❣︎ Intimacy ❣︎ | Demon Slayer x Reader

| Ch. 3 |

" I know, I know. But I still have to remind you every day. "

My mother spoke to me as I hear light footsteps behind me. The footsteps fortunately belong to one of our kind servants, holding a tray of food. She placed it on the table and bowed before leaving. I was relieved to know that it was a servant, not Raijin. On one of my last birthdays, he gave me a gift I wish I didn't remember.

☹︎ Memory 2 ☹︎

" Happy Birthday, little shit. "

Raijin spoke with sarcasm and venom in his voice as he gave me a small box. It was suspicious that he would give me a birthday gift, knowing that he despised and hated me, I still went on and thanked him for the gift.

" Uh... Thanks. "

That was all I said before walking away from my older brother. I didn't want to open it in front of him, because his so-called gift might be a prank, and he would just laugh at me for falling for his joke, so I decided to open it alone, inside my room. I sat down on my futon and I cautiously opened the box that he gave me. I widened my eyes and covered my nose and mouth as the horrible stench entered my nostrils.

He gave me a dead rat for my birthday.
The blood of the poor creature still filled the box that he gave me. Now I know that he recently killed it just for fun.

- end of memory -

My body shivered at the thought of the corpse of an animal inside the box. Putting that horrible memory aside, my eyes sparkled while my orbs scanned the food. All of the food was my favorite (japanese) food!

" Let's eat!

My mother said as she watched me prepare my chopsticks in my hand and a bowl in the other. I started getting food as my mom chuckled and did the same. We ate happily in peace as we did little conversations in between the meal. She cracked some jokes as the room filled with laughter. I love my mother and I wish that my father and brother did too. If I wasn't a Marechi, and I was a good slayer, then we would be a happy family.

I will keep dreaming. It is already impossible for my father to love me as his daughter, but knowing him, he only cares for the streak of the L/N family. My brother would sometimes be in a good mood and be nice to me, but that is so rare. If he would be nice to me again, I would burst into tears of joy. Raijin, my brother, is the only one I want to get along with. I didn't have any friends outside the family, except for that one boy that was 2 years younger than me.

Oh, speaking of that boy, he was sweet and kind, and I wish our friendship lasted longer. But my father caught me talking to him while he was selling coal. He forbid me from talking to anyone outside the family. I could only talk to family members, good members of the demon slayer corps, and some men he would probably force me to marry in the future.

" Hey, Y/N, sweetie? You've been quiet. What's wrong? "

The kind voice of my mother cut off my train of thought as I snapped my head in her direction, raising my eyebrows, as I analyzed what she had said. I let out a heavy sigh and put my chopsticks down.

" I have a feeling Father is gonna talk about marriage and all. He's gonna say something similar to 'Oh, Y/N! You're 16! 2 years left and you're getting married to an ex-hashira! Blah Blah!... "

After I let out a good impression of my father, my mom let out a soft chuckle and sighed.

"I'm not gonna let your father force you to marry someone you don't love. As long as I'm here, I'm going to stop your father. "

She gave me her signature sweet-mother-smile as I couldn't help but smile back at her. It was only my mother's smile that made me wanna make a smile too. Other people's smiles make me frown. Father's smiles and Raijin's smiles at me don't look sincere at all. It seems forced and a lie. If servants and other family members smile at me, I can't help but wonder if it's a true smile or not. Guess I'll never know. Except for Yui, she's like my only best friend that I always look up to. If she wasn't always busy, then we would have so much time together. She was one of our most trusted servants, after all.

" Thanks, Mother. "

After I thanked her, she immediately switched her lips from her sweet signature smile to a teasing smirk. I immediately know what she was about to ask me, so I let out a sigh and get ready for her question.

" So... Is there someone I need to meet? "

" Pff... No, Mother. "

She gave me an unsure look and raised her eyebrow as she continued to speak about this nonsense of meeting someone I'll soon fall in love with... Blah, blah.

" How about that earring boy you met last year? "

When he mentioned my old friend, Tanjiro, a picture of him smiling popped into my head. I looked down, avoiding eye contact with my mother as a small blush crept to my cheeks.

" See, I told you there is someone. "

My mother teased as she let out a laugh making me blush and turn red out of embarrassment. Even though I and Tanjiro have been friends for only a few weeks, maybe only a month, I did grow some feelings for him.

It can't be helped. With his sweet personality and his cute smile, I seriously just can not help it. It would be such a miracle if I would be allowed to see him again. If I would see him again, I would run up to him, my arms open wide for him to hug me as we ask each other how we are doing.

I guess it is different when making a new friend who is a kind person and all, while other people whom you've met are not nice at all. It's just... I'm not used to meeting nice people. I wish I had more time with Tanjiro. I remember the day he gave me a necklace, which pendant was similar to his earrings. He told me his earrings were from his father, and he decided to make me a necklace of it. Isn't it sweet? We're matching!

I kept it since I didn't want it to rust and be seen by my father. If he saw it, he would tear the necklace apart with his bare hands and in front of me. He told me that he didn't want me to hang out with poor boys who I would end up falling in love with and not have enough money to 'please' me.

Oh, such bullshit, Father.

☾︎ ᴇ ɴ ᴅ ☽︎

" Here you go, Y/N! See, we're matching! I hope you like it! "
- Kamado Tanjiro♡︎

A/N : My fingers hurt. I was too tired last night to make a chapter, so I decided to make one today. I might not update more frequently, because my parents are making me suffer doing literally everything to get me off the screen.
Anyhoo, please dont forget to leave a vote and you may leave suggestions! 💞