Torn Between Worlds

First Date: Kyojuro Rengoku

Disclaimer: spicy chapter! Please read at your own discretion!

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Genya began to shiver in fear at the large white tiger in front of him.

"AHHHHH! IS THAT A TIGER!? WHO THE HELL HAS A TIGER!?" yelled Zenitsu from the other end of the hall.

"THAT'S SO COOL!" Inosuke yelled enthusiastically.

"Do you two seriously not remember her during our final selection? She was trained by four of the Hashira!" Tanjiro exclaimed.

Yuki reached up and patted Gizmo on the cheek lovingly, "All right, big boy, I think he's had enough." The tiger glared at Genya once more before lowering down to all fours and nudging his head against her waist with a purr. She wrapped her arms around his big head and nuzzled her face with his. She quickly jumped up and took back her sword and sheathed it, causing Genya to hit the floor with a thud on his bottom. He looked up at her in what she could only describe as angry awe.

She walked back over to her group of friends as he stared after her stunned. Everyone was always afraid of him for his look, and he used it to get what he wanted. Why wasn't she afraid like everyone else? Shinobu smiled at Genya as she noticed him staring, "You might want to change that look, Genya. She could be your future sister in law!"

"Really Shinobu?!" Yuki yelled in embarrassment as her cheeks tinted pink. 'Ah that explains it....' Genya thought to himself as he looked her up and down as she yelled at Shinobu. 'She is kind of pretty...' Genya got up from the ground and dusted himself off before walking out of the Butterfly Estate and back to his Hashira Trainer, Gyomei.

On her last night at the Butterfly Estate, Yuki woke from nightmares and was unable to go back to sleep. She walked up on the roof of the Butterfly Estate and tried to calm her mind with yoga. As she twirled and did her balancing poses on the roof under the full moon, she began to sing. Walking around the perimeter of the village was Obanai, Gyomei, and Genya. Genya stopped in his tracks as he and his trainer passed Obanai to listen to the singing, "Who is that singing this early in the morning?"

Gyomei smiled down at his tsuguko, "That's Yuki, the Snow Hashira. Poor child must have had nightmares again."

"The pink haired girl with the tiger?" Genya asked his trainer, who nodded.

"Yes, that's her. That child has been through a lot and has still managed to be so kind-hearted," Gyomei said endearingly, as if he was talking about one of his children.

Genya scoffed, "I wouldn't describe her as kind-hearted at all."

"You must have pissed her off then. Yuki loves everyone, and most everyone loves and adores her," Obanai said with a soft smile as they listened to her singing voice.

Gyomei laughed, "she is quite the handful when angry. Your brother would come and tell me all about it and ask how to deal with her when they would argue. He is really in love with her. I hope they get married soon."

Obanai and Gyomei continued walking as Genya stood there a moment and listened to her sing. 'She sure sounds pretty, though... maybe she isn't all that bad,' Genya thought as he followed his trainer.

Unknown to the Hashira out in the early morning hours, a pair of bright red eyes heard the girl's singing and watched from beyond the line of Wisteria trees, having not heard the voice in nearly three years.

Yuki did not go back to sleep that night and left early in the morning as the sun rose. Her and Gizmo returned home to see the place littered with sake bottles and all four men scattered across the house. She sighed deeply and went over to the gourds of water she left for them and noticed they weren't even open.