself, but a particular pause he inflicted in one of the sentences. She craned her neck sideways, peering through the fog and watching the boys' silhouette from between, "Are you not close with your brother?"
Genya jolted, "W-Where did that come from?"
"You cut yourself when you said 'Aniki'. And your color is wavering," purple and a hint of black. They retreated like a kitten trying to hide from a predator. The sight of it left a bitter taste on her tongue, "He's not hurting you, is he?"
"NO!" Genya exclaimed, affronted for the sake of his sibling, baffled that someone else could even think so, "He's the best Aniki I ever have and I appreciate him very much! It's just…"
His next words were then drowned by the liquid, bubbles pop pop and the wind of nature scrambled the shrubbery. Nezuko couldn't hear it amidst that, yet the guilt that wafted from the lingering color nearly choked her up (why? What's wrong? What happened—). She wasn't able to clarify the reason for that, however, as Genya suddenly stood up, tied the fluffy towel around his waist, and left the Kamado's sibling with a hasty 'goodbye' thrown haphazardly over the bulky shoulder.
"Shinazugawa-san never told me about having a little brother though," Mitsuri tilted her head. Done with the bath, Nezuko met up with the Love Pillar once again and was in the middle of consuming the tasty dinner made by the apprentice's blacksmith. The pretty woman stacked another bowl on the already towering bowls tower (and she said she didn't eat that much today. Nezuko lost count after 20. Especially when the servant took some of the empty plates away already. She sure has appetite), took a sip of the ocha then hummed, "I have five siblings and I get along with all of them. Maybe the Shinazugawa brothers didn't? That's so tragic…"
She couldn't say if it's exactly tragic, as she didn't know the full circumstance, but not having a good relationship with your family was indeed sad. Nezuko couldn't even fathom a world where she doesn't like her brother. Or Tanjiro doesn't like her sister. They were the only ones left from the Kamado family now. They should be there to support each other instead of antagonizing each other.
(Even till the end of the dinner time, Genya never even come)
"Thank you for the accompany today," Mitsuri beamed, nodding at the waiting Kakushi. They had informed the older woman that her sword will be done soon, "I don't really know if we'll be able to see each other alive next time. Surviving a battle against an upper moon is an incredible thing to do. Surviving a battle against an upper moon with limbs intact equals a miracle in the first place," she patted Tanjiro's messy ginger hair, causing the boy's eyes to squinted in happiness, "Then you should be grateful for the experience that equals to five, maybe ten, years of intense training. You're definitely a lot stronger now than when I last saw you, Nezuko-chan."
Nezuko's lip tightened, shade of unshed tears—for the compliment, for the fact that they managed to get out of the death door without that much of casualty, for the color of mellow that caressed her gently—gladden her torn-up heart. as the Pillar beamed, "Kanroji Mitsuri supports the Kamado sibling!"
(Nezuko wants to be strong. She promised to be strong. She wants to protect her friends, her remaining family. She wants everyone to come back and smile. To be glad for the future that will come. She wants Mitsuri to live long enough to find a gentleman who would marry her for life. She wants whatever that ails Genya to disappear. She wants Sanemi—bastard that he is—to speak about his little brother without shame. So, so proud that he'll now brag about Genya's existence to anyone who wants to listen—)
That's why when Mitsuri told her about a secret weapon that can make you stronger, Nezuko took off the next morning. She may not have a sword yet, nor anything, really, that could be used as a self-defense weapon, but it won't deter her from the prospect of a new training regime.
Who knows. Maybe she would find Haganezuka along the way too. The chief sounded like he really will smack the grown man across the head, even though she had requested for no violence to be involved. That grown man was enveloped in a pit of anguish already, don't want his confidence to falter even more.
There was an overgrowth root, she happily skipped. A scampering squirrel, she cheerfully giggled.
A heated conversation then, she halted her step.
"Huh," Nezuko blinked. Staring at a kid in a mask—an apprentice blacksmith as well? Or just a child of a blacksmith?—who was spewing up acidic words to a black-clad man with a hair long enough, it reached his midsection. A familiar man, actually. One, that she had met when she first arrived at the Demon Slayer's headquarter, "isn't he…"
"The uncaring boy?"
(A/N): Shorter than usual. I'm trying to get the hang of writing a long fanfiction once again. After writing a bunch of short one shorts, it's pretty daunting
Nezuko remembered the nickname she had bestowed upon the Pillars a lot better than their own name, lol. Even Mitsuri. The first thing that caught her attention was the boobies :'D
Anyway, check out this fanart made by starrydesire! It's sooooo good! Here's the link:
1. novirp13 dot tumblr dot com/ post/ 666911220209745920/ oh-my-fckin-god-this-is-so-beautiful-i-wanna
2. novirp13 dot tumblr dot com/ post/ 667184474774290432/ oh-and-another-questionsince-nezuko-has-never