Author's Note
this is a collection of dabbles I wrote about my demon slayer OC and Rengoku. This OC has been bouncing around my head since I saw Mugen Train in theaters and I posted these on Ao3 but I just got the mobile app for FFN and am such a big fan I'm cross posting all my stories that are currently active on Ao3. These dabbles will run the gamut in ratings and are not being posted in any specific order. Hope you enjoy!
Nobody, but nobody / can make it out here alone
The first time Kyojuro laid eyes on her, he was certain she was some sort of wild spirit that had taken a liking to the human form. He was six years old, and the girl had come with her father, a talented healer, to check on his mother. Soon, his father had told him he would have a sibling and that's why the healer had come to visit.
And so he was introduced to the girl, Soejima Nozomi.
"Do you have frogs in the pond?" Kyojuro blinked, staring at the gray-haired girl as she pointed towards the garden pond.
"Frogs?" He shouted, confusion lacing his voice.
"Yes, frogs. They're small, about this big, green, and they can hop really high!" She gushed excitedly while holding her hands a few inches apart. "Have you never seen a frog before?"
Kyojuro tilted his head, thinking back on his few memories. He was certain he had never seen something like that before, but the name sounded familiar. Maybe his mother had told him about them?
"I don't think you've seen a frog before." Nozomi announced, her hand grasping his. "And that's simply not acceptable, come on!" And with more force than he thought was possible, she dragged him towards the pond.
He stumbled along behind her, listening to the sound of her delighted laughter as they ran across the yard with a wide grin on his face. She was nothing like the other children he had met before, all of them drilled by the parents how to interaction respectfully with the Rengoku family. He wasn't sure how to act now, but he liked her excitement.
She knelt on the edge of the pond, unconcerned about the water splashing on her pretty green and blue kimono. Hesitantly, Kyojuro joined her, peering down into the water. "You have to be very still." Nozomi whispered, her hands on her knees. "They're fast, and slippery."
"Alright!" Kyojuro whispered loudly, before clapping his hand over his mouth. Nervously, he glanced towards Nozomi, certain she was going to be mad at him for being so loud. Instead, she flashed a grin at him, her eyes crinkling shut before turning her attention back to the pond.
Nozomi was stock still, and as the minutes passed Kyojuro grew restless, his hands shoved into the sleeves of his yukata to hide his fidgeting. It was almost like the girl next to him had ceased to breathe; her brow furrowed as her unwavering gaze watched the water. The urge to say something was becoming unbearable, it was mounting in his chest and burning his throat. But if he said something he would scare the frogs and he wanted to see one.
Flattening his lips into a thin line, he resisted the urge to speak and focused his attention on the smooth surface below him. Small fish darted about, taking refuge in the swaying grasses growing along the edge of the pond. Dragonflies skimmed the surface of the water, their iridescent wings catching in the gentle morning sunlight. As he watched a spider carefully weave a web in the reeds, gossamer strands glistening in the light, Kyojuro forgot the urge to speak and was lost in the beauty before him.
Time passed differently now; each minute was no longer agonizing as he watched the bustling world around him. Faintly, he felt Nozomi shift slightly next to him, but he was focused on charting the movements of the fish with their gleaming scales as the glided through the water. He might've stayed there all day, had Nozomi not darted forward, a triumphant shout leaving her.
"This is a frog!" She announced excitedly, hands gently clasping the wiggling green creature she thrust in front of his eyes. He met the frog's yellow stare in muted shock before looking back at the smiling girl behind it.
"It's so green." Nozomi laughed, cradling the frog against her chest. "Can I touch it?"
She nodded excitedly, and he reached forward gently brushing his finger along the crown of the creature's head. A loud sound left the frog, startling both children, causing Nozomi to release the frog and Rengoku to fall forward, slamming into the girl. Shouts of surprise left them as they tumbled into the pond.
Nozomi surfaced first, hands grabbing at Kyojuro and pulling him up onto the bank. They sat in stunned silence, taking stock of each other's wet and bedraggled appearance. Nozomi's hair, which had reminded Kyojuro of a puffy storm cloud, was now plastered to her face and back. Impulsively, he reached out and pushed the wet strands back from her eyes, freeing her shocked gaze.
A laugh bubbled out of him, and he grinned at the soaked girl. Slowly, she began laughing as well and the pair descended into giggles, collapsing into the mud. Nozomi's laughter grew louder still when something plopped onto his head. Bemused, Kyojuro reached up and picked up the creature, bringing it down to his face. The boy and the frog stared at each other as the girl continued to giggle furiously.
"It looks like you've made a friend." All three beings jumped, and Kyojuro released the frog who launched itself into the pond, before turning to look up at his mother's amused face.
"Mother!" He shouted, jumping up to his feet. Nozomi quickly scrambled to her feet as well, her face pale with worry. "I didn't mean toâ" He trailed off, uncertain what to say.
"It's my fault, Ruka-sama." Nozomi cut in, bowing her head at his mother. "I wanted to show Kyojuro-san a frog, that's why we fell in."
Kyojuro watched as his mother stared Nozomi down, the girl growing more anxious every passing second. She didn't need to take the blame for what happened, they both were not being careful, and he didn't want her to get in trouble.
"No mother, it was my fault!" He shouted in a panic as she opened her mouth to address Nozomi. "I was startled by the frog and I knocked myself and Nozomi into the pond!" Nozomi stared at him, open mouthed, as his mother sighed at him.
"It's adorable, how both of you are trying to protect the other from consequences." Ruka said seriously, giving both children a measured look before a smile bloomed on her face. "But you're not in trouble."
The soaked children stared up at the woman, eyes wide. "We're not?" Kyojuro asked, meeting his mother's red gaze. She shook her head, smile still on her face, as she motioned for both children to follow her.
"I watched you both fall in." She told them as they trotted along behind her. "It was clearly an accident. Such things happen, the best thing you both can do is to learn from this and be more careful around ponds, even if there are frogs to see." She directed this last part at Nozomi, who flushed crimson before quickly nodding at Kyojuro's mother. "Come, let's get you both into dry clothes. I'm afraid I don't have anything as lovely as your kimono for you to wear, Nozomi-chan, but at least you won't smell like pond water."
"Thank you, Ruka-sama!" Nozomi squeaked, face still red. They rounded the corner of the porch, and both children's fathers stood waiting for them, exasperated looks on their faces.
"Nozomi-chan, your pretty kimono." Soejima Akio moaned as he looked at his young daughter. "I'm not sure we can salvage it."
Kyojuro watched Nozomi examine the soaked silk garment, before she nervously laughed. "I'm sorry, father."
Akio scoffed, rolling his eyes at his daughter. "No, you're not. You hate that kimono." Nozomi froze, eyes wide as her father brought attention to her lie.
"I think it's very pretty!" Kyojuro shouted, drawing everyone's attention. "But it's not something Nozomi-san can run in very easily!" Nozomi gave him a grateful smile as the adults all chuckled.
"That was the point." Akio grumbled good naturedly to Kyojuro's father. "She's exhausting to chase around." Shinjuro let out a booming laugh and clapped the man on the shoulder, Ruka shaking her head as she disappeared into the house.
"Surely a retired Corps member such as yourself can keep up with a six year old?" Shinjuro teased before looking down at the gray-haired girl watching him with her arms crossed. "No offense, Nozomi-chan." He hastily placated the girl and Kyojuro watched in wonder as her expression flipped from indignation to joy in an instant.
"You laugh now, but you might understand me better in a few weeks." Shinjuro paled, and Kyojuro wondered if his new sibling would be anything like Nozomi. He wasn't certain he would like that, Nozomi was exciting and fun, but he knew he was going to be responsible for his little sibling and that meant he couldn't let them do whatever they want.
"I'm afraid that's not likely, Aiko." Ruka laughed as she handed the children fresh clothes, shooing them into the house to go change. "I'm certain it will be a boy."
Kyojuro quickly stripped out of his soaked yukata, pulling on his dry one before rejoining his parents on the porch. Nozomi took a little longer, but she came to stand next to him with her kimono carefully folded in her arms.
"You're probably right." Aiko smiled at Ruka. "Hanako was certain she was carrying a girl with our youngest, and now we have little Yumi-chan to light up our worlds." Nozomi perked up at the mention of her mother, something everyone noticed.
"I think it's time Nozomi-chan and I take our leave, thank you for welcoming us and for providing Nozomi with some fresh clothes. I'll be sure to return them soon, and if anything happens or you are worried about anything concerning the baby send for me and I will come as quickly as possible." Aiko bowed politely, and Kyojuro's parents returned the gesture.
Nozomi looked a Kyojuro, giving him a sad smile. Kyojuro's face fell as he realized they were leaving already. He reached out, catching Nozomi's hand. "You'll come back, right?"
Kyojuro felt the adults staring at him, but his gaze never left Nozomi's gray-green eyes. Slowly, she nodded as a huge grin split her face. "Of course, what would I do without my frog catching partner?"
He grinned back at her, excitement rushing through his bones. "Friends?" He asked, still holding onto her hand. She nodded once, eyes fixed on him.
"Friends."
XxXxXx
"Rengoku-san, what are you doing?" Kyojuro hummed, not taking his eyes off the pond in front of him.
"I am looking for frogs, Kocho-san." He spoke quieter than usual, still louder than most, but he did not want to frighten the frogs.
"Ooh I see!" Kocho Kanae whispered excitedly, leaning around him to look at the pond. "Frogs are such wonderful creatures."
Kyojuro glanced at the short girl, a brilliant smile shinning on his face. "They are. I have fond memories of catching frogs as a child, my dearest friend taught me how."
From the corner of his eye, he saw the gray-haired hashira freeze, her dark blue haori fluttering in the breeze. Nozomi was no longer the wild, carefree child he had once called friend. The world had been cruel to her, almost as if it wished to personally stamp out that joyful little girl, ripping almost everyone she loved from her. She barely spoke to anyone now, lest of all him, but he would not give up on her.
"Oi! What the fuck are you doing, stopping in the middle of the path?" Kyojuro furrowed his brow at Sanemi's outburst, and Nozomi spun on her heel and snarled at him, her face twisting angrily.
"What are you doing being such an asshole all the time?" The Flame Hashira blinked in surprised at this expected outburst, growing more shocked when Sanemi simply laughed rather than got angrier.
"Look at you, capable of emotions after all." He taunted as he moved around her, a feral grin splitting his face. "I always knew that tough act was going to crumple someday."
"Kyojuro-kun, you're staring." Kanae whispered quietly, elbowing him. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." She added when he gave her a startled look, flushing crimson.
"There's nothing to tell." He stubbornly whispered back, eyes watching as Nozomi stomped down the path angrily, hands curling and uncurling into fists. It was more emotion than he had seen from here in over a year, but it made his stomach turn.
"Oh Kyojuro, if only that was true." Kanae spoke softly, a sad smile gracing her lips. "But it's painted on your face whenever you look at her, and I think it's lovely." He tilted his head, confusion flashing across his face. "You might not know it yet, but you both will need each other I think, before the end."
He watched as the Flower Hashira walked away, giggling to herself. Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the pond. No, he wouldn't be chasing frogs with Nozomi anymore, but he knew he had struck a nerve with her, mentioning it to Kanae. She was still in there, his wild spirit, underneath that icy exterior, and he was going to do whatever he could to help her thaw her heart out.