let there be light | kimetsu no yaiba

𝐱𝐯𝐢𝐢. 𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞

He prayed nonstop for her to awaken after she was transferred into his own home. Even if she had awakened the first day, he would have been the first to see her. He would have made sure of that.

One week, and he hasn't left her bedside. Oyakata-sama made sure that Giyū didn't have to depart on missions as often. It was almost as if the blind man knew something Giyū did not, just like Shinobu. To make arrangements for him to take a break and watch over his childhood best friend was something Giyū was extremely grateful for.

People would come and go, especially Tanjiro. Tanjiro would come nearly everyday, talking to Giyū and keeping him company before running off on another mission. Giyū was grateful for Tanjiro.

Another person that would come and go frequently was a young girl that claimed she met Airi at the Red Light District. She introduced herself as Emi Murakami, and even gave him a gift as thanks for taking care of the woman who saved her life. Emi confessed that she had been taking care of Airi's home in her absence. She was finally happy with her older sister who had been found after being trapped in Daki's sashes for so long.

Surprisingly, Giyū appreciated Emi's kindness and pitied her for her current situation given how young she was.

The man would sleep on the floor next to the unmoving girl, his hand never letting go of hers. He slept lightly every night, and if she moved he would know.

One night, her hand twitched in his own, and he made sure to write down what the date and time it was. According to Shinobu, writing down her trace of movements would indicate Airi's progress in beating her slumber.

"7th of April, about when the moon is at its highest. Midnight." He wrote, biting his lip, simply hoping that it was a good sign.

He looked over at Airi's sleeping figure. He watched as she breathed, her chest slowly increasing and decreasing smoothly. He took her hand is his own once more, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Wake up soon, please." He whispered, his dark blue eyes deeply saddened as he gazed at her. It was almost as if a piece of his life was taken away from him.

——•——

"Oneechan!" A young voice called out, shaking his sister awake.

The girl groaned before rising, her hair an absolute mess.

She rubbed her eyes, "Ah, I'm surprised Daichi wasn't the one jumping on me this morning. Good morning, little Atsushi." A young Airi smiled, her amber yellow eyes glistening against the early morning sun peaking through the room.

"I'm not little anymore! Come chop some trees with us, Airi! Mother wants more wood today for house repairs." Atsushi pouted before giving his sister a toothy grin.

Airi ruffled her hair before ruffling her brother's in response, "Alright, give me a moment to stretch and I'll be out there."

"Yay!" The boy giggled before sprinting out of the house into the spring daylight.

The girl braided her hair into a single loose braid, sitting on the front of her shoulder. She changed into a long green kimono with floral patterns woven onto it.

The young girl ran outside and found her brothers chopping down small trees with hatchets and helped them. Her physical strength was abnormal for a girl, but nonetheless the mountain child was a perfect asset for survival.