Golden Rice Paddies [Kimetsu no Yaiba x Child! Reader]

When the Crops Wither

Warning: Gore

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An old priest walked along the path with his dull khakkhara in hand. He thought back to a few months ago when he had given that child that pouch. What were they up to now? The old, blind priest thought for a moment, moving his long pewter staff to continue along the path.

Suddenly, he stopped. He could sense it ahead of him. A harsh wind rattled his dull rings. It was a wet and grey day, the land was covered in mud and rainwater. Dew dripped down the leaves, large and small puddles decorated the land. Another harsh wind blew. This feeling grew stronger with every second.

"Oh dear... this can't be good."

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"Come on, say [Name]. [N-a-m-e]." You said, drawing out the syllables in your given name. You sat in front of your baby brother, trying to get him to say something. Yoshitarou was nine months old now and you had turned five a few weeks ago. When your mother found your cheek bandaged from the last trip, she not only threw her zori sandals at both you and your father, she banned you from going on any more trips for six months. You pleaded for her to shorten the length of the punishment but she was set with six months, threatening to extend the punishment. So you had been stuck in your village for quite a bit of time.

But something good that did happen was that you and Giyuu were still sending letters back and forth. And while your father and mother freaked out when they saw the crow, you let them know that the crow allowed you to send letters to your friend. When Tomioka first received the letters, he was appalled by the messy scrawl that was spread out all over the piece of paper. Characters were misspelled, random inkblots were scattered throughout the paper, and some sentences were too vague or completely butchered. He simply sent back a letter saying he couldn't understand anything. Which made you cry. You had been getting better at your penmanship with the help of your parents and through practice, though it was still quite messy according to Giyuu.

You and he had gotten very close. He would tell you about his missions and you would tell him about your family since traveling was no longer a thing. You even invited him over to your house to meet your mom and brother.

"Tomioka-san! You came! I thought you would refuse."

"Don't think too hard about it."

"Oh! Is this your friend [Name]? He's much older than I thought..."

"Yep! Tomioka-san, this is okaasan!"

On that day, you also began to call Giyuu 'aniki'. He was curious, but yet at the same time touched. You considered him as an older brother. Despite his reserved shell, you could tell he cared about you.

Yoshitarou noticed your silence and gripped your kimono sleeve, tugging it gently. You chuckled and tickled him, making him squeal with delight. You then lifted him by his armpits and gave him an Eskimo kiss. You loved Yoshitarou with all your heart and couldn't wait to watch him grow up into a strapping young man.

"[Name]! Can you help me get some firewood?" Your mother called from the irori, poking the flame and watching over the boiling water in the pot that hung over the flame. Your father was stabbing vegetables and fish on bamboo skewers to be placed by the flame. You nodded, carrying your brother to your mother to watch over. You proceeded to make your way to a room used primarily for storage. You slid open the door, the room was dim with barely any light coming in. You walked forward, reaching for the sticks and chopped logs. You were in the middle of gathering a bunch in your arms before stopping abruptly. A shiver ran down your spine and your face went pale. Your muscles tensed till you shook and your breathing hitched, letting out shallow puffs.