𝒟𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝓇𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓂𝑒? [[Inosuke Hashibira x (fem) reader]] (complete)

~ ℙ𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕠𝕘𝕦𝕖 ~

"(Y/n)! Wait up! I can't see you!!" A familiar voice cried out behind you.

The voice was so soft and distant, it felt so familiar yet you couldn't figure out who it was. You were far too excited by the first snow of the year to give up now.

"(Y/n) please, don't run off, it's not safe!!!" the voice cried out again in desperation. but you did not heed the warning of this guardian who ran after you. Your mind was young, you were too naive to understand; you thought it'd be an innocent game of tag before bed, just to pull their leg. 

Your legs were small but you were fast, leaping barefoot through the highly packed, fresh snow. A strong gust of wind full of delicate snowflakes blew in just then and you tilted your head back and squealed gleefully, getting a glimpse of the beautiful starry night sky before tripping and falling face-first into the snow. 

"Christ (Y/n), get back here! (Y/n)?!" the voice called, but slowly grew more distant as they lost sight of your tracks. If only you knew it was that easy...if only you had stayed home that night, they wouldn't have gone looking for you.

You sat up, bits of frost clung to your eyelashes and the corners of your mouth, and your skin began to sting uncomfortably. After you realized you were alone, the situation immediately became unpleasant. You were cold, hungry, lost...and no one could hear your cries. 

The rest of your memory of that night was all a blur. You only seem to remember a single warm hand guiding you through the forest...away, from some kind of threat. Someone saved you from a demon. That same demon would later go on to massacre the last of your family who were scattered around the forest looking for you. 

And as for the person? You still couldn't put it together in your head. They seemed to be a boy but, every time you looked back at this memory you just couldn't understand why a boy would randomly come to your rescue in the dead of night during a snowstorm, far from civilization. It was beginning to sound made up, even to you, who lived through it. 

All you know is that someone took care of you that night, and then about a week later, some people came and declared you an orphan. Your life was never the same afterward.

❄

You jolted awake, coming to the realization that you'd fallen asleep under a tree outside of Urokodaki's residence. Relieved, you adjusted yourself back into a comfortable position between its gnarled roots, basking in the sunlight shining through the canopies and fighting the urge to fall asleep again.

Sure, you'd gone through some pretty rough times growing up in a foster home, but it wasn't completely awful. You really didn't know how old you were when the incident happened, but you guessed that you were about seven or eight years old. It's been exactly nine years since you were placed in that rickety old shack in the city, so you'd guess you were about 17 now. A lot has changed since then, you sighed to yourself, staring down at the view from this spot on the mountain.

From here, you could see practically everything. You even liked to think that one of the small buildings in the distance beyond the vast expanse of trees was your old home, looking so tiny and insignificant now. 

Let's see..I've been training with Urokodaki for the last two years, so I was probably 15 when I left. You began to speculate, amusing yourself Although I know there must come a time where I have to leave this place...I don't want to. This is the only place I've ever come to on my own accord--I knew exactly what I came here for and what I wanted to do. Yet still, embarking on my own seems pretty badass...one day.

"You know, (y/n)" the voice of your teacher jolted you out of your thoughts, and you stood up quickly in response. You both paused, and then he continued. 

"You have to go now. Your hard work and diligence have paid off; You've learned well enough to head off to the final selection. You can't stay here."

You winced, biting back the urge to argue. Instead, you reluctantly nodded "I understand. I might have extended my stay a bit too long" you laughed, hiding your face. Why did it pain you to be alone again? It's not like you weren't used to it. 

But still, he was the only father figure you'd ever had. You anticipated that it was going to be hard.

Urokodaki reached out and placed a hand on your shoulder as if to comfort you, and nodded as well "Don't worry, we'll see each other again; I see great potential in you. I know you will make it." 

After some time of a short interaction and being told where you needed to go next, you were on your way to the final selection, brandishing a new sword at your hip. Just having it there gave you a rush of adrenaline--knowing what those things could do if used correctly made you feel...powerful. For the first time in a while. Despite your pessimistic tendencies, you figured you had nothing left to lose, so why not try.