Heart Of Fire; Veins Of Ice | Kimetsu No Yaiba Fanfic (Kyojurou's POV)

Chapter 44

Strangely, his mind is surprisingly calm.

Even though what Himura had realigned his spine, and everything else, standing in the presence of these two individuals, Yousuke and Hiromi, who were both older than him, he found out, they both had their own auras of them which settled the raging fire and frigid blizzard in his mind. He can't explain it.

Yousuke was like a calm lake in the middle of autumn, while Hiromi was akin to a playful kitten. At least that was the aura and vibe he got off of the both of them. Hiromi introduces him to Yousuke, and he still feels slightly guilty at using the fake name to introduce himself.

Yousuke had welcomed him with a smile and calm eyes, while Hiromi was completely different from when he had first seen her, smile playful and eyes lit with wild delight and curiosity.

They welcomed him and urged him to stand between the two of them. as Yousuke walks strangely with feminine grace and elegance, even though he was a man. Unless he wasn't? Kyojuro was confused.

"We're both dancers," Hiromi hums cheerfully beneath her breath, as if she read his thoughts. Yousuke smiles.

"He's more of an acting dancer, while I'm more of a dancer than an actor, so both of us have the skills of dancing," Yousuke was a dancer? He rarely ever saw male dancers, but he made a mental note to keep an open mind. As well as the fact that Hiromi was far more perceptive than he had made her out to be. Yousuke nods, as he turns to look straight ahead at the falling snow.

Kyojuro instinctively reaches a hand out as snow begins to fall once more.

"It's so...soft," He mutters as the two of them stop for him, and Yousuke turns to look at him. His gaze is indecipherable.

"Is this your first time seeing snow?" Hiromi perks up, as she looks at him as well. He pauses. It was the first time he had seen snow without his family. Each time he had always returned during the winter for a visit, and it was only this year where there was a break in the promise he had made for them.

"I just miss it," Many things go unsaid, but the two of them let him be, and they move on until they reach a small inn.

"So how do you know Masahiko-san?" Kyojuro sips at his bowl of miso soup, as he sets the bowl down and looks at the other two. He needs to create a cover story, fast.

"I got lost on the mountain...." He spoke, but he knows he's bad at lying. This was a mixture of the truth and a lie though, so perhaps he'd have more luck. Hiromi stares at him.

"Makes sense," Yousuke thankfully, agrees with his story. Internally, he heaves a sigh of relief. They share a large room with three other customers at the other end, and Kyojuro is grateful that before they went in, Yousuke had handed him a scarf and a hair tie, to neaten up, though Hiromi had claimed that it was to keep him warm as well, since he was always so cold.

Across them, entered a small group of demon slayers.

The two of them seemed to hide away from the slayers, keeping relatively far from them and they sat at the front, blocking their view of him as the demon slayers were merrily drinking away. His breathe hitches when he catches sight of them. He looks down at his food, as Yousuke seemingly pushes him a warm cup of green tea. He accepts it thankfully, and he's now extremely conscious of the fact that his demon eye was covered by the towel, and that the other two had not questioned it at all.

One of them had a butterfly hairpin in her hair.

He was certain that that was Kochou's tsuguko. Her name was....Kanao.

This was his chance. All he needed to do was to leave the corner where he was at, walk up to her, and speak. He stares into his cup of green tea. His limbs are heavy, and he's torn. He doesn't want to tell her. At the same time, he knew it was his duty to do so. But he was demon. A demon could never be a demon slayer. He also certain he was going to have to feed, one way or another. He wasn't like Nezuko. He didn't sleep for two years and somehow gain the ability to overcome the demon's appetite yet. Indecisiveness hits him like a wave against an ocean of fire.

He just needed to walk....over...

A cold hand pulls him down, and it grips tightly onto his limbs. His eyes dart down to where he felt the fingers, icy cold, and he can see indentations in the cloth of clothes. One holds on tightly to his wrist, which was below the table, and the other, he could feel it snake around his waist. An invisible demon?

Kanao glanced at him, as Yousuke suddenly reached out and adjusted the scarf, and helps him tie the fabric over his head. Kyojurou turns his gaze to look at Yousuke's, who has a small, comforting smile on his face. The hands release him, and he finds that he has held his breath for quite some time. He heaves a shaky sigh, as he puts up a smile for the other two.

Hiromi also reaches forward and she adjusts his haori, and the presence of the two seemingly chase the demon away. At least for the time being. Kyojurou relaxes slightly as he continues eating. 

Kanao's presence also reminds him of Ren, of which he had somehow managed to forget nearly entirely in the flood of events which occurred right after. He would talk to him when he got back. 

"Once we're done, do you want to go and visit the Winter Maiden's shrine?" Hiromi speaks, voice light and cheerful, as she raises a sleeved hand to readjust his scarf for him.

He's extremely thankful for the two of them.

"Of course," He speaks softer this time.

It was not time yet.