Not a Slayer (Blind!Reader x Demon Slayer Boys)

Part One

(Y/N) wasn't a demon slayer, not that she couldn't be theoretically, but because she found her joy in forging. She was the apprentice of Hotaru Haganezuka, a bladesmith for the Demon Slayer corps. Forging weapons was difficult but satisfying work.

"Hotaru-san?" I left the house and made my way to the forge. The sun was warm today, it felt like good fortune. "Hotaru-san? You didn't stop by this morning, so I thought you'd be here."

"(Y/N)? You made your way here by yourself?"

I knew better than to answer.

"Regardless, I'm glad you've come today is special. You see, yesterday was the final selection of the next generation of demon slayers. This means all other orders will be halted and all attention will be on this blade. You see this sword will be a Nichirin sword, come child hold this ore."

I nod following his voice, lifting my hand towards him. Grasping my hand, he gently places a solid rock into my palm. The weight was light for an ore that's to be used for a sword. I feel the ridges and divots with my fingertips.

"The one who picked this, they were," I paused feeling the stone with my other hand as well finding a large ridge on one side. "They hesitated before they chose this one."

"That is what I heard yes, but he was sure after smelling for it. Now hand it back, you'll have the honor of watching a masterful swordsmith craft a masterful Nichirin."

Holding my hand out, I felt his fingers brush over my palm. I smile, ready to joke at his expense.

"But master I can't watch you do anything," my tone was light and teasing as I smile waving my hand in front of my face. I heard him sigh indignantly in response.

"The first step to forging a Nichirin is to melt down the Scarlet ore with Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand, they also call a Nichirin a sun blade." I paid as much attention as I could, at least to the parts about forging.

The next few days I was in the forge with Hotaru learning about this blade and its future wielder. He had me come over and feel the metal during the different steps of forging when I could. The ore was shaped into a long metal piece last I had felt it. Hotaru had finished hammering out the sword and was preparing to sharpen the blade.

"It feels different, somehow? It still holds the energy of the boy who chose it, but it's more concentrated, yet also is without direction?"

"Yes child, the Nichirin sword adapts its color to the wielder, these colors are sometimes used as omens for how the slayer will perform. A demon slayer must be able to trust their weapon, so any failure on the bladesmiths part could mean death for the slayer. This is why I must devote all my attention to this blade, why I must strive for perfection. Now hand it back, I must add the handle and begin sharpening the blade at once."

Listening to him work was inspiring; it's how I came to be his apprentice in the first place. When I was younger, I had heard many blacksmiths work, as it is in my village, but when I first heard Hotaru it was like listening to music. His movements were precise and delicate, yet firm with their intent. I had wondered in his shop and bumped into his work desk, he gave me an earful until I cried, and then yelled some more. He demanded I leave the way I came, but as that was the first time I visited his shop, I asked him to take me their because I didn't know where it was. He said to just go the way I came from, that it was right over there and that I should just use my eyes. I got upset and kicked his shin, which was a pretty lucky hit, and yelled at him that I was blind and that he shouldn't yell at little blind girls. Since then, I've come back every day and eventually he just started teaching me, saying I might as well learn to make something if I'm going to take up room in his forge.