boketto || t. kamado

fifty-five

Dressing up wasn't a foreign concept to me. With both my mother and Aika, I was taught at least the basics of creating a nice presentation and appearing with high status. Mother simply thought it was fun to dress up, but Aika always had us look nice when visiting cemeteries or on special occasions.

So at least this wasn't the most unfamiliar of territory as I dressed in a room all alone and patted makeup onto my cheeks. I didn't feel the need to go overboard - I was just trying to get someone to take me. Just some light colors to follow common beauty standards and pinning my hair in a way that would at least make me as appealing as possible. My haori was used in kimono form with the added pieces from the Wisteria House to finish the look, and then I turned in the mirror, and I was satisfied with my appearance. It was a bit nice, looking dressed up. Even though it was hoped of people buying me for less desirable means.

I brushed off any loose dust or dirt from my kimono, shifting everything to make sure it was in place before heading towards the room door and sliding the shoji open.

A horrific trio of faces spun towards me and I couldn't stop the audible yelp that escaped as I recoiled.

They looked...

...horrendous.

I brought a hand to my mouth, eyes wide as Tengen Uzui was unfazed and declared, "Meet Zenko, Inoko, and Sumiko."

I stared. Being stunned into silence was becoming a new normal for me. And for the first time, it felt like a necessity to speak up against the Hashira.

"You massacred them," I mumbled, voice low as I looked at the boys-turned-girls. It truly was a terrifying sight. Not even just bad makeup, but genuinely scary. I was almost impressed - it'd make incredible makeup for a haunted occasion.

He shouted back at me, "It doesn't matter! Someone will buy them-"

"Not like that," I mumbled, closing the door behind me, "We have to be at least a bit presentable, don't we?"

Mr. Uzui waved a hand dismissively but ultimately decided, "Well, then you do it."

I gave a soft sigh, taking the small box of makeup from his grasp and heading toward the trio of boys. I'd feel horrible if I let them go out like this - I don't intend on starting over entirely, but I could at least make them not as terrifying. We're not trying to scare the people that own the houses.

Inosuke was pretty much unreceptive towards my help, complaining about how it felt on his face and seeming overwhelmed with how many foreign things had been thrown at him already. I did the bare minimum (still rather scary) and let him go. Zenitsu grumbled and complained the entire time, which made me leave him only halfway decent out of spite alone.

Tanjiro waited patiently as I flicked Zenitsu in the forehead - earning a satisfying cry of annoyance - and headed in his direction. He instantly sat tall and stiff, hands folded on his legs and gaze completely forward. I swallowed thickly, carefully sitting in front of him and placing the box of makeup to the side.

I silently began, trying to fix the fact that pink blush was giving him a black-eye look first. We were both quiet and I focused on the work. It took every fiber of my being to ignore how there were just a few inches between us if you weren't counting my hand that held a brush. I could practically hear his words repeating in my head, but they were becoming white noise at this point. So common that I had to learn to stifle them down.

'Anyone would be lucky to marry you.'

I swallowed harshly, sitting back for a second and thankful the makeup on my own face would hide the natural blush I could feel growing. My gaze was solely on the makeup in my hand, pretending to pick a color while waiting for the emotions to subside.