TW: body insecurites
Genre: Hurt/comfort
Ship: Kyojuro Rengoku x f!reader
Y/n stared into the mirror. She was supposed to be going to the beach with the hashira, the kamado boy and some other demon slayers... However, now that she had seen her swimsuit, she wasn't so sure.
Her fingers trailed along the stretch marks that littered her thighs and tummy. Everything about her body just felt wrong: her skin, face, tummy, legs, arms, chest... None of it felt good enough for her. No matter how much skincare she applied, how many meals she skipped, how much training (or sucking in) she did, nothing worked. She still felt disgusted with herself.
She jumped as she heard a knock on her door. Immediately, y/n lunged for a blanket to cover herself with, but she was too slow. Rengoku had already stuck his head in the door and seen her in her bikini.
"Wow, you look lovely y/n! We must hurry or we shall be late for the beach party!" He smiled, a faint blush spreading over his face as he tried not to stare too closely at her bare skin. Y/n scowled and hid beneath her sheets. The flame hashira's quintessential grin turned into a frown.
"Are you okay y/n? Are you perhaps not comfortable with me seeing you in a swimsuit?" He edged towards her, concern softened his usually loud voice. Y/n poked her head out and nodded miserably.
"Oh, if that is so, I shall simply not attend the beach party!" He boomed. "Or maybe I can just not look at you! Surely that would make you feel better? Come now, lets not be late!"
He marched towards the door, determined to make it on time. However, when he saw y/n failing to follow, he stopped.
"You're not... You're not worried about how your body looks are you?"
Y/n didn't reply. Kyojuro felt his stomach drop.
"Wow, I never expected that would be a problem for you, y/n! I thought you knew how gorgeous you are." He strode back over and plonked himself at the end of her bed. "Please don't be self conscious y/n. What makes you think that any one of us would judge you, no matter what you look like?"
Y/n sniffed, tears were welling in her eyes as all her feelings spilled out. "It's just that, I'm chubbier than Shinobu, and god have you SEEN Mitsuri? She's like, perfect! That Nezuko girl and Kanao are both pretty aswell, I just don't want to stick out amongst them."
Rengoku's face softened. He reached for the cover and slowly pulled it down, so that y/n couldn't hide anymore. He looked her up and down and smiled, reaching for her hand.
"Are you serious? You're stunning y/n! Genuinely perfect. I can't believe that you would ever compare yourself to others when you look the way you do!" He rubbed his thumb over her knuckled reassuringly. "Cmon, I have an idea!"
In a split second, he swooped her out of the bed bridal style. Y/n didn't even have a moment to question what was going on before she was carried to his room and placed on the edge of his bed. He raced off and began rummaging through his wardrobe, emerging with a large white button-down.
"Here!" He wrapped it around her shoulders. "Now you are all covered up! Frankly, you're doing the world a disservice by hiding your beauty, but I will allow it! When you feel comfortable enough, you can always take it off!"
Y/n was shocked. She clutched at the shirt and stared at the man standing above her. Such a kind man... She felt ashamed to ever have thought that he would judge her. When she breathed in, the shirt smelled like him... It made her smile.
"Thank you, Rengoku." Y/n smiled and stood up, taking his outstretched hand. Once more, he swept her up, and dashed away towards the beach.
***
"Rengoku, y/n, you're late!" Mitsuri exclaimed, running over to them. Shinobu giggled behind her.
"What's so funny Shinobu?" Mitsuri pouted. Shinobu shook her head and continued giggling.
"I wonder why y/n looks so flustered next to Rengoku." She smirked. Rengoku turned red and y/n scowled.
"Hush hush, you know I'm only teasing y/n. But seriously, why are you so late? Were you two-"
"We were simply lost, Shinobu!" Rengoku declared. "We lost our way to the beach and it took us a full 20 minutes to find our way back!"
"Mhmmm... Sure..." Shinobu turned and walked back towards the other demon slayers. Rengoku and y/n followed, not making eye contact.
"BROTHAAA!" Tengen raced over to Rengoku and smacked him hard on the back. Rengoku just took it and laughed, swinging his arm around his best friend's shoulder. He threw a comforting smile back at y/n as he was hauled away by Uzui towards the party.
"Come on y/n, let's swim!" Mitsuri tugged at the sleeve of y/n's borrowed shirt. She laughed nervously and pulled her sleeve away.
"Actually Mitsuri, why don't we get some food first? I heard Gyomei is starting a barbeque!"
"KYAAAA!!" Mitsuri sped off towards the smell of hotdogs, leaving y/n to breathe a sigh of relief. She really didn't want to have to take off her layer of protection... Not yet at least.
"Hello y/n." A familiar, airy voice sounded behind her. Muichiro was holding three massive foam spheres in his arms. "Wanna play dodge ball?"
***
"Damn Muichiro, now I understand why you wanted to play this!" Rengoku huffed as he shuffled over to the losers bench. It was just Muichiro and y/n remaining on the court.
"GO ON MUI, GET HER!" Genya Shinazugawa yelled in support of his friend. Muichiro's brow furrowed in concentration.
"GO FOR IT Y/N!!" Mitsuri cheered and danced on the bench. Iguro sat beside her, looking even more murderous than usual due to being the first one eliminated from the game.
Y/n breathed and launched a ball across the court. The hashira dodged easily, sending a ball in return almost instantly. Sweat poured down both player's backs... This game had lasted over 2 hours already, and both were equally keen to end it.
With a final surge of energy, y/n sent three balls Muichiro's way within the same second. He backflipped over the first one, then got stuck in an awkward backbend to dodge the second... BAM! The third ball struck him directly in the face!
"LETS GOOOOOO!!" Rengoku and Tengen yelled simultaneously. Gyomei blew his whistle and insisted that a blow to the face doesn't count, but nobody seemed to hear him.
Everyone ran onto the court to congratulate y/n and Muichiro for making it to the end. Rengoku gave her a bear hug and she felt her heart flutter as she was pulled into his chest.
Bottles popped, music boomed and laughter rang throughout the night. The sun was setting over the beach and the demon slayers were celebrating.
Y/n looked around at them: Tanjiro and Nezuko trying to comfort a nervous Zenitsu through the noise, Inosuke half naked standing on a table, Mitsuri and Giyuu spinning in a circle, Rengoku, Tengen and Sanemi building a human pyramid, Genya and Muichiro hiding in the corner whispering.
She smiled and reached for the buttons of Rengoku's shirt. With a nervous breath, she pulled the fabric from her shoulders.
She glanced around. The human pyramid had fallen down, Mitsuri had left the circle to find Iguro, Zenitsu was on the dance floor, Tanjiro and Inosuke were jumping up and down, Genya and Muichiro had fallen asleep next to eachother.
Nobody was staring at her.
Nobody was judging.
Suddenly, she felt a rough hand on her shoulder. Y/n looked up to see Rengoku beaming down at her. Neither of them said anything, but the redness on their faces spoke much louder than words.
A/N: This is my favourite story in this book so far omfds I love Rengoku with my whole heart!
1363 words