Dispassionate

6

☆彡 = switch of POV

6) Who are you?

Tanjiro quietly opened the door and slid out of the room. Urokodaki was tending to the fire when he noticed him. "Tanjiro, shouldn't you be in bed?" Tanjiro stared at the floor, handing him the ribbon.

He looked at the ribbon, then at Tanjiro. "What would you like me to do with this?"

"Um, could you... uh, help me put my hair up?" His voice was quiet and the way he spoke made it look like he's never spoken to an actual person before. Urokodaki smiled underneath the Tengu mask and pat the spot next to him. Tanjiro sat down in front of him and Urokodaki pulled his hair up.

"I might as well teach you how to do this now so you can do it later." Tanjiro led a small smile creep onto his lips, hardly noticeable. He played with his hands in his lap.

"You want to pull your hard back, however tight or high you want, and secure it in that position, don't let go. And using one hand, you'll tie the ribbon in as a replacement for your hand. Then you'll tie it in a bow and, done!" He pat Tanjiro's head and put his attention back to the fire.

"Goodnight." The man said, but Tanjiro only shifted his position and leaned his head on the man's shoulder. "Can I, um, can I say out for a bit longer?" Urokodaki nodded. "If you fall asleep out here, I won't carry you to bed." Tanjiro nodded. Why this man gotta be lying?

Tanjiro stared at the orange and red flame, listening to it crackle. It was warm, and the noise was comforting. He closed his eyes for a second, trying to blink them open again. He wasn't tired, just comfortable. Comfortable enough to go to sleep.

He looked at the scorched wood and the ashes that sat at the bottom of the blazing pile. It smelled like charcoal burning. It reminded him of home, his father. Takeo cutting down trees with him. Nezuko and his mother treating a horrificly deep gash on his arm from an axe.

He still had a scar from it. Placed discreetly on his upper arm. It wasn't very discreet though, considering it was too dark to even be blended in with his skin tone. It was like the burn mark on his forehead.

Tanjiro, ultimately, fell asleep in front of the fire. His trainer sighed and moved him from his shoulder. Tanjiro laid there on the floor as he put the fire out. He looked back at the sleeping boy, hair stretched out on the wood flooring, still his the neat ponytail. His trainer grabbed him and put him over his shoulder.

"Goodnight." He opened the bedroom door and put Tanjiro down on the futon. He put the blanket on him and smiled. "Try not to die when you get to final selection... I'm nearly done, and you'll be able to cut through that boulder." You could hear the sadness in his voice.

"Survive." He pat Tanjiro's head and left the room. When Tanjiro couldn't smell him anymore he sat up. He looked over at the door, not moving. He blinked, before standing up and opening the window with struggle. He wouldn't notice if he went on a quick walk.

He crawled out and let the yukata fall back down to his ankles. He looked at the trees and bushes around him, before turning on the path. He walked into the silent forest. This wasn't really a path he was familiar with, but he could find his way back.

He got to a clearing pretty quickly. He sat on the hard, cold ground and looked up at the sky. The moonlight shone on his skin, making him look like some sort of deity. He could hear twigs and leaves crunching underneath someone's feet behind him.

He had assumed it Urokodaki, so he didn't turn around. But something was throwing him off. This person doesn't have a scent. It couldn't be a demon though, there scent is a lot more violent and easy to pick up. Maybe his senses were messing with him.

He was sitting in silence when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up expecting to see Urokodaki's tengu mask, but was instead met with a fox. He had salmon colored hair and a white haori.

He was looking down at Tanjiro. Well, not Tanjiro exactly. More like his eyes, dead and black, staring up at him. Creepy as hell. Tanjiro stood up, and waved his hand in front of the supposedly boys face.

"If I'm correct your name in Tanjiro." Tanjiro wasn't surprised at this point. He had previously seen and heard a talking bird, so it didn't faze him that a boy he'd never seen in his 14 years of living knew his name.

So he simply nodded his head. "In what my old master hasn't taught you yet, I will. Sword skills won't protect you when you're unarmed." Tanjiro deadpanned. This guy was basically saying Urokodaki's teachings were almost useless in that category. He wasn't wrong but it was still rude.

Tanjiro shook his head and began to walk away. "What? Hey!" The boy ran after him. "How could you be so bold to deny yourself of an opportunity like that?!" The boy was pointing at him, almost accusingly. Tanjiro took a deep breath.

He didn't like talking to people. It was hard. His voice was nearly inaudible and he struggled to get out what he was trying to say. Urokodaki was an exception, because he was trusting this man with his life.

Tanjiro kept his eyes glued to the ground. "You—You're basically calling my trainers, um- teachings useless... and I- um I don't even know you." It was easier without eye contact sometimes. Others... not to much.

☆彡

Maybe it's the fact this kid doesn't have a scent. There was something off about him, am I hallucinating? "Fine then, allow me to introduce myself," that's not the point I was trying to make! "My name is Sabito, an old student of Urokodaki's. When he's not training you on your sword skills, I'll train you on physical strength, speed, and stamina."

I don't even have a choice in this? Did Urokodaki ask him to do this? My speed is already pretty good. I don't need help with that, or my strength. Stamina would be an issue I guess, if I have to fight for hours on end.