Quietude

3

| Quietude - Chapter 3 - To the Village

A day following his visit at the forger's, Kyojuro was already on his way back to the workshop, his mind set on a new objective: Approaching [Name] with fewer reservations.

After a long night of reflection, the swordsman had come to the conclusion that perhaps it wasn't his own silence he had to enforce, but rather allow [Name]'s to settle... If that made any sense at all.

Silence wasn't something Kyojuro was particularly fond of. Not that he hated it, either. Only, he found it a tad bit unnerving.

There was something about silence, in general, that prompted him to drown in thought.

These thoughts would be bright and uplifting on occasion, but oftentimes the claws of the past came tearing at him, driving him further and further away from the surface, claiming and rending open the scars they'd already left.

"But not with [L/n]-san," the Demon Slayer murmured, his eyes softening with comfort.

Indeed, not with [Name]. The smith's silence was particular, one could say.

It wasn't unsettling. It didn't grow heavy with time. It didn't send Kyojuro into a spiral of unpleasant memories. It didn't threaten to swallow him whole.

[Name]'s silence was warm and comforting. It was like a mother's embrace. It invited Kyojuro to share his deepest scorns and concerns, to outpour his emotions in strong waves...and to be true. It had become a beacon in the night of his torments.

"Hmph," Kyojuro puffed, a self-mocking smile at his lips. It's always during the walks up the mountain I get these thoughts, he mused. How odd.

Kyojuro felt his heart drum with jitter as he drew nearer the little workshop.

This morning, the mountain air was crisp and invigorating, rejuvenating the Demon Slayer with every lungful. The snow creased easily under his soles, making the steep hike all the more effortless. There was an evident hop in his step and a sun in his smile as he finally reached the [L/n] forge a while later.

He made a beeline for the door and knocked. "[L/n]-san! It's me!" he called.

Though this time, the usual "Come in" didn't reach his ears.

"[L/n]-san...?" Kyojuro called once more, a waver of concern in his voice. He waited another moment...

No response.

Hesitantly, Kyojuro put his ear to the door, listening for any sounds that would indicate the forger's presence. He listened for ten seconds, twenty, thirty... He detected neither the toll of pounding metal nor the sound of footsteps.

"Hm...? Hmm?" The golden-eyed swordsman stepped back in half a panic. His mind swirled with catastrophic scenarios.

Although the rational, more down-to-heart side of his brain suggested that maybe [Name] was asleep (Which brought Kyojuro a certain sense of relief because, seriously, did the boy ever sleep?), the panicking part of his mind had him fearing the worst.

What if [Name] had disappeared somewhere in the mountain? Nonsense. He had to know the area like the back of his hand.

What if he'd suddenly collapsed somewhere farther, in the cold? Ridiculous. [Name] looked strong; he couldn't possibly succumb to this weather... But—

Just then, the door clicked open, revealing a very healthy and sound [Name].

Kyojuro staggered backward in his surprise, his hand moving instinctively to feel the hilt of his sword. The forger stood in the center of the doorframe, seemingly unfazed by the Demon Slayer's momentary discountenance.