𝐁𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 ✓

chapter 1 :: cruelty

WARNINGS: the following chapter will contain the following:

mentions of murder/blood, puking.

This...this wasn't supposed to happen.

Blood.

How...I thought....it's my fault, isn't it?

The snow seeped with their fresh blood, staining it red.

I shouldn't...I should've listened....

Crying. She could still hear their screams for help.

If only...if only...

"You're dozing off on me again Ama," A light laughter could be heard amidst the snowy white silence. A beautiful girl stood tall, her magenta colored eyes catching the light within them. She cast a shadow over the girl, her smile being the first thing she sees. "It's cold out here you know. And oh," she frowned, her eyes trailing down to the bare feet. "Where are your shoes?"

She couldn't have been gone for more than a few minutes, and yet her memory was foggy. Sighing, she rubbed her eyes, placing herself in a seated position to stare at her feet, her toes stiff from the cold snow she had buried them in just moments before.

"Sorry," she murmured, her gray eyes misty. "I just...fell asleep, I guess." She winced as the girl gently slapped her head before offering her a hand to help her to her feet. The obvious disappointment on her lovely face was there, but yet she still smiled and shook her head, as if scolding a young child despite the fact they were both the same age. "It wasn't that cold a couple of minutes ago y'know." She looked around for her boots and spotted them in a corner, trudging in the snow towards them while the other girl looked on. "You treat me like I'm a child, Nezuko," she retorted as she slipped them on.

In response, Nezuko raised an eyebrow, eying her disdainfully. "Maybe if you didn't act like one I wouldn't treat you as such, Tamashii" she responded coolly, glancing at her baby brother every now and again to make sure that he was doing alright. The younger child snored peacefully, his face snuggled into the warmth of his sister's. It was an innocent sight to behold, but they both knew when he awoke he would be a menace. "I mean really, taking off your shoes? Are you trying to freeze your feet?"

Tamashii rolled her eyes, ignoring the curt comment. She glanced at the sleeping Rokuda and frowned, gently prodding the boy's cheek with her rather cold finger. Nezuko gasped, flicking her hand away as the child squirmed from the touch. The girl grinned and her friend sighed, shaking her head at her childishness. "Tamashii," she scolded. "You know he's asleep!"

"But why~" she whined, kicking the snow every time she walked. "We were supposed to go berry hunting."

"In winter?" She shook her head. "You and your notions. Don't make promises you can't keep Ama." Her rather carefree expression changed to a rather serious one. "It's going to come back to haunt you later on in life."

She laughed, waving her hand dismissively, only to be immediately silenced by the girl. "Whatever you say Grandma," she teased, earning a scoff. "And for the record, I'll have you know that I'm always keeping my promises." She stuck her tongue out childishly. "Unlike someone I know."

"Hey, if lying meant you'd get your ass out of bed," Nezuko chuckled. "Then by all means I accept full responsibility for it. And stop being so loud, you'll wake Rokuda, and you know how cranky he gets sometimes."

"Eh, just give him to Tanjiro," she shrugged. "He likes him, right? He'll go quiet once his precious big brother gives him a big old hug."

A look of amusement flashed on Nezuko's face. "You would know about that, wouldn't you?" she joked, giggling at her friend's flushed expression. "Don't worry, I won't tell a single soul. Unless~"