The snake emperor

Chapter 4

Tanjiro could feel the tears that threatened to leak as he tore down the halls. Stumbling out of the castle he let his feet guide him as his mind wandered. He had thought the rumors about him were false and that he could actually like him. But he was wrong. Fate seemed to hate letting him feel loved.

Tanjiro's side of the story-

Tanjiro woke abruptly when screams of pure horror sounded throughout his room. He sat up as his heart raced. The last time he had heard something like that was when him and Nezuko were tortured after the fire. Determination glazed over his eyes as he jumped out of his bed.

He noted Kyojuro's door was open but he brushed that off. He needed to help the person in anguish.

The screams were coming from a room with the door open. Tanjiro rushed to the door and stared in horror. The servant from earlier, Murata, was bleeding out from his nose and blood gushed out of his mouth. His legs both had twin bones protruding from them with similar rivers of blood. His stomach, Tanjiro felt his gut wrench at the sight.

There he was, the one who was the cause of the raven's pain, Kyojuro. His lower arm was buried in Murata's gut. Tanjiro screamed in pure horror and anguish at the sight, his eyes flickering between the raven and him.

Tanjiro could feel the tears that threatened to leak as he tore down the halls. Stumbling out of the castle he let his feet guide him as his mind wandered. He had thought the rumors about him were false and that he could actually like him. But he was wrong. Fate seemed to hate letting him feel loved.

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Tanjiro didn't know how long he had ran, but he eventually arrived at another castle. He didn't bother figuring it out as he knocked on the door.

A servant opened the door and to Tanjiro's surprise it was- "Aoi!?" The twin ponytailed girl engulfed her brother in a hug. "I MISSED YOU SO MUCH TANJIRO!!! DO YOU KNOW HOW TERRIBLE IT'S BEEN WITHOUT YOU!? I'M LUCKY MASTER IGURO EVEN LET ME STAY HERE!!!"

It took him a minute to register her words, "Master I-iguro?" Aoi looked up from where she was sobbing. "H-he took me in after you left. I wanted to be as close to you as possible onii-chan.." Aoi looked away bashfully.

Tanjiro chuckled as he ran his hand through her soft hair. "I'm glad to hear that imouto." Aoi's sobbing started up again and Tanjiro thought he did something wrong. "I-i'm sorry Aoi-chan! Did I do something wrong!?" Aoi frowned at him, "Where did you get that dumb idea onii-chan!? I'm crying tears of happiness at being called little sister!"

Tanjiro smiled as he embraced her with tears of his own, "Thank you imouto." Neither of them noticed the figure behind them. "Ahem."

Tanjiro and Aoi whirled to where someone was standing. "Who's at the door?" Tanjiro recognized that voice. He ran past Aoit and jumped onto Obanai. "Iguro-san!" Obanai smiled underneath his mask as he embraced Tanjiro. "Why are you here Tanjiro?"

Obanai felt him stiffen in his arms. He moved Tanjiro so they were face to face, "What happened?" Tanjiro's eyes glazed over with tears, "He-he killed someone by p-punching them through the abdomen and snapping their legs." Tanjiro couldn't take it anymore as Murata's look of horror flashed before his eyes. He collapsed, sobbing loudly into the heterochromatic eyed male.

Kabamaru hissed softly, his owner mimicked him. ' THAT FUCKING BASTARD IS GOING TO PAY! FUCK HIM AND HIS STUPID CASTLE! My poor Tanjiro had to see that wretch kill someone! My poor baby had to watch that when he's been abused!' Obanai was shaken from his thoughts when the burgundy haired male's crying began to cease as Tanjiro nuzzled in Obanai's neck. "Mmm. You smell good Iguro-San."

Obanai was glad that his mask covered his red tinted face. "I-I do?" Tanjiro nuzzled closer, "Mhm. I like your scent." Aoi smirked at him before sneakily dashing off. Obanai picked Tanjiro up. The burgundy haired male's legs automatically wrapped around the ravenette's waist. His cheek brushed against his collarbone as Obanai started walking towards his room. Tanjiro's consciousness slowly left him.

Obanai smiled down at the sleeping male from behind his mask. "You're so cute." He whispered softly. "I just wish that bastard didn't take you."

Kabamaru hissed in agreement before slithering off his shoulders and away to who knows where. Obanai gently laid Tanjiro down on his bed. "I'll be right back." He murmured softly. Obanai grabbed some clothes and went to change for the night.

He came back in silk pajamas and his mask was gone. He carefully slid in the bed on the opposite side of Tanjiro. Obanai lay facing towards the wall. He was too focused in thought to notice the movement behind him. He stiffened as a pair of arms wrapped around his torso. He turned his head and came face to face with a sleeping Tanjiro.

Obanai's breath hitched in his throat as the burgundy haired male whimpered and practically dragged him so they were touching. "T-tanjiro?" Tanjiro just nuzzled against Obanai's neck, making the smaller male blush furiously.

The taller male sighed contentedly before turning on his back and taking Obanai with him. Now Obanai was lying on top of him while Tanjiro's arms were around his waist, and his legs were between the shorter male's. Obanai hugged Tanjiro before falling asleep.

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Neither of them woke when the sun came up. Or when someone knocked on the food before leaving. It wasn't until noon when Tanjiro began to stir.

He sat up and looked down confusedly at the weight on his stomach. Tanjiro suddenly wished he didn't. On his lap was a sleeping Obanai.

Tanjiro could feel the heat rising on his face as he stared at Obanai's thighs. His hakama pants were hugging the shape of his thick thighs. Tanjiro's face somehow heated up even more when he realized Obanai was straddling him. Tanjiro couldn't move as he watched the raven shift on his lap as if he knew he was moved during his sleep.

Obanai groggily lifted his face from where it was nuzzled between Tanjiro's chest and blinked slowly at the male in front of him. "'Morning Tanjiro...." He huffed before burying his face once more in the taller male's chest.