!Now available on ao3! Same name, same author!
boketto (Japanese)
- the act of gazing vacantly into the distance without thinking.
*~-~*
In which young Y/n is shown there's more to life than fulfilling a duty.
And a young Tanjiro learns that first...
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The woman who does not require validation from anyone is the most feared individual on the planet.
Mohadesa Najumi
As expected of Tanjiro Kamado, he was kind and gentle towards this new Zenitsu Agatsuma. Tanjiro was always so empathetic and kind. I couldn't quite find it within myself to have the same attitude and forgive the blonde so quickly. The way he grabbed my shoulders and treated us girls still rang in my ears. But Tanjiro seemed completely unbothered by my lack of emotion and sudden apathy. Distancing myself from the emotions was the best way to handle them at that moment, I decided.
I walked ahead of them, listening to the sand crush beneath my steps and the wind rustle the leaves around us. Being in the country was refreshing compared to the city and helped dull my nerves quite a bit. Zenitsu had calmed as well, so it was much quieter.
As I had done before meeting Tanjiro, I found myself reading the book my teacher gave me. The words flickered by but I was using them as a means of distraction. They weren't truly comprehending at the moment, but I'd read it again later to fully digest the words. It was a nice pass time, anyway.
After a moment of gentle calmness, I heard the familiar flapping of birds' wings before Ocha appeared and landed on the top of my book. I hummed in surprise, glancing up at the elder bird before a familiar one cawed behind me and I turned at the sound.
"Tanjiro, Zenitsu, run!" Tanjiro's crow shouted as it circled the two boys in the sky, "Both of you head over to your next destination!"
It continued to bark orders at the two boys and I glanced at Ocha, "The three of us..?"
He opened his beak and corrected, "Not today, not today! Your mission lies elsewhere! The town to the east! The east!"
Softly, I quieted him, letting him perch on my arm as I shut my book and put it away once again. When I glanced at the two boys again, I saw that Zenitsu was squirming on the ground and Tanjiro had seemingly heard Ocha's words. The expression of slight worry on his face said so.
I did my best to somewhat reassure him, "I guess we're splitting here. I'll see you again. Hopefully afterward."
The emotion on his face amplified, but he put up a quick mask of determination and hope to cover it up. It made sense. This would be our first mission as demon slayers apart from one another, and on our own (I hardly called Zenitsu a worthy partner for a quest). We'd spent enough missions together that I was curious how these ones would go. But I was confident we'd both be okay. It should be fine.
Tanjiro shifted the box on his back with a newfound determination before briskly coming toward me. I blinked in curiosity, just watching as the boy with a mission stepped forward and then -
