Fire and Ice

Forward slash. Block. Block again. Go for the attack. Smack.

His sword came down hard on your right shoulder as you tried to attack him from the side. You fell back, startled by the blow. Shoulder throbbing, you pushed back tears that threatened to surface. You looked up as he held out his hand. His fiery hair glistened in the sun and he smiled that precious smile that you loved. Your heart skipped a beat as you grabbed his hand, firmly bringing you back to your feet.

"Are you okay, Y/N? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"I'm okay, I just didn't see it coming. I thought I had you for sure." You chuckled.

"If you were just a little quicker, you would have. One day, I'll be the one being helped up by you!" He smiled confidently at you, and you couldn't help but blush a little.

You had been training with Rengoku for a little over a month and already you were stronger and quicker than you had ever been. You joined the Demon Slayer Corps when you were just 15, after a demon had killed your entire family one horrible night. It would have killed you too, but just as it was about to lunge for the kill, a pink-haired woman burst in and killed it with a single slash. You were absolutely terrified, yet amazed at the skill with which she killed that monster. The woman, who you later learned was named Mitsuri, told you about the Demon Slayer Corps, and their mission to eradicate the demons. From then on, you dedicated your life to that very mission.

After years and years of intense training, you worked your way up the Demon Slayer Corps until you were finally chosen to train under Rengoku Kyojuro. When you first saw him there at the Hashira meeting, standing there proudly, arms crossed, with the other Hashiras, you were mesmerized by his flaming hair and golden eyes. You had never seen anyone like him. Your heart fluttered as you made eye contact with him and nearly flew away when he smiled at you.

"I hope you're prepared to train harder than you ever have before. I see great potential in you, Y/N!"

"I- I'm honored to train under you, Rengoku-san."

Since then, you trained vigorously with him, from dawn to dusk, often until you could barely take another step. You accompanied him on dangerous missions, fighting demons stronger than you had ever encountered before. And the more you trained with him, the deeper you found yourself falling for him. He was charming and kindhearted, always making sure you weren't hurt after a sparring session. You loved his precious smile that made you feel warm every time you saw it. You loved the way he shouted "delicious" while eating. You loved how protective and fierce he became during missions, ensuring the safety of anyone unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity of the demon. His passion motivated you to keep training, despite you wanting to give up many times. You couldn't help but fall for him.

Of course, Kyojuro had no idea about the way you felt for him. He probably didn't suspect anything. You knew how inappropriate it was for a tsuguko to have feelings for their mentor, but you couldn't help it. He was perfect to you, in every way.

"Y/N? Are you listening? Y/N!" His voice broke your train of thought, pulling you back to reality.

"I'm sorry, I was lost in thought. What did you say?" You said quickly.

"I said we've been called to go on a mission tomorrow. A demon, who is believed to be an upper moon. It will be quite dangerous! Do you think you are ready?" He gazed intently at you as he asked. Truthfully, you felt reluctant to go on the mission. Yes, you had been training hard, but for anyone other than a seasoned hashira, fighting an upper moon demon was basically a death sentence. However, he was gazing so intently at you, and you would love nothing more than to make him proud-