Camellia [Demon Slayer/KNY Fanfiction]

Chapter 9

Camellia was going to grab her mask, but Urokodaki said it would be rude as he already opened the door for them.

Camellia didn't even think of Urokodaki being a hypocrite by him wearing his own mask.

They just had tea prepared, and Kyoujuro dropped him off for an indefinite amount of time that he failed to specify, so Kyoujuro was now gone.

The little boy was a few years older than Camellia. Maybe two or three years.

Camellia would not make eye contact; she kept looking to the floor, even as Urokodaki offered him tea.

Meanwhile, Mizuho, who was near the door but unnoticed by them, now watched them through the small, high window.

"A boy," Mizuho whispered grimly, climbing down. He took a small jump forward, and disappeared. His feet landed in another mountain clearing. "News I have, yes I do!" Mizuho clapped his hands to what looked like no one in particular. His way of speaking definitely had no influence on Camellia's internal monologue barely scraping as existing, no, of course not. "Camellie-chan is with a boy!"

"Tanjiro and Urokodaki-san don't count," Sabito grunted, from beside a tree when he looked over.

"No, I mean an actual boy, other than them." Mizuho sighed. "A playdate."

Sabito stiffened.

Oh no, no, no no no. This was no good, no. Little Camellia-chan having her first (play)date, and with a boy? She was going to be stolen away and get married! No! Both boys and girls are illegal! Everyone is! Don't take his baby! That's his baby! He'd rather kill someone than hand her over!

...... He's gotta start a barricade. If he can do that, no one is going to ever take Camellia's second date, or kiss, or hand in marriage, or-

They wisely ignored how Sabito started letting out some scary aura that meant he was getting too into something. His brain was going full mother hen again.

"Great." Ayame blew a lock of hair away from her face. "Get her a husband candidate."

"AYAME!!"

Ayame shrugged off Sabito's shriek; she didn't have to be as protective as him. Let Camellia live life, you know.

...... Camellia was, in fact, dying. She could feel her life slipping away. Even a single person from outside the mountain who wasn't her godfather was too much. This awkward silence was also bad.

"U-Umm. What's your name?"

Conversation starters, conversation starters... Come on, Camellia, you practiced this with your doting Kaa-chan, you can do this!

"Oh. My name's Senjuro Rengoku." The boy nodded. "And you are..?"

"......."

She's forgotten how to breathe. Oh no.

Tanjiro sweatdropped at the heavy, awkward silence. His nose could smell that they were uncomfortable. He didn't even need to smell it; it was clear as day.

"........ Camellia."

"Camellia-chan?"

"..... Un."

"...."

".... I don't know how to continue this conversation," she whispered, mostly to herself, but loud enough that Senjuro heard.

He smiled. "I don't either. This happened very suddenly. See, my older brother came in and asked if I wanted to make a friend. Next thing I knew, we were on the way here."