Am I Home? (Demon Slayer x Fem!Reader)

Chapter 18: Lull to Clarity

The mention of you joining the corps made you shiver.

Maybe it was time?

You've been doing all of this training, only to keep yourself here at the Estate because you were too afraid of Demons despite never seeing one before.

But all the stories that Inosuke and Zenitsu (sparingly) talked about only made you more afraid.

How would you know if you would be able to kill something?

Do you even have conviction or the right motivation?

It was silent between the three of you as you stared down at your hands. The thoughts swarming your mind as your gaze traced over your toughened hands.

No longer were your hands soft and weak as they were back in your universe. No, you had toughened them up as a means of survival. You wanted to live, but were you living?

You spend day after day training both your body and your mind as you go over all the exercises that Uzui showed you and the medicinal treatments that Kocho ingrained into your mind. 

Maybe it wasn't time, not yet.

You'll think about it tomorrow.

"Thank you Kocho-sensei for your kind words, I will have to think about it." Kocho raised her eyebrows in surprise. Months had passed and not once had you given thought to partake in the Final Selection. She understood and was under the impression that you would stay here living and working at the Butterfly Estate. Kocho was more than willing to help, as you had expressed yourself thoroughly that you knew you wouldn't be able to do a thing when facing a Demon.

However at the moment of your reply, she knew something must have changed your mind.

"I'll go help Aoi prepare our evening meal." As the spare between you and Tsuyuri lasted late into the evening. The sun was lowering into the horizon and you knew everyone would be hungry soon.

~~~~~

Dinner was just as quiet as it was during the day.

The pit was back in your stomach and it was hard to stomach your own cooking. Why were you so nervous?

You couldn't stop yourself from fidgeting the whole meal and Aoi had to scold you for playing and tapping your chopsticks on your bowl.

Aside from keeping yourself busy all day, it all felt like there was a blanket over the Estate. No one was loud. There were no seriously injured Demon Slayers that were admitted to the wards. Even the long spar with Tsuyuri was relatively silent aside from the wooden weapons clashing against each other.

It was if it was the calm before the storm.

Were your gut instincts trying to tell you something? That something was happening right now as you sit there finishing your meal with the other girls?

A solid hard shiver wracked your body.

One that wasn't due to a sudden breeze.

It started from the top of your head and crawled its way down your spine.

Leaving you feeling extremely uncomfortable.

None of the other had noticed as they were finishing off the last bits of their food.

"Here, I'll clean those." You offered. Tsuyuri and the others smiled gratefully, unaware of your suddenly stiff body. Making your way to one of the basins of water, your thoughts were running rampant.

Something must have happened. There was no questioning it as your body no longer felt like fiddling with anything. It was in fact, that it felt like your muscles had coiled up and were ready to spring into action at any moment.

Maybe, this was the sign?

Was it time for you to face your fears?

Thrust yourself even more into the world of Demon Slayer and become a part of the story?

There was no way for you to know what was to come, you never even got to finish the series.

But the pit in your stomach was suddenly gone, that innate fear you had only moments early was gone.

Your body was ready to pounce at whatever you willed it to, as you were suddenly in control. 

You placed the last dish to dry, letting yourself wander about the estate.

It was quiet. Everyone was asleep.

Almost everyone.

You found Kocho's office door open, and let yourself in after giving the door a knock.

"What brings you here so late at night (Y/N)?" You steeled yourself at her question.

"I wish to take part of the next Final Selection."

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Taisho Secrets!

It's finally some time for some more Taisho Secrets!

- Zenitsu had cried for a long time and swore to himself that he would cherish the charm that (Y/N) made for him even though none one knows what it was that she carved for him. (It was in fact a lightning bolt, but it was hard to get the shape as straight as she wanted it)

- Kocho was pretty much convinced after watching (Y/N) and Tsuyuri spar that (Y/N) was in fact Uzui's Tsuguko. She believed that he just wasn't able to call her that as she never been through the Final Selection process to become an official Demon Slayer

A Question for all you readers. What do you think it was that happened when (Y/N) had that painful shiver?