!Now available on ao3! Same name, same author!
boketto (Japanese)
- the act of gazing vacantly into the distance without thinking.
*~-~*
In which young Y/n is shown there's more to life than fulfilling a duty.
And a young Tanjiro learns that first...
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We all grow tired eventually; it happens to everyone. Even the sun, at the close of the year, is no longer a morning person.
Joyce Rachelle
"Here it is!" I called back behind me, leaning over to pick up the familiar green and black fabric. It was soft in my grasp, and I couldn't help but run my thumb over the fabric. Worn and showing years of use, but still nice to the touch. It was a good piece of cloth.
I loosely folded it, draping it over one arm before turning back to step back through the bushes. Tanjiro was off near another bush, brow furrowed while looking before he leaned over and picked something up. Curiously, I wandered towards him, careful to keep some weight off my left leg. Not only did I have that cut on it, but I had my suspicions that it was strained as well.
Just as I reached him, he popped back up, a smile on his face as he held something in his grasp. He turned towards me before revealing it in his grasp. A familiar, light grey metal that matched my sword, "I could smell this around. Here you go."
"...Thank you," I softly replied, taking it from his grasp and into my own. Reaching into my haori, I dropped it into the pocket to be put away later. I need to find a better way to hold it. Maybe on my belt or something.
I straightened in realization, taking the haori in my grasp. For a moment, I paused, looking down at the fabric before unfolding it. I shuffled just a bit closer to my friend, seeing him flinch with surprise but I just took the fabric and draped it over his shoulders. Gently, I pulled it forward a bit and straightened it, making sure it was would stay. It was still soft underneath my touch.
What am I doing?
I blinked as if suddenly coming back to my senses and rushed to create space between us. A rushed, "Sorry," left me before I turned on my heel to head back towards the house.
The confusion was the most prominent emotion in my mind. My cheeks felt ablaze at my own actions, but I was completely unsure as to why I even did that. It was just... near instinct. Terrible, embarrassing instinct.
His footsteps rushed to meet up with mine, but I didn't miss his limp. Nonetheless, I saw him smile from my peripherals and say, "Thank you."
The heat in my face only seemed to worsen.
We made our way towards the house, carefully stepping back through the hole the Temari demon had created. The sun was brighter now, showing early morning. I prayed that our crows would have mercy on us and not make us immediately move to our next mission.
The house was dark now, and Tanjiro poked his head into the hallway, calling the name of the two residents. After a moment, he received a reply from Yushiro and waved me over.
I briskly followed, walking beside him towards the top of a staircase. Just as we reached it, I heard the mint-haired boy call out, "Not that you need to come at all. But if you want to, then get down here."
