Aspiration For Tranquility (kny x M!reader)

Ch. 23 - "Family"

Leaving the boar head boy tied to the tree, (y/n) followed Giyu through the trees.
He followed him without a second thought and observed him with keen interest.
His haori specifically.
The reddish color of one half was the one he had known Giyu to wear, but the other half...

Sudden shouting dragged (y/n) from his thoughts as he realized he had accidentally followed Giyu to a battle.

To his right, Giyu stood in front of a boy with burgundy hair and a checkered haori.
Some distance away from them was a girl who reaked of the distinct scent of demon blood, her orange-tipped black hair sprawled around her.
The girl was obviously a demon, but since she wasn't moving from where she laid, (y/n) left her alone until she became an issue.

Then, to his left was who he had been trying to avoid while he was here.
There stood Rui, lower moon 5, ranting about something (y/n) didn't care to pay attention to.
(Y/n) only intervened when Rui threw an attack towards Giyu.
Before the attack was even a foot away from Rui, it and his hands were cut to ribbons.
The demon boy only grew more infuriated when he saw (y/n) standing between him and the humans.

"Nee-san, what are you doing!? You're supposed to be protecting me from these pests, not the other way around!"

Rui shouted, looking up at (y/n) and visibly shaking with anger.
He was met with silence from (y/n), who let his blade hang by his side as a warning to the younger demon.
Rui didn't take kindly to this silence, and he raised his hands to fire another attack in a fit of rage.

But... nothing happened.

Before he could register what had happened, the world flipped upside-down, and his head hit the ground.
Rui watched on with angry tears in his eyes as his body started to crumble away... as (y/n) sheathed his blade without an issue.

His rage vanished when his body fell forward, and (y/n) caught him in an apologetic embrace.
His eyes widened, and he watched (y/n) hold his body until he withered away.

That's when (y/n) turned to the other two, who watched on without a word.
Giyu looked on with a stoic expression, but he couldn't help but observe this "stranger" who appeared from nowhere.
His blue eyes studied the blade (y/n) wielded, and the red tassels pinned to his outfit.
It all seemed so familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

The boy in the checkered haori looked at the man with cloth over his face with wide eyes, now holding the demoness under him.
Since he nor Giyu saw this girl as a threat, (y/n) decided to ignore her for now and started back at them in silence.

The sudden clashing of metal startled the boy, while (y/n) watched on in silence.

"Hm? Why did you block me, Tomioka-san?"

A soft voice spoke up amongst the silence.
Between (y/n) and Giyu now stood a short woman with a butterfly patterned haori, not paying any mind to (y/n).
Giyu stayed crouched in front of the children, holding his katana in front of them in a protective stance.

"You yourself said that there's no getting along with demons. So what are you doing?"

The women wondered out loud, striking a cord in (y/n).

Giyu.. would never say that since he had helped raise the boy... right?

"This is why everyone hates you!"

The women said these words so casually that it struck the boy Giyu was protecting by surprise.
Giyu, however, watched on with a calm and stoic expression.

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《~Fin.~》

621 words not including these!

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Okay, okay. I know I said I'd update, and I am now, but please forgive me! The first few weeks of my break have been full of so much stuff, but all of that is over for now! I will be trying to get another update out within the next, maybe 10 hours? Two more chapters if I'm feeling motivated! Thank all of you for being so patient with me, and I hope all of you have a fantastic day/night!

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《{Secrets unlocked: x1!}》

《{Rui's flower was supposed to be the spider lily, but I cut out their conversation because it didn't really add a lot to the story!}》