Mary On A Cross ✔

XIX

Chapter 19: Kyojuro?

The loud cries of a baby was heard all over as you gasped for air after giving birth to little Kyojuro. His brows were just as you knew they would be – owl formed – his eyes were pressed shut. His mouth wide with wails.

The Kakuchi handed him to Shinjuro who was in tears seeing the baby. He was happy that he had a son. Kyojuro’s wails started to calm down as he now only sobbed his cheeks were red and chubby.

“what will you name him?” the female Kakuchi asked with a towel in her hands as she dried them off.
You turned your head and smiled, “Kyojuro, his name is Kyojuro.”

***

Ten passed many things happened, the death of Manjuro and Temari it was a time of cries and mourning. Then Senjuro was born, you too had chosen his name.

He was adorable and sweet, much to your surprise you didn’t get sick, because after Kyojuro was born and before Senjuro came you continued training and drank teas and medication trying not to get that incurable disease.

Tanjuro grew sick and you went to visit him. That day you went with a ten year old Kyojuro and little Senjuro in your husband’s hands.

The mountain wasn’t snowy yet since it was spring. You get there and saw a five year old Tanjiro together with Tanjuro.

It wasn’t the first time that Tanjuro saw Kyojuro but you hadn’t met the little boy that Kei gave birth to. His eyes were big and red. You held Kyojuro’s small hands as you get closer.

“Tanjuro!” you waved your hand as you closed the distance, “how have you been!”

He smiled, his eyes were sunken and his face pale, his cheeks were sunken from the sickness. “Nee-san.” He greeted back and placed the axe down before walking closer, “I have been doing well.”

But when he said that Kie butts in holding a four year old Nezuko, “do not lie, you have not been doing well you coughed blood last night!” she was pregnant of their fourth child.

Tanjuro smiled calmly even if he was dying he was so calm and wasn’t worried at all. It made you worry a bit. Just like Ruka, she too was collected and calm aside from her last moments that she first shed a tear.

“Hello little Kyojuro, so you remember me?” Tanjuro asked as his eldest son was now close and his eyes were inspecting me.

“Nope!” he said with a dotted expression, “who are you?!” his voice loud as normally something you knew ran in the Rengoku family.

“he is your uncle.” Shinjuro explained, “from your mother’s side.”

Kyojuro stared with his big red and golden eyes before they shone, “Cool! You look like a samurai!”

Your eyes widen, the said male was technically a level of samurai or Pillar – even if the Pillars are far stronger than a basic samurai. Sadly Tanjuro pushed away those thoughts and did what he wanted. Live away and free.

“thank you, kid.” He ruffled Kyojuro’s short golden locks before patting his own son’s head who was pouting, “Tanjiro you and Nezuko are addicted to head pads.”

The boy blushed and nodded his head before Nezuko appeared her hair was short and up to her shoulders, many pink bows were holding many of her hair on place and wore a pink kimono.

Her eyes were wine red and big. Unlike her demon self her pupils with white and with many crystal white spots around in her pupil.

“Pats!” Nezuko smiled at Tanjiro after she greeted you. You bend down and pat her head, her hair was thick and soft. Up close you could see the red hoe of hair that was so dark that could be seen as raven.

The relationship between them grew strong and the Kamado would come over every new years and would do the ritual at their garden. But you didn’t involve them with the Demon Slayer life cause the words wouldn’t come.

Your brother got sicker while you stayed healthy did it have something to do with you?

***

It was the time that Kyojuro turned eighteen when the news came of your brother’s death, it was winter and sadly you couldn’t go to visit him cause there was a heavy storm.

You cried silently as your heart clenched, you knew he was going to die but you grew attached to him in a way it hurt. Even if originally you would feel envy for him you now felt love for him he was your brother.

“Ruka,” you turned you’re your husband who retired from his position after Kyojuro turned to a Slayer to give him the position after he was his tsugoku for a few years.

Senjuro wasn’t destined to be a demon slayer since the sword didn’t change colour. You pat his head and told him that you were proud of him so he started to train to be a Kakuchi.

You looked up from the table your head laid on, dried tears on your cheeks from all your crying, “yes,” you sneezed and used a paper towel to wipe the snot off. Your nose and eyes were red from all that crying.

“my condolences,” he gave you a sad smile, he grew close with your ‘brother’.

You returned the small and pained smile, “thank you, but even at his last days he was so calm, it even pained me to see him so calm.”

***

“Mother are you okay?!” Kyojuro asked his voice booming with a smile on his lips his hair was long and messy most part was in a bun behind his head.

You turned from watching the engawa and pat the place beside you on the futon, your eyes stoic and calm, “this feels like déjà vu.” You said, “we talked like this once remember?”

He sat down and placed his head on your lap as you stroke his head, his arms were crossed with a smile, “I remember mother!” he was nicely educated by you, you caught him everything you knew and more.

“apply it in everything, remember as demon slayers must protect the civilians and fellow slayers. If it wasn’t for my lungs I also would have been one of you.” You admit your eyes closed as your fingers traced his hair.

“take time and analyse and know your companion, and demons.”

“why demon’s mother?” he asked this time turning his head to look up at you from where he laid.

You hummed a smile on your lips, “things can happen, are not gods to know if demons could change to better, maybe one can appear that does not eat the fellow civilians.” You finally opened your eys to look at him with your deep red eyes, “Compassion also is something you need to have.”

You hoped it would help him believe and trust Nezuko easier.

Maybe things would c̴̴̡̨̡̡̛̛̛̠ͨͣͥ͂̈ͨ̾̈́̋̓͊͋ͪ̃̑ͯͧ́͢͞͠҉̸̵̴̴̨͜͢͞͏̡͏̷̵̸̵̸̢̛̀͢͢͟͟͠h̗͓̝͈̖̬̼̥̩͈̫͚̜̭̼ͤͅ͏̷̷̧̛̕͝͡a̮͍͕̠̥̠͕̓̃̈͑͑ͩͦ̋̑͛̃̂ͭͧ̒̑͏̴̧͏̵̧̡̨̢͟͡͞͝n̴̴̶̸̸̷̨̡̨̨̨̢̢̢̛̛̛̙̪̮͇͕̜̣̲̤͍̘͕̠͉̯̱ͥͮ́́̀̀̕̕͢͟͜͡͞͞͡͠͠͠͝͞ͅg̸̨̻̪̜̘̋̄͐͑͆̏̊̉͑̔͛̇̿ͨ̎̓ͭ͛͘͏҉̵̸e̴̡̢̧̧̖͚͕͚͔̘͍̪̤̣̻͍̝͈̘̟̞̱͑̅͆̀́̕͟͟͠.

***

“KYOJURO!”