Hey hey heyyyy!~

I know, I know, it's been SO LONG since I've updated. I just had a lot on my plate lately along with a lack of motivation, but here we are. Hope you enjoy!

Requested by shiggy13 on Wattpad

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Fluff

Plot: Giyuu and Obanai take in a kid. A kid that Obanai relates to more than he'd like.

TW: Implied child abuse

Implied Manga Spoilers

Parents

THUNK!

Obanai smirked in triumph as the head of the demon hit the floor. He flicked the blood off his sword before sheathing it. His smirk broadened as the demon started to curse him out as it disintegrated. His attention turned towards Giyuu, who had also slain another demon that was giving the town trouble.

"We should check to make sure the people in this house are okay," Giyuu suggested.

Obanai nodded in agreement and the two of them walked out of the room, leaving the two demons to fully turn to ash.

As they wandered the halls, they realized they were a few moments too late. A couple had been slain. Blood covered their bedroom. The pair of demon slayers sighed, disappointed in themselves for not getting there sooner.

"Let's keep looking. There may be others," Obanai said.

Giyuu nodded in agreement and the two Hashira continued to search the house for survivors. Each room seemed to be completely empty.

"Think our work here is done?" Giyuu asked.

Obanai nodded. "There seems to be no one else here."

The two were about to leave when a small voice chirped from down the hall.

"H-Hello ...? 'S someone there?"

The two pillars froze and looked at each other. They both nodded and followed the voice.

"Hello?" Giyuu called out.

"In here!" the voice called. It sounded young. "Please ... lemme out!"

Kaburamaru slithered off of Obanai's shoulders and down his body to get to the floor. They slithered down the hall as Obanai and Giyuu started double checking the rooms. The albino snake stopped at a trap door in the middle of the hall. They let out a loud hiss to get their best friend's attention.

Obanai poked his head out of the room he was checking. His eyes immediately locked onto the trap door. "Nice work, Kaburamaru," he praised. "Gi, over here!"

Giyuu stepped out of the room he was in and immediately noticed what Kaburamaru found. The pair of lovers knelt down next to the trap door. Unsure of what they were going to find, they slowly pried the door open.

A small head of a little girl popped out. She looked to be about four. She had long, stringy, black hair that was matted and covering one of her eyes. The one that was visible was a bright bluish green. She wore a loose fitting kimono that hung off one of her shoulders. She seemed really thin and pale. Her skin and clothes were covered in dirt and bruises. There was an open cut across her cheek right below her visible eye. She seemed scared and upset.

"Hey, there, it's okay. We're not gonna hurt you," Giyuu assured.

"Who are you?" the girl asked.

"My name is Giyuu. Giyuu Tomioka."

"I'm Obanai Iguro. And this little one here is Kaburamaru."

"What's your name?" Giyuu asked.

"Kiseki," the girl timidly said. "Kiseki Higaisha."

"Pleasure to meet you, Kiseki," Giyuu said, giving her a small smile.

"Where's Mama and Daddy?" Kiseki asked.

Giyuu hesitated as his smile dropped. How does one tell a child her parents are dead?

Obanai decided to take the wheel. "They're gone," he said. "Unfortunately, they don't have a way to come back. We're sorry."

Kiseki sat back on her heels, sinking into the small space. Tears bubbles out of her eyes. "It- It was those monsters ... wasn't it?"

The two lovers knew what she was talking about. "Yes," Giyuu confirmed.

The girl started crying harder. "I-I'm gonna miss them," she stuttered. "But ... what's gonna happen to me?"

Giyuu and Obanai looked at each other. This was a good question. The truth was they'd been together for a while. Starting a family has been something they've talked about. Perhaps this was their sign.

"If you want, you can stay with us," Giyuu offered. "You'll be safe with us. Those monsters won't hurt you while we're around. We're trained to defeat them."

Kiseki looked back up at them. She seemed hesitant. "You ... won't hurt me, right?"

The question caught Giyuu off guard. He took another look at her wounds. He assumed the demon caused them and her parents shut her in this small space to protect her. Surely her injuries weren't caused by-?

Obanai, on the other hand, felt anger boil in him. He knew all too well why Kiseki was asking this. Hell, as soon as he saw her injuries, he feared they were caused by her parents. He hated that he was right. "Don't worry. We wouldn't dare lay a hand on you with harmful intent."

Kiseki tilted her head in confusion.

Obanai realized he should have probably put that in simpler terms. "We won't hurt you, we promise."

Kiseki hesitantly climbed out of the tiny space, wincing a little in pain. Obanai felt his anger grow. Giyuu noticed this and gently held his hand. Obanai immediately relaxed and helped the small girl out.

"Come on," Giyuu said calmly. "Let's go to our home and get you cleaned up."

Kiseki nodded. "I'd like that."

~o.O.o~

After several hours, Kiseki was now cleaned up. She was now wearing cleaner and more comfortable clothes. Her cuts and scratches were cleaned up and she was currently sound asleep. She looked so much better than when Obanai and Giyuu first found her. The two were prepping something for her to eat for when she wakes up. Kaburamaru was curled up next to Kiseki's futon in case she did wake.

"Are you okay?" Giyuu asked.

"I'm fine," Obanai hastily replied, his voice sharp.

"I know you well enough to know that's not true," Giyuu countered.

Obanai sighed. "I just can't help but see myself in Kiseki. The evidence is clear and she said it herself - her parents have been treating her like shit. I don't want her to endure pain for as long as she did. I also don't want her growing up with the same mindset that I did. She doesn't deserve that. No one does."

Giyuu hummed in understanding. "I doubt she'll grow up with that mindset. Not while she has you - someone who has also experienced a hell like that - to provide support."

"I'm not good at comfort. Especially with children," Obanai scoffed.

"I don't think that's true," Giyuu replied. "You always seem to know what to say to get me out of my head. I'm sure you can do the same with her. And if you ever get stuck, just say whatever you think you needed to hear."

Obanai nodded. "Thanks, Gi."

"Of course, Oba."

A hissing sound came from the other room. Obanai immediately went to see what it was, having a hunch.

Sure enough, Kiseki had woken up. She was sitting up with a blanket wrapped tightly around her. Kaburamaru was curled up in her lap, snuggling close.

"Hey, kid. Did you sleep well?" Obanai asked.

Kiseki looked away and sniffled. "I had a bad dream. Please don't be mad."

"Why would I be mad?" Obanai asked, taking a seat on the futon.

"Mama and Daddy said I shouldn't let dreams get to me since they're not real. But this one felt real," Kiseki explained.

"What happened in the dream?" Obanai asked.

"Mama and Daddy were hurting me again. The shoved me into my room. And then those monsters loomed over them and hurt them. Only it was worse than what they did to me," the small girl explained, wrapping the blanket tighter around herself, tears starting to drip down her face.

"A memory," Obanai concluded. "Here's the thing, Kiseki. Those dreams are gonna happen, I'm not gonna lie. But they can't hurt you. And if you get scared by one, you can always turn to me or Giyuu and we can help you feel better. Okay?"

Kiseki nodded. "Um ... how do daddies normally help their kids after a bad dream?"

Obanai took a moment to think about this. "Usually through words and cuddles."

"What are cuddles?" Kiseki asked.

"I hold you in my lap and you get comfortable," Obanai explained.

Kiseki tilted her head. "That sounds weird."

Obanai smiled under his mask. "I thought it sounded weird at first, too. But the first time I cuddled Giyuu, I changed my mind. It felt nice. It's a very warm and safe feeling."

"... can we try that?" Kiseki asked.

Obanai slowly blinked. This kid certainly was trusting. Then again, she was still young. Not only that, this may be the first time she was shown genuine care. "Sure," he finally said, opening his arms. "Come here."

Kaburamaru slithered off Kiseki's lap and towards their best friend. Kiseki crawled after the snake and into Obanai's lap. Obanai wrapped his arms around the child and gently held her close as Kaburamaru perched themself on his shoulders. She relaxed almost immediately.

"This is nice," she murmured.

"See?" Obanai said, giving her a small assuring squeeze. Holy shit. I'm holding my daughter for the first time. he realized. He was definitely going to have to get used to calling her that. He still couldn't believe this was happening.

Giyuu watched the scene from the doorway while holding a bowl of miso soup. He smiled softly at the sight. He was glad to see the two got along. Giyuu decided to give them some time alone as he slipped back into the kitchen. He could keep the miso soup warm for when she was ready.

Before long, Kiseki fell back asleep, curled up against Obanai's torso. He didn't dare move, not wanting to wake her.

~o.O.o~

Several months had passed since Kiseki had moved in with Obanai and Giyuu. She was now in a much healthier state. She was no longer skinny, but a healthy weight. Her hair was cut to a more manageable length, though she still liked having one of her eyes covered. Her bruises were gone and her cuts healed nicely, leaving extremely faint scars. She was no longer timid, but quite happy with her new lifestyle.

There was one thing she didn't like, though.

"Do you have to go?" Kiseki whined.

Obanai chuckled a little. "You know it's my job," he said as he grabbed his sword.

"But I don't want you getting hurt!"

Obanai pulled her into a hug and gave her a small kiss on the forehead through his bandages. "Don't worry. Those demons don't stand a chance against me."

"I know," Kiseki said. "Good luck, Daddy."

Obanai froze. That was the first time she called him that. She was finally comfortable enough to see him as her new dad? Wow. He smiled broadly under his mask. "Thanks, kiddo."

"You're welcome. And I promise to keep Father company while you're gone!" Kiseki chirped.

Giyuu, who had just walked into the room to say good-bye to his lover, choked on air at that sentence. Obanai noticed and laughed. "I'm sure he'll appreciate that." The two pillars exchanged excited looks, their hearts swelling with happiness. This certainly was a moment they weren't going to forget any time soon.

This feels so rushed aaaaaa! But I hope you guys liked it nonetheless!