Aspiration For Tranquility (kny x M!reader)

Ch. 19 - Lost in the Pond

《{Warning: a swear?}》

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"(Y/n), you better come inside. It's getting late and I don't plan on letting you sit out here in the cold alone."

Urokodaki called to (y/n) from inside the home.
Tonight marked the first night of final selection for both Giyu and Sabito.
After six years of relentless training from their mentors, both boys managed to pass their final challenges set by their teachers the day before.
For Urokodaki's test, they had to slice a boulder in half without any guidance.

Or did they have some guidance from those before them?

For (y/n)s test, they had to play tag with a catch, of course.
While the boys would try to catch him, (y/n) would be moving around at his full speed to make sure the boys knew that no demons would hold back in a battle.
Although it wasn't a fight for anyone's life, (y/n) knew he had to show them how terrifyingly fast an upper moon could truly move.

'A demon will always, always go for the kill.'

He told them.

"I will not take my eyes off their flowers until the week is over, Urokodaki. If they need my help, they know how to call and I can't go if I don't see them calling."

(Y/n) called back to the old man from where he sat.
Behind Urokodaki's home, (y/n) had made a pond to grow all their flowers around.
Sabito's lotus flowers grew inside the pond, Giyu's delphinium grew close to the water's edge, and Urokodaki's cornflowers grew all around.
Ever since the boys left, (y/n) refused to take his eyes off the pond, or more accurately, off the flowers.

"You can't help them if you catch a cold, (y/n)."

Urokodaki argued, now walking up behind the demon.

"I can't get sick like you humans. Besides, if I could I still wouldn't let that stop me from helping them. You should be the one worried about catching a cold."

(Y/n) joked and glanced at Urokodaki as the old man sat down beside him.

"(Y/n), you know you can't help them anyways. It's against the corps rules for the kids that go in there to receive outside help. If you help them-"

"So what? We trained those kids and I'll be damned if you think I'm just going to let them die when I can do something about it this time around. I promised I would help them if they asked for it and I'll be doing just that if they do."

(Y/n) growled and turned his head to look at Urokodaki with narrowed eyes, only to be met with the blank stare of his tengu mask.
Urokodaki tried to speak, but his words got caught in his throat and a chill went down his spine, causing him to freeze up completely.
(Y/n) raised a brow and looked back at the flowers, only for his then stern expression to fall into one of pure horror.

In the few moments (y/n) was turned away, everything seemed to take a drastic turn for the worst.

While the delphiniums were trembling and wilting as if there was a sudden cold breeze, the lotus flowers... vanished.
In the flower's places, an ash-like powder settled atop the water and slowly began to sink.
As (y/n)s eyes darted around the pond, his mouth became dry and his heart sank into his stomach.

"M-my lotus..? Where did the.. f-flowers go?"

(Y/n) choked out as he began to tremble, scooting closer to the water's edge and digging his fingers into the dirt.

"Show me my lotus.. p-please, please show me h-him..."

(Y/n) began to feel tears welling in his eyes as a few lotus flowers rose and bloomed on the water's surface.
(Y/n) shakily took his fingers out of the soil to touch the flowers, only for them to shatter at the slightest breeze.