Summary:

Several months after the tragedy of Kanae's death... ughhhhhhh just read the notes.

Notes:

This is BY FAR the most disgustingly fluffy thing I've ever written. (And you got your wish TeaPartyCannon! There is cake! I hope you're happy!) I'm gonna go start a bar fight or something to balance things out. Grrrrr... Enjoy.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Yuichiro

There is a Hashira meeting today. It also happens to be the day Muichiro and I turn twelve, and the master said that I could bring him along, much to his delight.

Muichiro asked on the way here if Oyakata-sama would have a birthday celebration planned for us, among other things. I have no idea, but I honestly wouldn't put it past him.

I haven't been the same since Kanae was killed, and Muichiro's definitely noticed it. He picks up on my feelings so well that it's scary, and I simply don't have the ability to push him away like I used to.

Maybe it's because we're twins that we can do that with each other. I don't know. Half the time I have no idea what's going on in Mui's head, but I know my anger can bring him down sometimes, so I welcome the change of pace.

Out of character for me? Maybe.

We meet for a lavish meal in the park outside of the mansion, but it's still a part of the Ubuyashiki estate so we bring our swords, and no one will bother us. Muichiro might have been expecting a surprise, but I think that he's the surprise for the other Pillars.

Kanroji remembers him, Shinobu already knows us, but since she is so discrete, she hasn't told anyone else about the fact that I have a twin. The revelation is just the prompt I need to create some distance between myself and the others before they can start asking me questions.

I'll escape and leave Muichiro to do the talking. I know he'll get along with the others a lot better than me.

I find a nice shady spot under a sakura tree on a hill overlooking the scene, as Shinobu approaches me.

"Happy birthday Yuichiro." she chirps… the Shinobu I knew didn't chirp. She's taken Kanae's mannerisms and even her philosophy of hopefully getting along with the demons one day.

It grates on me.

"How are you holding up?" I ask her.

"Ara ara, it's your birthday today. You should be down there with Muichiro-kun, not worried about me."

"You're the one who came to me," I say with a bit of annoyance slipping out.

"I'm sorry," she says earnestly. "Am I bothering you?"

"No, your not" I half lie.

Kanae's Haori looks beautiful on her, but everything else of hers… It's not the same Shinobu. It's not the Shinobu who was my friend.

But for Muichiro's sake alone, I don't tell her this.

I bite my tongue as she takes a seat beside me.

"Now that the other Hashira know him, your little brother will get stronger in no time."

"He's getting stronger all the time," I tell her.

"He is, but now, he may even eventually surpass you doncha think. The other Hashira adore him! They'll be sure to teach him lots of things to help him get stronger."

I look down at the party. It appears Uzui is giving my brother his birthday tickles while Rengoku and Kanroji count to 12X12

"Ahahahaha! St- stop it haha! I cant! Haha! I can't breathe! Ahahahahaha!"

"We just have to count eight more times young Tokito!" Rengoku says, "You can do it!"

I have to smile at the scene, and then I challenge Shinobu. "Yeah, sure. I can hear him getting stronger already. Maybe by dinnertime, he'll have mastered sound-breathing"

Shinobu just giggles at my sarcasm… It isn't Kanae's giggle.

"These things take time Yuichiro, but your brother… is more like my own Nee-san than I am, just like you and I are so much alike…"

"Just get to the point Shinobu."

"You can't just keep hiding behind your anger like this Yuichiro. Look at your brother. He allows himself to be vulnerable and open, so others come to his side."

I've only ever needed one person by my side.

"When you show your suffering to others," she continues "they come to help, and when you share your happiness with others, they will help you as well."

I look down at my brother laughing in spite of himself as he wrestles with Uzui, trying to free himself from the tickle-torture.

I'm glad Muichiro can be open with them, but I don't understand a thing Shinobu is saying.

Why is she talking like Kanae!? She's not Kanae!

And then there is the sound of crying… I never once hated Muichiro for it. I didn't hate Shonobu for it when she clung to me crying for Kanae… But I hate that sound. I hate the sound of pain coming from those I care about.

I now turn to Shinobu in anger. "Are you saying I should act cute, cry and suck my thumb so that people will feel sorry for me?"

"I am saying that you should be open. You use your anger like armor Yuichiro, the way I used to do. But that armor doesn't protect you from getting hurt. It just makes it harder for your friends to heal your wounds"

"No Shinobu, you're using your sister's dream and personality as a pain-killer" I finally snap. "She's dead and won't come back, yet you…"

I have to stop myself. Even though I'm mad at her, I still don't want to make her cry.

I turn away and start to get up, but she grabs my hand, and I'm reminded of the night we first met. Back then we knew each other. It's been more than two months since Kanae's death. Shinobu became a Hashira after that and took on a Tsuguko.

And Muichiro and I… we've done nothing but train and go on missions together. He's all I need, now that I've lost Shinobu... No… Have Shinobu and I ever shared anything but mutual anger?

I just want him to stay happy, so for his sake alone, I sit back down and hear Shinobu out.

But I start to panic when she remains silent.

"I'm… I'm sorry if I hurt you." I finally say.

"It's okay Yuichiro." she says. "I can understand why this makes you uncomfortable since you were so close to my late sister. I know her death hurt you deeply."

She's serene. I never heard Kanae speak with such sadness. "But to tell you the truth Yuichiro, I don't think I could survive any way else. I've always been weak, and I survived for so long because of Nee-san, yet I couldn't just quit the corps after her death. This way I still have a goal to follow. A dream to fight for."

"Even though it wasn't your dream?"

"I confess…. That I'm still angry Yuichiro, though I try hard not to be."

"Why not just be true to yourself?"

"My anger has never made me strong. It's only hurt me. That's why it still pains me so much to see you like this. To see that you're still so far away from everyone else, and on your birthday no less."

"Tomioka is even less open than me and you never give him crap."

And at this, Shinobu throws her head back laughing with mirth. "Oh Yuichiro, you have no idea!"

Muichiro .

"Such flashy hair!" Uzui-san is guffawing as he gives me a noogie that's 10,000,000X worse than any of the noogies I ever got from Nii-san when we were younger. Since our parents died, Nii-san has never been as playful, so despite the fact that I'm crying out for someone to save me, this is actually kinda fun, even though my hair is getting super messed up.

"What about my hair Uzui!?" Rengoku-san asks enthusiastically.

"Oh yours?" He says turning to him slowly, still holding me in a headlock. "I got bored with it long ago"

"Is that so?" Rengoku-san chuckles. "Or is it perhaps that you do not wish to pick on someone your own size?! Hurahhhh!" Then he tackles Uzui-san (who is still holding onto me) and the three of us tumble.

"Hah hah hah! You've just reminded me of how I used to do this with my own brother! Young Tokito!"

"Yeah, horsing around with the brothers…" Uzui-san grunts.

"Hey, Nii-san!" I cry when I see him standing over us with Kocho-san. "Help your little brother out!"

Nii-san is smiling, but he just says; "pass" and walks away.

Yuichiro .

"Who let that kid be a demon slayer?" I hear Shinazugawa ask Iguro as I pass.

I freeze where I am.

"He probably pestered the older twin until he agreed to bring him along. It's hard to believe they are related. I just hope he doesn't get himself killed."

"Oi, Iguro-san." I say causing both their heads to turn my way. "When we fought together, did you think that I was weak?"

Iguro gives me a strange look. "I wasn't insulting your brother just now if that's what you think. Were you going to tell me that he is as strong as you are? Because if you were, then save your breath."

"Iguro and I don't doubt that he's strong if he passed the final selection," Shinazugawa says a bit diplomatically. I think he's been going out of his way to be nicer to me since Kanae's death. "I just don't understand why they let a child join."

"Muichiro and I were literally born on the same day. August 8th. 1st year of Taisho

Without me saying anything else, Shinazugawa seems to understand me. "You better not let anything happen to him." He says.

"Why do you think I joined?" I reply.

"Good… and happy birthday kid."

"Yes, Happy birthday" Iguro adds with pure formality.

"Yuichiro-kun!"

Aw shit, it's Kanroji. She comes running up dragging my wide-eyed brother along, and plops him down next to me.

"Yuichiro-kun!" She says excitedly, "Take off your Haori please."

Then she calls to the other Hashira (except for Tomioka who has now occupies the hill where Shinobu and I talked.)

"Lets try and guess which Tokito twin is which!" she calls.

Damnit... I really hate this woman.

Muichiro .

"This is stupid." I hear Nii-san say standing next to me. "First of all, we look very different."

"The one with the scowl will obviously be Yugrumpio" Uzui-san comments.

"Hey! Don't call Nii-san that!" I protest, and then immediately regret it. Uzui-san immediately starts to laugh, and Nii-san slaps his palm to his face…

I just realized that I've embarrassed him.

"I'm sorry Nii-san," I say hanging my head. "You were right. It is stupid. Let's just go somewhere quiet until your meeting starts."

But then, Nii-san grabs ahold of my arm. "No Mui. let's do this," he says giving me a grin. I break into a smile and try not to cry out with happiness. I know Nii-san isn't the playful type, and he probably doesn't really get along with Uzui-san at the least, but he was willing to do this with me…. This is turning out to be such a great birthday!

"Okay, so here is the strategy," Nii-san says as we huddle behind a large decorative rock. "We are going to have to fool them. Try your best to look like me."

Hmmm… I think they would expect Nii-san to look angry, but I don't want to be mean to him by putting on an overly grumpy face.

"Does this look good enough? I ask him.

"Your doing this," he says and puts on a blank expressionless stare. He then breaks into a smile. "Let's go with that." he says.

I smile and nod.

"Okay, now Shinazugawa, who is the guy with the white hair and scars, Himejima who is the big guy, and Tomioka who is the one with the funny Haori will definitely not be having any part of this, so you won't have to worry about them.

Iguro who is the guy with the heterochromia, the bandaged face, and the snake around his neck might play if Kanroji persuades him. You know who everyone else is right?"

I nod.

"Now," he continues. "I only call Shinobu by her given name because we're friends. I don't use any of their honorifics except for Iguro's because he insisted when we first met. I just call them by their surnames. Got that?"

"What if we called them by their animal names?" I suggest.

"Animal names?... Honestly Muichiro, I wonder about that head of yours sometimes."

"Hehe, sorry," I say.

That leaves the only problem being our eyes. Nii-san's eyes are noticeably redder than mine, and my face might get redder than his when we do this… Oh crap. I can't believe it. Nii-san's face is already starting to get red when suddenly, he closes his eyes and takes a slow deep breath… And his face is starting to return to its normal color. When he opens his eyes, they look way better!

"Nii-san… how did you?"

"It's something I learned how to do on from the Wind Hashira," he says. But I won't be able to keep it up for long.

Oh yeah, on one of Nii-san's missions, he awakened total spatial awareness, like a sixths scent. A lot of demon slayers awaken either heightened senses or a sixth sense or something like that. It's in their DNA, and it often determines what breathing style they'll be attracted to. Since Nii-san and I have the same blood, and since the breathing style I use is derived from wind breathing, I'm hoping I'll be able to awaken mine too. Nii-san and I trained for that, but this is way cool.

"Oh, and one more thing," he says grinning mischievously.

"What is it?" I say with a mix of curiosity and… shock because this seems so out of character for him.

"I got one more trick for how we can fool them Mui…"

Finally, we leave Nii-san's Haori behind the rock and come out with the same blank expression...

I'm pretty shy about this, but since Nii-san agreed to do it with me, I gotta do my best!

"Ara ara" Kocho-san says. "Without their Haoris it's suddenly impossible to tell them apart."

"They are identical afterall!" Rengoku-san exclaims.

"They both look so cuuuuute!" Kanroji-san gushes.

"Hmph. I'm impressed our Junior could actually get rid of that grumpy face of his" Uzui-san comments. "Having an identical twin must be a pretty flashy asset"

"But they forgot one thing," Iguro-san says pointing to Nii-san's waistband. "The younger brother's sword has a black handle and scabbard"

And then he slowly directs his finger to my waistband. "And the older brother's sword has a white handle and scabbard."

Nii-san makes a grimaced, guilty face.

"Tch, I knew this game was stupid," I say closing my eyes. "So…" I say eying the Hashira again. "Is that your guess? Iguro-san?"

"Of course it is." He says. "You two can't fool me that easily."

"And what about you? Shinobu?" I say to Kocho-san.

"I have to agree with Iguro-san." she says. "You are Yuichiro, which would make the one on your left Muichiro-kun."

"What do you think? Kanroji-san?" Nii-san asks.

"You're Obviously Muichiro-kun! Yuichiro-kun never uses my honorifics."

Suddenly, I come dangerously close to breaking character as I feel a death glare from Iguro-san... He's scary.

"I think we are all in agreement!" Rengoku declares. "The one on our left is Yuichiro-kun. And the one on our right is Muichiro-kun."

The rest nod.

Nii-san and I exchange looks, and Yui-Nii says to me with his pupils exaggeratedly widened; "Oh no. I think they got us Nii-san"

It takes me about half a second to lose the battle not to laugh. "Pffffffffft!"

I fall onto my back clutching my stomach with my feet kicking in the air. "C'mon! Ahahahaha! There's no way I actually sound like that Nii-san! Ahahahahaha!"

I can't see the looks on their faces, but I can hear Nii-san smugly explain to them: "You were really fooled by a trick as simple as switching swords? A-ha ha ha ha!"

I'm rolling around in the grass laughing, Nii-san is mean, but his laughing just makes me happier. "I'm so sorry everyone! I'm so sorry Ahahahahaha! I can't help it Hahahaha!"

Rengoku-san bellows with good-natured laughter. "Well played you two! Well played!"

I hear Iguro-san grunt with annoyance. "Why is the master so late today?"

"I just hope he is in good health, Iguro-san." I hear Kocho-san say, "But in the meantime, let's hear it for the amazing Tokito twins!" she cries.

"Oi, Mui" Nii-san leans down to me handing me my sword. "Give me mine back," he says. "I gotta get outa here"

I hand him his sword, and he dashes away. I am extremely grateful to Yui-Nii that he put up with this for as long as he did, but he looks… like he had fun too.

Later that day, the meeting finally gets underway. I can't go yet since I'm still not a Hashira, but I get to see Oyakata-sama and Amane-sama before they go out to conduct the meeting.

"Happy birthday to you, Muichiro," he says kindly. Amane-sama has even brought a cake.

"Thank you both so much!" I say as I accept it. "Can I wait until the meeting is over? That way Nii-san and everyone else can have some."

"Of course Muichiro" Oyakata-sama says as Amane-sama gives a small laugh. "Kuina, here will come and get you when it's time"

So the Master, Amane-sama, and Kuina go out to greet the pillars, while I wait and have tea with Nichika, Hinaki, Kiria, and Kanata.

One day, I hope to catch up with my Nii-san. Maybe he'll even agree to wrestle with me when we get home.

Notes:

Enjoy the fluff while it lasts, because I plan on a major arc coming up next with a lot of gut-wrenching angst.
I will probably take longer than usual, so in the meantime, here is what Yuichiro thinks of every other Pillar. Yuichiro on Sanemi & Giyuu: "They are aloof, and they don't interact with me much. I still think that they're both really cool though."
Yuichiro on Gyomei: "I'll surpass him one day"
Yuichiro on (the man!) Rengoku Kyojuro: "He's loud, but dependable"
Yuichiro on Mitsuri: "She's annoying. I don't like her."
Yuichiro on Obanai: "He's like a snake. He's cold and feels dangerous. The exact opposite of Kanroji."
Yuichiro on Tengen: "Hate him"
Yuichiro on Shinobu(aka my wife): "She's putting on a facade. I can't stand watching her."
Yuichiro on Muichiro: "I'll do whatever it takes to keep him safe" And what every Pillar thinks of Yuichiro! Shinobu: "I still care deeply for him"
Obanai: "He's so young, yet so bitter. I feel sorry for him"
Sanemi: "If he were older, I'd invite him to go out drinking with me and Obanai"
Giyuu: "I don't talk to him much"
Tengen: "He's a snappy brat. (I like his brother a lot better)."
Gyomei: "He says what needs to be said, and is very mature for his age"
Mitsuri. "He's super cool but a little scary (His brother is much cuter)"
Kyojuro. "He is remarkably talented, and I am moved by his self-sacrifice for his brother!"