Fluttering Lotus Petals

Chapter 4: A New Bud Emerges

Every night, Zentisu would watch as Nezuko and [Name] would emerge from their shelters. [Name] usually happily greet them, smothering them in hugs. Tonight, however, he looked grave.

"Is there something wrong?" Zenitsu asked the demon.

"You are almost fully healed now and will be on a mission soon enough. Whether you will all be together or separate is out of my control. I just don't want you guys to get hurt, especially with no one to guard your back," [Name] answered. He turned around for a moment, bending down to pick up his lotus lantern.

He plucked out four petals from the lantern, which had replacements regrow almost immediately. He kissed the four petals each once, before giving them to the three teenagers and Nezuko. "I have now bonded our souls. If you're in danger, I'll be able to sense it thanks to these petals. If you ever need it, I'll come save you!"

[Name] placed a petal in Tanjiro and Zenitsu's chest pockets of their uniform, right above their hearts. He placed Inosuke's in the pockets of his pants and Nezuko's in her checkered sash. He kissed the top of Nezuko's head, patting her gently. As a demon, she would be able to reach him easier, although less than others since she was not under Kibutsuji's control.

He turned to Zenitsu, holding out a hand. "Come, Zenitsu. We have a lot to talk about before your next mission." Zenitsu took it, grasping it tightly as he was pulled along by the demon.

This demon had warm hands.

[Name] brought the blond onto the porch, gazing up at the moon as they sat down on the wood. "Something tells me your next mission is going to be dangerous," he whispered. "And you're going to be scared. You're going to want to run away."

Zentisu stayed quiet, nervously fiddling with the hem of his kimono.

"It's okay to be scared of the unknown, of the dangerous things out there. It's okay to want to run away, to avoid things you don't want to do. It's natural to be scared. But, now you have people to fight for, don't you? Nezuko, Tanjiro, and Inosuke? They'll be waiting to see you again. That gives you something to move forward for, right?" He smiled a close-eyed smile before pulling Zenitsu in for a hug.

"You undoubtedly have strength, Zenitsu. I believe you can use it to protect the ones you love," He breathed, placing his forehead against the other's and squeezing his eyes shut. "And don't worry, if your life is in danger, I will definitely save you."

Zenitsu's eyes were blown wide after hearing [Name]'s words. He could hear his heartbeat, a smooth, gentle song that wrapped its arms around him. He wrapped his arms around the demon, clutching at the back of his cape tightly and beginning to sob.

[Name] simply let him cry, rocking him back and forth. Zenitsu was eventually lulled to sleep by the comforting thumps of [Name]'s heartbeat, tears still present on his cheeks.

———

When [Name] returned with Zentisu cradled in his arms, Tanjiro was somewhat concerned for the blond, but [Name] assured him that he was alright.

Tanjiro frowned slightly. What happened out there, exactly? Zenitsu and [Name] were out on the porch for quite some time, long enough for Zenitsu to fall asleep. He watched as [Name] softly placed Zenitsu onto his futon and tucked him in, eyebrows furrowed.

He was just curious about what happened out there, that's all. That's definitely it, nothing more, nothing less, he assured himself.

"Tanjiro," [Name] called, finished with tucking Zenitsu in. "Come here."

He felt his legs move on his own, scooting over next to the demon. "Yes?" he said a little too eagerly for his liking.

"In order to collect the blood of the Twelve Kizuki, you must be strong enough to defeat them. The demons you have faced in the past will seem like children compared to them, and their necks will be tough." [Name] said seriously. "All of the Twelve Kizuki, Lower and Upper Ranks, all possess Blood Demon Arts and have devoured numerous humans. You must remember to never throw your life away. There's a difference between a sacrifice and just carelessly tossing it aside."