𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 | 𝐤𝐧𝐲

寂 | lonely

~仕始める~

Winter came like a lion, merciless with over 10 inches of snow in one night. Yushiro hated the snow, it was cold and it made his limbs numb. You on the other hand adored the snow. Running in and burying yourself in the white powder as if you were some kind of child.

The wintertime was debatably your favorite time of the year. Fluffy snow, cloudy skies, warm drinks and Yushiro always complained to you about the weather- you couldn't ask for more! Cloudy skies meant you were free to walk in the snow covered streets without a parasol. Winter was a dream for you, finally you could walk outside with the light of the ice and snow illuminating your skin.

The definition of a normal day varies from day to day— from weeks of nothing but silence between you two or ranting back and forth for hours. Chachamaru stayed inside all season long, they couldn't walk in the snow because of how deep it was anyways. You relied on him to keep you entertained during the long winter nights, while Yushiro painted all day and night you focussed your energy on cleaning.

You were scrubbing out the baths and the sinks. While in the middle of scrubbing mold and moss out of the bottom of the baths did you realize how long it's been since you cleaned them to begin with. Yushiro took baths, well you think he did.

Despite the both of you being demons and ultimately "perfect" creatures, hygiene overall was still a big necessity. Neither you or Yushiro needed to be hygienic to stay alive, but merely for the satisfaction of smelling or feeling clean. You took baths relatively religiously, at least once a day usually every evening.

The realization came to you in a chill, Yushiro had never bathed properly had he?

Lady Tamayo would pester him constantly about baths and showers, you just remembered that he would get his hair a little wet to stop her pestering. Despite the very deep regard Yushiro held towards her, he'd do anything to find some kind of lazy solution.

You dumped the buckets of dirty and soapy water into the snow, watching the substance soak and slowly become transparent. Seeing your misty breath as you exhaled, with a foggy sigh you headed inside once again. Tonight you had one mission:

Clean Yushiro.

"Yu~shiro~!" you had sang out, skipping down the halls and swinging the door open.

You had full confidence he would be holed up inside the painting room like he always was, painting or sketching something out. The room was missing him, messy canvases and various bottles of paints and dried palettes were scattered across the floors and shelves. Acrylic bowls stacked in the corners of the room.

With a pout, you turned around and wandered aimlessly around the house. Focusing yourself to target his presence... Only to find nothing at all, did he go somewhere without telling you? That's out of his character, he always invites you somewhere or tells you even if he stepped out of the property.

Even when he used his demon art you were able to feel him.

The estate was rid of his presence entirely, it felt different. You'd spend the nights hours wandering aimlessly around the hallways, Chachamaru circling around your legs. When the sun had come up was when panic really set into your core, the sun was up and he wasn't home. The Rengoku Estate was a few villages away, so there's no possibility they'd encounter each other...

He would never just leave you would he?

Panic set into you as you helplessly paced back and forth in the living area. Your toes and feet are going numb completely from the cold air that was sinking into the house, Chachamaru now sleeping peacefully under a bundle of blankets under the low table.

Your heart stopped when you heard the front door make a noise, rushing over to the entryway. The scraping of the wood against the floor filled the room, stopping briefly and then continuing. Yushiro stood there covered in snow, getting caught in the recent snowfall. His cheeks and nose red, he huffs as he pushes past the snow and makes way inside.

"Why's it so cold-"

Unable to stop yourself you tackle him completely, causing him to fall backwards back into the frozen fluff. You were tempted to cry into him, but instead you settled for wrapping your cold and numb limbs around Yushiro. His thick kimono was solid with freezing water, you looked back at him with desperate eyes.

Without thinking you bucked your head forward meeting his lips on yours for a kiss, catching him completely off guard. His cheeks flush more against your warm skin.

"I'm back..." his voice trailed off, completely breathless underneath you.

Reluctantly you let him get up and change out of his freezing layers while you got the fireplace lit.

"Where were you? You were gone all night and I got worried you got caught somewhere troublesome or died," your tone was worried and hushed.

Yushiro huffed, "Die? I went to get you mochi since I heard it was on sale, but when I got there the store was closed! I had to stay all night until they opened up, I didn't want it to sell out since it's kind of famous."

You both sat at the entryway still, your hands tussling his hair to get the remaining snowflakes out. His face was scrunched at the sensation of your fingers pulling at his roots.

"Why were you getting mochi?"

"You said you wanted some! So I had to get the best of the best!" Yushiro snapped back at you, his cheeks and nose still red from the cold, "...Also what was with the random kiss, huh?"

You couldn't contain your laughter, despite being a demon you could still eat human foods. Recently you've been craving ice cream even though it was below freezing, you had mentioned it once to Yushiro before when you saw an ad inside the paper. He shot you down but ended up retrieving it for you anyways, you couldn't help but laugh at his actions.

As of recently you've been trying to show more physical affection to him. Usually small kisses on the neck or cheek, maybe hugs or patting his head or back. He loved it, he thrived off of it but he would never tell you that.

Yushiro on the other hand wasn't having it, "What's so funny?! Don't laugh at me!"

His cheeks were more flushed before the cold hair had even graced his skin.

"Nothing, nothing... Don't worry about it, you're just cute is all-'' you started, he debuted quickly.

"You're mocking me! I'm not cute at all! I'm trying to be nice to you!" he wiggled his body, trying to knock yours away from him.

An idea came rushing into your head when you felt his cold skin against your own, a wide smile spread across your face.

"Yushiro, wanna take a bath?!"

~終了~

a/n;; reader and yushiro didnt take a bath together but she just wanted him clean ALSO IM NOT DEAD HI !!!!