Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a warm august afternoon. The heat of summer still clinging to the air, even though the segue to fall was quickly approaching. Sanemi stood in the soccer field with a critical eye. Watching as the incoming 1st years of Kimetsu University warmed up on the field. His eyes lingered on a few who had potential. Pre season training had already been held for three weeks, and he would need to narrow down positions before the academic semester started next week.

“You’re gonna need to do better than that if you wanna be a regular player on the team Genya!” Sanemi shouted from across the field. “Don’t think that just cause your brothers the captain you’ve got an automatic spot!”

“Don’t let Sanemi get to you, you’re all looking great out there!” Kyojuro said with the same calm smile he always had. Flashing Sanemi a look that said ‘go a bit easier on them’.

There were a few promising players, Tanjiro Kamado, creative on the field, he’d make a great attacking midfielder. Zenitsu Agatsuma, who was almost like a sleeper agent. He seemed terrified of the ball but the minute it was passed to him he had one goal in mind. Great as a potential striker. Inosuke Hashibara, he was there on an NCAA scholarship. That kid was almost like a wild animal and Sanemi had his eyes on him for defending sweeper . Then of course Genya, he may give him a hard time but Genya was a team player and a strong kid. And he did great playing center back last year.

Sanemi watched diligently for all of pre season training , occasionally shifting his weight on his feet. As captain of the University’s soccer team he took these things very seriously. He leaned back against the chain link fence, his critical eyes fixed on the players. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see Kimetsu University’s demon soccer team gathering near the field. Signaling to Sanemi that their time with the field was coming to an end.

“Hey Rengoku, Shinazugawa!” Called out Sekido, the demon leagues soccer captain. “Good thing the University has separate sports teams for demons and humans, or else it looks like none of that bunch wouldve made the cut! At least if it was up to me!” He smirked, a few of the other demons snickering around him. His red eyes almost glowing as they sent piercing daggers at Sanemi and Kyojuro.

Sanemi sneered in response and turned his attention back to the soccer pitch as the coach blew the whistle. Signaling that their time on the field had come to an end. He clenched his fists at his side, Sanemi hated that the demons and humans had separate sports teams. Not because he necessarily wanted to be on the same team as them. Sure some demons were nice enough, but a lot of them were narcissistic pricks who thought being demons made them better. What he didn’t like is the insinuation that all demons possessed a certain prowess that exceeded all humans. And the fact that it made demons like Sekido even more smug.

As they walked off the field Sekido shoulder barged Sanemi, flashing him a smirk as his team walked onto the field. Sanemi clenched his jaw as he turned to tell him off but Kyojuro grabbed his shoulder and pushed him forward. Shaking his head as the human team walked off the field.

“Not worth it, come on.” Kyojuro said, shaking his head as they walked away. His face was calm but Sanemi could tell that he was tense too.

Sanemi caught Sekido’s gaze one last time before rolling his eyes and walking off. Following closely behind Kyojuro. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the crowds for Genya. Eventually he spotted him, talking with a few of the other guys from training. He recognized Kamado, Agatsuma, Hashibira, and… 2 demon girls?

“Genya!” Sanemi barked out. “Let’s go!” He was tired and honestly he didn’t really want him hanging out with demons. Genya waved goodbye to his friends and ran up to Sanemi, who was already walking off with out him. “Hey, who were those demon girls you and your friends were talking to?” He asked with barely veiled suspicion.

“Huh? Oh, Nezuko is Tanjiro’s little sister, and (y/n) is Inosuke’s older sister. Why?” He looked over at him as the two continued their walk back to their apartment. Sanemi furrowed his brows in response.

“Tanjiro and Inosuke are humans.” He said clearly confused. “How the hell does that work?”

“Dude, I don’t know! You called me over right after they introduced themselves!” Genya said, slightly exasperated.

“Hm, fine. Let's go home.” Sanemi grunted, continuing the quick walk back to their apartment in silence.

You hurried down the sidewalk and towards the soccer field as quickly as you could. You had promised your younger brother that you would come to watch his soccer practice before the semester officially started. Okay so, foster brother, but you loved that kid like he was your flesh and blood. Even if he was smelly and annoying sometimes. You were so focused on getting to the bleachers to catch the last of practice you didn’t even realize that you were walking right past the university’s demon soccer team.

“Hey y/n!” Your ears perked as a familiar voice called out to you. You looked up to see Sekido and Kaigaku waving you over. You didn’t know Sekido that well, but you and Kaigaku had a lot of the same friends.

“Hey!” You said as you waved back and jogged over.

“Come to watch us practice?” Kaigaku flashed a wide, cocky grin as he looked at you.

“No, i’m here to watch the human team practice.”

“Why are you watching the human team?” Sekido interjected with a barely masked sneer while Kaigaku gave you a questioning stare.

“Uhhh Inosuke? He’s started this year, idiots..” You chided as you turned and walked towards the bleachers so you could watch. “See ya!” You called as you waved them off. Not wanting to wait around for any snide comments from Sekido or Kaigaku. You were only able to catch the last 15 minutes of their training but from what you saw Inosuke killed it. Of course you knew he would, he was there on an athletics scholarship. And from what you’d heard he’d already made friends with some other guys on the team.

As soon as the coach dismissed the team you ran up to Inosuke from the bleachers. Giving him a wide grin and a high five as you reached out to ruffle his hair teasingly. Something you’d done since you first met him when you were both placed with your caretaker Hisa as kids.

He introduced you to a few of the friends he’d made so far. Tanjiro and his little sister Nezuko, who were both really sweet. Zenitsu, who was a bit strange but seemed nice. And Genya, who was kind of shy but still seemed cool. You were surprised to see that Tanjiro’s little sister was a demon, but decided not to pry about it. Deciding that she was most likely just a half sibling, or in the demon human integration initiative foster system. Like you and Inosuke were.

“Genya!” You saw his head snap up in the direction of a tall man with white hair. “Let’s go!” He all but barked at him. You watched as he gave an awkward goodbye and ran off to meet up with him.

“What’s his problem?” You said nodding to the white haired guy.

“He’s a tight ass.” Inosuke said bluntly as he rolled his eyes. Returning to his conversation with his friends. You learned that Zenitsu and Tanjiro were both also starting their first year, while Nezuko was still in high school but had wanted to come watch her brother practice. The five of you talked for a bit more until Inosuke complained that he was starving and the two of you left.

The last week leading up to the semester starting was pretty calm. Mostly just getting set up in the student apartment you and Inosuke were renting on campus. You worked every night that weekend, but before you left you’d usually hear at least a 30 minute rant on how much the soccer teams captain annoyed Inosuke. In fact he’d never even used his name when complaining, mostly just referring to him as ‘that dick’ or ‘tight ass’. But he’d always finish the rant with ‘But the co-captain Kenjoku is awesome!’. And despite your insistence that the two of you were fine, Hisa braved the train ride to bring some groceries and food for the two of you a few days before classes started.

The night before classes started you and Inosuke sat down at the coffee table of your small apartment, looking over your schedules. Your ears pinned back at the sound of Inosuke crunching on shrimp tempura loudly. Hisa had brought over three big bags of her tempura to put in the freezer for him. But at the rate he was eating it, it wouldn’t even last him through the week.

“Can you not chew quieter?!” You scolded as you stood from where you were kneeling infront of the coffee table. Your pointed ears twitching with irritation. Inosuke just grinned as he took an extra loud ‘crunch’ of the tempura. You scowled as you walked into the cramped kitchen, rummaging through the fridge you pulled out some of the cubed steak pieces that Hisa had dropped off. Swallowing the pieces whole as your eyes flicked over your schedule.

“Ugh- I never get used to seeing you eat raw meat…” Inosuke shivered as he put his plate in the sink. This time it was your turn to grin at him as you took a particularly large bite. Showcasing pearly white extended canines and sharp molars.

"You used to try and copy me by eating it too." You sang, eyes still glued to your own schedule.

"And I still could, I just didn't like how slimy it was..."

“Let me see your schedule!” You grinned as you snatched the schedule from his hands. Looking over it you furrowed your brows. His schedule was pretty packed with a mix of training, practice and classes. Practice early in the morning and training some days after class too.

“‘Nosuke are you sure you’re gonna be able to keep up in class with this sports schedule…” Concern evident in your voice. You scanned over his academic schedule, mostly just prerequisites. It was pretty light, but he’d passed his senior year by the skin of his teeth. And if his grades got to bad he could lose his scholarship. “Hey! I told you to take demon/human history this semester so we could be partners for the final project!” You groaned.

“Heh…yeah… about that, I kinda put off registering for my classes until the last minute. It was already filled up..” He shrugged, looking away then back down at you with that shit eating grin he’d given since you were kids. “Besides I thought the partners were chosen randomly?”He said trying to brush it off.

“They are but I heard sometimes the professor will let you switch. Ugh, now I have to be with someone random!” You groaned as you sulked out of the kitchen and dramatically fell back onto the couch.

Ever since Kimetsu University started accepting demons they made demon/human history a requirement to graduate for all students. Everyone had to take it to graduate, a human and a demon got paired up as partners for the whole year. And they had to work together on everything. It was an effort on the University’s part to strengthen and foster relationships with demons and humans.

It worked... most of the time. And it’s not that you opposed working with a human. You had plenty of human friends…well at least a few. Okay so just Inosuke and Koyuki. You just didn’t like the thought of half of your grade relying on someone else. Plus you’ve had a few friends who already took the class and got nightmare partners.

Your first day of classes went well enough, you had lit. theory from 9:30-11:00 another class from 12-2, and your last class from 2:30-3:30. You didn’t know anyone in any of your classes, but you met a super sweet girl named Mitsuri in your lit. theory class. You were thrilled to find out she had demon/human history with you. Hopefully you’d get partnered with her, or be able to switch.

The next day you walked into your 8 am demon/human history class and immediately spotted some of your friends. Daki, Gyutaro and Akaza were all sitting in the back row together. Daki was filing her nails, Gyutaro looked half asleep, and Akaza looked like he’d rather be anywhere but there. You spotted Mitsuri near the front and waved to her. She was sitting with three other guys, one was super tall with silvery hair, the other one had fiery hair, and the other had white hair with a few scars on his face. He actually looked kind of familiar…The one with the scars turned to look up at you when he saw Mitsuri waving and glared. You just rolled your eyes and took a seat next to Daki. ‘Hopefully i’m not with that guy.’ You groaned internally.

“Hey…” You murmured, setting your bag down next to you. An apathetic chorus of ‘heys’ greeted you back as the tired faces of your friends turned to look at you. Well Gyutaro and Akaza looked tired, Daki somehow managed to always look perfect.

“Hey, I thought you said Inosuke was going to be in class with us?” Daki said arching a brow as she slipped her nail file into her purse.

“The little shit put off registering for his classes until last minute. He’ll have to take it another year.” You sighed, rolling your eyes as you sat back in your seat.

“Guess you’ll have to stick with someone random like the rest of us..” Daki teased as she elbowed you.

The Professor cleared her throat, signaling that class had started. She was a middle aged human woman with a kind face. She was quick with introductions, wasting no time before jumping into the course structure for the semester. It was all pretty straightforward. You’d be given a topic at the start of the week and you and your partner would review it together during class.

There was an independent project that the two of you would have to work on together outside of class. It would be up to you and your partner to select the topic, but it had to pertain to demon/human similarities. It was an essay due at the end of the semester and she was sure to emphasize it would count towards 50% of your grade. A new topic would be picked next semester, but all partners would remain the same.

“Alright, now for the part i’m sure you’re all looking forward to the most…” Your professor smiled as she shook a bag of small paper slips into a red bowl, and another bag into a blue bowl. “Since the entire point of this class is to foster growth and friendship between humans and demons we prefer to have the partners be completely random. Please do not request to switch partners unless you are absolutely certain you will not be able to work together. No partner switching will be permitted in the first month. Please put your hand up when I call your name so you know who your partner is.” She concluded.

“Okay….” She said as she pulled out a slip of paper. “Hakuji ‘Akaza’ Soyama.. you will be with…Kyojuro Rengoku!” Akaza and his partner Kyojuro both put their hands up, giving each other an awkward nod. You immediately thought the name seemed familiar, and you wondered if the guy with the fiery hair was the co captain of the soccer team. You’d have to ask him after class, but considering Inosuke almost never got names right you could never be sure.

“Gyutaro Shabana you will be with…Tengen Uzui!” You heard an annoyed groan come from Gyutaro as he rolled his eyes and hesitantly put his hand up. Looking at Tengen in acknowledgment.

“Ume ‘Daki’ Shabana you will be with…Mitsuri Kanroji!”

“No!” You murmured as you buried your face in your hands.

“Yes!” Daki on the other hand seemed absolutely elated about her pairing. Waving to mitsuri with her fingers, a clearly satisfied grin on her face.

“Y/n L/n you will be paired with…Sanemi Shinazugawa!” The professor announced, your gaze met Sanemi's as he turned to look at you. His violet eyes were piercing, and it almost felt like they were burning holes right through you.

“Any chance you want to trade?” You whispered to Daki as the professor called out the last of the names.

“No way!” Daki chuckled as her eyes flickered down to where Sanemi was sitting.

“I’ll trade with you.” Gyutaro whispered as he leaned past Daki to look at you.

“Isn’t Tengen Uzui that guy with like, 3 girlfriends?” You asked arching a brow. Your friends stares were all you needed to answer your question. “Yeah i’ll pass, i’m scared he’ll try to indoctrinate me into his harem..” You snickered, causing all your friends to chuckle softly.

Sanemi knew he shouldn’t have put off taking this class until his last year. But he had been dreading it since he’d been admitted to Kimetsu University. Sure, some people had gotten lucky and gotten good partners. Like how Shinobu got partnered with her friend Tamayo in her first year. But he also knew some people who got partners who were either freaks or creeps. And honestly… a lot of demons kind of creeped him out.

He listened passively as the professor drawled on about the subject and course structure. Wishing she would just get on with it so he could see who he was getting partnered with. As the teacher started to call out names and assigning partners for the semester he grew increasingly more anxious. Drumming his fingers against his arm as he kept them crossed tightly over his chest. Sanemi watched as all of his friends were assigned partners. When his name was called he turned to look up at you. He had to admit, you didn’t look awful. But he still wasn’t happy about being forced to spend time with anyone he didn’t know.

When class ended he collected his things and stood, feeling a bit awkward. Everyone else was going up to their partner to introduce themselves and exchange information. Mitsuri was already out of her seat and was hurrying up to eagerly introduce herself to her partner, greeting you with excitement as well. Okay so maybe you were friends with Mitsuri, but Mitsuri was friends with everyone.

Sanemi, Kyojuro, and Tengen all started to slowly approach the group of their assigned partners. Kyojuro was always an easy going guy, and was already making an easy introduction. But Tengen looked like he was pulling teeth trying to get his partner to talk to him. You, meanwhile were too caught up talking to Mitsuri to even acknowledge him. Your eyes flickered up from her conversation as if sensing his presence.

“Hey…” You said awkwardly as you gave him a small nervous grin. Clearly aware of his displeasure with the situation. His eyes flashed down to see your extended canines and your smile quickly fell as you pressed your lips together to hide your teeth. “Uhm.. i’m y/n, nice to meet you.”

“Sanemi…” He said, coming out a bit harsher than he intended.

Your mouth hung open for a moment as you tried to process how to respond to such a short response. Your eyes flickered over to where Gyutaro’s partner was practically clawing at him to get him to talk. ‘Fuck maybe I should switch with him, fear of harem indoctrination be damned…’

“….cool.” Was all you could manage as you nodded your head. Despite the awkward introduction you couldn’t help but notice how good he smelled. You couldn’t quite place what it was, probably just his cologne. But something about it was almost…intoxicating.

Everyone began to filter out of the class and you and Sanemi followed. You realized you hadn’t exchanged any information yet and as you stepped out of the class room you tore a corner of paper from your notebook and began to scribble your name and number on it.

“Umm.. I work and I have a pretty full schedule, so just text me and i’ll let you know what days work for me.” You said as you handed him the scrap of paper. Sanemi opened his mouth to respond but before he could a large hand snaked over your shoulder, up the back of your neck. Long fingers gripped the hair at the nape of your neck, pulling your gaze upward and away from Sanemi. Sanemis eyes followed and he saw a demon with 6 eyes looking down at you. Briefly glaring at him from the corner of his eyes before he leaned down and pressed his lips against yours. Sanemi had seen him around before, obviously he had a face that was hard to forget. He was (friends?) with that freak Douma.

“Hi Koku!” You grinned when he finally pulled away, he didn’t respond. He just stared down at you then glared at Sanemi as he put his arm around your shoulder. “Oh! Text me if you have any ideas for our final topic, the Professor said she wants them from everyone next week!” You said as you flashed him a brief smile, giving him another view of your extended canines. Then the 6 eyed demon was pulling you away, muttering something under his breath that Sanemi didn’t quite catch.

He just rolled his eyes, shoving the paper with your number on it carelessly into his pocket as he went to walk to his next class.

You had been sitting on the old worn in sofa that you’d found on facebook marketplace in your living room. Inosuke was out with his new friends, saying he wanted to enjoy going out before his sports schedule got to intense. So you had the apartment all to yourself, something that was pretty rare. You felt your phone vibrate in the pocket of your sweatpants and you eagerly pulled it out. Hoping it would be a text from Kokushibo. ‘Who’s Sanemi?’ You thought hazily, feeling tired from your day of classes.

Sanemi didn't bother responding after that. He tossed his phone aside as he leaned back into the worn cushions of his couch. Okay so maybe he didn't like demons. Maybe he was dreading this project because he hated the thought of having to work with one. And could you blame him? Demons were known to be violent, aggressive, for fucks sake they used to eat people. Sure, maybe you didn't seem too bad, but that didn't change things. He still wasn't happy about being forced to take this class, and he was still dreading this semester with you.

Chapter Text

Your next day of classes went fine, pretty standard. You had started sitting next to Mitsuri in your lit. theory class and even though you hadn’t talked much you could already tell the two of you were going to be good friends. You kept your face buried in your note book. Diligently taking notes through out class, and you even recieved your first reading assignment. The heart is a lonely hunter by Carson McCullers.

“So have you talked much to Daki yet?” You asked as you and Mitsuri walked out of class.

“Yeah! She’s so cool, I was a little intimidated at first but shes actually really cool!” Mitsuri said beaming as the two of you walked into the courtyard. “How’s working with Sanemi been?”

“Oh, it’s been…. good…” You hesitated. “ We haven’t talked much, but hopefully I’ll get to know him better in class tomorrow!” You insisted as you adjusted your tote bag on your shoulder. You were lying, so far Sanemi had come off as a bit cold. But it had only been two days. Maybe you just needed to give him the benefit of the doubt.

“Sanemi has a bit of a rough exterior, but once you get to know him he’s actually a big teddy bear!” Mitsuri insisted. “Well I have to go, but i’ll see you in class tomorrow!” Mitsuri said as she turned to face you, but then a look of realization crossed her face. “Oh, hey! What’s your insta?” She grinned.

The two of you swapped social media before waving good bye as you went to a near by coffee shop to get a head start on your reading. Flipping through the pages contently. You texted Koku to see if he wanted to join you, but he just gave you a half assed excuse on why he couldn’t. ‘Figures’. Sighing softly you slipped your phone into your bag and returned your attention to your book.

The next day you had a busy schedule. You had demon/human history at 8 am, another class at noon, and work at night. Thursdays were easily one of your busiest days. But you didn’t mind, considering you only had one class on Friday. Plus you had the weekend to look forward to afterwards.

When you walked into your demon/human history class you took a seat in the back row next to Daki, Gyutaro, and Akaza again. The four of you fell into quiet conversation, joking and talking easily. You heard the door behind you open and you glanced up briefly to see Sanemi walk in. Breezing past you as he went straight to where Kyojuro, Tengen and Mitsuri were sitting.

Soon your professor walked in. Wishing everyone a good morning as she stood at the front. A gentle smile on her face. “Alright everyone, if you aren’t already, please take a seat with your partner. And please note in the future since this class is about strengthening demon and human bonds, you will be sitting with your partner every day. Please start meeting with them at the start of class from this point forward.” The professor reminded.

There were a few groans of disapproval as the sound of scraping chairs and scuffling feet filled the room. Akaza, Gyutaro, and you groaned softly in response. The only one who seemed to be eager was Daki. Standing promptly as she rushed over to Mitsuri. You could over hear them complimenting each others outfits as they sat down beside each other.

“At least one of us is happy about our partners…” You murmured, earning a chuckle from Akaza and Gyutaro as the three of you dispersed.

“Hey.” You said with a hint of hesitation as you sat next to Sanemi. He just nodded in response as he took a seat next you. Now sitting in the middle row as the sound of quiet murmuring filled the room. It was the first time that the two of you were properly talking. You’d never noticed exactly how many scars he had.

Of course on tuesday you noticed the ones on his face, but it was the first time you’d been able to actually look at them. They covered him, across his face, littering his arms, one ran across his chest beneath the collar of his v neck shirt. Your eyes were following a particularly long scar on his forearm when you heard him clear his throat. A faint blush colored your cheeks when you looked up at him. Embarrassed that you had been caught staring.

“What are you staring at?” His voice was flat and his eyes were unreadable as he glared down at you.

“Nothing!” You choked out. “…so, I’ve been thinking about our topic!” You said quickly, trying to change the subject. Flipping open your notebook to a page filled with bullet points.

“I had a few ideas but the ones that stood out to me the most for demon/human similarities could be… interest in pop culture, politics, or if you want a heavier topic we could do war, famine or poverty….” You said as you pulled your head up from your notebook.

“War, poverty or famine?” Sanemi said with clear disinterest as he tapped his pen against his note book. His head slumped into the palm of his hand as he looked at you. You couldn’t help but grow slightly annoyed with his apathy.

“Yeah, those are things that affect everyone.” You said bluntly, but Sanemi didn’t look convinced or interested. “But if you want to do something lighter pop culture is an easy one…” You shrugged, turning your attention back to your notebook as you anxiously scanned over your ideas.

“Uhhh, yeah something easy might be best.” He muttered as he looked at the front of the room then back to you. A harder topic meant more effort put into research, and that meant more time he would have to spend with you. The sound of scribbling drew his attention down to your note book where you were scribbling out the rejected ideas. He couldn’t help but notice you’d mostly written down heavier topics to cover. Whatever, it was a group project. And he wasn’t going to put too much effort into this class if he didn’t have to.

“Okay…” You muttered, more to yourself than to him. Teeth worked into your bottom lip, you had hoped for someone who was a bit more…passionate?

“Okay, let’s just do that then.” His response was short. Clearly, you could tell that your partner was not a man of many words. Either that or he just didn’t want to talk to you. And judging by his demeanor you had a feeling it was the latter. You just nodded in response. Your lips pressed into a flat line as you highlighted your selected topic.

“We could probably finish the final assignment pretty quickly.” Sanemi suggested, finally breaking his silence as he leaned back in his seat. Bringing his arms up in a stretching motion before scratching the back of his neck. “I mean if we started this week and worked on it for a few hours every few days. We could probably finish everything by mid october.” He suggested with a shrug.

He just wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. Especially before any conference championships or NCAA tournaments. Which he was determined to get the team to this year.

“Okay that sounds good.” You agreed as you closed your notebook. “Surprisingly i’m actually off tomorrow, if you want to start then?”

Sanemi thought about it for a moment, that would actually work for him. He didn’t really want to spend his friday night with you. But any opportunity to try and get this assignment finished as soon as possible should be taken.

“Yea that’s good, how about 6?”

“Yeah that’s cool, should we meet at the library?” You said as you briefly looked up from your notes.

“Yeah, all good to me.” Sanemi agreed with a curt nod.

You continued to take notes, highlighting and showing Sanemi some key points you’d already thought you could use. Throughout class you repeatedly tried to initiate conversation with him. But it was always met with a short one sided response and open apathy. Not nearly as friendly as you’d hoped it would be. You had to bite your tongue to keep from snapping at him.

Soon class had ended and the two of you were walking out. You waved bye to Gyutaro who was walking out alone. Akaza seemed to actually be getting along really well with his partner, the two of them still talking as they left. Daki and Mitsuri were enthralled in conversation but gave you and Sanemi a wave as they walked out together.

“Okay so just text me about-“ You said as you turned to Sanemi, but you were interrupted by the feeling of someone pressed against your back. Fingers ghosted over your jaw and tilted your head up. You looked up to see Koku standing behind you.

“Oh, hi Koku!” You instinctively leaned into his touch as he wrapped an arm around you possessively. “Anyway just text me about meeting at the library!” You had to turn your head to talk to him, as Kokushibo was already pulling you away. His eyes glaring back at Sanemi before snapping forward as the two of you walked off.

“What were you talking about?” Kokushibo said, his tone almost interrogating as the two of you walked through campus.

“Just the assignment.”

“Hmm..” He hummed, nodding his head as his grip on you tightened. “Douma and I are having a party at the house tomorrow night.” A smirk on his face as he looked down at you.

“Oh cool…” You grinned as he turned you to face him.

“Yeah, you’re coming right?” He dragged a thumb over your bottom lips, pulling at it as he looked at you expectantly.

You knew you should say no, you’d just agreed to meet Sanemi to work on the project tomorrow. But then again so far Sanemi had been a cold jerk to you. Why would you want to spend your friday night off with someone who seemed miserable around you?

“Yeah, of course.” You said as you leaned into him, all six of his eyes practically burning into you. A look of satisfaction on his face from your words.

“Good girl.”

You woke up early the next morning, to the sound of Inosuke’s alarm from the other room. How that kid was still sleeping through it you did not know. Wiping the sleep from your eyes you stumbled into the bathroom. Lazily brushing your teeth as you brushed your hair out of your face. Shuffling out of the bathroom you swung Inosuke’s door open. Picking up a dirty shirt from the floor and tossing it at his head. Your eyelids still heavy and vision blurred with sleep.

“ Nosuke, get up you have soccer practice.” You grumbled loudly as you slammed his door and stalked into the kitchen and began to brew some coffee. Turning on the stove as you scrambled some eggs and dumped them onto a plate with toast. You heard heavy footsteps as Inosuke shuffled into the kitchen. You turned and shoved the plate into Inosuke’s hands with a cup of coffee as you leaned against the counter.

“Put a shirt on.” You scolded. But you were just greeted with Inosuke’s normal shit eating grin as he sat on one of the bar stools at the counter and took a bite of his toast.

“You’re not my mom, and now that i’m taller than you, you can’t make me.” He teased, earning an eye roll from you as you brought your coffee to your lips.

“Hey, Koku’s having a party tonight if you wanna come. Bring whoever you want. I’m pretty sure him and Douma are trying to make it a rager.” But Inosuke just narrowed his eyes at you, you knew he didn’t like Kokushibo. He’d always insisted that he got ‘weird vibes’ from him ever since the two of you started dating. But he just nodded his head, as much as Inosuke disliked Kokushibo he wasn’t going to say no to a party. Besides, he’d normally come to these kinds of things when invited to keep an eye on you.

“Same address?” He asked arching a brow as he took another bite of his toast. Crumbs gathering at the corner of his mouth as he looked down at you.

“Mmhmm..” You nodded as you finished your coffee and put your mug in the sink.

“Hmmm…” Inosuke hummed, dragging it on for dramatic effect. “Yeah i’ll come. I can invite whoever I want?” He grinned mischievously.

“Yeah dude you’ve seen that house, i’m pretty sure they just want as many people there as possible.”

“K, fine. But only so I can keep an eye on you.” He joked as he ran off to get dressed for soccer practice. Leaving his plate and mug abandoned on the counter. Emerging with his jersey slung over his shoulder and his cleats in hand as he shoved them into his duffle bag. You waved him off as he fumbled out the door loudly. If his alarm hadn’t already woken you up, him leaving probably would’ve.

You fell back onto the couch and pulled out your phone to text Sanemi. You knew you told him that you’d work on the project with him today, and you felt bad lying. But you never got friday’s off, and you wanted to do something fun with your friends before you got to busy with assignments. And it was still early in the semester, the two of you would have plenty of time to work on it.

“Come on let’s pick it up! Hashibira, for the last time if you wanna play shinguards and jersey on!” Sanemi shouted over the field. It was still early in the morning, the transition into fall becoming more evident as a cool breeze ruffled his hair. The sun was still rising in the sky as the team members did warm up drills on the field.

Kyojuro was lacing up his cleats as he ran onto the field. Clapping Sanemi on the shoulder as he stood next to him. He had no idea how Kyojuro always managed to have so much energy in the morning.

“All right let’s cool down, we’re gonna do a scrimmage on Monday when we’re back. We’ve got our first game in three weeks!” Sanemi reminded everyone as they began to do some stretches to cool down.

He saw Kamado wave Genya over to his little group. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he watched the four of them talk. Kamado seemed like a good enough kid, but the fact that him and Hashibira both had siblings who were demons made him uneasy. How could anyone raised with demons turn out normal?

He reached into his duffle bag and pulled out his phone. A subtle look of annoyance when he saw you texted him.

He rolled his eyes and slid his phone into his pocket as everyone started to disperse, calling to Genya that it was time to leave. Kamado waved him off, him and his friends lingering on the field as they talked. Genya ran up to him, waving goodbye to them as the Sanemi and him began to walk back to the apartment.

“Hey so…” Genya began clearly a bit nervous. “Tanjiro invited me to go to this party tonight with him, Inosuke, and Zenitsu…” Genya began but Sanemi shot him a glare. “Okay, I know, but it’s off campus and i’ll be careful. Come on it’s the start of the year it’ll be fun..” Genya tried to reason but Sanemi was clearly unconvinced.

“Maybe you should come! You haven’t really been out ever since you and…” But before Genya could finish Sanemi shot him a stare that said, ‘stop talking if you know what’s good for you’.

“Fine, go. But don’t call me to bail you out if the cops show up.” Sanemi groaned. “Whose party is it any way?”

“I actually don’t know…I think Inosuke’s the one who heard about it.” Genya shrugged as they reached the door of the apartment. Sanemi just looked at him skeptically as he unlocked the door and pushed it open. He went to his room, carelessly dropping his duffle bag on the floor. Then went to hop in the shower.

When he got out he was surprised to see his phone buzzing rapidly on the bathroom counter. He picked it up and his eyes widened slightly, in a mix of surprise and irritation.

‘What the fuck?.’ He rolled his eyes and unlocked his phone to check his messages. Wrapping his towel loosely around his hips as he walked into his room.

Sanemi rolled his eyes and put his phone on do not disturb. Tossing it aside as he ruffled his towel over his damp hair and put on a pair of jeans and a black t shirt. He only had one class that day, differential topology. It was one of those classes that fried his brain and by the time it was done he was ready to get back to his place.

So when he left his class to see Kyojuro and Tengen waiting to accost him he couldn’t help but die a little inside. He just kept his eyes down and tried to walk past them. But he was met with a firm hand on each of his shoulders, stopping him in his tracks and turning him around.

“No.” He said before they could say anything.

“Come on!!” Kyojuro chimed. “It’s the start of the semester, you should be having fun before you get too busy with games and classes.” He tried to reason.

“No.” Sanemi grunted out as he tried to pull away.

“Dude…you’ve barely done anything fun since Kanae broke up with you.” Tengen said bluntly and his grip on him tightened slightly. “You were a drag last semester, you holed up all summer, and now all you’re gonna do is go to classes and soccer practice? She’s literally studying abroad right now, I promise you she’s not sitting around and moping like you are. You need to get out.” A rare look of nervousness crossed Kyojuros face as he watched Sanemi’s jaw clench.

“Fuck you Tengen!” Sanemi spat as he shouldered his way out of their grasp. “I’m not going so both of you can fuck off and drop it.” He all but hissed as he turned around and walked off. Shaking his head with irritation as he went straight back to his apartment.

He was relieved to see that no one was home. Genya was in class and would probably only be home for a few hours before going to the party. He couldn’t believe that all of his friends were willingly going to a demon’s party. He rummaged through his fridge and pantry before making some instant ramen and sitting back on the couch.

Angrily eating his noodles as he flipped through movies. He’d start his assignments tomorrow, he was way too annoyed to start them now. Still in disbelief that Tengen had brought up his break up with Kanae like that. He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of the door opening. His head snapped up to see Genya walking in. Running his hands through his hair as he looked up at Sanemi.

“Hey, what’s up!” He said but his face fell when he saw his face. “Woah…are you okay, you seem kind of tense…” Genya said hesitantly as he walked past Sanemi and into the kitchen. Setting his books down on the counter as he turned on the kettle to make some ramen.

“I’m fine.” Sanemi said unconvincingly as he kept his eyes locked on the TV. “Did you figure out who’s throwing that party tonight?” He grumbled.

“Nah, but it was Inosuke’s sister who invited him and said he could bring whoever.” Genya shrugged as he leaned against the counter.

His eyes narrowed. “Who’s Inosuke’s sister again?”

“I don’t remember her name. I only met her once at practice a few weeks ago.” He shrugged as he finished his ramen and tossed the paper bowl in the trash.

Sanemi glanced up at him one more time but then decided to drop it. He knew he was probably coming off as an asshole, but he just worried about Genya. He didn’t want him getting mixed up with a bunch of idiots. "Who's your designated driver?" He sighed, breaking his momentary silence.

“Shinobu, Tanjiro’s got a thing for Kanao and invited her to come.”

Sanemi relaxed when he heard that Shinobu would be Genya’s DD. ‘He’ll be fine, just trust him to go and have fun..' He thought to himself. But he just nodded in response as Genya sat down on the couch next to him. The two of them ended up playing video games on the ps5 for a couple hours before Genya got up to go get changed.

“Okay, Inosuke said we could pregame at his apartment so i’m gonna head over!”Genya said as he grabbed his keys and wallet.

“Hey! Where does he live?” Sanemi called out as Genya was about to leave.

"Him and his sister live a few floors down from us, actually." He paused in the doorway, waiting for Sanemi to respond.

"Fine, don't do anything stupid." He muttered, settling back into the sofa. Genya probably wouldn’t be back until at least 1. So he’d have the apartment to himself for the rest of the night. He got up and walked to the fridge, cracking open a beer as he returned to the couch.

After an hour, and a second beer, he heard a knock at the door. He rolled his eyes and stood up from the couch, assuming that Genya probably forgot something. But when he opened the door he was instead greeted by a smirking Kyojuro and Tengen. Mitsuri and Obanai standing behind them.

“I tried to stop them.” Obanai said flatly as Tengen and Kyojuro pushed their way in.

“I’m not going.” Sanemi said as the two looked at him expectantly.

“You’re drinking alone.” Kyojuro pointed out with a placating smile.

“So?”

“So, you’re coming with us!” Tengen grinned as him and Kyojuro each grabbed one of his arms while Obanai grabbed his phone,keys and wallet for him. Mitsuri was meanwhile dying trying to suppress a laugh.

“This is technically kidnapping!” Sanemi protested as they all walked down to the parking lot. Tengen and Kyojuro still half dragging Sanemi. Hinatsuru, Makio and Suma were all waiting eagerly by Tengens car. Meanwhile Obanai opened the door to his car for Mitsuri while Tengen and Kyojuro shoved Sanemi into Obanai’s back seat.

“You’ll thank us later!” Kyojuro grinned as he slid in next to Sanemi.

“Doubt it.”

Chapter Text

“Okay…” You trailed off as you shoved a few more things into your over flowing tote bag. Giving it one more glance to make sure you had everything you’d need. Pajamas, outfit for tonight, makeup, spare tights, new socks, underwear, phone charger, phone, keys, wallet. Yup, everything was there.

“You and your friends can pregame here if you want, and of course they’re welcome to crash here tonight.” You said as you looked up at Inosuke. “Who’s your DD?”

“Some girl named Chinobu, Tanpachiro likes her sister, so she’s coming to the party and driving us to keep an eye on her.”

“Who?” You said before shaking your head, he almost never got peoples names right, you weren't even sure why you asked. “Nevermind, I’m vetting her at the party so come find me when you get there.” You waved as you slipped out the front door and waved goodbye to Inosuke as you ran down to your waiting uber.

You had been so excited about the party tonight that you’d left the apartment at 4 to go help set up. And so you and Daki to get ready together. Kokushibo lived in a house off campus with Daki, Gyutaro, Akaza and Douma. It was an old Victoria style house in a historic neighborhood downtown. It was also much bigger than anyone’s dorm or apartment so they were always hosting huge parties like this.

You were currently upstairs sitting on the floor infront of Dakis mirror as the two of you got ready. Listening to music, having a few drinks, and doing your makeup. You gathered your hair into a ponytail on top of your head as you pulled out a few strands to frame your face.

“Up or down?” You said turning to Daki who was sitting cross legged next to you.

“Up! You look hot with your hair up!” She grinned as she combed mascara through her long lashes.

You got up and began to get changed, putting on one of your favorite outfits. Daki had changed into a light pink halter top and mini skirt.

“You look so good!” You said as you sprayed on a bit of perfume and put in your earrings.

“We look so good.” She corrected with a smirk.

The house was already starting to fill with people when you and Daki came down stairs. Gyutaro, Kokushibo and Douma had picked up a keg, a few bottles, and some hard seltzers that you and Daki had asked for. Kaigaku had already shown up and was hovering around Kokushibo. And Akaza had picked up his girlfriend Koyuki.

You were a few drinks deep, playing beerpong on a team with Daki and Koyuki against Akaza and Gyutaro. They had just scored a shot against your team when you heard Daki squealing next to you. A grin on her face as she ran off. You looked up to see Mitsuri walking in with her boyfriend. You’d never met him but you recognized him from her insta.

They had all come in a pretty big group, you recognized Kyojuro who was saying hey to Akaza. Tengen who was accompanied by all of his girlfriends. And…oh shit. Your eyes locked with Sanemi and you gave him an awkward and slightly guilty wave. You went up to say hi to Mitsuri, before introducing yourself to everyone. Tengens girlfriends were actually all really sweet, and you ended up talking with them for a bit.

“When can we leave?” Sanemi murmured to Obanai as they stood off to the side. He couldn’t help but glare at you through narrowed eyes. So much for feeling sick.

“When Mitsuri wants to. Im not going to be that boyfriend who insists on going to a party with his girlfriend, only to ask her to bail the minute we get there.” Obanai said flatly as he watched Mitsuri socialize. “I’m not you.” He jabbed as he took a sip of his drink.

Sanemi felt like a vein in his head was going to burst. He looked down at Obanai, eye twitching as he opened his mouth to respond. Before he could he was interrupted.

“Hey…” You said, feeling a bit awkward as you walked up to him.

“Thought you were feeling sick?”

“Ummm.. I felt better?” You chuckled with a shrug, but Sanemi clearly wasn’t convinced. “Okay, i’m sorry. But it’s still the first week, we have plenty of time to work on the project!”

Sanemi kept his arms folded over his chest, grunting as he gave you a short nod. Not really in the mood to talk considering he’d been brought here against his will.

“Wanna play beer pong?”

Did he want to play beer pong? No. Did he want a distraction from the fact that he’d been dragged to a party he did not want to be at? Yes.

“Not really.” He scoffed, but then he looked over at where Mitsuri was talking to everyone. He’d probably be stuck here for a while. “…fine.” He said hesitantly, might as well try to kill some time.

He went to walk to the opposite side of the ring stained wooden table. But before he could you grabbed his wrist, pulling him to your side. Emboldened from the few drinks you’d already had. His eyes widened, you were surprisingly strong for how small you were. Your clawed finger nails brushed against his skin and he shivered slightly.

“No way we’re on a team. Since we were originally meant to be working on our project we can consider this…team building!” You grinned as you released his wrist and began to set up the cups. A fresh wave of determination to breakthrough to Sanemi washing over you. Probably the alcohol talking. Eyes scanning the group that had formed to see who you could play against.

Gyutaro was awkwardly hanging out at the edge of the group, not really talking. Meanwhile Daki, Mitsuri, Koyuki and Tengens girlfriends were all talking eagerly to each other. Kyojuro and Akaza were talking, and you didn’t want to interrupt. So that left Tengen, Obanai, and Gyutaro as the only ones not doing anything. And Obanai seemed pretty content with just being around Mitsuri so….

“You.” You said pointing at Tengen. “And you.” You pointed at Gyutaro. “Beer pong?” You grinned as you held up one of the red cups.

Tengen and Gyutaro gave each other a hesitant look. Clearly not fans of spending anymore time together than necessary. ‘Like pulling teeth.’ You thought to yourself.

“Come on!” You groaned teasingly. “Unless you’re scared that we’ll kick your asses!”

“Okay, fine, i’m down.” Tengen shrugged with a smirk, clearly easily swayed by a challenge. Clapping Gyutaro on the shoulder as he pushed him forward. The first few shots were pretty quiet. Sanemi got a few against Tengen, but you kept missing. Giving Gyutaro way too many opportunities to tease you for how bad you were.

“Yes!” You jumped with excitement when you finally got one. “Take that!”

“Only took three turns.” Gyutaro said as he brought the cup to his lips and downed it with one gulp. You just stuck your tongue out in response.

“So, how long have you guys known each other?” you said as you looked between Sanemi and Tengen.

“Uh, we actually went to highschool together…” Sanemi muttered, refusing to make eye contact.

“And incase you were wondering, yeah Sanemi’s always been a tight ass.” Tengen added, causing you to choke on your drink as you suppressed a laugh. Sanemi’s jaw clenched as he glared up at Tengen.

“How long have you guys known each other?” Sanemi gestured stiffly between you and Gyutaro. You blinked in surprise at him, not fully expecting for him to make conversation back.

“It’s a funny story actually…so I was in the same group home as Gyutaro and Daki when we were kids. But then I got moved to a small foster home. We actually lost contact and somehow all ended up going here.” You explained, a soft smile that vanished to a groan as Gyutaro shot a ping pong ball into one of the cups infront of you. Flashing you a toothy grin as you sneered and snatched up the cup. You were already way tipsier than you planned on being.

Sanemi looked down at you, his gaze was the same cold exterior he always had, but he was surprised. He didn’t know why he was so surprised to hear that you’d grown up in foster care. A lot of demons did, but it was different to actually hear you talk about it. He just nodded in understanding as he downed the last of his drink and set the cup aside. The music was loud, and he was starting to feel a little drunk.

“Okay…I have a question for you, don’t worry i’m not trying to eat your soul..” You waved your fingers theatrically in front of you. “Or whatever makes humans so scared of us.” You grinned as you pointed at Tengen. “But when you and your girlfriends all go somewhere, do they take turns sitting in the front seat? Is it first come first serve? Is it a who calls shot gun basis?”

“Actually we all like to sit in the back seat together!” Suma said with a grin, briefly turning her attention away from her conversation with Daki and Mitsuri.

“Oh my god..” You covered your mouth as a snorting chuckle left you. Definitely not your prettiest laugh. “You’re like an Uber driver!”

Sanemi couldn’t hold back his laughter. He couldn’t tell if it was just the alcohol talking but you were actually pretty funny. And you were also probably the only reason he wasn’t sulking behind Obanai right now. Even Gyutaro was openly laughing. Tengen on the other hand did not find it as funny.

“Okay, i’m sorry, i’m sorry that wasn’t funny!” You said as you put your hands up placatingly, your lips still curled into a smile.

“No it was funny.” Sanemi smirked beside you. “Tengens an uber driver.”

“I’m sure the tips are good!” You added as you jabbed Sanemi with your elbow. But as you did you swayed slightly, and your arm brushed against his. You were so close you could smell his…cologne? Inhaling subtly, you really wanted to know what cologne he was wearing. It was the second time youd been close enough to smell it on him. And whatever it was, it was almost…intoxicating. You quickly took a side step away from him.

As you kept playing the conversation began to flow a bit easier. You could tell that Sanemi was relaxing a bit next to you. Even though he kept a tough face on, you didn’t miss the tug at the corner of his lips when he’d make a shot against Tengen. The two of you made pretty normal small talk as you played. You found out he was majoring in math, and that he was in his 4th year. He told you he was thinking about getting his masters. It was nice to see him relax a bit.

“So how do you know um…” You slurred as you glanced over at the group that Sanemi had come with. “…everyone else?” You said gesturing to his friends.

“Obanai and I got randomly put together as roommates freshmen year and ended up really getting along, and Kyojuro and I are on the soccer team together.” He said as he took a sip of his drink. Fuck, how many drinks had he even had? Maybe beer pong was a bad idea… But then a gasp left your lips and he could swear he saw stars in your eyes. What were you so excited about? And why were you kind of…

“You’re on the soccer team?! Do you know-“ But before you could finish you were interrupted by Inosuke putting you in a head lock.

“I’ve been looking for you loser!!” He grinned, swaying on his feet. Clearly already pretty drunk.

“Let me go you dick!” You protested as you tried to pry yourself out of the head lock. Inosuke held tight, ignoring your irritated protest. When he glanced up to see Sanemi staring at him he almost jumped out of his skin. Visibly shuddering as their eyes locked. Releasing you from his grasp as you straightened up and tried to fix your hair.

It finally clicked for Sanemi. You were Inosuke’s sister. Whether it was from foster care or a complicated half sibling situation he wasn’t sure. But still, he’d been trying to figure out who you were all day. Not like he knew many demons, but still. What were the chances?

“Uh, why are you hanging out with him?” Inosuke whispered, well tried to whisper, he actually said it very loudly.

“He’s my dem/hum history partner, why? He was actually just telling me he was on the soccer team!”

“Yeah…” Inosuke snorted. “He’s the team captain…”

“Ohhhhh!” So this was the guy Inosuke was coming home and ranting about everyday. Your eyes widened with realization as Inosuke chuckled next to you. “Yeah that makes sense… he's actually been okay!”

“Sorry, what makes sense?” Sanemi said irritably, his arms folded over his chest. Not the biggest fan of clearly being the butt of their joke.

“Nothing, nothing!” You insisted as you waved your hands in front of you. Inosuke took the opportunity to try to slip away but you grabbed him by the arm.

“Hey! Uh uh, where’s your DD?”

“Oh…Ummm…” He slurred as he glanced around then looked down at you and shrugged his shoulders. Giving you that all to familiar shit eating grin.

“It’s cool, I know her, she’s pretty responsible.”

You and Inosuke both turned to look at Sanemi. Inosuke with shock because he’d never heard him talk so casually. While you were narrowing your eyes as they flickered over his face. “Fine, but find me before you leave.” Your grip around his arm loosened and you pushed him back.

“Yeah, okay mom.” He scoffed as he shuffled off.

“Sorry he’s…”

“It’s fine…” Sanemi smirked, shaking his head as he took another sip of his drink. Fuck he needed to stop, or at least slow down. He couldn’t even remember how many he’d had. “Is it always that hard to get him to wear a shirt?” He paused…that sounded weird. Fuck why was he so bad at talking when he drank. “I mean, i swear i’m penalizing him everyday at practice for not wearing one. And he’s always trying to fight everyone for some reason…”

“Oh my god!” You cried as you buried your head in your hands. ‘No wonder Inosuke complains about him so much…’ When you pulled them away a huge grin was on your face. Eyes crinkled at the corners and cheeks slightly red. “He’s gotten better now that he’s older. But when we were kids it was like wrestling a fucking boar! And our caretaker Hisa is an older lady, so it was always me trying to get it on him!” You laughed, swaying softly on your feet. “He used to call himself ‘king of the mountains’ I remember when we were kids..” Your face was red as you laughed between your sentences. Placing one hand on the table for balance. “…he used to head butt trees and say he was ‘training’. “ You grinned.

Sanemi couldn’t help but laugh with you. A rare smile tugging at his normally steeled features. "Training for what?"

You just shook your head. "Never actually figured it out... organised sports?" You giggled as you took another sip of your drink. “Hey, how’d you know who his DD was?”

“Oh, one of the guys he came here with is my brother, Genya..”

“I didn’t know you had a brother!” You balked. “I’ve met Genya once, he seemed like a sweet kid.” You said nodding to yourself.

“I didn’t know you had…” He paused, Genya refered to you as Inosuke’s sister. But he didn’t really know how you guys were related.

“I consider him my brother, we got sent to live with the same caretaker when I was 10 and he was 8. Pretty formative years, and it was just the two of us living with her for so long. I don't know what its like to have a biological sibling, but I imagine this is pretty close...” Your voice trailed off and your eyes flickered down to your drink. Clearly getting a bit lost in thought. He shifted awkwardly, not entirely sure what to say. The game of beer pong had been abandoned, Gyutaro disappeared and Tengen had returned to his girlfriends.

Sanemi was surprised to find that he actually had been having…fun? Maybe he’d just been an asshole and judged you to early. Because standing here and talking with you, you didn’t seem too bad. Even over the volume of shitty music, drunken slurs, and the haze of alcohol. Suddenly two arms wrapped around you and Sanemi. Pulling the both of you closer as you crashed into an unfamiliar body. One of your shoulders pressed against the strangers chest while the other brushed against Sanemi’s.

“Oh my god!!! Y/n you look so cute tonight! I didn’t know you knew my friend Sanemi!!” You looked up to see that Douma had his arms around both of you. His pupils were massive, nearly swallowing his irises. And he seemed even more… Douma like. At this point you had gotten used to it, but when you saw Sanemi’s face he looked like he was about to explode. His face was red and his fists were clenched at his sides. You couldn’t help but notice that smell again. Your face was slightly pink and your senses heightened by the alcohol. You felt so weird for smelling him but it was driving you crazy. What the hell was it?

“Hiiii Sanemi! Is your pretty girlfriend and her super cute sister here with you?” Douma was grinning from ear to ear. Show casing glittering teeth and sharp canines. He was high. You’d seen Douma high enough times to know what it looked like. He went to rest his head on Sanemi’s, but Sanemi pushed him back. Douma stumbled, his grip on you tightened as if for balance and you stumbled with him.

“Fuck off Douma.” He spat and walked away, returning to standing wordlessly behind Obanai. Somehow looking even more on edge than when he first got here. His eyes narrowed and he glared at you. Of course you’re fucking friends with Douma, why wouldn’t you be? You were dating that six eyed freak. Just when he was starting to think you weren’t too bad.

“Awww that’s okay, y/n we can still have fun!” Your drunk brain was reeling from the heated display between Sanemi and Douma. Sanemi didn’t really seem like he was the friendliest towards demons. But his feelings towards Douma seemed to surpass his usual discontent. Your heart sank slightly when you saw him glaring at you. The two of you seemed to be getting along so well, what changed?

A hand grasped your shoulder, pulling you from your thoughts. Douma’s grasp on you released as he was pushed away from you. Looking up with an unwavering grin on his face. “Hiii Kokuuuu! I was just saying hi to y/n! She looks so cute tonight!”

You tilted your head up to see Kokushibo behind you. His hand clasped firmly on your shoulder. All of his pupils were huge too, just like Douma's. Swallowing the irises almost entirely as his gaze shifted from Douma to you.

“This party is boring, let’s go upstairs.”

Your heart fell at his words, you knew exactly what he meant by go upstairs. Nails dug into the palm of your hands until you felt blood began to trickle down your fingers. Shifting awkwardly beneath his grasp, you shook your head and gave him a calm smile. Withdrawing your nails from your palms. The fresh cuts healing just as quickly as they’d formed.

“I’m having fun.”

Kokushibo rolled his eyes slightly, dropping the request but his grip on you stayed. One hand on your shoulder while the other held your waist tightly. Normally it wouldn’t bother you, but whenever he got high he could be a bit…intense. Everyone was migrating from standing to the two large couches that had freed up in the living room. You went to follow but Kokushibos grip tightened, your back pressing into his chest.

“Do you want a drink?” He murmured into your ear. His lips brushed against the shell of your ear, and his voice was so deep you could feel it rumble in his chest. You just nodded your head as he walked off, Douma following behind him.

You followed everyone into the living room, sitting down next to Daki on one of the couches. All of the seats filled up pretty quickly; Tengen, Makio, Suma, Hinatsuru and Kyojuro were all sitting on the couch across from you. While Obanai, Mitsuri, Daki, and you were sitting on the other one. Gyutaro had returned and had taken a seat on the floor infront of Daki.

Sanemi froze when he reached the sofas, the only available space was next to you. Was he seriously going to be forced to hang out with you all night? He begrudgingly took the only open seat, well squeezed into it. The couches were pretty big, but with 5 people sitting on them they had become a bit cramped. You were to busy talking to Daki to pay much attention to your close proximity. Or rather, to the fact that Sanemi had sat next to you at all. Your thighs touching, your hand briefly brushed against his. Body swaying softly you talked to your friend.

“Hey Hakuji, i’m kind of tired… can we go?” Koyuki was whispering to Akaza who just nodded. Putting his arm around Koyuki and waving goodbye. The atmosphere of the party was starting to wind down. You and Daki looked at each other with a massive grin, then looked past the back of the couch as they walked out.

“BYE HAKUJI!” You both giggled in unison. Akaza just glared back at you, but there was no real malice to his stare. The two of you laughed, your attention still focused on Daki as you leaned back into Sanemi. Taking your hand in his as you interlaced your fingers together.

Sanemi stiffened instantly and shrugged you off. You turned around, a confused look on your face that turned into one of utter embarrassment. Your face flushed a deep red as you looked at him, mouth slightly agape.

“I-I thought you were Koku!” You said as you buried your red face in your hands. “I’m so sorry…” Shaking your head as you leaned back into the cushions on the sofa. Wishing that they would swallow you.

Sanemi was completely stiff, and bright red. Tengen and Kyojuro were both snickering to each other across from them. He folded his arms over his chest as he leaned against the arm of the couch and away from you. Trying to ignore how much his body had actually been yearning for casual intimacy. The way you had leaned back into him, threading your fingers together. Like it was second nature. He hadn’t even realized how much he’d missed that kind of affection.

“It’s fine.” He muttered as he looked down at the floor.

You just nodded and tried to return your attention to Daki and Mitsuri. But when you had leaned back into Sanemi that familiar scent had returned. It was driving you crazy. You had no idea what is was, but something about it was…familiar? Teeth sank into your lip nervously, drawing a bit of blood as you tried to ground yourself. Still feeling a bit embarrassed about practically cuddling into him.

You decided to sneak a glance up at him, the room spinning slightly. You noticed a soft blush on his cheeks, his eyes cast down and his chin resting in his palm. A bored expression on his face. Everyone else was talking, you couldn't help but feel bad seeing him so withdrawn.

“Hey i’m sorry again.” You said softly, your lids growing heavy from the liquor you’d drank.

“Stop apologizing, I said it’s fine.” His tone was short, but he didn’t sound angry. Maybe annoyed but it didn’t seem like it was directed at you. So you just nodded your head in response. The two of you sat silently while everyone else talked amongst themselves.

“Um..sorry if this is a weird question, but what cologne are you wearing?” You said breaking the silence between you both. But Sanemi just looked confused.

“Uh, I’m not wearing any-“ Before he could finish a hand had wrapped around his wrist. Pulling his arm forwards and up. Kokushibo was above him, holding his wrist to his nose and inhaling. Sanemi grimaced as he yanked his wrist away from him. Shuddering when his gaze was met with 6 wide eyes, glowing red and staring back. ’God this guy creeps me out’.

“What the fuck-“ Sanemi began but was quickly cut off.

“You’re a marechi blood type.”

“What?”

“A marechi, it’s a rare blood type. Rare blood types are intoxicating to demons. Marechi is the rarest. I’m surprised you don’t have more drunk demon girls crawling on you.” He scoffed as he turned his attention to you. You couldn’t help but startle slightly when his gaze met yours, dark and intense. His fingers wrapped tightly around your wrist and he yanked you from the couch roughly. Lowering himself to your level so your noses brushed together.

“It’s probably why you’re acting like such a whore.” He sneered under his breath. Your heart dropped and your pointed ears pinned flat to your head. It was clearly just meant for you to hear, but Sanemi and Daki both stiffened slightly between you.

“What are you talking about?” You whispered.

“You know exactly what i’m talking about.” Kokushibo took your place on the couch between Sanemi and Daki. Grabbing your hips he pulled you down into his lap. You were stiff in his grasp, now turned away from Sanemi. Your head hung slightly, he could just make out your side profile from the corner of his eye.

“There are too many fucking humans here.” Kokushibo grunted, one arm was wrapped around your waist and the other was draped across the back of the couch.

“You’re being a dick…” Your eyes fixed on your hands as your nails dug into your palms. Calloused fingers dug roughly into your chin and jaw as Kokushibo pulled your head up. Fixing your gaze on his as he stared at you with a dark intensity.

“What have we talked about?” He murmured.

“Respect.” You whispered back, trying to keep your voice low.

“And was that a very respectful thing to say to me?” Both of your voices were hushed. But from Sanemi’s place on the couch he could hear everything. From the corner of his eye he watched as you just shook your head ‘no’. Your body shrunk back as he released his grip on your jaw. Earlier you had been so energetic, socializing, and talking to everyone. And in class you were always the one to start the conversation.

But this you was different, your eyes cast down. Not talking to anyone, all your energy void and gone. Even with your back slightly turned he could still see your side profile. Teeth sinking anxiously into your bottom lip. It was like your personality had been sucked out of you.

You and Sanemi were both silent. Kokushibo was talking to Gyutaro, who seemed oblivious to the tension from earlier. But Sanemi had noticed, earlier when you were all by the beer pong table. He hadn’t meant to be staring when Kokushibo said something that made you visibly uncomfortable. He hadn’t missed when your nails dug into your palms, or when you stiffened under your boyfriend’s touch.

You had decided it would probably be best if you didn’t talk. Koku wasn’t always like this, but he was high, and clearly in a bad mood. And you’d come to learn that when he got like this it was best to try and just keep quiet. So you put on your best behavior for him, sitting silently, nodding in reply, laughing softly, a calm smile on your face. Hopeful that you could recover and still have a good night.

But then a loud clattering sound cut over the music, followed by shouting and gasps. Everyone heads snapped up, immediately drawn to the noise. You looked over the back of the couch and your eyes widened. Kaigaku had stumbled back and had one palm pressed flat against the wall. The other was cupped over his nose and mouth. A look of anger and shock on his face as blood dripped onto his shirt and hand. But that wasn’t what shocked you most.

Standing infront of him was Zenitsu with one fist raised and the other gripping Kaigaku's collar. Genya and Tanjiro were pulling him back, while Inosuke had his fists clenched. Looking like he was ready to jump in. Two girls with dark hair and purple eyes were standing near by, a stunned expression on their faces. One girl had purple tips and was holding the other almost protectively. Kaigaku pulled his hand from his face and looked up in anger. His pupils were massive, clearly on the same shit as Douma and Koku.

With out thinking you surged from your spot on Kokushibo’s lap. Rushing over to the confrontation, you placed yourself between Kaigaku and the group. You didn’t know Zenitsu that well, but you did know Kaigaku. And if you had to pick out an instigator it would be the latter. You placed a hand on each of their chests as you pushed them apart.

“You’re fucking high, go out side.” You said lowly as you turned your attention to Kaigaku.

“He fucking punched me!” He spat, blood pouring from his nose. Pushing himself off the wall as he stood up straight. Fists clenched at his sides, but you held your ground. Kaigaku wasn’t that much taller than you, and you weren’t easily intimidated. But a low rumbling voice cut you both off and made you freeze.

“And you just got your nose broken by a human. Go outside, you’re embarrassing yourself.” Kokushibo appeared behind you. You froze, hoping that you’d be able to handle this with out him. He grabbed Kaigaku’s collar as he began pushing him towards the back door. You took the opportunity to talk to Inosuke. Kokushibo would be back soon and you wanted him and his friends gone before that confrontation.

“Go home, now.” You said sternly as you turned to him and jabbed a finger into his chest. Pushing him back slightly. A warning glare on your face. But before you could get in another word Kokushibo’s hand had grabbed your wrist tightly. Pulling you back a few feet as he spoke lowly.

“What the fuck, y/n?!” He seethed, his grip tightened involuntarily. “I let you invite that fucking brat, let him bring his friends and they pick a fight?” His teeth were barred and with every word his grip tightened. You whimpered softly as the pressure grew painful. A deep bruise began to bloom over your skin. The sound of a soft ‘crunch’ drifted into your ears and you had to bite your lip to suppress a cry.

“Koku… you’re hurting me..” You whimpered as you cringed from the pain. But his grip tightened and that familiar ’crunch’ entered your ears again. This time it was louder and the pain that accompanied it was more intense. You bit down hard on your lower lip to suppress a cry. Blood pooled in your mouth and tears had gathered in your eye.

“Why are you so fucking weak?” He said through gritted teeth as he shook you slightly. Finally he released you from his grasp and you immediately cradled your wrist. “Get them the fuck out of here.” He hissed before stalking out the back door. You quickly blinked back the tears that had formed in your eyes. Trying to ignore the stares you’d attracted. You sucked in a deep breath, steeling yourself as you turned around.

When you turned you were surprised to see that Sanemi had a hand on Inosuke’s shoulder. Holding him back from inserting himself in your confrontation.

Sanemi had gotten up from the sofas just as quickly as you had. The minute that he saw Genya was involved he was ready to intervene. Tengen and his girlfriends had checked on Shinobu and Kanao. Taking them outside and away from the fight. Kyojuro was talking down Zenitsu and getting Tanjiro to take him outside. But out of the corner of Sanemi’s eye he saw you. Your body stiff, a slight tremble to your hands. The pained look on your face as Kokushibo held your wrist tightly.

Inosuke went to surge forward but Sanemi grabbed him by the shoulder. He’d seen this happen before…with his mom. And if he knew one thing it’s that reacting a certain way would just make the situation worse. He kept his face straight as he shook his head. A subtle warning for him to stay out of it while Genya lingered behind them anxiously.

“Go. Home.” You said sternly, punctuating each word. Fighting against the tears that were threatening to spill from your eyes. Your face was stern and steeled but Sanemi could see past the facade. It was just too familiar. He clenched his jaw and bit his tongue. He didn’t know you, and you weren’t his friend. It wasn’t his place to comment on it.

“No, look at your fucking wrist. I’m not leaving you alone with that ass hole.”

“It’s fine-“

“No it’s not fine. I’ll leave but you’re coming home too.” Inosuke wasn’t budging.

You pressed your lips together tightly, eyes darting from his to the floor. “Your DD’s car is full, you came here with like 6 people. Besides it’ll make it worse if I leave.”

You and Inosuke continued your back and forth. It was moments like these outsiders could tell that the two of you grew up together. You argued like siblings.

“Uh…Sanemi…” Genya whispered to him as Sanemi finally released his grip on Inosuke’s shoulder. “Is there any room in the car you came in?”

“…yeah, why?” He said as his brows furrowed in confusion.

“Her and Inosuke live in the same student apartments as us…”

Sanemi sighed, feeling a bit frustrated that he was getting dragged into this. Pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers. But even if he didn’t know you, he wasn’t super comfortable leaving you there after seeing what had happened.

“There’s room in our car.” He cut in, interrupting your back and fourth as you both turned to look at him. Inosuke turned back to you, an expectant look in his eyes. You took a deep breath, sighing softly as you glanced down at your wrist. It was definitely broken.

“Fine.” You said finally. “Wait for me outside, i’ll be down in a minute.”

Inosuke and Genya both turned to leave, walking in the direction of the front door. But Sanemi lingered for a second more. His eyes on yours, flickering down to your wrist, then back to you. For a moment you thought he was going to say something. But he didn’t.

You stood for a moment in the middle of the living room. Still gripping your wrist gently. You’d had a lot to drink that night, and not nearly enough to eat. It would take longer than normal to regenerate. Everyone had already gone outside, Daki and Gyutaro were still on the couches. Eyes wide as they stared at you.

“What the fuck just happened?” Daki said as you approached her. Leaning over the couch you gave her a hug, her eyes instantly drawn to your bruised wrist. Her face fell and her head snapped up.

“Again?” She gasped, all you could do was nod your head. Afraid your voice would crack if you tried to sputter out an excuse or response.

“I’m going home.” You finally choked out, eyes anxiously glanced at the back door. If you were going to leave you’d rather Kokushibo not see. Daki pouted slightly then nodded in understanding.

“I’ll help you get your stuff.” She said as she followed you upstairs, shoving everything back into your tote bag for you. You pulled the bag over your shoulder and said your goodbyes. Walking towards the front door you quickly slipped outside. The cool night air was refreshing as the music faded and grew muffled behind the closed door. You hadn’t realized how stuffy the house felt.

Everyone was gathered a few cars down, talking in hushed voices. Huddled closely to each other in familiarity. Inosuke and his friends were already piling into the car they’d came in. He gave you a grin and a wave as he slid into the trunk of an SUV. You walked up to the remaining group. Feeling not only embarrassed but a bit out of place. Eyes no longer misty, just a bit bloodshot and heavy with exhaustion You hadn’t even realized how tired you were.

“Hey y/n! You’re with us!” Mitsuri called out. Waving you over to the car she was walking towards with Obanai, Kyojuro, and Sanemi. Tengen and his girlfriends were all getting into his car. Obanai was opening the door for Mitsuri and Sanemi had already gotten into the back seat. You hesitated for a moment, then slid into the back seat next to Sanemi. Your thigh accidentally brushed against his and he stiffened slightly. Both of you shifting slightly so you had about an inch of space between your bodies. Kyojuro got in next to you, closing the door as Obanai started the car.

“Do you need my address?” Your voice cracked slightly, fuck why was it so hoarse.

Before Obanai could answer Sanemi spoke for him. “Genya said we live in the same student apartments.” He had his arms crossed over his chest and was leaning against the window. Staring straight ahead. The jostling car making it hard for him to maintain the gap between your bodies. You just nodded your head slightly as you looked down. Your wrist was resting in your lap, still cradled gently in your palm. It was healing, you could feel the bones shifting and fusing back together.

“Oh my god!!” Your head snapped up to see that Mitsuri was looking at you. Turned around slightly, her elbows rested on the center console. Her eyes were wide and full of concern. “Your wrist is so bruised, is it okay?!”

“It’s fine it’s just broken.” You said casually, for a moment you’d forgotten you were the only demon in the car.

“WHAT?!” Kyojuro and Mitsuri said in unison. You could feel Sanemi stiffen beside you, his eyes glanced down at your wrist. He’d seen Kokushibo grab you, but had he seriously broken your wrist?

“Do you need to go to a hospital?” Kyojuro said beside you.

“No, no, no sorry, I’m a demon, remember? I heal differently than you guys.” You assured with an awkward laugh. “It would’ve healed faster but I haven’t eaten much today and I’ve been drinking a lot. It’ll be fine by the time i’m home!” You insisted, brushing it off way too casually.

“How hard did he grab you?” Mitsuri said, clearly worried.

“It’s…I don’t know. He doesn’t know his own strength sometimes, and he was really high. It’s really not that big of a deal. Besides I have a high pain tolerance!” You said quickly in a desperate attempt to brush it off. Trying to maintain a casual and dismissive tone to your voice. Sanemi’s eyes flicked to you questioningly, still leaning against the door.

Mitsuri didn’t look convinced but nodded and turned forward. The car ride back to your apartments was spent in silence. Giving your wrist the occasional flex to check to see how it was healing. It still hurt but the bruising was quickly beginning to fade. Transitioning from purple, to a mottled blend of purple and yellow, before a shade of yellow circled your aching wrist. It should be gone by the end of the car ride, much to your relief. You were sick of looking at the reminder of what happened.

When you pulled up to the apartments you couldn’t help but notice that Inosuke and his friends weren’t back. You looked around from inside Obanais car. Still slightly dazed and a bit drowsy from drinking.

“Shinobu drives like a grandma, they probably won’t be here for another 10 minutes.” Sanemi’s voice cut off your thoughts as he flung his door open. Much to your surprise he grabbed your bag off of your lap and gripped it at his side.

You slid out of Obanais car, giving an awkward goodbye to everyone as Sanemi closed the car door. The two of you walked in heavy silence as Sanemi fobbed you both in and opened the door. Eyes examined your wrist as you gave it a few cautionary twists. Flexing it back and forth and wriggling your fingers before you stopped cradling it. Being a demon came with a lot of cons, but the regenerative abilities almost made up for them. Sort of.

“I can take my bag…” You said breaking the silence. “Wrist is all better, see!” You extended your arm as you flicked your wrist back and forth. The bruise had faded completely now, and if he hadn’t seen it happen he never would’ve known you’d just had your wrist broken. Hesitantly he held your bag back out to you, not saying a word in response.

God damnit why are these elevators so slow? The elevator dinged and the doors slid open as you both stepped in. “Soo…” You began, feeling a bit desperate to fill the silence. “Whats your girlfriend’s name?”

A vein popped in Sanemi’s head as he froze. “What?”

“Oh uh…Earlier Douma asked if your girlfriend was at the party?”

“We broke up.”

“Oh i’m sorry-“

“Can you just fucking drop it?!” He glared at you from the corner of his eyes. “Why are you so fucking hell bent on talking to me?”

“…Because we’re dem/hum partners I-“

“Does that mean we can’t sit in silence for two fucking minutes?! Just because we’re being forced to work on this dumb fucking project doesn’t mean we have to act all friendly.” He said rolling his eyes, not even bothering to look at you.

You were stunned by the way he lashed out, mouth agape as you looked up at him with disbelief. Whats his problem? “Why are you so hell bent on not liking me?”

“I’m not hell bent on disliking you!” He snapped back as he fully turned towards you. “You seemed fine until I found out you were friends with that fucking creep Douma.” Voices bounced off the walls of the elevator. Fluorescent lights hummed above you as the elevator began its ascent.

“Wha-I-“ You stuttered out as you stared at him. “He lives with Kokushibo, what’s even wrong with him? He’s like, painfully friendly!” You cried in frustration. “Also, how does that automatically make me a bad person? And i’ve never even heard Douma mention you before tonight, sounds like your issue is one sided.” You scowled.

“It would make you bad by association.” He said matter of factly. “It also makes you fucking stupid for putting us with one creep so you can keep dating another creep who clearly treats you like shit.”

“He doesn’t treat me like shit!” You tried to protest, but your voice wavered and you gripped the wrist that had just healed.
Sanemi scoffed at your weak defense, a disbelieving look on his face. Opening his mouth to respond but before he could get the words out you continued.

“You’ve been cold towards me since we got paired up as partners. You’ve known me for a week and you’ve already decided what kind of person I am? Fuck you!” A loud ding sounded through the elevator as it reached your floor. The doors slid open and you stamped out angrily. But before the doors could close you turned around, clawed fingers wrapping around the metal frame. Holding the door open as you stared up at him through narrowed eyes.

“Maybe if you weren’t so fucking presumptuous we could’ve been friends. But that clearly isn’t going to happen.” An annoyed sneer on your face as you released your grip on the elevator door. Feet thudding heavily down the fluorescent lit hall as you walked towards your door. A smug grin on your lips, feeling satisfied over getting the last word in. But the sound of quick footsteps approaching behind you caused your ears to perk. Firm hands gripped your shoulders, and turned you back around.

Sanemi had both his hands on your shoulders as he looked down at you. Fuck why was he doing this, why wasn’t he just letting it go? This is why he didn’t drink with people. His touch was firm yet not forceful. Your eyes locked as you looked at him suspiciously. Arms folded tightly over your chest.

“For the record, it’s not fine. What your fucking boyfriend did. It doesn’t matter that you heal quicker than a human, he broke your wrist. You shouldn’t let him get away with that shit. It’s abusive and you shouldn’t just brush it off.” He said flatly as he released your shoulders.

But the mix of your growing irritation with him and the alcohol you’d been drinking made your patience dissolve completely. Your face burned with anger. Unsure if it was from his assumptions or the fact that his words held a lot of truth to them.

“I don’t ’let him’ get away with it!” You spat as you placed your hands on your hips. “You have no idea what our relationship is like, what he’s like. That…that wasn’t like him, what happened. He just… i-it’s complicated, okay?!” You sputtered out, growing defensive. “As if you would even know what abuse looks like. So why don’t you fucking drop it.” Flinging his own words back at him as you jabbed a finger into his chest.

“Oh now look who’s being presumptuous.” Sanemi pushed your finger from his chest as he took a step closer. “You don’t fucking know anything about me.”

“And you don’t fucking know anything about me!”

“Thank fuck for that, cause right now it sounds like you’re a fucking brat who’s to stupid to know when to leave.” It was mean, and as soon as the words left his mouth he instantly regretted them. Sanemi knew better than to belittle someone who’s clearly being abused. But you had managed to get thoroughly under his skin. Like a bunch of little mites, biting and nipping and irritating.

You frowned at first, a brief expression of genuine hurt overtaking your features, but you quickly corrected your face into a scowl. Not wanting to let him see that his words hurt you. You opened your mouth to say something back but the ding of the elevator interrupted you. Inosuke, Tanjiro and Zenitsu stumbled out laughing. Their energy immediately dying down when they saw you and Sanemi. A confused expression on their faces. Genya poked his head through the elevator door to see what had happened. His eyebrows shot up nervously upon seeing you and a seething Sanemi in the hallway.

In unison you and Sanemi broke apart, you walked to your door while Sanemi stepped into the elevator with Genya. You just shook your head as you fumbled with your keys. Unlocking the door as you pulled it open with more force than necessary.

“What the hell was that about?” said Inosuke.

“I get why you complain about him.” Was all you huffed out.

Chapter Text

You groaned softly when you picked up your phone. You’d had a feeling that you would wake up to texts and missed calls from Koku, but this was overkill. Sighing to yourself you opened your phone. Brows furrowed as you curled into your bed. Tugging the blankets up to your chin. Glossy eyes read through his messages with a look of exasperation.

You exhaled a deep and shaky breath as you read through the texts. Not sure what to think of the situation anymore. As much as Sanemi had annoyed you last night his words had truth to them. What happened wasn’t okay. Things weren’t always bad, and sometimes he lost his temper. Really lost his temper. The first time was an accident. At least that’s what he said. But last night was… well you didn’t even know what to say about it. A part of you worried that if you stayed things would only get worse. Your thumb hovered over the key board as you tried to think of a response.

You let the phone slip from your fingers as you buried your face in your pillows. A deep sigh left your lungs as the events of last night played through your mind.

Despite normally being an early riser Sanemi didn’t wake up until noon. His head pounding with a headache as memories of last night returned to him in blurry flashes. Loud music, a game of beer pong that got him way drunker than he’d wanted to get. An actual pleasant conversation with you. Douma. Fucking Douma. That six eyed freak who you for some reason want to date. Apparently his blood was…intoxicating? Ew. Damn Zenitsu had actually landed a good punch.

Your wrist, blue, purple, red and swollen as you loosely cradled it. Even if it healed in about 15 minutes, that fucker still broke it. And you still defended him. Just like mom used to…no, not like mom. You’re different, you’re a demon, look at how quickly you healed. It’s not the same, is it? But the way you put yourself between him and Inosuke. The way you winced in pain when he grabbed you. The way your eyes were glazed over as you told him he was hurting you.

The fight. The two of you really got into it last night. Did he care? …no. Was he annoyed because now being partnered with you for the rest of the year would be even more awkward? Yes. Fuck maybe he should just see if you want to try and switch partners. But that also meant risking getting someone who he disliked even more…

He shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. Unable to tell if the nausea he felt was from his memories or from his hang over. An annoyed groan left his lips as he pulled out his phone. His eyes widened when he saw his notifications.

His hands were shaking as he typed his response into the keyboard.

You woke up early that morning after a restless night of sleeping. Unable to silence your racing thoughts, you spent most of the night alternating between tossing and turning and staring at the ceiling fan. Your stomach was in knots the whole night as you thought about what to do, what to say. Even though he hurt you there was still a part of you that loved him regardless. It made you sick to think of ending things. Not just because it would hurt, but because of the impact it could have. All of your friends were also friends with Kokushibo. Sure you could definitely live without Kaigaku, and not to mention the Hatengu brothers. Douma and Enmu would probably be pretty neutral.

But what about Daki and Gyutaro and Akaza? They were your closest friends, and they all lived in the same house as him. What if it made seeing them awkward? Or worse, what if they chose him over you? Teeth worked anxiously into your bottom lip as you approached the coffee shop. Eyes on the ground as your quick steps ate up the short walk.

Kokushibo was already sitting at one of the tables outside. Thick grey clouds covered the sky above you, and a cold breeze was blowing through your thin sweater. Hesitantly you approached the table he was sitting at. The sight of him made your bottom lip tremble as he stood. Craning your neck so your eyes could follow his. He didn’t speak, just pulled you into a tight embrace. A soft sob wracked your body as you buried you head in his chest. You knew you shouldn’t seek comfort in him. Not after last night. But you couldn’t help yourself.

“I’m sorry.” He murmured as he kissed the top of your head. “I was fucked up last night, I should not have let Douma talk me into doing Molly. But that’s not an excuse, I still hurt you.” He pulled back as he caressed your neck and tilted your chin up with his thumb. “Can you please forgive me?”

You hesitated, eyes locked on his. His gaze was so intense, so expectant, but a certain softness lingered in it that made you fall apart. The way his eyes, yellow and red seemed to glow. And that little glimmer of hope, of promise, was all it took for your resolve to crumble. No words came out of your mouth, you just nodded your head. A small smile tugged at his lips as he gave your head another kiss.

“I ordered your favorite coffee.” He said as he pulled out your chair for you. Hand on your shoulder as he guided for you to sit. Soft drops of rain began to patter on the umbrella above you. The two of you drank your coffees, falling into quiet conversation. Talking like everything was normal, like your memories of last night were just a bad dream, a fabrication of your imagination. But there was something gnawing at the pit of your stomach. Whispering cruelly into your ear. ’This isn’t over.’

Soon the rain grew heavier and he wrapped an arm around your shoulder. “Come on, I’ll walk you home. It looks like there might be thunder..” You just nodded as you leaned into touch. But his words from last night rang through your head as you repeated them to yourself. Weak. Weak. Why are you so fucking weak?

Sanemi had been waiting by the phone all morning. His leg twitching and bouncing as he sat at the foot of the bed. Grey clouds covered the sky, casting a dark glow in his bedroom. Anxiously checking the time as the clock ticked by painfully slow. 8:57, 8:58, 8:59, 9:00. As the clock hit nine he held his phone, staring at the lock screen. Should he call her? Should he wait for her to call him? Should he give it another minute?

ring, ring, ring

In an instant the phone was to his ear. He opened his mouth but hesitated.

“…hey” He finally breathed out.

”Hey! How are you?”

“Good, good, just uh.. busy with soccer and school. How’s Germany? Still can’t believe you’re there on a masters program haha”

”Germany is amazing! Munich is such a beautiful city… i’ve met so many great people. And i’ve already gotten an internship opportunity with a biological engineering company!”

“Wow.. that’s…that’s amazing.” There was a pause, a brief interlude of silence between them.

”We haven’t really been able to talk since we broke up…”

“Yeah.. I was hoping we could… when you got home.” Another pause.

”….Thats kind of what I wanted to talk to you about…. Sanemi when I got the opportunity to go abroad to study you just… You got upset, and defensive and when you told me I wasn’t going, like the decision was yours. I just..”

“I know, it was wrong of me to react that way. I’m so happy for you, and proud of you. I was just-“

”Sanemi…i’m not coming home.”

“Oh?”

”The company i’m interning with offers work visas to skilled workers and it’s just. It’s too good of an opportunity to turn down.”

“Oh…”

”There is one more thing…I.. I met someone. I wasn’t expecting to, and I just. I wanted you to hear it from me first.”

Salt in the wound at her quiet admission as Sanemi just nodded his head. The phone to his ear as he tried to search for the right thing to say. He didn’t hold it against her, and he knew it wasn’t malicious. But it still hurt.

“I’m happy for you.” He forced out.

”Thank you… I just. I wanted to be the one to tell you. Not Shinobu or have you find out from socials… I hope you’re taking care of yourself.”

“I am..” He said quietly. “Hey, um I have to go Genya’s calling me.” Genya wasn’t calling.

”Okay..thank you for taking the time to call.”

“Yeah, you too.” beep. beep. beep.

He tossed his phone aside, dragging his hands warily over his face as he leaned back against his bed. Glancing out the window as sprinkles of rain began to patter against it.

You sat up in bed, glancing at Kokushibo’s sleeping form. The skies still had lingering shades of grey. He’d offered to pick you up from work last night. A gesture that would be sweet, if he didn’t only offer when he fucked up. You quietly slipped out of bed as you glanced at the clock. It was almost 9. Inosuke must’ve been successful in getting himself up for soccer practice this morning because his alarm didn’t wake you up like it normally did. He wasn’t happy that you accepted Kokushibo’s apology so quickly. But you could tell he was trying his best to support you. Even though he could be a bit blunt about things.

You shook Koku awake softly. You had to leave soon, your first class was in 30 minutes. Normally you’d walk to campus early so you could get a coffee and read before you had class. And considering you normally woke Inosuke up in the morning you’d typically have more than enough time to do that. Kokushibo stretched beneath your blankets, a vision that once made your heart soar in your chest. But now the sight just made you feel oddly hollow.

Both of you dressed with out speaking, the only noise was the soft rustling of clothes. He placed a tender kiss to your temple, then to your lips as you both walked out of your room. Koku left first, saying that he had wanted to go home and shower before his first class. Leaving you in your kitchen, sipping bitter coffee as you nodded your head. Watching silently as he slipped out your front door.

You set your coffee aside, raking fingers through your hair. Not even bothering to turn the lights above you on. For a moment you just stared at the wall. Tongue in cheek as you got lost in thought. When you finally brought your coffee back to your lips it had cooled significantly. How long had you just been standing there? You poured the rest down the sink and left your mug on the counter.

Shoving everything you needed into your bag you left. Walking down the hallway, the familiar hum of fluorescent lights above you. Foot tapping impatiently against the cheaply tiled floor. The elevator dinged, and when the doors slid open you were greeted by red rimmed violet eyes and messy white hair. He had bags underneath his eyes, you were sure you did too. You paused for a moment, then stepped into the elevator. Descending to the lobby in silence.

You looked over to find that he was already looking at you, eyes on the wrist that Koku had broken friday night. Whether he had just looked over at the same time as you or had been staring you didn’t know. For a moment your eyes locked. As if you were both waiting to say something. An apology, an additional rhetoric, a finishing statement from your argument the other night. Neither of you had the energy. Instead your eyes just broke apart as the elevator doors slid open. You both stepped out, you quickening your pace while Sanemi slowed his.

You were sure to leave your apartment early the next day. Not really wanting to run into Sanemi in the elevator again. Especially considering you already had to spend an hour and a half with him today. Maybe you could contribute your spat to the alcohol. But a part of you couldn’t shake the feeling that his discontent ran deeper than you could control. Or be bothered to understand. You stopped by your favorite coffee shop and got a got a drink before class. Taking your time on the walk there.

By the time you got there you only had a few minutes before class started. Immediately you spotted an annoyingly familiar mess of white hair. Head slumped in his palm and an apathetically blank stare on his face. Hesitantly you took a seat next to him. Neither of you said anything, Sanemi just glanced up at you before fixing his gaze forward. You could hear other pairs talking easily around you and you felt a flicker of envy. Wishing you had been assigned to anyone else at this point.

The professor announced that during class that week you would be discussing demon biology. Specifically focusing on the two vaccines that made it possible for demons to integrate themselves into society. The first was a one time shot that most demons received as babies to make it so they don’t need to consume human flesh to live. Instead making them capable of surviving on animal flesh. She then went on to explain that while most demons were carnivores it was actually possible for them to be omnivores and even vegetarians in some rare cases.

Next she went over the vaccine made from the blue spider lily that made it possible for demons to with stand sunlight. Although it was still possible that they could be fatally sunburnt, this was rare. So long as the demon is getting their yearly sun booster. You of course felt rather bored for a majority of class. These were all things you already knew. And it felt a bit silly you had to sit through this just so humans would be less afraid of you.

When she was done there was still half an hour left. The professor asked that everyone take the time to ask their partner questions about their biology and upbringing. Even displaying some example questions that you could use.

“Alright when was the last time you got your sun booster?” He asked with his head slumped into his palm. Pen tapping against his notebook, eyes fixed down and away from you.

“Late spring.” You said flatly. “How old were you when you first met a demon.”

“Four.”

You arched a brow as you looked at him quizzically.

“There were a few demon families that lived in the same apartment complex as me and my family.” He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Just put down my answer.”

You just nodded your head and returned your attention to your notes. You didn’t take Sanemi as the type to have grown up around demons. Especially considering his clear dislike in interacting with a majority of them. Against your better judgement you decided to comment. “That surprises me.”

“And i’m surprised the old lady who raised you wasn’t scared you’d eat that brat you for some reason insist is your brother.” He said flatly, expecting for you to bite back with an equally harsh remark. But when nothing but silence stemmed between you he finally looked up from his notes. You didn’t just look upset, or hurt. You looked crushed, like he’d just opened an old wound and poured vinegar over it.

Your mouth was slightly agape but no words came out. Bottom lip trembled as tears pooled in your eyes. The tips of your ears twitched slightly from where they poked out of your hair. You swallowed roughly and quickly shoved everything into your bag. Then with out speaking you stood and left. Drawing the attention of a few people around him. His eyes locked with a glaring pair a few rows down. Your friend Daki looked like she was going to kill him.

Clearly he’d struck a nerve.

“What was going on with you and y/n yesterday Sanemi?” Mitsuri asked as she looked over at him from where she was standing next to Obanai. Sanemi rolled his eyes at her question. He had thought just him and Obanai were hanging out but when they ran into Mitsuri she ended up joining them. And he knew better than to complain about that to Obanai.

“Nothing..” He grumbled.

“It didn’t seem like nothing. She seemed really upset yesterday… You two seemed like you were getting along at the party?” She frowned as the three of them took a seat in the courtyard.

“Aren’t you two friends? Why dont you ask her?”

“I did ask her, but she said it was nothing.”

“Then it sounds like it was nothing.” His tone came out a bit harsher than he intended, and Obanai shot him a warning glare. Sanemi sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. “We just disagreed about some stuff…” He muttered. “And she’s friends with Douma.”

“Is this about the thing that happened last year?” Obanai said arching a brow.

“Yeah and she told me she was only mutuals with Douma…” Mitsuri added, looking slightly confused.

“Look I don’t want to fucking talk about this anymore.” He remarked, his blunt tone caused Mitsuri to frown. Obanai glared at him again. “I have to go my next class is starting soon.” Sanemi stood, grabbing his things he turned to leave. Out of the corner of his eye he saw you. Across the courtyard, with your weird little group of friends; tattoos, six eyes, shark teeth, Douma, and that girl who always looks like she’s going to kill him .

You briefly made eye contact, Douma was draped over your shoulder saying something to you. He waved, his rainbow eyes sparkling behind thin rimmed sunglasses as he flashed Sanemi a wide toothy smile. ’Just fucking mutuals my ass.’ Sanemi thought to himself as he scowled at you. He had gone his entire academic career oblivious to your existence. And now that you were partnered for the year it felt like he was seeing you at every turn.

You had been walking to the courtyard with everyone. Sunglasses resting on your nose to block sensitive eyes from the sun, which felt noticeably harsh today. You stood close to Daki as you all looked for a shaded spot to sit and talk in. As your eyes scoured the courtyard you couldn’t help but notice a familiar mess of white hair. A scowl on his face and his jaw clenched. Walking out of the courtyard, obviously in a bad mood.

“Look it’s our friend Sanemi!” Douma grinned as he grabbed your biceps and rested his head on your shoulder. Waving at Sanemi as he walked past, earning a glare from him in return.

“I don’t know if friend is the word I’d use.” You muttered, folding your arms over your chest. “How do you even know him?”

“I was partnered with his girlfriend in dem/hum last year! So Sanemi and I got to hang out all the time!” He grinned emphatically as Kokushibo grabbed him by the collar and pulled him away from you. Deciding that Douma’s touch had lingered for long enough.

“Oh yeah…” Kokushibo said as he draped an arm over your shoulder. Turning his head to glance at Sanemi’s disappearing silhouette. “That’s the guy who punched you last year.”

“Yeah, but that’s how he shows affection! Just like Akaza!” He slung his arm around Akaza’s shoulder but was quickly shrugged off. A subtle twitch to his eye lid as Akaza took a few steps away from him. “Anyways, gotta go to class! Bye guys!!” Douma broke off from the group and disappeared. An energetic bounce to his step as he walked off.

“Why did he punch Douma?” You murmured as Kokushibo leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of your head.

“Don’t know, didn’t care enough to ask when it happened.” He shrugged. “I’ve gotta go.” He cupped your jaw and tilted your head up, thumb caressing your cheek as he kissed you goodbye. You forced a smile, still feeling empty towards his affection after the party. You had been hoping that the gnawing in your gut would fade. But it didn’t. It was just as persistent as it was on Sunday.

“I heard what Sanemi said to you yesterday in dem/hum.” Akaza said flatly as he watched Kokushibo walk away. Pulling you from your thoughts. His arms were folded over his chest, blue and amber eyes narrowed. “I’d switch with you, but I think if he said some shit like that to me about Koyuki, I’d kill him.” His gaze returned to you, placing a hand on your shoulder as his features softened. “I’m sorry you have to put up with him.”

“Yeah that was not fucking cool. Whats his deal?” Daki scowled, her books clutched to her chest. Sharp nails tapping rhythmically across the spine of one of her text books. Gyutaro stood sentinel beside her, but nodded in agreement as you all shuffled into a shaded space that had cleared up.

“I wish I could tell you.” You scoffed as you began rummaging through your bag. Not entirely sure what you were even looking for. A distraction from your vexation to your current predicament? Not just with Sanemi, but Koku too. “Ugh, god I picked the wrong time to quit smoking.” You muttered to yourself. Burying your face into your hands, hair falling around you as you shook your head. When you dropped your arms and raised your head clawed fingers were extending a cigarette to you. Your eyes traveled up the arm that offered it. Meeting Gyutaro’s neutral gaze.

“You’re a horrible influence.”You said scoldingly while quickly plucking the cigarette from Gyutaro’s offering hand. Tucking it behind your ear as you searched for a lighter in your bag.

“Why’d you even quit? It doesn’t affect demons like it does humans.” Gyutaro said matter of factly. Pulling a spare lighter from his pocket and slipping it into your palm.

“Hisa doesn’t like it.” You shrugged. There was a pause as you flicked the lighter in your hand. Knowing better than to light your cigarette in the courtyard. The silence was interrupted when Daki spotted a familiar head of pink and green hair. Breaking off from the circle as you all followed behind her. A hand rested on your head and ruffled your hair slightly. When you looked up you were surprised to see Gyutaro standing next to you.

He stared down at you for a moment. As if contemplating if he really wanted to say something. “I’ll switch partners with you.” He finally rasped out.

“Really?!” You squealed as you grabbed his hands. Causing him to immediately step back and pull his hands away.

“Only because you always take table service from Ume when there are creeps at the bar.” He grunted as he folded his arms over his chest. “….and because Ume loves you, so you’re my friend by default.” His features were serious but there was a teasing lilt to his voice. “Besides, i’d love to hear scar face say some shit like that to me.”

You woke early the next morning, again to the sound of Inosuke’s alarm. Storming into his room so you could drag him out of bed. The two of you had quickly gotten back into the habit of you waking him up. Despite being woken up much earlier than you needed to be a wave of relief and determination had washed over you. Knowing that you didn’t need to stress out over every interaction with Sanemi was one less weight on your shoulders. Even if you wouldn’t be able to switch partners for two more weeks.

Gyutaro had filled you in yesterday on what him and Tengen were doing for their project, and what they’d done so far. It wasn’t much, but considering you and Sanemi had not done anything yet you felt a bit behind by comparison. Which did mean that you and Sanemi would have to work together on the project for a little while. Just so you didn’t feel like you were sticking Gyutaro with not only a shitty partner, but also a project that was more behind than his. Whatever, you could get through that. It’s just two weeks, what could happen?

After dragging Inosuke up you’d gone back to bed for some good old fashioned mindless doom scrolling. Your eyes widened when you heard the front door slam shut and the shower turn on. Shit! you thought. If he was home that meant you needed to leave soon. Or else you would risk running into Sanemi in the elevator again. Jumping out of bed you gave a quick glance out the window then got dressed. Pulling on a comfy sweater, jeans, and picking up your haphazardly packed bag. You combed your fingers through your hair as you tugged it back. Scrambling out your front door, a few loose papers spilling from your bag.

Your feet padded rhythmically down the tiled hallway as you approached the elevator. The hum of fluorescent lighting mixed with the groaning elevator was the only sound in the quiet hall. Fingers tapping anxiously against your arms as you waited. If Inosuke just got back from practice that means Sanemi did too. And he didn’t seem like the type to not shower after running around a muddy field. No that was more Inosuke’s thing. But considering that, it was unlikely you’d run into him again. You assured yourself.

So when the elevator doors slid open to reveal damp white hair and already narrowed eyes your blood temperature rose. You’d completely forgotten that Inosuke always waited a few minutes to start walking back after practice. Not wanting to inadvertently walk back with ‘paneki’ or ‘jenomi’ or whatever he’d call him. You returned his glare to him as you leaned into the elevator. Not fully stepping in. Instead you pressed the close doors button and leaned back out. Lips pulled into a tight flat line as the cold metal doors began to slide shut. Forming a barrier between you.

To say that Sanemi has had a self proclaimed shitty week would seem fair. He spent his friday night getting dragged to a party he didn’t even want to go to. Saturday was spent hung over, Sunday he didn’t even want to fucking think about. Monday was a haze that blurred into Sunday. Tuesday made it clear you’d be pushing his buttons for the rest of the year. And Wednesday it seemed like he couldn’t avoid you, couldn’t avoid seeing you, couldn’t avoid talking about you. It was a nightmare.

Not only that but practice this morning had been terrible. He’d gotten up early like normal, dragged himself and Genya down to the field just for it to get rained on all morning. And to top it off the coach decided to reschedule practice after everyone had already been there for nearly 45 minutes. So now they would have to go back before the demon team was scheduled in the field. By the time he got home he was already ready for the day to be over.

The warm water from the shower was a much needed respite as Sanemi tried to relax. He wanted to leave soon. After running into you in the elevator on Monday he figured it would be better to leave early to try and avoid running into you again. Sanemi stepped out of the shower, hardly even bothering to dry his hair. It would get wet again in the rain anyway.

He pulled on a dark green hoodie, a pair of jeans, and some sneakers. Walking out the door with his bag as he made his way towards the elevator. Metal doors slid open as he made his rickety descent. Someone really needed to come look at these elevators. But when it began to slow and groan to a halt as he neared your floor his stomach dropped. Apparently you’d had the same idea. He couldn’t help but scowl as the doors slid open to reveal you.

Hair slightly disheveled, sweater slipping off your shoulder as you tried to to organize your bag. When you saw him you looked just as displeased as he felt. But when you refused to get in the elevator with him and the doors slid shut between you he couldn’t help but feel a bit of regret. He did feel guilty for what he said on Tuesday…and Friday. Maybe if you had talked back he wouldn’t feel so bad. But you looked hurt, genuinely hurt.

Sanemi sighed as he rubbed his hands over his face in exasperation. Trying to brush away the guilt as he pulled his hood over his head and began the walk to class that he would now be way to early to. At least he’d have time to stop by his favorite coffeehouse.

You spotted Sanemi pretty quickly as you entered the classroom. He was sitting near the back, his hair still damp but quickly drying. You could tell that it had been raining pretty heavily early in the morning. But thankfully it had calmed down significantly and you only had to deal with a light drizzle walking to class. Your hair growing a bit frizzy from the rain.

When you took your seat next to Sanemi his expression remained void of emotion, his eyes fixed forward. Both of you chose not to acknowledge the other as you began to sift through your bag. Brows furrowed in concentration as you pulled out a few pens and a notebook. Trying to figure out how to bring up the potential partner switch to him.

The professor was droning on about more demon biology, stuff you already knew. So it was hard to stay focused. “And that’s why even though it’s often an argument used to fear monger humans, absorption is incredibly rare. Infact in 85% of absorption cases it is demons absorbing other demons…” She explained with an emphatic enthusiasm. You had to hand it to her, she was passionate about teaching the class.

“Alright, we’ll be having our first test in two weeks. It is open book and collaborative with your partner. You will be graded as a team!” She reminded. There was about 20 minutes left and you were instructed to answer any questions your partner had. You could over hear other partners chattering softly. Some asked silly questions while others asked more serious ones. When you looked over at Sanemi he was staring at you.

’God does this guy not need to blink?’ You thought to yourself. Well now seemed like a better time than ever to bring up switching partners. Maybe Gyutaro would be a better fit for him anyway. They both hated talking and they both didn’t want to take this class. And Gyutaro had said yesterday that Tengen was too flashy and too talkative. For a moment longer you stared at each other. Then at the same time you opened your mouths to say something.

Both of you snapped your mouths shut, Sanemi’s steeled gaze on you as he motioned for you to talk first.

You paused for a moment longer before finally blurting it out. “Gyutaro said he’d be down to switch.” Anxiously tapping your pen against your notebook as you looked away from him. “So i’d be with Tengen and you’d be with Gyutaro.”

When you looked back up at Sanemi his jaw was clenched and he looked… mad? He looked over his shoulder where Gyutaro was sitting with Tengen. A smirk on his face as he gave Sanemi a short wave. He turned back to look at you, jaw still clenched. “Fine.” He said flatly.

You stared at him for a moment longer. “Okay.” You said calmly, that had gone surprisingly well. “Um, they’ve already started working on their project and we won’t be able to switch for another two weeks… So we’ll have to work on the project together in the mean time to get caught up to them.”

Sanemi just scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Yeah whatever. Doesn’t make a difference to me.” He said with a shrug. “Practice got rescheduled to this afternoon, but if you want to we can work on it after.”

“Can’t I work.” You said flatly.

“Well we need to start on it soon if we want to catch up to them. Or else we’re going to have to meet up like 4 times a week for the rest of the month. Cant we start on it when you’re off work?”

“I work at a bar, I don’t get off work until 3 am. I sent you my schedule at the start of the month.” You sighed rolling your eyes.

“God you’re fucking impossible.” Sanemi muttered to himself, but still loud enough for you to hear.

Your hands clenched slightly, but you decided not to respond. It wasn’t worth it, not when you knew you only had to deal with him for two more weeks. “I can do Saturday or Sunday in the early afternoon.” You offered, your polite tone forced and clipped.

“The libraries closed Sunday, and it closes at like noon on Saturday.” He grunted out not even trying to feign politeness. Your patience was wearing thinner and thinner.

“For fucks sake.” You shook your head and buried your face in your hands. “Fine, Monday? My last class is at three.”

Sanemi sighed deeply, exhaling through his nose. “Yeah fine.” He finally said, everyone around you was standing and getting ready to leave. The two of you didn’t hesitate to join them. Collecting your things and shoving them haphazardly into your bags.

“Great!” There was a sardonic lilt to your voice. “Thank you for being so flexible.” You sneered and rolled your eyes as you grabbed your bag and left. Joining Akaza, Daki, and Gyutaro who were watching with raised brows as you stormed up to them. You muttered something to Gyutaro that Sanemi couldn’t quite hear. But it sounded like you said ’don’t know how you’re gonna put up with him.’

Tengen, Kyojuro and Mitsuri were waiting for Sanemi near the exit. “Hey! Heard we’re switching partners!” Tengen said but Sanemi just pushed past them.

Sanemi didn’t know why he was so mad that you asked him to switch partners. Maybe because you’d planned the switch without telling him first. Or because now he had to be partnered with your friend who rarely spoke and had the teeth of a shark. Or because when you brought it up he was about to apologize to you. Okay so he felt bad for some of the things he said. Not all of them just… a lot of them. Even if he didn’t want to acknowledge or admit it.

The soccer field was illuminated with lights as the sun began to set. The team was doing cool down drills in the field as practice came to an end. Being covered in mud definitely was not improving Sanemi’s mood. The air was cold and the demon team was standing to the side with a sneer. Clearly not happy their practice got pushed back because the human team had to reschedule. Sanemi could practically feel Sekidos red eyes burning into him.

“It’s fucking ridiculous. Out of everyone in the class I’m ending up with probably the two most stubborn and difficult people!” Sanemi scowled as him and Kyojuro jogged slowly around the field. “You and your partner seem like you get along.” He added with a bit of envy.

“Akaza is a cool guy!” Kyojuro said as he looked over at Sanemi. “We both trained in martial arts when we were young, so we had that in common. I would also never joke about him eating his girlfriend, so that helps!” He added with a smile but there was a bit of seriousness to his tone. His golden eyes briefly flickered over to where Inosuke was with Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Genya.

Sanemi stiffened as his jaw clenched at the reminder. Okay so that was one of the things he felt bad about saying. But it’s not like demons didn’t still eat people! Even if it didn’t happen that often anymore… “Demons still eat people.” He muttered under his breath. “They still go feral, they still absorb other demons.” He added as him and Kyojuro slowed to a stop.

“Does she really seem like the type to eat someone?” He tried to reason.

“That’s the fucking thing about them!” He snapped. “They’re unpredictable, you can give them as many shots as you want but you can’t change their biology.” He said keeping his voice low as he turned to Kyojuro. His placating smile and calm eyes almost frustrated him more. “And some stupid mandatory class isn’t going to convince me otherwise.” He concluded as he went to grab his duffle bag. He was ready to get home.

As the human team began to exit the field the demon team began to pour onto it. He didn’t miss the glares that Zenitsu and Kaigaku exchanged. For a moment he was distracted and Sanemi felt a shoulder roughly bump into him. Red eyes narrowed as Sekido brushed past Sanemi with a smirk.

“Watch where you’re going. Wouldn’t want a fragile little human getting hurt.” Sekido sneered as the other demons behind him snickered.

Sanemi’s body grew hot at Sekido’s words. Fists clenched at his sides as his knuckles turned white. Kyojuro placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him but he just shrugged it off. He took a step closer as he jabbed a finger into Sekido’s chest, causing the demons scowl to deepen. He didn’t know if it was the frustration he felt towards you, his conversation with Kanae earlier that week, his thinning patience when it came to Sekido’s snide comments, or an amalgamation of all three. But he was at the end of his rope.

“I am so fucking sick of ass holes like you thinking you’re better just because you’re a demon!”

“I don’t think i’m better.” Sekido snarled as he grabbed Sanemi’s wrist and shoved his hand back. “I know I am.” He whispered with a smug grin. The tension on the field was palpable as the two teams stared each other down.

For a moment there was a pause, the silence heavy in the cool evening air. “Fucking prove it then.” Sanemi said through gritted teeth. “Saturday, my team versus yours, 5:00.”

“You are so fucking on Shinazugawa.” Sekido smirked. “See you on Saturday to kick your ass. Maybe call an ambulance in advance.”

Chapter Text

The sound of an alarm ringing through thin walls ripped you from your sleep. You shot up looking over at the clock to see that it read 4:30 am. You'd been home and in bed for all but an hour and you were already being woken up by Inosukes alarm. On any other day it wouldn't bother you, but he knew what days you worked and by default what day he needed to let you fucking sleep. Seething, you yanked the blankets back. Flying out of your room and down the short hallway to Inosuke’s door.

“Nosuke get the fuck up and turn off your alarm-” You flung his door open expecting to be met with him snoring like a boar and sound asleep through his blaring alarm. Instead you were shocked to see him already up, doing pushups with… that look on his face. You didn't know how to describe it, but it was just the face he’d always make when he was feeling competitive, which was frequent. Noise canceling headphones were covering his ears, how long had he even been up? One of your eyelids twitched with irritation. He couldn't have turned his alarm off? You thought to yourself.

Crouching down beside him, you lifted the headphones from one of his ears with an angry scowl. He turned to look up at you, then looked back at where his phone was buzzing and ringing on his bed. A grin spread across his face as he stood and turned off his alarm. Shrugging his shoulders as he took in your disheveled appearance. “Hehe… sorry.”

Your eyes narrowed as you stood from your crouched position slowly. “What the fuck were you even doing?”

“Uhhh, pushups?” He said matter of factly.

“Okay.” You pinched the bridge of your nose, frustration evident in your voice. “Why?” Normally he was next to impossible to get out of bed, especially on Fridays so you didn't understand the random burst of energy.

“We have a game tomorrow!” There was an energetic grin on his face. You were confused, you could've sworn that their first game wasn't until the end of the month. In a rare moment of actually reading the puzzled expression on your face he continued. “It's not an official game it's… well it's kind of a long story.”

A deep sigh left your lungs as you hung your head back slightly. You'd never missed one of his games. And as pissed off as you were about being woken up after a long and late shift, you did want to hear how this game came to be. “Ugh come on, I’ll make you breakfast.” You grunted. “You can tell me how this ‘unofficial game’ got scheduled.”

“Don't you want to go back to sleep?”

“You're gonna wake me up again by slamming the door when you leave anyway. Might as well wait until you're gone.” You sighed. “Now come on, do you want breakfast or not?” It didn't take much more persuading, he had never been one to turn down a meal. Especially if someone else was cooking. He explained what happened as you slid a plate in front of him, his fists clenched on the counter and a wide grin on his face.

“Hmm so Sanemi lost his temper, not surprised, and Sekido enabled it, also not surprised.” You murmured as you watched him scarf down his breakfast.

“Yeah you shoulda seen it!” His words muffled as he continued to eat through his sentences. “It was intense, not just because Tatami and Sikemo obviously hate each other.” Inosuke paused to bring a mug to his lips, coffee rolling down his chin. You would recoil at the sight, but after nearly 11 years of watching him eat you'd gotten used to it. “But because that guy Zenjitsu punched at the party is on the demon team.”

“Yeah why did he punch him again?” Last Friday you had been too tired to listen to all the details that went into why he punched Kaigaku. You just set up beds for him and Tanjiro and decided it was probably nothing more than some drunken squabbling. But hearing Inosuke bring it up again caused a resurgence in your curiosity.

“They were in the DHII foster program together like we were. Apparently he cut off their caretaker and said some kind of fucked up shit about him at the party.” He said as he finished his breakfast. “Clearly the program didn't work as well for them.”

To say you were shocked was an understatement. You knew that Kaigaku was a part of DHII foster placement, because when you met him he would constantly shit talk the program. Saying that it was fucking stupid for the Demon Human Integration Inititiative to force demons into foster placement with humans. That its goal of creating a sibling dynamic to help eliminate stigma between human and demon relations was pointless. Until he found out that you had been a part of the program, and that for you it did exactly that. Of course he still talked shit about it, just not when you were around. But you didn't know that Zenitsu was his foster brother. You couldn't believe he had the nerve to bitch and groan about such a sweet kid.

“Anyway, I gotta go. Thanks for getting my dishes.” He grinned, grabbing his bag and running for the door before you could protest. “ Games at 5 tomorrow, better be there cheering for us, loser!” He called out as he slipped out the front door, accidentally slamming it shut like he did almost every morning. You eyed the dirty dishes he left in the sink.

Little shit.

The next day you left the apartment at 4:30 to get to the field, Inosuke had already left half an hour earlier to meet with the rest of the team to go over plays one more time. When you finally arrived you were stunned to see the bleachers filling with students. You weren't sure what you were expecting, maybe a few close friends or partners of people on the teams. But not this, no this was almost like attendance for an actual game.

“Y/N!” A familiar voice called out from the bleachers and you looked over to see Mitsuri sitting with Obanai to her left and two girls with purple eyes to her right. She was waving you over, an excited smile on her face. “I didn't know you were coming to this! This is Shinobu and her younger sister Kanao!” Mitsuri grinned as she motioned to the two girls to her right.

You remembered seeing her at the party, you had wanted to meet her there considering she had been Inosukes designated driver. But things didn't really go as expected. Subconsciously you grabbed your wrist, rubbing your thumb over the joint in smooth circles. Forcing a smile as you pushed the memory to the back of your mind. He apologized, he said he was sorry, he’s trying. You tried to remind yourself.

“I'm y/n! It's nice to meet you!” You said with a bit too much forced enthusiasm. Trying to compensate for the discomfort that came with being reminded of the party. Biting your lip in an attempt to rein it in, god you probably sounded like Douma. “Sorry, I saw you at the party last friday, it was kind of a weird night for me.” You chuckled awkwardly. “Thanks for giving Inosuke and his friends a ride.”

Shinobu’s smile seemed a bit forced as she looked up at you from her seat on the bleachers. You didn't blame her for being hesitant, most humans who didn’t regularly interact with demons had a tendency to be. The village you were sent to when you were placed into foster care with Inosuke had a primarily human population. So you became pretty desensitized to people being wary of meeting you. At least she wasn't being outwardly rude… like a certain someone had a habit of being.

“It was no problem.” Her voice was soft and light, maintaining a polite smile as she spoke to you. “I just wanted to make sure Kanao was safe.”
Your heart jumped when you felt the familiar weight of an arm draped over your shoulder. Fingers wove into the hair at the nape of your neck and turned your attention away from Mitsuri and Shinobu. Kokushibo was standing directly beside you, his gaze as intense as always. Lately you couldn't help but feel like a bug beneath a magnifying glass everytime he looked at you. That intense gaze used to be something you loved, but now it felt like a weight draped over your body.

“Everyones already sitting down over there, let's go.” He motioned towards the section of the bleachers that was mostly demons. His gaze flickered back down disapprovingly to Mitsuri and her friends. A flicker of guilt and annoyance overcame you, you didn't understand why he was always so mean to humans. It was hypocritical to say the least. But you didn't want to start a fight in front of so many people, so you just forced a smile and waved goodbye. Letting Kokushibo guide you up the bleachers. He firmly pushed you down into the seat beside Koyuki and Akaza. Daki, Gyutaro and Douma were sitting in the row in front of you. Douma turned and gave you an eager wave.

“I'm surprised so many people came to this.” You murmured to Akaza beside you, suddenly feeling nervous. This could very easily and very quickly turn into a fight. “Who are you cheering for?”

“No one.” He murmured back, wrapping a protective arm around Koyuki. “Kyojuro asked me to come in case a fight broke out.”

You took a quick glance at the crowd around you. “At least only Karaku and Urogi are here, no Aizetsu.” You pointed out with relief.

“Thank fuck for that.” The two of you chuckled softly, the sharp sound of a whistle indicated that the game was starting. Suddenly the murmuring crowd was silent, all eyes forward and watching with anticipation.

To say the game was close would be an understatement. For the first hour and a half the score had been nearly tied, Sekido’s frustration was visible even from a distance. Taking time outs to yell at his team which was only making tension grow higher. As begrudging as you were to admit it, Sanemi had done a good job with preparing his team. You decided to tell yourself it was probably more Kyojuro if anything. There were less than 5 minutes left on the clock and the demon team was up by 1 point.

You were on the edge of your seat as you watched everything unfold. Bodies flying and rushing through the slightly muddied field. You had always had a hard time keeping up with sports, only really going to games because it was important to Inosuke. But you knew what happened next had sealed the game. Inosuke slid low through the field, his body skidding through muddy earth as he kicked the ball right out from beneath Kaigaku’s feet. Even from where you were sitting you could see the smirk on his face. He angled it just right to pass it to Tanjiro, who kicked it to Zenitsu who in one final kick struck it past the goalie and into the net. Which was even more impressive considering the fact that Susamaru literally had 6 arms.

The timer buzzed and the clock ran out, signifying the end of the game. Kimetsu University’s human team had won by one point. In an instant you were out of your seat jumping and cheering, garnering a few dirty looks from the people around you. But you didn't care, it was a big deal and you were proud of Inosuke and his friends. But your celebration was short-lived. Interrupted by a firm hand gripping your shoulders, forcing you to cease your jumping. Kokushibo turned you to face him, his grip becoming unnecessarily tight.

“What the fuck are you doing?” He sneered lowly. “You're embarrassing yourself. Why are you even cheering for them?”

“Because Inosuke-”

“Because what?” His grip tightened, Akaza quickly stood behind you, ready to intervene. “He’s not your real fucking brother, y/n. He’s a human.”

Your face burned with anger as you shrugged him off. Fists clenched at your sides and nails dug into your palms, causing small droplets of crimson to land on the concrete beneath you. Kokushibo’s eyelid twitched slightly at the sight. “Just because you can't have a relationship with your brother because he’s a human doesn't mean I can't have a relationship with mine.” You snapped, pushing past him as you began to walk down the steps.

You reached the bottom in a few quick strides eager to run onto the field so you could go congratulate Inosuke where he was celebrating with his friends. But before you could Kokushibo was back behind you. Grabbing you firmly and spinning you back around to face him. “You're being delusional.” He murmured, his tone harsh as he tilted his head down to look at you. “You’re a demon, how could you not want your own kind to be successful? After everything we go through?!” His tone grew more fervent, teeth baring slightly.

“After everything we go through?!” You cried in disbelief, unable to suppress the slight laugh that left your chest. “Are you seriously going to say that? And you think I'm being delusional?” The volume of your voice grew incrementally louder with every word, your finger jabbing into his chest.

“You weren't even born a demon, Kokushibo. You were a human, for the first fucking 18 years of your life. You were born into a wealthy and privileged human family, then you got a botched blood transfusion because the hospital fucked up and now you think that entitles you to include yourself in all the struggles we’ve faced?” You snapped, shoving him back as you attempted to walk away. But before you could, his hand reached out and tangled into your hair. Yanking you back with so much force you fell to your knees in front of him

The sight above you made your stomach twist into knots as a look of genuine fear spread across your face. He was mad, no beyond mad, he was livid, furious. Sure, you had just shouted his biggest secret in front of probably 25% of the University's demon student body. But still, the look he gave you was almost one of genuine hatred. He grabbed you by the throat, fingers digging into soft flesh as he began to lift you up and towards him until your noses were brushing together. The palm of his hand pressed into your windpipe and fingers splayed out to dig into your jaw. Your feet now dangling off the ground, you grabbed his wrist, sinking your nails into his skin but his grip was unwavering.

“And it made me stronger, better. Before I was fragile and weak and sick. You were born with this gift, and yet…”

His voice dropped to a low and dangerous murmur.“you still seem so-”

The hand that gripped your throat tightened. “fucking-”

No matter how hard you gasped air wouldnt reach your lungs. “Breakable!”

With that statement he threw you to the ground with the flick of a wrist. Your body bounced on the earth below and skidded back. A harsh thud echoed around you and if he hadn’t been choking you all of the air would’ve left your lungs.

Sanemi had been riding an adrenaline fueled high throughout the entire game. The part of him that was a liar wanted to say that he had complete and utter confidence that his team would win. That he wasn't even slightly nervous when he woke up this morning. But he was, and the larger part of himself that was honest was still slightly in disbelief that they had won. Sekido was not handling it well, alternating between yelling at his own team and marching across the field to yell at Sanemi.

But as Sekido was angrily walking toward Sanemi he paused, his gaze pulled to whatever was happening behind Sanemi. He could hear shouting coming from behind him over the roaring sound of blood and adrenaline pumping through his body. He recognized your voice instantly. Inosuke was on the other end of the field, his face turning red as he began sprinting forward.

Sanemis head whipped around to be met with the sight of you, feet dangling off the ground, cheeks red, clawing at your boyfriend's hand that held you by your throat. Your friend, the one with the pink hair and tattoos was pushing through the crowd. Then you were being tossed to the ground like you were a rag doll. Your body hit the grass with a thud as you gasped for air.

It all happened so quickly, yet seemed to play out in slow motion before him. He was already walking towards you, his actions subconscious. Something within Sanemi just snapped, it was all too familiar. The way he threw you to the ground, the way he had grabbed you, held you by your throat. The way you looked face red, contorted in fear and pain.

It was just like his mom. He didn't even think, out of everyone he was the closest to you. In 10 long strides his hand was on Kokushibo’s shoulder, turning him away from you and towards himself. Then he swung, as hard as he possibly could. His fist connected with Kokushibo’s cheek. Successfully making him stumble back and taking his attention away from your now limp figure.

His head, which had been briefly lowered by Sanemis fist, snapped up. Red and yellow eyes were fiery and filled with anger as Kokushibo looked right at him. Fists clenched at his sides as he went to close the short distance between them. Sanemi’s jaw clenched and shoulders squared as he prepared himself to fight him. But before Kokushibo could reach him a tattooed fist connected with the six eyed demon’s ribs and then jaw. The crunch of bones cracking was audible in the crisp autumn air. Even amongst the shouting and commotion of the bleachers which were now in utter chaos.

Sanemi followed the tattooed fist that had connected with Kokushibo to see Akaza, his eyes narrowed and an angry expression on his face. From the loud sound of bones cracking Sanemi was certain that he’d broken at least a few of his ribs. And not only that, but the punch to his jaw had caused it to dislocate completely. Hanging slack on his face only for a few seconds before the joints shifted and popped back into place on their own. It was always jarring to see it happen. This level of power dealt in two physical blows, and the regeneration of course

Sure videos of illegal demon fighting rings had always circulated the internet. Like those fucked up car crash videos that no one wants to see but occasionally worm their way onto your feed anyway. Or get shoved in your face by some dicky teen you went to school with who thought they were edgy. And of course he’d seen a few demon fights in the street growing up, and helped break up one or two in high school. In his neighborhood it wasn’t really something you could get around.

But seeing it again, and with demons of this strength. It felt completely different. Back home, in school, when he was younger the demons weren’t like these two. No, they were both in an entirely different classification. And suddenly he realized why any professional competitive demon fights were so heavily regulated. ’Remind me to never piss that guy off. Sanemi thought to himself as he watched Akaza send a kick right into the center of Kokushibo’s stomach. Despite the force of his hits he was barely staying down.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Inosuke approaching, shoulders tensed, fists clenched, clearly ready to try and get involved. But before he could, Sanemi grabbed his shoulder.

“Get your sister and get her home.” He hesitated, just for a moment then nodded and went to help you up. At this point you were still kneeling on the ground. Your eyes were wide and fixated on the dirt and grass below you as you fought to catch your breath. No longer fighting for air from being strangled but from the panic and anxiety that had overtaken your body. A girl with black hair and pink eyes was already behind you. Rubbing your back in soothing circles as she tried to coax you up but you seemed frozen in place. Inosuke rushed up to you, taking your arm as he pulled you up.

“Go help pull them apart.” Daki growled as she pushed her brother towards the two demons who were now just in the middle of a full fight. Akaza went to punch Kokushibo in the face again but before he could Kokushibo grabbed his clenched fist and shattered the bones in his hand. The black haired girl gasped behind you as tears welled up in her eyes at the sight. Daki was behind her, quickly guiding her to stand with one hand and helping Inosuke pull you up with the other.

“Koyuki he’ll be fine he’ll heal in like two seconds but hes gonna fucking kill me if you get hurt.” Daki said to a teary eyed Koyuki as Inosuke finished pulling you to your feet. A shocked expression still on your face. “Come on we need to get the fuck out of here. The last time they fought it took like an hour to break them apart.” Daki said as the four of you began to leave the field.

“Hey! , ^Hey!” Sanemi had been so focused on watching you leave he hardly heard the voice calling out to him until two large hands with black fingernails gripped the collar of his shirt. “Hey! Earth to fucking scar face!” Sharp teeth, black blotchy marks and a mop of black and green hair was in front of him. He couldn't quite remember his name, but he was dem/hum partners with Tengen, he was pretty sure his name was Gyutaro.

“We need to separate them!” He yelled over the commotion of the fight.

“We?” Sanemi yelled back.

His eye lid twitched as he ran his hands over his face in frustration.

“ohmyfuckinggodnowondershecomplainsaboutyouconstantly. Can you just fucking help me?!” He growled.

Sanemi saw Kyojuro was already trying to pull Akaza back, so he gave him a decided nod. The two of them went to either side of Kokushibo and began to attempt to pull his arms to his sides. Simultaneously trying to pull him back as his heels dug into the grass below him. God this fucker is strong, where the fuck is Gyomei when you need him? It felt almost impossible to subdue Kokushibo even with the help of a demon.

Kyojuro was doing a pretty good job with holding back Akaza, successfully pulling his feet back through the soft earth with one of the tattooed demon's arms locked behind his back. Meanwhile Sanemi and Gyutaro were struggling to pull Kokushibo back. The six eyed demon sent an elbow flying back into Sanemi’s cheek, causing him to release his grasp briefly as he stumbled back.

“Fucker!” Sanemi shouted as he returned his grip to Kokushibo’s arm and shoulder.

“We need to make them break eye contact!” Gyutaro yelled over the curses that Kokshibo and Akaza were hurling at each other.

“I fucking know ive broken up demon fights before!” He spat back. So occupied with the fight he didn't even notice the three other figures rushing over. Giyuu was running to help Kyojuro hold Akaza back, while Gyomei and Genya were running up to help pull Kokushibo away. Genya helped Sanemi hold one of his arms back while Gyomei put him in a headlock. And after what felt like hours but was probably only a few minutes of struggling the two were finally separated.

With the deft movement of his shoulders Kokushibo shrugged off the loosening grasps of Sanemi, Genya and Gyutaro. Pushing Gyomei back last. He cleared his throat and smoothed out his disheveled clothing. Tilting his head back he flashed Sanemi a final glare. Eyes darting to his bruising cheek as an almost imperceptible smirk tugged at his lips. Then he turned his head and walked away.

Out of the corner of Sanemi’s eye he could see Akaza thanking Giyuu and Kyojuro for pulling them apart. Explaining that apparently that’s not the first time him and Kokushibo had gotten into a physical fight. Just the first time they’d fought like that in public. Kyojuro asked if he’d be okay considering the two of them lived together. Akaza just shrugged and said he’d probably move in with his girlfriend and her dad. He was kind of sick of putting up with Kokushibo. Even if it was his last year.

“Hey..” Sanemi didn’t realize he had been staring at the ground below until he heard a voice beside him. He looked up to see that Akaza was standing next to him. His hand stuck out, waiting for him to shake it. A neutral expression on his face as amber and blue eyes looked up at him. He hesitated for a moment, but then accepted the gesture. The two of them nodded in acknowledgment of the other.

Then, Gyutaro and Akaza walked off the field. Muttering something to each other as they left. For the most part everyone had cleared up. The stragglers who had still been there were quickly leaving. Everyone who was on the soccer team and helped clear up the fight included. Sanemi stood there stunned for just a moment longer, what the fuck just happened?

Sanemi and Genya walked back to their apartment buildings in silence. Only after Sanemi had reprimanded Genya for jumping in and helping like that. It was stupid and reckless and worst of all he could’ve gotten hurt. Although he left out that last part while yelling at him. When they finally reached their building Sanemi told Genya to go up without him. He needed a couple more minutes outside before coming up. His cheek bone still aching from where Kokushibo had hit him.

Sanemi felt an odd mix of emotions as he stood outside. Head tilted up at the sky as he watched the sun begin to set. On the one hand he still felt an immense amount of pride over the fact that he’d beaten Sekido. It felt good, wiping that smug grin off his face permanently. Although on the other he couldn’t help but feel this small unexplainable nagging guilt. All his life he’d told himself that demons were immune to a lot of the struggles that humans had to face. Sure, they could feel pain but their injuries healed quickly. Yes they could get sick, but because of their regeneration it was never quite as bad. They were strong, so during fights they had an upper hand.

But seeing you today, seeing you at the party last week, seeing you nearly cry when he’d said something rude in class on Tuesday. It had disrupted his normal perception of demons. And that made Sanemi very uncomfortable. Sighing to himself he ran one of his hands over his face. Deciding it wasn’t worth thinking about it now. He fobbed himself in and got into the elevator, then without realizing what he was doing or why he was doing it he pressed the button to your floor.

Sanemi walked down the hallway, still in his cleats and slightly muddy from the game. He was surprised he’d even remembered which door was yours. He’d only seen it once and that was when you were both mildly drunk and arguing last week. For a moment he stood outside your door, not entirely sure what he was even doing there. But before he could leave the door’s lock clicked and swung open. Gyutaro and Daki were standing at the doorway while Akaza was behind them, talking softly to the pink eyed girl.

“Yeah sorry Nakime, we were outside a lot this week and we both got sun poisoning. Neither of us can come in tonight.” Your friend Daki had her head angled to the side and away from Sanemi, her phone pressed to her ear. When she did turn to look up she jumped slightly but her gaze quickly steeled, one of her thin brows arched as she took in Sanemi. Gyutaro was giving him a confused expression while Akaza was so preoccupied he didn’t even notice him. Daki hung up the phone and slipped it into her pocket. A suspicious look on her face.

“Why are you here?” There was a surprising lack of emotion to her tone. Just clear confusion as to why he was standing outside your door. He searched for the right words to say. Lips parted as his eyes darted between Gyutaro, Daki, and Akaza who was now staring at him too. Before he could answer the sound of stomping feet echoed through your apartment.

“I swear to fucking god Kokushibo can you not let it fucking rest? This isn’t going to be something we can talk out…” You were pushing your way past Daki and Gyutaro. The words died on your tongue when you saw Sanemi standing at your door. Your expression shifted from one of exhausted anger to surprise and confusion. Your eyes and nose were red, cheeks slightly flushed and glossy with tears. Hair still disheveled, but all evidence of him hurting you had vanished. It made Sanemi feel oddly uneasy.

“Oh…” You finally said. “Why are you here?”

Sanemi wished he had an answer to that. But if he was being honest with himself he wasn’t entirely sure. So instead he finally settled on- “Are we still good to work on the project on Monday?”

You looked slightly taken aback, as if that’s not what you were expecting him to say. And to be fair talking to Sanemi had never proved particularly easy. “Yeah…” You sighed. “We’re still good to work on the project Monday.”

The two of you stared at each other for a moment. Your eyes flickered away from his, drawn to the darkening bruise on his cheek bone. Without thinking you reached out and lightly tapped a finger over the fresh bruise.

“Did Kokushibo do that?”

Sanemi nodded and you sighed softly. Turning to retreat back into your apartment. He considered leaving, feeling awkward just lingering there while your friends stared at him. But before he could you returned and handed him an ice pack with a thin towel wrapped around it. He didn’t take it from you immediately but after a couple seconds and seeing the expectant stare you gave him he took it.

“Congratulations on winning by the way.” Your tone was genuine as you gave him a half smile. Arms folded weakly over your chest as you sniffled softly. “I just sent Inosuke out to celebrate with his friends. It’s a big deal, good job.”

“…thanks.” Genuine praise from you was not something he had expected. For a moment you both just stared at each other. Sanemi wasn’t entirely sure if he should say something. An apologetic attempt at consoling you over the fact that your boyfriend had hurt you like that. Sure you’d gotten under his skin but he didn’t like seeing anyone treated that way. Before he could even try to force out any words the silence was interrupted by an annoyed groan.

“Okay I have to go or else I'm going to be late for work. Then Muzan’s gonna fire all of us.” Gyutaro muttered as he pushed past Sanemi. Akaza followed Gyutaro down the hallway after kissing Koyuki goodbye.

“So fucking glad I don’t work for him anymore.”

As they walked away Sanemi cleared his throat and turned back to where you still lingered in the doorway. Daki and Koyuki stood behind you, Daki with an annoyed and suspicious glare and Koyuki with a polite smile.

“Okay… well i’ll uhhh.” He paused as his fingers tightened slightly around the ice pack you’d given him. “I’ll see you monday then.”

“Yeah, see you Monday.”

The rest of Saturday felt like a bit of a blur for you. Koyuki and Daki ended up staying with you at your apartment overnight. It was nice having them there, and Daki had even called out of work for the two of you. Which you were very relieved about, the last thing you wanted was to serve incredibly drunk people more alcohol until 3 am.

The three of you got up early on Sunday, having a nice breakfast together before they had to leave. Inosuke had been out late last night after you told him he should go celebrate his win with his friends. It was a big deal that they’d won and you didn’t want it to be overshadowed because of what happened. So he would probably sleep until the late afternoon.

When Koyuki and Daki did finally leave around 11 you stood at the door and gave them a hug goodbye. Thanking them for staying with you last night. It meant a lot that you didn’t have to be alone. You brought your palms to your face once the door was shut and you were alone. Sighing into your hands as you tried to build up the courage to do what you had to do next. After you got home from the game you shut your phone off. Trying to avoid seeing the inevitable slew of missed calls and text messages. Having your phone off would just make them easier to ignore.

Slowly you picked up your phone with trembling hands and switched it on. Your phone screen lit up, all of the missed notifications from last night popped up on your screen.

Your stomach dropped at the sight as you unlocked your phone. Fingers hovered over your messages as you contemplated just ignoring it for the rest of the day. But you couldn’t ignore them forever, so with a deep inhale you ripped off the band aid. Quickly scrolling through all of the messages. A mixture of attacking you, apologizing, and trying to redirect blame. And then in a final act of defiance towards him you came to a decision. You weren’t reading all of that, you didn’t owe it to him anymore.

You tossed your phone aside laying back on your bed. Combing your fingers through your hair anxiously as you stared blankly out the window. Almost feeling frozen in time as you awaited a response. Before you could get one you pulled yourself out of bed. Rummaging through your closet until you found what you were looking for, a small box. You tossed the box on your bed, then you began to sort through your stuff. Tossing a sweater, a few t shirts, a pair of jeans and some boxers on your bed. A mixture of things you’d borrowed and things he’d liked to leave at your place.

Then you walked out into your living room. Eyes quickly scanned your bookshelf as you slid out two of the books he’d loaned you to read. Two of his favorite authors, Yukio Mishima and Fyodor Dostoevsky. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes. Those should’ve been the first red flags. The last thing you grabbed was an old record that he let you borrow. You slid it out from among your stack of vinyl and carried everything to your bedroom.

Starting off, you folded his clothes neatly. Laying them into the cardboard box before sliding the record into the side. Lastly you dropped the books on top of the neatly folded clothes. A loud ping echoed off the walls of your room and you checked your notification. Kokushibo was waiting outside.

Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. You repeatedly thought to yourself as you walked down the hallway and to the elevator. A white knuckle grip on the box as you clutched it to your chest. Trying your best not to shake. The last thing you wanted was for him to see you as nervous. He knew exactly how to play your emotions and you’d had enough of it.

Your eyes were cast down and fixed on the clothing and books that were in your hands. When the elevator dinged and the doors slid open you walked in with out even looking up. Not noticing the figure already standing in the middle of the small space.

“Woah, hey…” Two firm hands gently lay on your shoulders to stop you from running right into them. You looked up to see messy white hair and violet eyes looking down at you.

“Oh! Sorry…” You said as you took a step to the side. Finally ripping your gaze away from the box that was held in your arms. The two of you facing forward in silence as the elevator continued its descent into the lobby.

“What's in the box?” Sanemi said, breaking the silence as he glanced curiously at the cardboard box from the corner of his eyes.

You paused at his question, a slight smile tugged at the corner of your lips. You looked at the box, at the neatly folded clothes, the books and the vinyl. Then you glanced up at Sanemi, just barely tilting your head up.

“Just some stuff I should’ve gotten rid of a while ago.”

Sanemi nodded, his eyes flickering from you and down to the box in your hands. Taking in its contents before prying his curious gaze away. Soon the elevator slid open, revealing the lobby and you both stepped out. Your grip on the box tightened even more and for a brief moment you stopped. Trying to regain the courage to keep moving.

Through the glass doors you could see Kokushibo, leaning up against the black Mercedes that Muzan had bought him. His arms folded against his chest, foot tapping against the asphalt, eyes cast down as he waited for you.

Sanemi couldn’t help but stop and linger a few feet behind you. His gaze followed yours to Kokushibo in the parking lot and his eyes narrowed slightly. For a moment he wanted to offer to take his stuff out to him for you. He took one step forward and opened his mouth to speak. But before he could, you took a deep breath and pushed through the front doors.

Your hands were growing more unsteady as you walked through the parking lot and to Kokushibo. The determination in your step was faltering and slowing slightly. He looked up from the asphalt and for a brief moment you locked eyes. For once his stoic and neutral expression was wiped clean. Replaced by a mix of emotions you couldn’t pin point.

Finally you reached him. He opened his mouth to speak but before he could you shoved the box into his arms. Then without another word you turned and walked back towards your building. Sanemi had been lingering in the lobby's doorway. Leaning against the glass door and propping it open. Silently observing the interaction.

His eyes were on Kokushibo, who watched as you walked back into your building. Holding the door open with his shoulder as you brushed past him. Your eyes met passingly and he could see how yours looked. Glazed over and exhausted. But he also saw something else in the way you carried yourself. Shoulders back, chin up, a stern and resolute set to your jaw.

“Thanks..” You muttered to him as you made a bee line for the elevator. He saw Kokushibo staring at you through the glass from the parking lot. As if he was expecting you to turn around. But you didn’t. The elevator doors slid open and you stepped inside without so much as a second glance.

Sanemi turned his attention back to where Kokushibo was swinging open the passenger seat of his car. Angrily throwing the box you’d given him into the seat and slamming it shut. Then he slinked around the front of his car and slid into the driver's seat. Giving Sanemi a final glare before getting into the sports car and peeling out of the parking lot. Sanemi couldn’t help but let a small smirk tug at the corner of his lips.

She’s strong. The words passed through his mind without thought as he finally stepped through the threshold of the lobby.

Chapter Text

By the time that Monday morning finally rolled around you were exhausted. You had been able to get away with calling out of work on Saturday. But you knew better than to try to call out two nights in a row. Especially on the weekend. Your shift on Sunday night was a blur, but thankfully you closed earlier than you did on Friday and Saturday. Getting home at 2:30 am rather than your usual 3:30.

When you finally rolled out of bed you barely had any energy. Still reeling and trying to wrap your head around what happened on Saturday. Your hand came to rub the column of your throat. Thumb gently brushing over where your neck and shoulder met. You picked up your phone from the bed side table and shut off your alarm. 8:45 am. God why did you think you’d be fine with a 9:30 am class on Monday? For a moment you considered not going, but the thought of paying money for a class you didn’t even go to was worse than forcing yourself up and out of bed.

Tired feet stumbled from your room and to the bathroom down the hall. At least Inosuke was sure to wake himself up this morning. When you reached the bathroom you flicked the switch and squinted your eyes. Trying to block out the light that now flooded your dilating pupils. After a minute of adjusting you finally blinked your tired eyes open.

Running your hands over your face as you turned on the tap and began to brush your teeth. Sure your teeth could regenerate and cavities were next to impossible to get, but you weren’t immune to morning breath. Next you washed your face, put on sunscreen, and began to pull your brush through tangled hair. Working out knots as you pulled it back and up onto your head. Tying it back to keep it out of your face. Deciding that when you got back from your last class you would take a long bath.

The thought alone made you smile as you tugged a few strands of hair free from your pony tail. Allowing them to frame your face. Then you remembered you would have to go to the library with Sanemi today. A frustrated groan left you as you sulked out of the bathroom and back to your bedroom. Tugging off your sleep clothes and underwear to get dressed for the day.

Lazily you pulled on fresh undergarments, a pair of jeans and an oversized sweat shirt. Yawning in the process as you grabbed your bag from beside your door. Stumbling down the hall as you tugged on your socks. When you reached the living room you were surprised to see that the lights in the kitchen were on. The noise of pots clattering and the coffee machine brewing filled the air. Inosuke poked his head out from around the corner. Then he held out a cup of coffee to you with a proud grin.

“I made coffee!” He grinned widely as you took the cup from his hands. A small smile tugged at the corner of your lips.

“I see that… Thank you.” You chuckled as you brought the mug to your lips. Steam rose up from it, tickling your eye lashes as you sipped slowly. You were surprised to see him up. His first class on Monday wasn’t until 10:30, and he usually went back to sleep after getting home from practice.

“I had a feeling you’d get up late today.” He said almost as if reading your mind. Inosuke would never admit it but when it came to people he really liked he was oddly perceptive. “Sorry you had such a shitty weekend.”

You shrugged your shoulders. “As much as it sucked it finally made me end things. I’m just embarrassed it took me so long…” You muttered the last part as you took another sip of your coffee.

“He should be the one who’s embarrassed, not you.” He said flatly, his tone was bordering on stern. “I never liked him..” He muttered as he brought the mug to his lips. “From now on you’re only allowed to date people I like!” He declared, pointing a determined finger at you.

You snorted as you continued to drink your coffee. Shaking your head softly as you took another sip of coffee. Your eyes glanced at the clock and you gasped upon seeing that it read 9:20. Fuck, you were going to be late.

“Shit I gotta go..” You said as you rummaged through your bag. Double checking to make sure that you had everything. “I have to go to the library to work on that fucking project with Sanemi so i’ll be home later than usual.” You groaned as you gulped down the last of your coffee and set the cup in the sink. Quickly tugging on your shoes, nearly tripping in the process as you tied the laces.

“Your turn to get my dishes, bye loser!” You grinned as you ruffled his hair then quickly slipped out the door.

As much as you had dreaded getting up and going to this class, you were glad that you did. Not just because it got you up and out of bed. But also because you had that class with Mitsuri and talking to her always puts you in a better mood. You were nervous that she would want to talk about what happened on Saturday. Of course you wouldn’t blame her for being curious.

However, upon seeing you she gave you an extra tight hug and asked if you were okay. After confirming you were, that was the extent of talking about what happened. You were really happy that people like Mitsuri existed. And that you got to be friends with her.

As the two of you left class together and waved goodbye your phone buzzed from within your bag. You rummaged through it and pulled it out.

You slipped your phone back into your pocket. Fishing through your bag as you pulled out your book. Walking to the courtyard. A soft breeze blew through the air and a thin layer of clouds covered the sun completely. Perfect weather, you thought smiling to yourself. Walking over to your favorite spot in the courtyard, a normally shaded spot beneath a large tree.

The sweet scent of crisp air and damp earth surrounded you. You took a deep breath in and a deep breath out. Dewey grass brushed against your finger tips as you leaned against the trunk of the tree. Not caring about the stains the grass would leave on your jeans. In that moment you felt far too at peace to care.

At 3:38 you walked into the library. Not surprised to see that Sanemi was already sitting at a table and waiting for you. His bag was on the seat next to him, lap top open with a note book and pens scattered around him. For someone who was seemingly so punctual he always looked a bit disheveled. Mostly because of the hair.

You were sure to approach him quietly, not wanting to disturb the other people who were studying. Gently you set down your bag in the seat across from him. Pulling out your laptop, note book, and pens wordlessly. Sanemi glanced up at you from across the table, only for a moment before returning his gaze back to his laptop.

“Hey.” He muttered quietly.

“Hey…Sorry I'm a few minutes late.” You murmured, taking the seat across from him.

“It's whatever.” He said, half closing his lap top and pushing his notebook across the table. Showing you the notes he’d taken so far. Mostly just finding reliable sources to cite for their essay, and a few key points where pop culture overlapped between demons and humans.

“These are really helpful.” You nodded as you quickly took a picture of it. “Thanks for doing this, I wanted to do something similar this weekend but..” You trailed off slightly.

“Yeah, again its whatever.” He said flatly, avoiding eye contact. He knew you had a shitty weekend, and he wasn’t about to give you shit for not working on the project. Not after what he saw happen on Saturday. Besides what he did probably only took about 45 minutes.

After talking and planning for a few minutes the two of you were for the most part working in silence. With the exception of the occasional deliberation on a certain subject, reference, source etc. You had already talked to Gyutaro and Tengen, who were doing their final essay on modern art. The plan was for Sanemi and Gyutaro to have their essay topic be interest in pop culture, while you and Tengen’s topic be modern art. Since you and Gyutaro were technically the ones to request to switch partners you both agreed it would only be fair if Sanemi and Tengen got to keep their original topic.

“So for right now they’ve just focused on collecting citable sources, finding consistent overlap in interest from both communities, then Gyutaro told me that they did a timeline of when overlap in interest began to occur. So maybe we could do something like that?” You suggested with a small shrug of your shoulders. Sanemi had his arms folded on the table and was leaning forward slightly.

“Sounds good.” He sighed with a nod, still not happy about being stuck in the library with you. He drew a quick vertical line down a blank page in his note book. Adding evenly spaced notches before nudging it forward so it was placed between you both.

The earliest documented cases of overlapping interest in pop culture was around the time of ‘The Great Shift’. A period in time after the initial medicines were developed to make demons able to survive off of animal flesh rather than human flesh. It was before the development of the vaccination to help them withstand sunlight. So as integration began demons were still bound to only being out at night.

At the time not all demons had begun to integrate yet, so there were heavy restrictions on where demons could be. They were not allowed to stay in most bars and inns, or enter restaurants and theaters. But many of them enjoyed watching street performers playing music in heavily populated cities. These were the first places where demons and humans would intermingle. Enjoying street performers, night markets, and some demons even returned to prayer and religion.

You and Sanemi took turns writing down the time line for your project. Occasionally your hands would accidentally brush together and you’d both quickly jerk back. Muttering a soft ‘sorry’ as you both looked down and kept your attention on the task at hand. Mostly working in silence aside from occasionally murmuring a point that should be added to the time line. Both of you scrolled through different sites as you looked for good source material. Starting from the late 1910s and getting all the way to the 70s.

For 5 decades a majority of overlap in pop culture interest was from music, literature, and art that was all being created by humans. But in the 70s two bands who had both humans and demons as members gained notable popularity with both groups. This caused a small uptick in humans taking interest in art, music and literature created by demons.

“It’s funny that the first notable uptick in humans taking interest in art made by demons was during that whole hippy era.” You mused as you scribbled that onto the timeline.

“Tch… yeah makes sense.” Before Sanemi could think twice his words came out as a scoff. He had hoped his tone would go unnoticed, or that you would ignore it for the sake of not picking an argument. But your hand ceased its writing and your head snapped up. Eyes narrowed as you looked at him from across the table.

“Why did you use that tone?” You said as you arched a skeptical brow. Dropping your pen you folded your arms over your chest. Leaning back against your chair as you two stared at each other from across the table. Quiet chatter, rustling pages, and the occasional cough or sneeze was the only noise surrounding you .

“I didn’t..” He muttered out, but your eyes just narrowed further. Going from subtle skepticism to an obvious glare. “I just meant that it made sense that it was during that era of movement. You know, it was a time of acceptance and people were more open minded.” He groaned, rolling his eyes. "I can't believe you're trying to pick a fucking fight over my tone." He scoffed, shaking his head.

“Hmmm..” You hummed skeptically and nodded your head as the two of you continued to work on your time line. But as you worked you couldn’t help but let your gaze flicker from your laptop and to Sanemi. More specifically the bruise on his cheekbone from where Kokushibo had hit him. An unsettling feeling of guilt sat in your gut. He only has that because of you. Those words formed in your head as you examined the bruise. It was still a deep purple. Because you were weak.

“Why are you staring at me?” Sanemi said gruffly, hardly looking up from his lap top. His words pulled you from your thoughts and you blinked a few times. Finally pulling your gaze away from him.

“Uh- no reason..” But your gaze kept being drawn back to the bruise on his cheek.

“Staring at it won’t make it go away.” Sanemi muttered, still not looking up from his laptop. Eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

“Sorry I just…” You paused, mulling over your thoughts as you gripped your pen tightly. “Sorry.”

“You just what?” It was his turn to look at you skeptically as his narrowed eyes flickered up to meet yours.

“I don’t know..” You sighed. “Just watching you guys heal stresses me out.” You murmured softly, you had a feeling that statement wasn’t going to go over well with him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sanemi whispered harshly. Trying not to start an argument in the library while simultaneously trying to air his clear irritation.

“No it’s just- ugh.” You groaned softly as you ran your hands over your face. “Like when Inosuke would break a bone, or get hurt when we were kids. Which was a lot. It just always stressed me out. For the first ten years of my life I was around other demons exclusively. Demon social workers, demon kids, demon care takers. If some kid at my group home broke their arm it wasn’t a huge deal, you’d just splint it for a bit and then it would heal in at most an hour, sometimes a few minutes.” You tried to explain.

“So going from that to a village with a 90% human population it was a bit jarring. I remember when Inosuke broke his arm and I found out that it would take weeks and maybe months for it to heal.” You continued with a sigh, growing stressed just thinking about it. “Or if my caretaker would get hurt. Sure our regeneration slows down as we age but… it’s not like humans. I always felt so powerless, seeing them hurt and knowing I couldn’t do anything.” You wrapped your arms tightly around yourself, squeezing your biceps as you kept your gaze averted from his.

Sanemi sat across from you feeling a bit at a loss for words. His eyes went from narrowed to widening slightly before quickly steeling his features. Chewing slightly on the inside of his cheek as he tapped his pen rhythmically against his notebook. “Yeah you guys have it easy.”

Your brows furrowed and your head snapped up. “That isn’t always the case.”

“But it usually is.”

It was your turn to bite your cheek. Lips pursed slightly as you looked at him from across the table. Sanemi gave you a challenging look, as if waiting for you to counter.

“I mean, healing wouldn’t look like this for you.” He said gesturing over himself, drawing your eyes to his scars. A sweatshirt sat discarded on the chair beside him, leaving him in a t-shirt that allowed you to see the silvery lines that ran over his biceps and forearms. You blinked in shock of his acknowledgment of them. Looking up at him without the slightest clue of what to say in response. The two of you returned to silently working on your project. But you couldn't help yourself, the words just slipped out of your mouth.

“It's still not always a good thing.”

“I don't get how you could even think that.” Sanemi said quietly, both of your eyes glued to your laptops as you continued to work across from each other. Both of you trying to avoid eye contact with the other.

“And I think it's really ignorant for you to say that.”

Sanemi’s eye lid twitched as his gaze finally flashed from his laptop to you. “Im not ignorant.”

“I didn't call you ignorant, I said that it was an ignorant thing to say.” You said, gritting your teeth slightly as your eyes darted up to meet his gaze.

“How is it ignorant?” Sanemi hissed beneath his breath, both of you still trying to maintain a hushed tone in the quiet library. “It’s true you guys have always had it easier, you heal faster, you're immune to a majority of disease and illness, you have a slightly longer life span.” He said, closing his laptop.

“Just because of a few conveniences doesn't mean we have it any better.” You said sternly, quickly growing frustrated with the direction that this conversation was heading.

But clearly Sanemi was not convinced. “A few conveniences?” He scoffed. “Id say those things are a lot more than simple conveniences.”

“I wasn't trying to say that those things aren't nice, or don't give us an advantage in certain fields. I'm trying to say that just because we genetically function like that doesn't mean it makes up for the cons that come with the other aspects of being a demon.” You hissed back, struggling to maintain your patience as you shut your laptop as well.

“Like you guys didn't bring those cons upon yourselves? Demons ate and terrorized humans for over 1,000 years!” His voice rose slightly above a whisper. “They still do!”

“I didn't personally do any of that!” Your teeth bared slightly and a look of displeasure crossed Sanemi’s face. Eye darting to your now visible fangs. “Demons dont-” You paused as you exhaled deeply in frustration. Preparing to correct yourself. “Demons hardly eat people anymore, a majority of the time it’s because theyre not only on drugs, but homeless and fucking starving!”

Sanemi just scoffed at your outburst. “But a homeless human on drugs is never eating a demon.” He countered. “65% of violent crimes are committed by demons. Murder, sa, aggravated assault and even fucking cannibalism against other demons. And while we're on the topic of statistics 70% of crime in general is committed by demons. That's petty theft…” He began to list things off on his fingers. “Breaking and entering, vandalism, public intoxication, DUI’s the list goes on and on and on..” He sneered at you.

You stood from your seat so quickly you almost knocked it over. Slamming your notebook shut, the two sounds echoed in the quiet halls of the library. Causing the people around you to fall into a soft murmur as they observed your exchange with nosey curiosity.

“Oh, you want to talk about fucking statistics?” Your voice now raised from a whisper to just below a shout. Fully expecting to be kicked out of the library at any minute. “How about the fact that 80% of addicts are demons?” Palms pressed flat on the table as you stood above him, leaning slightly across the table.

“And how about the fact that only 25% of them are able to afford rehab at all? How about the fact that a majority of single working mothers are demon women, or the fact that 65% of victims of trafficking are demons, and 70% of sex workers are demons. And how about the fact that 95% of crimes committed against demons by humans aren't reported because a whopping 75% of law enforcement are human men? And of that remaining 25%, 13% are human women, 9% are demon men, and a whole 3% are demon women! So when demons do try to report their crimes to police theyre laughed out of the fucking station!”

Tears pricked at your eyes as you began shoving everything into your bag, hands shaking with anger. If you had any less patience you probably would have slapped him. “So you can take your bullshit, biased, skewed statistics and shove them up your ass!” As you turned to leave you paused, spinning on your heels you leaned down so your faces were only inches apart. Pointer finger digging into his chest as you glared into his shocked eyes.

“I can not fucking wait to watch you try and say some shit like this to Gyutaro when the two of you are partners. Fuck you Sanemi!” With that you spun around and marched angrily out of the library. Clawed nails digging into your palms as drops of blood pooled into your hand. Ignoring the wide eyed stares of silent observers you stormed past.

As you burst through the doors of the library hands trembling with anger rummaged quickly through the contents of your hastily packed bag. Brandishing a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. You'd caved and bought them yesterday before work, needing not only an excuse to take a few extra breaks, but something to distract you from Saturday’s events. As you slipped out a cigarette and shoved the pack into the pocket of your jeans you felt a warmth begin to run down your cheeks. You hadn't even realized that you'd started crying.

You glanced back at the library then turned around and began your walk home. Once a decent amount of distance was between you and the library you flicked your lighter and brought the small flame to the unlit cigarette that hung between your lips. But before you could light it, something made you pause. You lifted your thumb, extinguishing the small flame as you tucked the lighter away. Stopping in your tracks as you pull the cigarette from between your lips and remove the pack from your pocket.

For a moment you just stared at the items in your hand, and you remembered the words your caretaker spoke to you when she found out you were smoking. ’It's not about whether or not it hurts you like it hurts humans, it’s about the fact that you're purposefully harming yourself. Even if it's just for a little bit.’ And you asked yourself why you even smoked in the first place. Frustration, anxiety, anger, to distract yourself from the hurt that Kokushibo brought you, to take the edge off of a meaningless argument with Sanemi?

You had been so determined to quit at the start of the year, yet here you were. And why? Because other people hurt you, frustrated you, so in return you momentarily hurt yourself. Your eyes drifted from the items in your hand and to the nearest garbage can. Then in a few short strides you tossed the cigarettes into the garbage. Wiping the warm tears from your cheeks. You took a deep breath in, and a deep breath out as you continued your walk.

Soft rain began to patter from the light grey clouds that hung above you. The cold droplets hit the skin of your face, your cheeks, your lips, your nose. It dampened your hair ever so slightly and tapped gently against your shoulders. The storm wasn’t violent or raging. It was calm and gentle and easy. Bathing you in cool rain as you took your time on the walk home.

A small smile on your lips as you continued your leisurely pace. Letting the rain wash away the pain of your week, your month, your year. All the shit with Kokushibo, the pointless arguments that were always picked between you and Sanemi. The weight of the pain was instead replaced by the soft patter of tiny rain droplets. Another feeling of peace washed over you as the sweet air filled your lungs. You were going to be fine.

Sanemi sat stunned in the library, a few curious onlookers murmured to each other from nearby. For a moment he was left in too much shock to even move. He just sat in the library wide eyed as he stared at the door you'd just stormed out of moments before. Soon a wave of guilt washed over him and he stood from his uncomfortable wooden chair. Quickly packing everything into his backpack. He wanted to apologize but a part of him didn't know how. What would he even say? Where would he even begin?

He was just about to leave, but before he could make for the exit he felt a heavy hand rest on his shoulder. He tilted his head up to be met with a familiar face. Gyomei’s sightless gaze was burning into him, his hand still resting on his shoulder.

“I thought I heard a familiar voice.” His deep rumbling voice cut through the quiet of the library. “It’s been a while since we’ve gotten to talk one on one.”

“Yeah… it has.” Sanemi sighed, relaxing as Gyomei removed his hand from his shoulder and brought it to his side.

The two of them left the library side by side, walking in comfortable silence through campus. Despite being blind Gyomei somehow always seemed to know where he was going. Sanemi had no idea how he did it. Soon they arrived at a covered bench in the courtyard. Soft rain was falling from the sky so both of them had wanted to sit somewhere with shelter. But the air still remained calm as the rain pattered gently on the grass.

“So,” Gyomei began, his back straight and hands splayed on his knees. “I couldn't help but overhear a bit of the argument you had in the library.” Gyomei admitted as he angled his head down to Sanemi. He always knew exactly where he was whenever they spoke.

“Yeah…” Sanemi sighed and looked down at his feet.

“Her voice sounded familiar, what’s her name?”

“Um, y/n l/n.”

“Hmm.” Gyomei hummed as he nodded his head. Shifting his head back towards the courtyard. “I know her. I was partnered with who I hope is now her ex boyfriend in Demon/ Human history a few years ago.”

Sanemi looked up at Gyomei with a slight look of surprise, out of all of his friends that he'd expect you to know Gyomei was probably the last. Well, second to last, next to Obanai.

“She was always very nice, much too nice for that guy she was dating. And not forcibly nice, very genuine.” A soft smile tugged at the corner of his lips, but soon it vanished as furrowed his brows slightly. Clearly thinking about what he wanted to say next. “I understand you have a lot of frustration surrounding demons. But I fear that you may be directing your own grievances at an innocent target.”

“Yeah…” Sanemi breathed out, not even realizing that he had been holding his breath. “I think you're right.” He said softly as he nodded in response. “How’s the phd going?”

Gyomei buried his face in his hands in response, shaking his head slightly. “I can't believe how much longer I'm going to be doing this.”

Sanemi’s eyes widened as he hesitantly placed a hand on his shoulder and patted it gently. The two of them sat and talked for a while longer. It had been too long since he and Gyomei had been able to hang out, he almost forgot how much better he’d always felt after they talked. Almost an hour later they both stood. Saying their goodbyes as they parted ways and Sanemi began to walk home. Some of the weight now lifted off of his shoulders. But not all of it, no, he had to be the one to remove that remaining weight from his consciousness.

There was purpose to Sanemi’s walk as he pulled the glass doors to his apartment building open. For the second time that week he stepped into the elevator and rather than pressing the button to take him to his floor, he pressed the button to take him to yours. The elevator began its ascent and he folded his arms over his chest. Rhythmically drumming his fingers against his bicep as he waited.

Finally he arrived at your floor and without hesitation walked down the hallway and to your door. He brought his fist to the solid wood, pausing for just a moment before he tapped his knuckles against the door. Not softly, but not too hard either. He could hear shuffling and muffled voices on the other side of the door. Followed by soft footsteps quickly approaching the door.

The door swung open and warm light flooded softly through the doorway, a stark contrast to the fluorescent lighting that lined the hall. You were now standing in the doorway with a skeptical glare on your face. Your hair that had earlier been pulled up was now down and loosely falling around your face. Arms folded tightly around yourself as you leaned against the doorframe. You were about to speak but before you could, Sanemi finally said what he'd wanted to for the past week.

“Im sorry.”

“For?” You said expectantly as you narrowed your eyes and raised your eyebrows slightly.

“Ive been an ass hole…” He sighed, running a hand through his messy white hair, momentarily brushing it back from his face. Eyes drawn down to his feet, he’d never been great at apologies.

“Because?” And you were tired of half assed ‘I’m sorry’s’.

Sanemi groaned slightly as he dropped both of his hands to his sides and hung his head back slightly. Fixing his gaze forward as your eyes met. “I don't know anything about demons, and I don't know anything about you. I've never actually had to interact with a demon so consistently before, at least not like this where we’re actually talking one on one and I…” He paused as he searched for the right words to say. “fuck, I let my own bias predict what kind of person you were before I got to know you and that was wrong of me and Im sorry.”

“And?”

“And I'm sorry for-” He paused feeling ashamed at even repeating it. “Im sorry for saying that I was surprised that your caretaker wasn't afraid that you were going to eat Hashibira.”

You motioned for him to continue.

“I'm not apologizing for calling him a brat.” He replied flatly.

“Thats not what I meant.” Your tone matched his.

Sanemi pressed his lips into a flat line, sucking a deep breath through his nose and exhaling sharply. “Im sorry for all that shit I said to you after the party, I'm sorry for snapping at you in the elevator, and im sorry for saying that you let 6 eyes treat you like shit, and im sorry for just all around acting like a prick before even getting to know you. It was wrong and unfair of me, especially when you tried to be so open minded.”

Your scowl had vanished by this point as you stood in your doorway, still looking into his wild, violet eyes. His features were stern but his words were genuine. You straightened so you were no longer leaning against the door frame. Keeping your eyes locked on him as you processed his apology.

“I said some things I’m not very proud of either…” You said finally, holding his gaze for a few seconds more before dropping it to your feet. “I said that you don't know what abuse looks like, I shouldn't have said that. I don't know anything about you either and I shouldn't have made an assumption about your life like that.”

Sanemi’s eyes widened at your returned apology.

“Its okay…” His voice was barely above a whisper.

“I accept your apology too.” You said, eyes darting up to meet his gaze again. Sanemi felt the last of the weight lifted off of his shoulders and the slightest hint of a smile tugged at his lips. “Under one condition.” A mischievous grin spread across your face as you propped your elbow on the door frame.

“What?” He said suspiciously as all evidence of his smile fell.

“You’re a math major right?”

“Yeah?” He did not like where this was going.

“Good, Inosuke needs tutoring.”

“No.”

“Yeah no fucking way!” A voice called from inside the apartment, followed by heavy footsteps approaching. Inosuke appeared behind you, a clear look of displeasure on his face.

“Okay, fine, but don't ask me why Gyutaro’s more stubborn with you than he was with Tengen when we swap partners.” You sang as you went to shut the door but before you could, Sanemi's hand darted out. Palm pressed flat against the door as he looked down at you. One eyelid twitching with frustration.

“Fine.” He grumbled, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he was too good of a player for him to get benched if his gpa dropped. “We need to keep working on our project anyway, we should probably meet again tomorrow. Do you want to just bring him to the library with you?”

“He’s banned from the library.”

“Its been two and a half weeks, how the fuck is he already banned from the library?”

“Because-” Inosuke interjected as he pushed the door open further to stand next to you. “Apparently I'm ‘too loud and a disruptance to the people trying to study’, and ‘I can't threaten to fight people, this is a library.’” He said with a roll of his eyes.

“Ughhh oh my fucking-” Sanemi groaned with frustration as he ran his hands over his face. “Fine, but only for the next two weeks. Just come over to my place tomorrow, when's his last class?”

“4:30” You grinned, pushing a very unhappy Inosuke back into your apartment. “See you then!”

With that you closed your front door. Shutting out the warm lights that had once flooded out from your doorway, leaving Sanemi under the cool fluorescent lights. He cursed himself internally as he walked back to the elevator. What the fuck had he gotten himself into?

Chapter Text

Sanemi woke to the sound of his alarm early Tuesday morning, dragging himself out of bed as he walked over to Genya’s room. Not bothering to knock he swung the door open to see Genya still sound asleep. “Come on, let's go practice is in 30.”

He shut his door sharply and returned to his room, trying to wipe the sleep from his eyes with the heel of his hand. Bleary eyes rummaged through his dresser as he pulled out some shorts and his jersey. Dressing quickly as he shoved his shin guards and cleats into his duffle bag. He walked across his room and to his desk, bending down slightly as he looked into the enclosure of his pet rhinoceros beetle. Smiling softly to himself as he watched Kabuto walk lazily over a small tree branch he added.

He’s going to need a new enclosure soon. Sanemi thought passively to himself as he walked out of his room and into the kitchen where Genya already stood. He had already brewed some coffee and made a protein shake. Leaning against the counter as he scrolled through his phone with tired eyes. One side of his mohawk was nearly sticking straight up while the other side was pressed flat against his head. Although Sanemi couldn't really judge, he looked about the same. He walked past Genya and swung open the fridge. Pulling out some of the last few pieces of watermelon that he’d cut up last weekend and walked back towards his room.

“Hey wait, that's the last of the good stuff, watermelon season's over!” Genya protested as his blood shot eyes looked up from his phone.

“Kabuto deserves the good stuff too!” He said defensively as he walked into his room and placed the watermelon into the terrarium. Watching for a moment longer as the large beetle slowly waddled over to the fruit.Then he hesitantly grabbed his duffle bag and walked back to the kitchen. Pulling open one of the cabinets as he pulled out a protein bar, deciding to skip the coffee.

“Alright let’s go.” He said as he and Genya left the apartment and walked to the elevator. It began its slow descent as the two brothers stood in comfortable silence. However as the elevator neared your floor it slowed to a halt. The metal doors ground open and Inosuke was promptly pushed in, hair disheveled, duffle bag unzipped, his shoes not even on yet. He turned around with a tired grin, his arms held up placatingly. You were standing in the hallway, pajamas still on, slippers on your feet, hair wild as it hung around you. Your eyes were slightly blood shot and had a dangerous glint to them.

“Athletics are the only reason you got such a good scholarship, stop being late to practice!” You didn't even notice the siblings already standing in the elevator. Too focused on getting back to bed as you turned around and stormed back down the hall as the doors slid shut. Inosuke leaned against the wall to put his shoes on.

“Hey Genami.” He yawned, not looking up from his task of lacing up his sneakers.

“Which one of us do you think he’s talking to?” Genya leaned over and whispered.

All Sanemi could do was shrug and roll his eyes. Tutoring this kid tonight was gonna be a fucking nightmare.

By the time practice was over Sanemi had to hurry back to his apartment, he hated being all muddy while walking through campus but no one else was out. Genya had hung back to talk with his friends for a bit but Sanemi didn't mind. He needed to hurry back to get ready for demon human history anyway. He pulled the doors to his apartment building open and stepped into the lobby. Waiting in front of the elevator as he watched it count down from the descending floors painfully slowly.

When they slid open he was met with a familiar face, you stood there yawning softly, but looking much more put together than you had earlier.

“Oh, hey Sanemi.” You smiled politely as you stepped out of the elevator and to the front door.

“Hey.” He said back as you walked by, his voice just above a whisper. It was probably the first time he’d seen you smile at him. A strange sensation stirred in his chest and he realized that seeing you smile at him felt… nice.

You walked into class only a minute or so before it started, quickly spotting a familiar mess of white hair in one of the middle rows. Coffee in hand as you quickly made your way to where he was sitting and pulled out the seat next to him. When you looked over to say goodmorning he was already looking at you, a small smirk on his face. You arched a brow, cocking your head to the side as you placed your coffee down in front of you.

“What?”

“You look more put together than you did this morning.” Sanemi said, as he turned his attention to his notebook. Flipping it open as he turned to a blank page.

You were confused. “I look the exact same as I did when I saw you this morning?”

“Not the first time.” He teased, looking at you from the corner of his eyes as his smirk grew. “I swear I thought you were gonna kill Hashibira when you shoved him into the elevator.”

A blush spread across your face as you stiffened slightly. You had been so tired that you didn't even notice him in the elevator. When you turned to face him you were met with a wide smirk and a rush of embarrassment flooded your senses. Cringing as you pictured the sight he must've witnessed so early in the morning. You opened your mouth to respond but before you could the professor cleared her throat and began to address the class. Most likely saving you from further embarrassment.

“Good morning everyone, this week we will be discussing what is known as ‘The great shift’.” The professor began and you turned to Sanemi with a small smile.

“Thats convenient, we were just talking about the great shift yesterday.” You whispered, eyes flashing between him and the front.

“The great shift was a period in time over 100 years ago in which a majority of demons began the initial transition into society. It began with the medicine developed by a demon and a human working with what was known as the demon slayer corps. Demons were offered the vaccine that would grant them the ability to withstand sunlight, but only under the condition that they also take the required medication to survive off of animal flesh. It really was an amazing medical feat, especially for the time period!” The professor spoke emphatically as she clasped her hands together. “Can any one tell me what the process looked like?” She grinned.

The class remained silent for a moment, then Akaza spoke up. “Well today it's just a one time shot you get as a baby to take away and eliminate the need to eat human flesh.” All the humans in class shifted uncomfortably. “But back then it wasn't as easy. It was a prescribed medication you had to take by mouth for a couple years.”

“Exactly! Thank you, Akaza!” She said as she paced back and forth slowly in the front of the class. “Since it was a long process demons weren't immediately granted the vaccine made with the blue spider lily to withstand sunlight. First they had to complete the process of almost detoxing from human flesh, which could take up to two years. Early medical documents from this time period have demons describing the initial transition experienced side effects similar to drug withdrawal.”

“The ability to withstand sunlight was not the only thing that the treatment of the blue spider lily vaccine granted. It gave one ability in exchange for another. A demon's immortality. Now, demons who have been born naturally as we know today, have a life span that is about 15 years longer than the average human. But prior to this, no demons were born naturally, and infact during this time it was heavily debated on whether or not a demon would be able to even become pregnant. While some demons had only been demons for a short while, others had been documented as living as long as 500 years!” She emphasised passionately.

“Those who had only been demons for say a few days or up to 30 years were not as affected by the loss of their immortality, but for demons who had been that way for 50, 80, 100, and like I said up to 500 years aged rapidly. Some only lived for a few months after receiving the blue spider lily vaccination.”

The only noise accompanying her lecture was the frantic scribbling of pens and clacking of keyboards. You and Sanemi both took notes quickly, occasionally glancing at the others page to see if anything was missed between the two of you.

“Many demons described the process as a ‘return of their humanity’, or ‘having a veil pulled back from their eyes’. A lot of demons could not cope with the guilt that accompanied bringing so much harm and destruction. Frequently succumbing to depression and alcoholism. A demon poet of the time who gained popularity among his peers famously wrote: ‘In my weary haze and loss of humanity for over 200 years I lost sight of the preciousness that is fleeting mortality. And now that the realization has set in that I have returned to being fleeting, the burden of all the lives I have stolen has grown infinitely heavier. I am not certain of many things, except for one. On my death bed all of the faces of each life I have stolen will flash before my eyes for eternity. This shall be my personal hell.’”

A few demons shifted awkwardly.

“Does anyone have any questions?” She grinned as she stood behind her desk, looking at the class.

“What happened to the demons who didn't want to integrate?” Sanemi blurted out beside you.

“Great question! Does anyone here know the answer?” The class fell silent, a few people clearing their throats.

“They were hunted.” You said as your gaze drifted from straight ahead and to Sanemi beside you. “A group of specialized warriors, known as the demon slayer corps, were charged with hunting down the remainder of the demons who wanted to keep their way of living. Some who were captured chose integration, others chose to die, until none remained. Not even the demon king.”

“Legend has it he’s still alive!” Tengen added from the row behind you as Gyutaro rolled his eyes beside him.

“Thank you, y/n. And thank you Tengen for your addition.” She laughed. “Any other questions?”

“How come demon women could become pregnant after the great shift but not before?” A human girl near the front asked.

“No one really knows.” The professor said, “Some speculate it's due to the return in mortality, or perhaps the shift in diet. However the demons who could have children were documented as only having been demons for as little as a few days to 10 years were able to have children. This was a very unexpected after effect of the great shift. But it also allowed us to have all of the wonderful students in our class today.” She smiled brightly.

Had Sanemi heard his professor say that last week, he would have scoffed at her statement. But not after the conversation he had with you yesterday, and especially not after the way you shut him up at the library.

“Oh wow! Looks like I talked all the way through the end of class!” She blushed. “Alright, I'll be sure to give you all extra time to discuss with your partners on Thursday. I hope you're all getting along and making some new friends!”

With that the class stood, the air filled with the shuffling of papers as everyone began to gather their things. You and Sanemi began to walk for the door. Your bag slung over your shoulder as you stopped to talk quickly before leaving. “So I'll see you later, would 5:30 be an okay time to come over?” You asked, momentarily distracted as you waved goodbye to Daki and Gyutaro who were walking out together.

“Yeah…” He hesitated, still not exactly thrilled about somehow getting sucked into tutoring Hashibira.

“I do appreciate you agreeing to tutoring him…” You said, smiling softly up at him. The sight made Sanemi’s heart thump a little harder than usual. ’That’s weird…’ he thought to himself.

“It’s no problem.” He said quickly, looking down as he scratched at the back of his neck. “Just come over at 5:30. Its apartment 8B.”

“Okay cool, see you then!” You said as you turned to leave, but before you could Akaza called out to you.

“Hey, wait up!” The tattooed demon waved you down, saying bye to Kyojuro as he walked to the door before you could leave. “Let me walk with you in case Kokushibo’s out there.” Sanemi overheard him say. A knot twisted in his gut at the thought as he watched Akaza walk out, staying closely by your side. Sanemi couldn't help but linger back a few paces, walking out shortly after you two.

Sure enough he had been right, Sanemi stepped out just in time to catch the last of the interaction. Kokushibo was glaring at Akaza who was glaring back just as harshly. Your eyes were fixed at the ground as you walked away quickly with Akaza by your side. Kokushibo was about to walk away when he locked eyes with Sanemi. A smirk tugged at his lips as all 6 of his eyes focused on the mottled yellow bruise on his cheek.

“Still healing?” He smirked, two long pale fingers tapped against his cheek bone below his middle set of eyes. His long dark hair swished around him as he walked off. Sanemi had to bite his tongue to keep himself from starting another fight. With one final scowl at Kokushibo’s vanishing form he turned to walk to his next class. Fists clenched at his sides as he tried to push away the anger that was washing over him.

Sanemi recalled the words you used on regeneration yesterday. Even if he didn’t understand how you could think that the sentiment still helped him calm down.

’It’s not always a good thing.’

As 5:30 rolled around you found yourself practically having to drag Inosuke out of the apartment for tutoring. His protests echoed off the walls, claiming that he ‘thought you were joking about the tutoring’ as he dug his heels in. God this kid was going to be the fucking death of you. What were either of you supposed to do when you graduated? You sighed as you tried to brush those thoughts off, that was a problem for your future self.

The two of you arrived at apartment 8B. You brought your fist up to the wooden door and tapped your knuckles rhythmically against it. Lap top and notebook tucked into your bag, along with a few pens that you’d haphazardly tossed in. Inosuke stood beside you, his text book in hand, head hung back in frustration as you both waited.

Soon the sound of footsteps could be heard from the other side of the door and it quickly swung open. Revealing an only mildly displeased looking Sanemi, which believe it or not, felt like improvement. You smiled up at him as he pushed the door open and stepped aside so you could both come in.

Before either of you could mutter out a greeting, Inosuke spoke first.

“Hello Tatami..” Inosuke said with a slight smirk.

“Hashibira.”

He watched as you both walked inside, letting the door shut behind you as he followed closely. The layout of his apartment was the exact same as yours. The front door opened right up to the living room with an open kitchen. He had a small dining table shoved in the back corner. An opening led to a hallway where you knew the bedrooms would be. He had a 3 seat dark blue couch pressed against the wall, a black coffee table and a TV parallel to it with a play station hooked up. A few pictures dotted around the apartment in frames, but other than that it was pretty bare.

Beside the couch was a desk and an old chair. The desk was pushed up against a wall which was completely blank. The desk was equally as sparse, with only a small lamp on it. The entire space was completely void of stimuli. It almost looked like the equivalent of an adult time out corner. You took a seat on the couch, Inosuke went to mimic your movements but before he could, Sanemi stopped him.

“No, sit here.” He instructed sternly as he pointed towards the desk. Inosuke groaned as he looked at you hoping you'd protest, but you just shrugged and motioned for him to sit. You busied yourself with laying out everything you needed to take notes. Before you could even ask, Sanemi placed a piece of paper beside you with his wifi password on it. Rejoining Inosuke by the desk as he stood behind him, looking over his shoulder as he assessed what he was working on.

You sat down on the couch and began to rifle through your notes. Finding where you’d left off at the library yesterday as you opened up your lap top. A lot of sources you’d found were already open, making it easy for you to pick up where you’d left off. Beside you, you could hear Sanemi trying to explain to Inosuke how to solve the equation. The two of them were already growing frustrated with the other. Inosuke was tipping his chair back, feet against the wall as the chair legs clacked against the laminate flooring.

“Stop-“ Sanemi hissed as he put his hands on the back of the chair. Pushing it back down against the floor. “-rocking the chair! Focus on the equation, it’s not hard!”

Inosuke hung his head back and a loud groan left him. Sanemi’s eye lid twitched as he looked down. Wondering why he had even agreed to do this in the first place.

The sound of your throat clearing pulled his attention away as you got up from your seat on the couch and walked over to the desk. You crouched down beside the desk as you peered at what he was working on. Not like you would be much help, math wasn’t your strong suit, and you doubt you’d make a great tutor. But while sternness worked for Inosuke sometimes, you could tell he was genuinely frustrated.

Your lips pursed slightly as you watched him stare straight ahead at the wall in front of him. Looking bored, even as Sanemi tried to explain how to solve the equations he was working on.

“ ‘Nosuke…” You said interrupting Sanemi who looked down at you with narrowed eyes. Wondering why you had asked him to tutor him if you were just going to interrupt him. Inosuke looked away from the wall and towards you. Brows raised at you curiously as he waited for you to talk.

“What are you doing I was in the middle of explaining-“ Sanemi began but you shot him a look that said to give you a minute.

“I know you’re having trouble with math…” You said softly as Inosuke looked down and scowled at his textbook. “So I'll make a deal with you.” Now you’d caught his interest because his scowl vanished and he perked up slightly.

“If you finish this semester with a good grade, I'll learn how to make Hisa’s shrimp tempura when we go home for winter break.” A grin spread across his face. “And I'll make it for you once a month…”

“Everyday.”

“Twice a month.”

“Once a week.”

“Every ten days, and you need to keep your grades up next semester or I'll stop making it.”

“Deal!” He beamed as you two shook hands.

Sanemi watched the interaction with slight amusement. Although he fought the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips as you returned to your seat on the couch. He couldn’t help but notice the way that Inosuke perked up. Paying attention with new interest. After about 20 more minutes of explaining and working on equations with him Sanemi left him to work on the rest on his own. He sat on the other end of the couch, feeling a bit too aware of not wanting to invade your personal space.

“Okay so I kept working on the timeline…” You began as you crouched on the floor in between the couch and the coffee table. Unconsciously shifting a bit closer to him to show him your new notes. “Nothing really new happened in the 80’s, other than a gradual uptick in shares interest, but in the 90’s..” Your voice lilted up as you smirked eagerly. Eyes flashing up to Sanemi.

“When grunge music started to gain popularity, a music genre which was primarily played by demons, shared interest in pop culture hit a notable uptick. For the first time attendance in these specific concerts was split nearly 50/50. In this decade there was a 43% increase in interest from humans in art, literature and music created by demons. Certain universities even began to include demon authors into education.” You explained eagerly.

Sanemi watched and listened intently as you spoke, his eyes on you as your gaze flickered between him and your notes. It was… actually endearing to watch you talk about it with so much passion. Not to mention seeing how you spoke to Inosuke earlier, in fact just always seeing you interact with him. Assuming responsibility, knowing when to be firm with him, but also knowing when to be gentle and patient. It was sweet.

“You okay?” Your voice cut through his thoughts and he realized he had been staring at you.

“Yeah, sorry. Those are good notes. Thanks for taking them.” He cleared his throat and looked away from you.

“Okay, good…” You chuckled. “You had that intense look on your face. I thought you were about to pick another fight with me.” You teased him.

“No, not this time at least.” He teased back dryly as he kept his gaze averted from yours. Why had he even been staring at you?

The two of you continued to work in silence, the only sound in the apartment was Inosuke occasionally rocking his chair. Making the legs click against the laminate a few times before you would clear your throat and shoot him a look.

“Hey my phone's almost dead, do you have a charger I could use?”

“Uhh yeah, here…” Sanemi stood from his place on the couch as he walked into the kitchen. An annoyed sigh left his lips as he glared down at the empty socket that normally held the spare charger. Genya… He always took the spare charger he kept in the living room and kitchen. Sanemi walked around the corner and back to where you were sitting on the couch.

“Genya took the kitchen charger but I can plug your phone into the one that I keep in my room.” He offered as you nodded in response, moving your notebook from your lap and to the coffee table as you stood.

“Ugghh..” Inosuke groaned as he hung his head back. “You have designated chargers in each room? Nice to know you’re as anal at home as you are at practice.” He snorted as he leaned back in the chair and looked up at a glaring Sanemi.

He was about to respond until you beat him to it.

“Hey, don’t be rude, he's helping you with your homework.” You chided with a frown. Causing Inosuke to grumble to himself as he returned his attention to the problem he was working on.

Closely you followed Sanemi down the short hallway towards his room. He walked in and you stopped in the doorway, feeling a bit awkward about just walking into his room. Your eyes scanned the layout of his room. He had it set up pretty similarly to yours. Bed in the middle of the room pressed against the back wall, a dresser, a small bedside table. Lastly your eyes fell on the desk pushed against the wall opposite from the bed.

As soon as your eyes locked on the glass terrarium you couldn’t suppress the eager gasp that left your lungs. You scurried into his room without a second thought and lowered yourself to get a closer look. Your eyes widened when they landed on a rather sizable rhinoceros beetle. It was lazily waddling across the terrarium. Its shell was a deep reddish brown with an almost metallic hue.

“A rhinoceros beetle!” You gaped as you knelt down, chin resting on his desk. “What beautiful coloring, what’s its name?” You remained in your crouched position as you removed your chin from his desk and angled your head up at him.

“Oh, um… his name is Kabuto…” He said feeling a bit awkward. Taken aback slightly by your enthusiasm as you turned your attention back to the enclosure. He still had your phone in his hand, having just plugged it in.

“Kabuto! He’s so cute!” You gushed as you stood quickly and walked to Sanemi’s side. Shoulders nearly brushed together as you took your phone from his hand and began to rapidly scroll through your pictures. Finally your fingers ceased their scrolling and you angled your phone towards him. Revealing a picture of you with a praying mantis perched in your hand.

“This is Igor” You beamed, seeming more like a proud parent than someone with a pet insect. “Well, originally his name was Gyutaro junior cause they kind of look alike. But he got kind of mad that I named a bug after him and made me change it…” You said with a slight pout, but your smile soon returned. “Anyway he’s a giant asian mantis, I got him at the start of the summer!”

Your excited energy was palpable as you turned your phone off. When you looked up at Sanemi he was as hard to read as ever. Suddenly you felt a bit embarrassed for just barging into his room. Quickly you set your phone down so it could charge and took a step back. Not realizing how close you’d gotten to him, heat rising to your cheeks in embarrassment.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to just burst into your room.” You chuckled, feeling a bit awkward.

“It’s fine..” He bit the inside of his cheek, your brief proximity made him feel slightly flustered but he quickly tried to push that feeling away. “It did kind of look like your friend though, too bad he had to be a buzz kill about the name.” He smirked trying to lighten the mood.

“Yeah, you two kind of remind me of each other..” You laughed but quickly stopped, face falling into one of mortification. “Not like that! I mean it's just you're both serious, and kind of grumpy, and-” Before you could say anything else you shut your mouth, blush deepening as you took a few steps to the doorway.

“Hey Ganja.”

For the second time that day you were saved from further embarrassment in front of Sanemi.

“Why are you in my apartment?” Even through the wall the confusion in Genya’s voice was evident. You took that as an opportunity to leave. Quickly turning out of Sanemi’s room and walking back to the living room. Genya was standing by the door, staring at Inosuke with his head cocked to the side.

“Hey Genya! How are you?” You greeted warmly as you stepped out of the hall and began to walk towards where he was standing. His face turned a deep shade of red as he looked down at you and you frowned. “You okay? You look a little feverish?” Your brows furrowed with concern as you reached out to feel his forehead with your hand. But before you could he quickly took a step back.

“I’m fine! Just have a lot of homework, i’m gonna go work on it in my room, good to see you again y/n!” Genya blurted out quickly before retreating past you and back to his room. You followed his movements with concern in your eyes.

Sanemi walked out behind you and began to look over Inosuke’s progress. Seemingly content with ignoring Genya’s outburst. Meanwhile you returned to working on the project. Hoping to get your time line done before you leave.

For the next hour you continued to work in silence. Sanemi taking notes while you worked on the time line. When Inosuke finished his work Sanemi looked over it once more. Starting off with a skeptical glare before it softened into something approving. Nodding his head as he handed it back to the green eyed boy.

“Nice work..” He commented flatly, Inosuke beamed triumphantly as he snatched it back from him. You came up to ruffle his hair, a proud smile on your face. All of your belongings had already been cleared and gathered from the table. Tucked away neatly into the bag that hung at your side. Sanemi took that as his queue and he retrieved your phone from his bedroom.

Inosuke, in all his haste to leave, was already in the hallway. Impatiently waiting for you as you walked for the door.

“So we’ll probably need to meet a few more times this week to get caught up to Gyutaro and Tengen…” You said lingering in the doorway.

Thats right, the two of you had planned to switch partners…

“Okay, well I know your schedule now. Mind if I just text you tomorrow morning to figure out a time to meet up?”

“Yeah that’s fine, talk to you tomorrow!” You agreed as you waved goodbye. Walking down the hallway with a very chattery Inosuke who couldn’t stop talking about ‘Hisa’s shrimp tempura’.

For a moment he lingered in the doorway. He didn’t really want to switch partners. At least not anymore, he didn’t really see a point in it. But you had brought it up. So if switching partners was what you wanted, that’s what would happen. He internally chastised himself for being such a dick at first as he cleared the coffee table of his notes.

As he organized his things Genya emerged from his room quietly. Sanemi looked up at his younger brother with a questioning look.

“What was that about?” Sanemi asked gruffly.

“What do you mean?”

“When y/n was here, you got all awkward.”

Genya shrugged. “I don’t know man, she’s really pretty. I got nervous talking to her. Then she asked if I had a fever and I got kind of embarrassed.” He tried to brush it off as he walked into the kitchen.

Sanemi knew that Genya got nervous around girls. He’d always been kind of shy, ever since he was a kid.

“She’s… okay.” He muttered, not wanting to admit anything. To Genya and himself, but his brother just scoffed softly.

“Come on, you’re not blind.” He could practically hear the eye roll in Genya’s tone from the kitchen. “She’s pretty, and cool, and nice too. It makes sense why so many guys are into her.” He said collapsing onto the couch after making a sandwich.

“Who’s into her?” He said with a bit too much intrigue than he intended. Genya gave him a slight side eye as he tried to suppress a laugh.

“I don’t know, I didn’t really mean like, seriously into her. She just got out of a shitty relationship. I think Hashibira would head butt anyone who put a move on her too soon to death.” He took a bite of his sandwich, eyes on the ceiling as he chewed. As if trying to recall something. “But if you really want to know, I know Murata always tells Tanjiro that he thinks she’s really pretty. And I don’t think he likes her like that, but Kyojuro thinks she’s pretty.”

“Kyojuro thinks she’s pretty?”

Genya nodded and took another bite of his sandwich.

“How do you even know that?”

“He told her.” He said once he’d swallowed his food.

“When?” Trying to keep his voice and nonchalant as possible.

“Dude, I don’t know, why do you care so much?”

Sanemi’s jaw snapped shut and his eyes narrowed as he stood up from the couch.

“I checked your grades. Your statistics grade went from an A to a B, you need to stay on top of that.” He criticized, desperate to shift the focus as he walked into his room. Why did he care?

Chapter Text

The next morning at practice Sanemi and Kyojuro were running laps around the field like usual. His tongue felt heavy with the urge to ask him about what Genya had said yesterday. But ultimately he decided not to. Why should he care?

Instead he focused on practice, running drills and executing different plays. Going about his day as normal. When practice finished he walked back to his apartment while Genya hung back to talk to his friends. As weird as he thought they were, he was happy Genya had found such a good group.

You had texted him that morning saying you should probably meet up one more time that week to work on your project, especially since you worked until Monday. The two of you decided to meet at the library again after class. Luckily for Sanemi and unfortunately for you, Inosuke's schedule didn't line up with yours so he couldn't be tutored that day. However after a bit of pleading and praising, saying how he was already doing so much better, Sanemi reluctantly agreed to tutor him again next Tuesday.

Your most recent trip to the library was much less eventful than the last time you went. Working in mutual silence, the two of you had been able to get a lot of work done. And after spending almost two hours there you both came to the decision that you had done enough for the day and left. It was a bit awkward at first, considering you both lived in the same apartments you ended up walking back together. Making stiff attempts at conversation that mostly consisted of talking about the project, or you would ask questions about the soccer team.

“Oh, hey would you actually mind sending me your game schedule. I've been pestering Inosuke to get me a copy of it but he keeps forgetting.” You said as Sanemi fobbed you both in through the glass doors and you walked towards the elevator.

“Yeah, sure.” He nodded in agreement as the two of you stepped into the elevator. “So…” He trailed off as the doors ground shut behind you. “Can you work on the project again on Saturday before you work?”

You frowned slightly as you tilted your head up towards him. “I actually can’t do Saturdays anymore. After the whole thing with Kokushibo happened Akaza insisted that I start taking some self defense classes.”

Sanemi’s eyes widened briefly before he nodded his head in understanding. “Good friend, where do you take them?”

“His girlfriend's dad owns a dojo that he works at on the weekends.” You smiled softly as you looked down at your feet. “They’re such a sweet couple, I love Koyuki. I hope I can have something as special as they do one day.” Your voice was gentle and full of warmth, talking mostly to yourself rather than him.

Sanemi felt himself softening at your words. “They seem really… sweet together.” He murmured with a smile that matched yours. Remembering their interactions at the party and at your apartment after the game last weekend. “How long have you guys been friends?”

“A little over two years ago, I met them both in my first year.” You grinned as you leaned up against the mirrored elevator wall. “And Koyuki's dad is like, the best! He’s one of those dads that’ll just kind of act like a surrogate parent to everyone. He taught me and Gyutaro how to fix a sink, unclog a drain, change a tire…” You paused as you chuckled slightly in reminiscence. “He also tried to teach Daki but she was too scared she’d get oil on her jeans.”

Sanemi snickered slightly. “Sounds like a patient guy.”

“Yeah..” You sighed, fluorescent lights hummed above you. A soft ’ding’ chimed through the elevator and the doors to your floor ground open. You pushed yourself off the elevator wall and gave him a final passing glance. “Well, see you in class tomorrow!” And with a final wave you made your exit and departed down the hall.

“Bye...”

The next day in demon/human history was just as uneventful as your time at the library yesterday. Mostly going over more early transition history as you both took notes. Side eying the others to see if you had collectively gotten everything. Like your professor had promised on Tuesday she gave all of you extra time to discuss at the end of the class. Giving you 35 minutes rather than her usual 20. Some around you used the time to ask questions, others used it to discuss their project and others were just talking to each other.

You and Sanemi had taken the time to try and finish your timeline, and between the two of you, you'd finally gotten caught up to the present day.

Your phone was sitting on the table between the two of you, its screen lit up as you got a notification. Seeing that it was a text from Douma to the group chat you dismissed it for now. Deciding to check it at the end of class. Setting back down your still lit up phone between the two of you. A bright green blur caught Sanemi’s eye and in a moment of curiosity glanced down to immediately be met with a picture of the praying mantis you'd shown him.

“How did I never notice that your screen saver is your praying mantis?” He said as he looked up from your screen.

“Oh… It wasn't always, it used to be Kokushibo.”

“Hmm” Sanemi hummed as he put his hand on his chin. “The bugs more handsome.”

That earned him a genuine laugh as a smile spread across from your face. “Well Igor does have less eyes than him.”

“That's right his name is Igor, he’s got a better name too.” Sanemi smirked, earning another laugh. It was nice, the banter. And he wasn't going to lie for some reason he enjoyed making fun of your ex. “It reminds me of that Tyler, the creator album.”

“Yeah I love Tyler, the creator!” You beamed as you looked up at him with a massive grin.

“Wait really? Me too! I took Genya to see him for his call me if you get lost tour!”

“Wait, no way I was at that show! Inosuke took the train in and we all went as a big group!”

“No way, that's actually… pretty cool.” A genuine smile spread across his lips. Not a smirk, or a half smile, a full genuine smile. “Hey we should add that in for our interest in pop culture essay.” But as soon as he said it he remembered that you were supposed to switch partners in a week. He wasn't sure why he kept forgetting that the two of you were switching partners, he tilted his head back and glanced back at where Gyutaro and Tengen were sitting. “Or maybe not…”

“Oh.. yeah..” You followed his gaze, if you were being completely honest you didn't really want to switch partners anymore. The two of you were finally starting to get along. “Well Gyutaro went to the concert too, so you guys can still use it.”

“Yeah…” He seemed almost disappointed, and if he was being honest with himself he was. He had been hoping that you would change your mind about switching partners. And a part of him was starting to think that the two of you could…actually be friends. Before anything else could be said between you everyone was already gathering their things and getting up to leave.

“Well, ill uh.. See you Monday to finish up working on the project?” Your bag was already packed as you stood from your seat.

“Yeah, Monday’s still good.”

“Yo y/n, lets gooo, Douma wants to meet in the courtyard.” Gyutaro said impatiently as he stood by the door with Daki and Akaza.

“Coming!” You turned your attention back to Sanemi. “Okay cool, just text me if anything changes?”

“Yeah…” He hesitated before opening his mouth again. “Are you gonna be okay to go meet up with Douma?” Genuine concern in his voice. “I mean, just because of your ex I saw him waiting for you on Tuesday..” Maybe he was overstepping. “Sorry I know its not really my place-”

“No, don't apologize.” You said quickly. “Thanks for worrying, but Douma knows I don't want to be around him right now. And Kokushibo isn't gonna bother me if I'm with Akaza.”

Sanemi nodded as he looked past you at the pink haired demon, accidentally locking eyes with him before noticing a whirl of long white and green hair walking towards the two of you. Daki had appeared behind you, tugging you back by your shoulders. “Okay sorry but we’ve got a small window to meet up.”

“Okay, okay I'm coming!” You said stumbling back as she continued to tug you towards the door. “Bye Sanemi!” Flashing him another grin as you waved goodbye, disappearing from the classroom.

“Yeah, see you.” He muttered, but you were already out of ear shot. Being dragged away by a swarm of chatty friends with Daki’s arm slung over your shoulders.

Friday was an exhausting day for Sanemi, he had his first test in differential topology and he’d had to put himself on a pretty strict studying schedule. Especially considering he’d had to work not only tutoring Inosuke into his schedule, but also prioritizing your dem/hum project so you two could get caught up to Tengen and Gyutaro. By the time he got home he didn't even make it to his bed or get changed. He just collapsed on the couch and fell asleep for nearly two hours. And Sanemi wasn't normally one to sleep in the middle of the day.

For the rest of the day he didn't do much. He played some video games and looked forward to doing even less on Saturday. And nothing is exactly what he did, aside from take a shower he stayed on his couch. Playing video games online with Obanai. Only getting up to cook, and feed Kabuto. Genya had gone out with his friends, returning later that afternoon for a bit to tell him that they were all going to hang out at yours/ Inosuke's apartment that night. Even better, now he had the place to himself for the rest of the night.

It almost felt too good to be true.

At 10 there was a knock on his door. Not again. He wasn’t even surprised when he swung open the door to see Kyojuro and Tengen standing in his hallway. Before he could lock them out the pair were already pushing their way in.

“Come onnn! What kinda friend would I be if I let you stay home alone on a Saturday night?” Tengen said proudly as he grabbed Sanemi’s shoulders and shook him slightly. The two of them were definitely already buzzed.

“A good one, it's been a long week.”

“Sanemi!” Kyojuro joined Tengen in grabbing him by the shoulders. “It's Saturday night, you did everything this week you had to, I bet you even killed that test you took. Let's have fun!”

As annoying as Sanemi thought Tengen and Kyojuro could be when they got this determination to get him to join them on a night out, he did find it endearing. They were probably the only reason he'd actually gone to parties and bars. And after a few minutes of internally deliberating, and looking at their eager faces, he made up his mind.

“Fine.” He groaned and rolled his eyes, but he had a hard time hiding his smile. Kyojuro and Tengen clapped their hands in victory, patting Sanemi on the shoulder and shaking him in excitement. “Let me get changed… and have a drink.” He was going to need it.

As he walked to the kitchen to pull a beer from the fridge a thought crossed his mind. “Hey, where are we going?”

“Oh just this bar off campus!” Tengen replied from the living room.

To say that Sanemi was pissed when they got to their location was an understatement. He could hear the heavy thumping bass of the night club all the way from the train station. Glaring up at Tengen who just flashed him a mischievous grin. The line wrapped around the block of people waiting to get into the club had Sanemi seriously questioning his choice of friends. And feeling oddly self conscious in his decision to just wear a faded band shirt and some baggy jeans. Although Tengen honestly looked flashy enough for the three of them.

“Come on Tengen, seriously? I fucking hate the infinity castle, it's impossible to get in there anyway.” Sanemi groaned, the last time he was at this club was last year with Kanae and everyone. Much like now, he’d been dragged there against his will, and he and Kanae got in a massive fight. He couldn't believe that Tengen and Kyojuro had actually managed to get him back there.

“Well get in.” Tengen said confidently as he led the trio past the line and straight to the door, the amount of confidence he had always astounded Sanemi. A familiar head of black and green hair was sitting outside, dressed in all black. Eyes scanning over a clip board as some douchey guy with way too much hair gel kept trying to insist that he was ‘on the list’. A very unconvinced Gyutaro was looking at him in obvious disgust.

“What's up, partner of the year?!” Tengen leaned over the velvet rope to clap Gyutaro on the shoulder. Pulling his attention away from pissed off hair gel guy.

“No.”

“Come on, you said-”

“No, I didn't say anything.” He muttered and rolled his eyes apathetically. “You asked me if I could hypothetically get you into the infinity castle since im a bouncer and I said I don't know I guess.”

“Yeah, so…” Tengen said expectantly as he motioned towards the group and then towards the door. “Get us in!”

Gyutaro’s head hung back as he groaned, before he could even make up his mind on whether or not to let them in the door swung open and you stormed out. The sound of house music briefly rose in volume before becoming slightly muffled again. Your hair was down, tall leather black boots clicking against the pavement, fists clenched at your sides in clear frustration. You were wearing a black mini skirt, a floral halter top that clung to your figure, and a red apron tied around your waist with a slew of bills stuck into it. You worked at the infinity castle? And was that your uniform?

“Where the fuck is Douma?! Nakime’s having a full ass panic attack. He was supposed to be here 20 minutes ago!” You cried, all of your attention on Gyutaro who shrugged.

“I saw him go in, he’s been here a while.” He said scratching the back of his neck while Sanemi, Tengen and Kyojuro watched in curiosity. “Why are you out here? I thought you were on bar duty and Daki was on bottle service tonight?” Gyutaro’s eyes briefly flashed to the group behind you that you had yet to notice.

“No, that nightmare frat guy group is back and they got a table, so I switched with Daki and put her on bar.” You sighed, running a hand through your hair.

“Ughh those guys are supposed to be fucking banned, Karaku must have let them in before we switched.”

“Nakime is freaking out because we can't find Douma, Enmu disappeared from bar duty 10 minutes ago-”

“Douma got here 10 minutes ago.”

The two of you paused as you looked at each other for a moment.

“Theyre doing cocaine in the bathroom.” You both said in unison, a slight nod to your heads as clarity set in.

Tengen took the brief pause in your frustration to clear his throat behind you, and you craned your head back to glance over your shoulder. Your eyes widened and a smile spread across your face upon seeing them. Turning your attention away from Gyutaro as some of the stress seemed to melt away from your features.

“Hey, What are you guys doing here?!” You grinned as your eyes flashed between the three of them.

“Trying to get ink blot to let us in, wanna help out?” Tengen smirked, hands on his hips as he bent down slightly. Mischievous gaze flashing between you and Gyutaro.

Your grin widened as you took in the group before turning back to Gyutaro. Placing your finger on his clip board and squinting your eyes in mock focus as you faked scouring through the names. “Oh yeah, see right there.” You said decisively as you tapped a sharp nail against the clip board. “Uzui, Rengoku and Shinazugawa.”

Flashing an overly sweet grin at Gyutaro, Tengen and Kyojuro put their hands on your shoulders and leaned forward. Mimicking your facial expressions. Sanemi stood close by, too stunned to force out a greeting. In his urgency to catch up to Kyo and Tengen he downed a beer and did a shot at his apartment. So he was already feeling tipsy, and he’d been expecting a shitty bar, so showing up at a club had been a shock to his senses. Not to mention it was the club that you worked at. He glared over at his two friends, still hovering over you and flashing hopeful smiles.

Finally a half smile of sharp teeth tugged at Gyutaro’s lips when he looked down at you. “Fine.” He sighed as he unclipped the rope for the trio and ushered them forward. Before you could take them in he ruffled your hair in an almost brotherly sense. “Need me to get Douma?”

“Nah it's fine ill hunt him down in a minute, thanks Gyu!” You said, already leaning back to pull the club door open. Motioning for Sanemi, Kyojuro, and Tengen to follow. As they stepped through the doorway the sound of thumping music increased drastically, and the muffled protest of hair gel guy continuing to argue with Gyutaro was the last thing Sanemi heard before being surrounded by heavy bass.

The club was huge, the back and side walls lined with dark leather booths and small circular tables. In the middle was a rectangular bar, Sanemi could recognize Daki behind it and that guy who had gotten punched by Zenitsu at the party mixing drinks behind the dark stone counter. All around the bar were red and orange paper lanterns that went up to the ceiling. To Sanemi’s right against the wall was a DJ booth with no one behind it yet, instead generic club music poured from the speakers above. There was a large dance floor on the same side of the bar with the DJ booth with a tempered glass floor and warm orange lighting beneath it. It almost looked like you would fall right through when you stepped on it. On the other side of the bar was a large sofa that spanned probably 20 feet in length between the bar and the booths that lined the wall. Towards the back were stairs that led towards more booths on an upper level. God this place probably made at least 40k a night.

“Hey!” You called over the music before Tengen could drag him and Kyojuro over to the dance floor. “I’ve got one table left right by the DJ booth! If you guys want it, I'll waive the fee!” You were practically shouting to be heard over the music. Huddling in close to them to make sure they heard you.

Tengen, who was never one to turn down the opportunity for free table service nodded eagerly. And Sanemi had to admit, that seemed much better than standing or trying to find a seat on the couch that was already packed with bodies. You motioned for them to follow you. Sanemi, in a brief moment of lessened anxiety quickened his pace so that he was walking beside you. Even if you guys were switching partners he could still try to be your friend, right?

“I'm surprised to see you here!” You called over the music as you matched each other's pace, hair bouncing with each click of your heels. “You don't really seem like the clubbing type!” You teased.

“Yeah well, I got kidnapped.” His words made you laugh loud enough to be slightly audible over the music. “What?”

“I think I remember Mitsuri telling me that's how you got dragged to Douma and Kokushibo’s party?” You grinned, flashing him that toothy smile where he could see your fangs.

“Yeah?” His tone was questioning as he cocked his head to the side.

“Sounds like maybe you like being kidnapped.” The group was navigating through a sea of drunken bodies before finally reaching the table that was closest to the DJ booth. It was a large black leather bench that curved in the shape of a crescent moon. A circular wooden table in the center. Kyojuro and Tengen were already shuffling into the bench, with Tengen in the middle and Kyojuro with his back to the dance floor.

“I don't like getting kidnapped.” He said with a smirk, folding his arms over his chest. “Those two just happen to be really good at it.” He jerked his head towards the two of his friends and you just shook your head. An unconvinced, but still amused smile on your face. The two of you stood a few inches apart, one of your hands on your hips as you arched a brow at him.

“Sure.” You rolled your eyes at him and Sanemi’s jaw dropped in mock offense.

“What don't believe me?”

“No, no bartender rules! I have to believe and agree with everything you say. Maybe ask me again when my shift is over!” You winked then placed a hand on his shoulder and nudged him into the booth. His shoulders shook slightly with laughter beneath your palm and you could tell that all of them were already buzzed.

Before you could excuse yourself to go search for Douma, arms wrapped around your neck and you stumbled slightly, briefly catching a blur of silver and red. “IMHERE, imhereimhereimhereee! Please tell Nakime I'm sorry!” Douma frowned as he released you from his tight embrace. Adjusting a canvas bag filled with vinyl records on his shoulder, gasping in excitement when he saw Sanemi sitting in the booth. “Sanemi! You came to watch me DJ?!” He beamed with glittering eyes, pupils dilated from what you assumed was a mix of the cocaine and dim lighting.

“No.” Sanemi said flatly, his demeanor instantly changing.

You frowned at his clear change in mood, but decided asking him about it could wait. You still wanted to know what happened between them, but now wasn't the time.

“Woah, you DJ with vinyl?” Tengen gestured to his bag and Douma nodded eagerly.

“I'm a bit of a DJ purist.” Subtle brag, you knew Douma well enough to know that despite his…condition, he could get pretty prideful when it comes to DJing.

“Its the only thing he’s a purist about.” Jabbing him playfully with your elbow as you began to gently tug him towards the DJ booth, but he dug his feet in. He was always hard to pull away from a conversation.

“Unless you count my stint as a cult leader!” The table perked up then chuckled awkwardly. “Oh it’s not a joke, I was actually a cult leader for a bit.” Oh god.

“Okay we can finish trauma dumping later, it takes 30 minutes to set up your booth and you're supposed to be on in-” Your stomach dropped. “15 minutes.”

“I knowww will you help me set up, please please please.” He gave you a dramatic pout as he took your hands in his. You narrowed your eyes, pursing your lips before sighing in reluctant acceptance. It would be faster with the two of you.

“Okay-” Before you could say anything Douma kissed you on the cheek and began to drag you towards the DJ equipment. Repeating his thanks as you stumbled to keep up with his long and energetic strides.

Sanemi watched with irritation, Tengen and Kyojuro’s conversation had faded into the background as he watched you help Douma set up. A smile on your face as the two of you talked comfortably. What did you even see in him that made you want to be so buddy buddy? Even after he had kissed your cheek you seemed completely unphased, he just didn't get it. Douma had always seemed like something about him was just off.

He hadn't even realized that he’d been staring, well more like scowling, at you and Douma until Tengen started waving his hand in front of his face. Finally snapping him out of his near trance. The two were snickering slightly as they glanced skeptically over to where you were talking to Douma before shooting Sanemi a questioning look. He just ignored it, fixing his gaze forward as Tengen and Kyojuro shrugged their shoulders and returned to their conversation. Deciding that he’d lighten up after they'd gotten a few drinks.

When he let his eyes drift back over to you, you were crouched down in front of the low stage with Douma beside you. Connecting various wires and occasionally tugging on your skirt to keep it from riding up. The two of you went to stand and Douma pinched the hem of your skirt to keep it from drifting dangerously high up your hips. A surprising gesture as Sanemi quickly averted his eyes to look down at the table.

“Good evening, god all of you are so fucking hot!” Douma said into the microphone. “Im your DJ, Douma, are you guys ready to fucking dance?!” The crowd that had formed on the dance floor erupted in a deafening cheer. You were walking back to their table quickly, hips swaying slightly with each step as loud house music began to fill the club.

“Okay!” You pulled a pen out from behind your ear. "I'm actually really good at this, so let me guess first.” The end of your pen was pointed to the middle at Tengen. “Jagerbomb, cause I know a party animal when I see one. ” The end of your pen turned to Kyojuro. “Shot of fire ball, and whatever's on tap. You wanna get fucked up but you dont wanna trouble the bar tenders.” Finally you turned to Sanemi, pursing your lips as you tapped your pen against your chin. “Rum and coke not cause that's what you enjoy, but because you don't go to bars often and that's what you're used to panic ordering.”

Impressive, Sanemi had to give you that. It was pretty spot on. Before he could say anything Tengen was already speaking for him. Typical Tengen.

“Okay ill hand it to you, that was actually pretty accurate.” He praised. “But I can't have these two getting tired on me, so make it three jagerbombs and let's do tequila shots!” That, to Sanemi, sounded horrible. But before he could protest a different table was waving you down and you had left.

Running between the bar and tables, occasionally stopping to chat with either Daki or a demon with straight shoulder length hair and rectangular markings down their cheeks. Soon you returned with a tray balanced on one hand, gracefully held at eye level. You plucked the drinks from the tray and slid them across the table. Setting down a small bowl of limes first before setting down three cocktails. Sanemi noticed that his looked slightly different from the others, and before he could really register what was happening you were bending down to whisper something in his ear.

“You didn't strike me as a jager drinker, so yours is a vodka red bull instead, don't tell Tengen.” A slight shiver ran down his spine at your proximity and his cheeks flushed. Deciding that if anyone asked he would blame the liquor. Following the vodka red bull were three shot glasses, distributed between the group. “Not getting away from the tequila shot though, sorry.” You smirked, departing immediately after that.

The drinks continued to flow, as per Tengen and Kyojuro’s request, and after two more vodka redbulls Sanemi was finally loosening up. Relaxing into the booth as the trio talked with raised voices over the music. You were all over the place, running from the bar to the tables on the lower floor, occasionally running up to the DJ booth with bottles of water for Douma. You were heading back to their table with a tray of three more tequila shots (Tengens idea) and the same cocktails they'd been ordering.

“Okay, there's something I'm really curious about.” Sanemi slurred out to you before you could leave.

“Let's hear it.” You smirked, dropping the tray to your side as soon as you placed the drinks on the table. Leaning down slightly to hear them better.

“Okay.. And I've actually wanted to know this for a while, but when your ex would wink did he do it with one eye… or like 3 of them?” He asked knowing that as soon as he was sober in the morning if he did remember any of this he would feel incredibly embarrassed. But a snorting laugh left your lips at his question. Eyes and nose scrunched before opening your eyes and biting your lip as you thought about it.

“You know, believe it or not, I don't think I've ever seen him wink.” This response garnered gasps from Kyojuro and Tengen, and a look of surprise from Sanemi. Actually it was a pretty believable statement, now that Sanemi thought about it. You were about to say something else but before you could, fingers snapping from the next booth over got your attention.

“Hey baby can we get some more drinks?” You grimaced briefly, palms pressing into the table as you forced a smile and walked over to the other booth. Sanemi had heard them talking for most of the night, even with the music it was hard not to. He could only assume that this was the ‘nightmare frat boy’ group that you had been complaining about earlier. The amount of times he had heard them say ‘alpha male’ unironically had made him want to puke. But you seemed to be handling them well enough. Bringing them their drinks and immediately departing to go circle the lower floor and check on other tables.

He couldn't help but search the floor for you occasionally, your hips swayed from your heels as you navigated through a crowd of drunken bodies. He noticed a girl was pacing the upper floors in an outfit identical to yours, her hair fell down to her knees and covered the top half of her face. Periodically the two of you would meet halfway on the stairs, talking briefly before returning to work. It was… interesting to see you at your job. He couldn't imagine doing this every weekend.

Your hair bounced as you pushed through the dancefloor and back up to where Douma was playing. Handing him another drink and getting an appreciative grin in return. Turning around you repeated your rounds, walking up to his table first. But to his disappointment you just tapped the empty glasses, shooting them a questioning look then nodding your head as Tengen held up three fingers. Clearing out the empty cups and returning to the bar without a word. He had honestly been hoping that you would stay and talk again.

”Ugh god bro why is it so fucking hard to get this bitch’s attention?”

Sanemi’s ears perked up as he heard the booth beside them talking. Leaning back in the leather seat slightly to make his eavesdropping easier.

”I dont fucking know, but as much as I hate to see her leave I love to watch her walk away.”

”Yeah nice ass.”

“Yeah gotta agree she's pretty hot.”

“You know what they say about demon chicks? Kinky as fuck!”

“Think if I ask for her number she'll give it to me?”

“Dont know, seems like the type to play hard to get.”

Fucking gross. Just listening to them talk about you made him feel sick. He decided that he’d heard enough and leaned forward on the table that was now sticky with spilled redbull and lime juice from the tequila shots. Tuning out the conversation behind him and returning his attention to an oblivious Tengen and Kyojuro. Soon you returned with their drinks and the bill, letting them know that closing was in 30 minutes. He couldn't believe it was already nearly 3 am.

Pushing back from their table you smiled at Sanemi before walking to the group beside them. He couldn't help but glance to the side, trying his best to be nonchalant while also watching your interaction from the corner of his eyes. He could see you taking their drink orders, turning to leave you hastily returned with a tray of double shots and the bill. Giving them the same notice to let them know that you closed soon. Most of the group was already downing the shots as soon as they were placed in front of them. Before you could leave one of the guys took your hand in his as you set down his shot.

“Woah, woah before you run off.” God, Sanemi could practically hear the smirk in this douchebag's voice. “Let me get your number so I can take you out sometime.”

Kyojuro and Tengen had stopped talking now, and the whole trio was listening in to the interaction.

You forced a polite smile as you pulled your hand back from his. “Sorry, I have a boyfriend.” Even though it wasnt true anymore it was a safe thing to say that usually got this type to fuck off.

He smirked in response and started running a hand up the back of your thigh. “Well I don't see him here.”

Great, he’s the persistent type. You gave him your most forced and fake smile as you grabbed his hand and removed it from your thigh. “Actually-”

“Come on babe dont be like that.” He cut you off as he went to stand and you took a step back, preparing yourself to storm off and get Gyutaro. But before you could react a firm hand was on fratboy #5’s shoulder, pushing him back down into the booth. Your eyes followed the scarred arm to be met with Sanemi, who despite the confidence in his actions, was not looking very sturdy on his feet.

He had reacted without really giving himself time to think about what he was doing. And while he didn't regret acting, he did regret standing so quickly for the first time all night. He’d been riding a high thinking that he was handling his liquor well but as soon as he stood those tequila shots hit him all at once. Did the floor always spin like that?

“She doesn't want to talk to you.” Despite his drunken state his words came out surprisingly clear.

“Oh, yeah? And who the fuck are you, her boyfriend?” He sneered, balling his hands into fists.

These guys weren't just banned for being creeps towards you, Daki, and Nakime. Frat boy #3 had tried to start a fight with other patrons, and Frat boy #2 had tried to pick a fight with Gyutaro when he wouldn't let them in. The last thing you wanted was Sanemi getting punched again because of you, or for a fight to break out at the club. So you did what you thought would diffuse the situation the quickest. Wrapping an arm around his torso and placing a hand on his chest.

“Yup!” You grinned, nodding your head as you leaned into Sanemi, hoping frat boy #5 wouldn't notice him stiffening beneath your touch. “He's… my boyfriend!”

Tengen and Kyojuro were turning bright red as they both fought to control their laughter. Sanemi on the other hand was turning red for an entirely different reason. The last person to hug him was his mom, and that was a month ago. Unless you're counting when you accidentally leaned into him at that party thinking he was Kokushibo, but Sanemi didn't count that. He cleared his throat and awkwardly wrapped an arm around your waist. Trying his best to act like this was normal.

“Aw, my bad man, I didn't mean to come onto your girl like that.” He slurred out, swaying slightly as he patted Sanemi’s arm.

Of course he’s apologizing to Sanemi and not you. You thought bitterly as you maintained a forced smile and shrugged Sanemi off, pushing him back into the booth as the group began to throw down cash for the bill and got up to leave. Slurring out another apology, still not to you but to Sanemi as you counted out the cash they gave you. Glaring at the backs of their heads as you watched them leave, your eyes flickered past the bar and caught with Daki’s. A small smirk on her lips as she arched a brow at you. You’d explain later.

“Sorry about that.” You groaned, turning your attention back to Sanemi who was avoiding eye contact with you.

“It's fine.” He said, prying his gaze off of the sticky table and giving you a reassuring look.

“Okay cool, thanks for that they're such pricks I swear they've been-”

The sound of a throat clearing behind you shut you up instantly, you turned to be met with pink cat-like eyes. Dark shoulder length hair was pulled back and a well tailored suit jacket draped over his forearm. “Ive sent Kokushibo home for the night, and will be leaving soon myself. I trust you and Nakime will be fine to manage closing?”

Your eyelid twitched slightly. Like you and Nakime don't manage closing every night. “Yes of course Mr.Kibutsuji.”

“Hmmm.” He hummed and nodded his head, glancing over your shoulder and glaring slightly at Sanemi, Tengen and Kyojuro. “I was disappointed to hear that you and Kokushibo broke up.”

“Well I'm sorry to disappoint.”

Muzan leaned forward until his lips were ghosting against your ear. “I do hope you'll still consider helping us with our little project.” He murmured and a chill ran down your spine, taking a step back, you gave him a tight lipped smile and short nod in response. “Please make sure your other tables are getting as much attention as this one.” And with that Muzan left and disappeared into the crowd.

You turned and gave Sanemi a slight smile, still feeling off kilter from your interaction with Muzan. God he always freaked you out.

Sanemi and his friends were just as creeped out as you. Watching the interaction in uncomfortable silence as they finished off their drinks. Eyes glued to you as you stalked off and began to make your rounds with the other tables. Douma announced that he’d ‘gift the people with one more song’ as bodies crowded onto the dance floor. The rest of the club began to thin out, people crowded around the bar to close and settle their tabs, a lot of the tables doing the same.

You weaved through the departing crowd, a card reader and stack of receipts held in your hand. There was a slight flush to your cheeks from running around the club when you finally returned to their table to close out their tab. Splitting it up accordingly and handing them a pen to sign their receipts. Collecting them and stacking them in with your growing pile as you tucked your pen behind your ear.

“It was so good to see you guys. And hey, thanks again for earlier..” You chuckled awkwardly as you motioned towards Sanemi.

“Oh yeah… no problem.” He said, scratching the back of his neck hoping the warmth in them was from the alcohol. “Hey, how are you getting home?”

“Huh? I was just gonna take the train.” You shrugged, Sanemi was about to suggest that you split an uber, but before he could that demon with the shoulder length hair and rectangular markings was whispering something into your ear. You nodded in response. “I need to go help close out tabs at the bar, but hey I'll see you Monday! Get home safe!” You beamed over the crescendo of Douma’s final song. Giving him a warm smile and a slight wave goodbye with your fingers. Disappearing into the crowd behind the bar.

Sanemi, Kyojuro, and Tengen stumbled out of the club. The last of the stragglers were being rounded up and kicked out by Gyutaro and two guys who looked exactly like Sekido except they had green and yellow eyes. Soon the sidewalk outside of the club was littered with people stumbling and smoking and laughing. Kyojuro already had his phone out and was getting ready to order a ride back. Probably feeling way too drunk to stumble to the station and wait for a train.

“Sanemi, want me to add your place as a stop?” He offered, him and Tengen had an arm slung over the other’s shoulder for support as they struggled to stand.

“Uh… I actually think I'm gonna wait and take the train back with y/n.” A smirk spread across Kyojuro and Tengen’s face as they glanced towards each other then back at Sanemi. “What?” He slurred out, slightly defensive towards their questioning stares.

“I saw you starin at her a couple times toniiiight…” Tengen’s smirk grew even wider.

“Yeah, and you looked kinda pissed when Douma kissed her on the cheek.” Kyojuro added.

“That's because Douma pisses me off.” He said flatly. “And I wasn't staring at her, I was just…” Sanemi paused, starting to feel a bit flustered. “Look she's cool and I was a dick to her when we first met, im just trying to be her friend dont make it weird.”

Tengen put his arms up in mock surrender, swaying on unsteady feet. “Okay, okay I'm sorry.”

“Ya know, if you don't wanna switch partners any more, you should tell her.” Kyojuro said, checking his ride status. “The whole point of the class is like..” He gestured vaguely around him. “To be friends with people you'd never talk to otherwise.”

“Yeah and I think I'd secretly miss ink blot anyway.” Tengen added, propping an elbow against the brick wall for support.

“Yeah… I don't know.”

“Sanemi.” Tengen said flatly.

“What?”

“Dont be a bitch.”

A black Suv pulled up to the side of the road and the two started to stumble towards it. Waving him off as they piled in unceremoniously. “See ya monday morning Sanemi!” Kyojuro called out loudly as he shut the door and the car sped off.

Sanemi sighed as he leaned up against the brick wall outside of the club. Running his hands through his hair as the concrete below his feet seemed to sway and spin. He wasn't a bitch. Fucking Tengen.

Chapter Text

Tonight was an eventful night for sure, probably not the craziest one you’d ever had working in the club, but still eventful. You cringed to yourself when you thought about how you had wrapped your arms around Sanemi like that, still feeling a bit embarrassed. It did help that he had been cool about the situation. But you could tell that Daki was dying to ask you what the hell had happened.

Once Gyutaro, Karaku and Urogi got everyone out of the club you all tried to hurry up with closing duties. Nakime counted the register while you finished closing out all the tabs that had accidentally been left open. Daki and Enmu were cleaning the bar while Kaigaku and Aizetsu were polishing off and putting away glasses. Gyutaro, Karaku and Urogi handled cleaning the tables, while Douma packed up his records and DJ equipment. Between the ten of you, you were able to get everything done 20 minutes after closing.

“Thank you, everyone for being competent, except for Douma. Douma do not be late again or I will kill you.” Nakime said as you took the cash to the safe in Muzan’s office upstairs. Everyone followed behind you to grab their stuff from the lockers that were kept in the backroom adjacent to the office. Daki took Douma’s car keys from him before he could even think about driving and Gyutaro grabbed his motorcycle helmet. The room was filled with the rustling of fabric as everyone shrugged on their coats and collected their things. Daki had drifted towards you, still smirking like she was about to say something.

“Im so excited for my birthday party next weekend, you guys are all coming right?!” Douma squealed as everyone left the office and began to walk towards the front door. Earning a chorus of tired ‘yeahs’ from everyone as you all stepped outside. The cool night air felt nice in contrast to being stuck inside of a stuffy club for hours. Kaigaku, Karaku, Aizetsu and Urogi were already walking off. Calling out a few ‘good nights’ while Nakime locked the front door. Bringing an unlit cigarette to her lips she quickly walked to her car once the door was locked. Douma yawned dramatically, looping his arms over yours and Daki’s shoulders.

“Are you sure you'll still come even though Koku will be there?” Douma asked and you nodded your head in response as you all began to step back from the door.

“Yeah of course, I’d never miss your birthday-” Your words died out when you turned to see that Sanemi was standing outside the club, hands shoved in his pockets as he leaned against the brick wall.

“Hi Sanemi!” Douma grinned. “Hey, do you wanna come to my birthday party next weekend? It was so much fun to have you there last year!”

Sanemi was at Douma’s birthday party last year? Your jaw dropped slightly into a surprised smile as you looked up at Sanemi curiously.

He cleared his throat and his eyes dropped to his feet, not really in the mood to start anything. “Ill pass.”

“What are you still doing here?” You decided it would be best to say something before Douma could keep talking.

“Uh…” His eyes flickered to Douma’s arm that was looped around you. “You said that you were getting the train, and those guys were really bothering you earlier..” Their words were still ringing through his head. “I was gonna wait and take the train with you so you're not walking back alone.”

“Oh…” You said softly. “Thats actually really nice of you, thanks.”

Sanemi nodded in response as you untangled yourself from Douma’s grasp. Daki was pulling out the keys to Douma’s car, walking towards the black sedan parked behind Gyutaro’s motorcycle. The two siblings were snickering to each other about something as the 5 of you separated. Walking to their respective vehicles as you and Sanemi began to walk towards the trainstation.

“Night guys see you tomorrow!”

“See ya!” They all said, giving you a tired wave as Daki, Douma and Enmu got into the car while Gyutaro was already peeling down the street. Leaving just you and Sanemi as the two of you walked towards the station, hands stuffed in your coat pockets. Sanemi stumbled slightly, clearly still a bit drunk. You reached out and placed your hand underneath his elbow to help balance him.

“Careful, sure you'll make it to the station?” You laughed slightly as he steadied himself and continued to walk. Nodding his head in response as he tried to focus on walking straight.

“Yeah, I'll be fine.” He said, rolling his eyes at your amusement.

“Thanks for waiting for me to get off work to walk back with me, you really didn't have to do that.” Your voice was sincere as you glanced up at him, lips turned up into a soft smile. Hand still on his elbow to help him keep his balance.

“I don't mind…” He shrugged, a smirk tugging on his lips as he looked down at you from the corner of his eyes. “Besides…” He snickered. “I’d be a terrible boyfriend if I didn't."

“Fuck off!” You grinned, releasing his elbow and playfully shoving him to the side. “Those guys are known for starting fights, and I didn't want you getting punched again for me!” Your smile fell and you cleared your throat. “Seriously though… sorry if that made you uncomfortable.” You still felt a bit awkward about the whole ordeal.

“It's fine, really. Whatever got those guys to leave you alone. Im sorry they apologized to me instead of you, that was fucking ridiculous.” He scoffed. “Was I at least a good fake boyfriend?”

You put a hand over your heart and sniffled dramatically. “The best.”

The two of you arrived at the sparsely filled train station. The sound of your heels clicking against pavement echoed off of the white tiled walls and you took a seat on a brightly painted metal bench beside each other. Sanemi hung his head back as he sank further down the bench, trying to calm the nausea that was starting to set in.

“Ughhh, fucking Tengen, I shouldnt have done those Tequila shots.” He groaned, but then something cool pressed into the palm of his hand. You had pulled a bottle of water from your purse, a subtle and caring gesture that made his heart skip. Sanemi craned his neck up as he took a few slow drinks.

“Sooo…” You began, feeling a bit nervous over what you were about to say. “You were at Douma’s birthday party last year?”

Sanemi rolled his eyes, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and screwing the lid back onto the bottle of water. “Another instance of me getting kidnapped.” He groaned.

“I still think you secretly had fun tonight.”

“Yeah well…I didn't have fun that night.” He muttered in recollection of Douma’s birthday party last year.

You couldn't help but frown slightly. “What happened?”

“Like what happened at the party or what happened to make me not like Douma?”

“Both.” You shrugged.

A deep sigh escaped his lips as he hung his head back again, glancing at the digital sign that said the train would get to the station in 5 minutes. “Him and my ex-girlfriend got partnered in dem/hum last year. It’s why I was at his birthday party and… ugh I don't know. He just was always so… familiar with everyone he met, and it just bothered me. He was always hugging her or me, or telling her how pretty or cute he thought she was, and he just had no boundaries. And I would always tell him to fuck off, or stop talking to me, and he would just brush it off and laugh and act like I was just joking. It was just…really fucking frustrating.”

You nodded as you listened to him speak, seated on the edge of the bench, your body angled towards him. “I can understand that.” He shot you a questioning look. “Well I mean, I don't know, it's still different but I can see where you're coming from. He can kind of be a lot.”

“You don't seem to think so.” He pointed out, still looking a bit skeptical. You just shrugged your shoulders in response.

“He was one of the first people I met here, other than Daki and Gyutaro. We’ve known each other for over 2 years, I just know stuff about him that makes his whole…” You gestured in front of yourself. “personality make sense. If you got to know him you’d understand.”

“See…” He groaned, starting to sound a little frustrated, not with you just in general. “Thats what she would say, that demons like Douma deserved patience and compassion but I couldn't understand why. To me he was always just this flirty creep who she got stuck with and for some reason didn't mind. And I just didn't get it.”

The sound of a train rumbling on its tracks shook through the station, the high beam lights cast a ring of light around your silhouettes, and the wind created from the speed of the train blew yours and Sanemi’s hair back. You stood from the bench as the train ground to a halt, both of you slightly unsteady. Sanemi from drinking and you from walking in heels for so long. Together you stepped through the doors and into the quiet train compartment, a few other tired looking faces speckled around it. The two of you sat side by side again as you slipped into the first empty cluster of seats close to the door.

“And then at the party last year…” Sanemi continued without question, the tequila had clearly loosened his lips. You remembered his birthday party last year, Douma had somehow convinced Kokushibo and Muzan to let him reserve all of the upper floor booths at the club for his friends, free of charge as long as they still paid for drinks. Then did an after party at the house that went until sunrise. It was actually a really fun night, at least the parts you could remember, which weren't many.

“We got invited and we went to the infinity castle but that was also the day that she found out that she had been accepted to a university abroad to do her masters. And we just got into an argument right before leaving so when we showed up I was already in a shitty mood.” He groaned as he ran a hand through his hair. Tugging on it slightly in a mix of frustration and an attempt to sober himself up. “And she was upset because I was upset because I didn't want her to leave. And Douma just kept coming up and fucking bothering us and not taking the fucking hint. And after being there for almost 3 hours I just needed some air so I went outside and she followed me because she wanted to know what was wrong, and I told her that I wasn't okay with her leaving and she got really upset because it wasn't my decision to make.” He ran his hands over his face. “And then Douma came outside and fucking hugged me.” He rolled his eyes. “And I just, was not in the fucking mood and before I could really think about what I was doing I just… punched him. He stumbled back but he wasn't even phased. It was… weird.”

“Yeah, it's just kind of how he is.” Sanemi flashed you an annoyed look and you sighed. “Im sorry that probably seemed dismissive. I know Douma can be a lot, he was pretty similar with me and Kokushibo when we were dating. Kind of flirty, bad boundaries, but he was part of our whole group so it was… different. Kokushibo knew that's just how he was so it didn't phase him, but at that point they’d been friends with each other for like 3 years.”

“So you're saying Kokushibo has better control than me?” He said flatly and you narrowed your eyes at him.

“Dont be so melodramatic, you know that's not what I meant.” You chided and he looked away in embarrassment. “Im sorry that you and your girlfriend got in a fight.” You frowned.

“Ex-girlfriend.” He corrected you. “And it's fine, we broke up a couple months after that happened, so it's been a while.”

“Look…” You sighed as you both leaned back against the worn seats, your chin resting on your shoulder as you rolled your head towards his. “Douma’s a bit of an oversharer, but I'm still not very big on talking about other people’s trauma so what I'm going to say stays between us. Okay?”

Sanemi looked apprehensive but after a minute gave you a stiff nod.

“Earlier when Douma said he was a cult leader? That wasn't a joke.” Sanemi narrowed his eyes suspiciously at you. “I'm not joking, his parents led this cult called Eternal paradise or something. His dad was a human and his mom was a demon, and when Douma was born his dad thought that he was a god because of his eyes or something.”

“What?”

“Yeah, he was put on this pedestal and treated like a god by everyone, even his parents. They wouldn't hold him or let him play like a kid, he couldn't laugh or smile too much or be loud or be sad or be angry because he was expected to just be this stoic, all knowing, godly figurehead. All day he was just surrounded by these cult members all he knew was to preach and be worshipped. And his parents… his mom killed his dad then killed herself in front of him.” You said softly, brows knitting together as you remembered the night that Douma told you about what happened.

“Woah…” Sanemi’s eyes widened when he heard the last part.

“Yeah, he led the cult for another year on his own after that before it got raided by, of all things, the IRS when he was 13. He spent the next 5 years between foster care and living in hospitals for psychiatric evaluation. I can't remember exactly what he was diagnosed with, but it’s due to early and extreme childhood neglect. So he can't really read social queues. It's why he’s so overly friendly, why he can't really differentiate between someone expressing good vs bad emotions, why he’s so touchy, and why he can come across as insincere. Honestly?” You snorted softly. “I think given the circumstances he’s turned out surprisingly normal.”

“Holy shit.” Sanemi’s jaw was slack as he looked at you with widened eyes.

“Yeah.”

“What the fuck?”

“I know…” You said as you turned your head forward.

The train barrelled down a narrow tunnel and your heads shook against the seats as Sanemi processed your words. Rumbling on the tracks was the only thing to fill the car as the two of you sat in idle silence for a few minutes. Occasionally the train would grind to a halt and an automated voice announced the name of the station

“Thanks.” He said sincerely and you turned your head to look at him again. “For telling me.” He clarified.

“Yeah, no problem.” Your tone was equally sincere as a soft smile spread across your face.

“Hey so, who the fuck was the Michael Jackson impersonator?” He grinned and a loud laugh tumbled past your lips. In the midst of all sincerity and seriousness of your conversation you'd completely forgotten that he was drunk.

“My boss.” You chuckled and his face fell before he burst into laughter as well.

“Youre telling me you deal with drunk frat boys and a guy who looks like Michael Jackson every weekend? Remind me to be nicer to you on Mondays." He said, shaking his head. “I mean, god he just seemed so creepy.” His face fell slightly as if trying to back track on what he’d said. Ever since your argument in the library he was trying not to be so biased towards demons. Like calling them all creepy. “I mean-”

“Dont worry about it.” You cut him off with a reassuring smile. “Muzan is creepy, he's an aspiring politician who owns a string of night clubs. He’s like a cartoon villain.”

The train came to a halt and the automated voice announced your station through the speakers above. Both of you stood as you straightened out your skirt and clutched your coat closer to your body. Preparing yourself to step out into the chilly late September air. For a moment you walked in comfortable silence back to your apartments. Sanemi was no longer stumbling down the sidewalk, the effects of the alcohol lessened slightly.

“Hey… Can I ask you something?” Sanemi asked, breaking the silence.

“Considering you let me pick your brain about Douma it only seems fair.” The two of you walked slowly side by side. Not in any hurry to get home.

“Uhm.. What happened with you and Kokushibo at the game on Saturday?”

The clicking of your heels ceased and you stopped dead in your tracks. Frowning down at your feet as your eyes glossed over. Sanemi's stomach dropped as he took a few unceremonious steps towards you.

“Hey, fuck I-Im so sorry, I shouldn't have asked you that.” The words felt heavy and ungraceful on his tongue.

“No, no it's okay.” You assured him, picking your head up as you resumed your slow pace back to your apartments. “I just… told him that just because he couldn't have a relationship with his brother because he’s a human, that it didn't mean that I couldn't be close to mine. And then it just spiraled into something way bigger.”

“Was he in that demon/ human foster care thing?”

Your ears perked up at his words and you smiled softly at him. “You know about the DHII foster program?”

He shrugged. “A few kids at my high school were in it.”

There was a brief lapse in your conversation as you thought carefully on what you wanted to say.

“He wasn't in the foster program. It’s his twin brother.” Sanemi looked confused. “Look, again, this is something that stays between us. But Kokushibo was born a human, he had a rare blood disease that required regular blood transfusions. Because of it his doctors didn't think he would live past 25, but one day he went in for a blood transfusion and there must have been a mix up at the hospital because he was given blood from a demon.”

Sanemi almost looked terrified. “I thought that if humans were accidentally given demon blood they would die.”

“Normally they do, it's basically unheard of, and doctors still don't really know what makes it work in the rare times that the body does accept it. There’s only three documented cases of it happening. Weirdly enough, Tanjiro Kamado’s sister is one of them..”

“Really?”

“Yeah…” You nodded your head slowly as you continued to walk beneath the dimly lit street lights. “But anyway, Muzan is the one who donated the blood that turned Kokushibo into a demon, he cut his family off after it happened. But I kind of flung it in his face that he wasn't born a demon at the game and it, obviously, really pissed him off.” You tried to force out a laugh in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“I'm sorry.” Sanemi said softly as your apartment building came into view. “No one deserves to be treated like that, especially by someone who’s supposed to love them.”

Another moment of silence stemmed between you as you pulled open the glass doors to your front entrance and went for the elevator. For once it didn't take forever for it to arrive, and as soon as you pressed the button the doors slid open and you both stepped in. Your backs pressed against the mirrored wall.

“Hey, I uh… I never thanked you.”

Sanemi’s head perked up at your words as he looked at you, slightly confused. You looked over, sighing softly as you chewed on your bottom lip and furrowed your brows. Lost in thought on how to properly phrase what you wanted to say.

“For punching Kokushibo at that soccer game.” You said clarifying and Sanemi’s eyes widened in response. “I was never really able to fight him back, I don't know why.” Your voice was so soft that Sanemi could barely hear it over the hum of the fluorescent lighting above you. “But if you hadn't stepped in he might've just kept going until Akaza got there, or worse, Inosuke. I'm sorry he hit you.”

Before Sanemi could really think twice about his actions he was placing a gentle hand on your shoulder.

“Hey.” His tone matched yours, soft, bellying his normally tough and abrasive exterior. “If I was given the option I would do it again. Seriously.”

“Well, thank you.” The doors slid open and you pushed yourself off of the back wall, giving him one last soft smile. “Ill see you Monday.”

You were about to disappear down the hallway when Tengen's words echoed through his skull. Dont be a bitch. He took a few steps forward and placed a hand on either side of the elevator to prevent it from closing.

“Do you still want to switch dem/hum partners?” The words were tumbling out of his mouth before he could think too long about it.

You stopped and turned back to look at him. “Oh… Uhmm-”

“Look, I was a dick to you, and I'm sorry. But you're really cool, and I'd hate to switch after we just started to get along.” He was never very good at heart to hearts and for once he was thankful for the alcohol he’d had earlier. Bracing himself for your reaction, but you just smiled as you placed your hands on your hips.

“Cant believe it took you this long to figure out I was cool.” You straightened up slightly and dropped your hands to the side. “But in all seriousness, I agree. It’s been nice getting along.”

“So we're good?” He smiled

You nodded your head in agreement. “Yeah, we're good.” You were about to turn to walk away but before you could Sanemi stopped you.

“Hey, wait!” He was still holding the elevator doors open and you took in his appearance. An old leather bomber jacket hung over his torso, his hair was messier than usual, disheveled from drunkenly running his fingers through it. He had a wide smile on his face, and you realized that he’d been smiling at you a lot these past few days. It felt… nice. You arched a brow as you waited for him to continue.

“Can I meet Igor?”

“Yeah.” You said with a snort. “You can meet Igor." His grin widened and he stumbled out of the elevator as you both walked down the hall to your apartment. “Tanjiro and Zenitsu falling asleep in the living room has been a weekly occurrence so just be quiet at first.” You murmured to Sanemi who still seemed pretty drunk. Fumbling with your keys for a moment before you pulled the door open.

“Genyafuckingshoothim!” You were instantly met with the sound of Zenitsu yelling at Genya to shoot someone? Your light wooden coffee table had been pushed a few additional feet away from the couch, littered with empty bottles and a greasy pizza box. All of their eyes were too focused on the TV to notice that Sanemi was with you. Inosuke was on the couch with Zenitsu who was peering through his fingers. Tanjiro was on the floor beside Genya who had a controller in his hands and an intense look of focus. Your eyes darted between the four boys and then to the TV screen, it looked like some indie horror game.

You were unzipping your boots, tossing them to the side while Sanemi took in your darkened apartment that was currently only being illuminated by a TV screen. You had a small dark brown couch that was probably only big enough for 3 people with a coffee table in front of it. Framed pictures, a lot of ribbons and soccer trophies sitting on a book shelf, along with a litter of potted plants and worn books against the back wall by the dark hallway. It was too dark to see much else. You were walking towards the TV, looking down at the screen.

“What are you guys playing?” The graphics were… surreal, that's for sure.

“Oh hi y/n how was work?” Tanjiro asked warmly but before you could answer Inosuke interjected.

“Dont distract Jenga! We've been trying to get past this part for like 30 minutes and he’s the best at using the gun!”

“Hey you shouldn't talk to your sister like that.” Sanemi came to stand beside you, the tv glow the only thing that illuminated his features in the incredibly dark living room. Arms folded sternly over his chest.

All four of them let out a surprised gasp, looking like they were about to jump out of their skin, Genya included. The last thing they were probably expecting to see was Sanemi. So to a certain extent you could understand.

“What the hell is he doing here?” Inosuke gasped as Genya quickly paused the game.

“He wants to meet Igor.” You said as you walked past the TV and into the darkened hallway, motioning for Sanemi to follow. Using the light on your phone you navigated to the desk that was pushed up against the wall opposite from the door. Flicking on a small warm toned table lamp that flooded the room with soft light. Sanemi lingered in the doorway, suddenly feeling a bit out of place. Everything about your room looked so soft, the bed was draped in blankets, a few pieces of clothing were laying on the floor, pictures and posters dotted the wall and the edge of your desk. Right beside your desk was an old looking chest of drawers with a terrarium on top of it. You were pulling it open and placing your hand inside as a large bright green bug began to lazily crawl out.

“You don't have to stand in the doorway, you can come in.” You said as you turned to look at him, now standing in the far corner of your room.

He stepped in slowly, letting his eyes wander on a few of the pictures on your desk. There was one of you with Daki and the girl who he recognized as Akaza’s girlfriend, Koyuki. And another of you with a younger looking and very muddy Inosuke, and an old woman with white hair pulled into a bun.

“Here he is!” You grinned as you held out the lanky bug that was perched on your palm. “Isnt he cute!”

“I don't know if I'd say cute. He’s… cool looking. But not cute.” He chuckled as he lowered himself to get a better look.

“I think he’s cute.” You said decisively as the mantis began to crawl from your hand and back into its terrarium.

“You being attracted to Kokushibo makes sense now.”

Your jaw dropped and eyes widened at his comment. “Oh my god, catty much!” You gasped, smacking him lightly on the arm.

“It wasn't catty-”

“Oh come on, Daki could've said that.”

“So you think your friend is catty?” He teased.

“Daki knows she's catty.” You chuckled, picking up a spray bottle as you began to mist the inside of the terrarium.

Sanemi noted your bleary eyes, uncomfortable looking uniform, your jacket and purse discarded on your bed along with your phone which was buzzing rapidly. A wave of embarrassment washed over him and he suddenly felt intrusive standing in your room so late when you seemed so tired.

“YES!” A chorus of excitement came from the living room and Sanemi decided that now would probably be a good time to leave.

“Sorry, ill go get Genya so we can let you sleep.”

You looked over from where you were focused on the terrarium and nodded your head. “Okay, thanks again for walking me home.”

“No problem, uh ill see you Monday?”

You nodded again, a yawn left your lips and Sanemi started backing towards the door. “Yeah, see you Monday.”

Sanemi just gave you a quick nod and went to leave. Feeling a bit like an idiot. Why did he ask to come here? You'd just worked a full shift in an uncomfortable uniform waiting on drunk ass holes. You had probably just wanted to go to sleep. When he walked into the living room the four of them were already pulling the coffee table to the side and rolling out a narrow air mattress. Throwing a couple blankets over the couch and clearing away the mess.

“Gen come on, let's go.” Genya was already walking towards the door, waving goodbye to his friends as they walked out of your apartment and into the hallway. At first the two brothers walked in silence, but then Genya’s shoulders began to shake as they stepped into the elevator. Sanemi gave him a look as he kept quietly laughing.

“Are you drunk?” He said to Genya.

“Me being drunk is definitely not the most interesting thing going on right now.” He said through his laughter. “So-”

“It’s not like that.” He said flatly, cutting off Genya before he could even start.

As much as you were honestly enjoying talking to Sanemi, you were tired, and dying to get your stupid fucking uniform off. Quickly you grabbed a pair of pajamas and ran to the bathroom, needing to wash off the night club air. And after a quick shower you were ready for bed, moving quickly from the hallway to your room to try and avoid any conversation. Inosuke had some sweet friends but god they could talk for hours.

You tossed your coat and purse onto your desk and turned off your lamp before jumping into bed. Pulling the soft blankets over your body and up to your chin. Your phone, which had been vibrating on your bed side table since you got home, chimed a few more times. Finally you picked it up, squinting as bright light flooded your dilated pupils as you quickly lowered the brightness.

You put your phone on do not disturb and tossed it aside. So annoying. You thought to yourself, a smile spread across your lips as you sank into your bed and drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Text

The next morning you had to evade a slew of interrogating questions from Inosuke. Something that he didn’t normally do. Mostly revolving around why Sanemi had walked you home. But you just kept telling him the truth. That he had just walked you home to be nice. All you had to do was bring up his tutoring lesson on Tuesday for him to stop wanting to talk.

You and Sanemi texted a few times on Sunday. Mostly talking about meeting up at the library on Monday, and reminding him very nicely about the tutoring he’d agreed to do. He did ask you that night if the annoying frat boy group was back but thankfully they weren’t. You’d even added him to your contacts. So now when you text it read Sanemi! rather than its original default maybe; Sanemi. It felt nice to finally be getting along with him.

Monday afternoon you walked into the library a little after 3:30. Sanemi, punctual as it seemed he always was, was already there and waiting for you. You dropped your bag onto the floor and took a seat across from him. Yawning deeply as you began to pull your things out of your bag. Sanemi looked up and gave you a slight smile as you took out your things in silence.

“You good? You seem tired.” A slight smirk was on his face but there was still a hint of sincerity in his tone.

“Yeah.” You yawned again. “Work ran a little late Sunday night, but nothing I'm not used to.” You shrugged, returning his smile and flipping open your notebook.

“We can work on the project another day.”

You just shook your head in response. Resting your cheek in your palm as you looked up at him with bleary eyes.

“No really, I'm okay.” You tried to insist but another yawn slipped past your lips.

Sanemi shut his notebook and stared at you from across the small table. Leaning back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest, his eyes skeptical. Then without another word he began packing up his bag. Your brows furrowed, creasing your forehead as you looked up at him, head still slumped in your hand.

“What are you doing?”

“Come on.” As he finished packing the last of his things he walked around the table and began to pack yours. Neatly sorting everything into your bag for you.

You rolled your eyes and sat back in your seat, craning your neck to look up at him. “I said I'm fine, we need to work on the project.”

“Yeah I know but you're about to fall asleep.” A small laugh left his chest as a half smile formed on his lips. Head down as he finished packing up your bag, he grabbed the straps and held it out to you. “We'll still work on it. There's a really good coffee shop I like to go study at. Let’s go work there instead.”

You pursed your lips and stared up at him for a moment before taking your bag from his grasp and standing from your chair. Pushing it in with your foot you motioned for him to lead the way out of the library, following behind as he began to walk out. Muscle reflex tugged at the corner of your lips as you looked down at the bag he’d packed so neatly for you. He was actually… nice. Now that you were getting to know him, like Mitsuri said.

The blue skies were dimly lit and dotted heavily with big fluffy clouds as you both stepped out of the library and into the crisp early autumn air. Walking side by side as you made your way down worn pavement. A gust of wind blew through the courtyard and you folded your arms tightly together in an attempt to block it. Shivering slightly in response.

“Cold?” Sanemi smirked as he looked down at you.

“What gave it away?” Your tone was sarcastic as you returned his smirk. Arms still folded across your chest.

Sanemi snorted and returned his gaze forward. “Wimp.”

“Ouch.” You put a hand over your heart in mock offence. “Whatever, you're probably one of those guys who wears shorts when it snows out.”

“What does that even mean?”

You looked up at him with a grin and shrugged. “I don't know, it's like, the cold is challenging your masculinity so you have to wear shorts.”

“The cold is challenging my masculinity?” He snorted and looked back down at you, a confused but still amused smile on his face. “Is that what you think of me?” Your eyes met his, cheeks flushed slightly from the cold as you continued to walk briskly down the street.

“No, I was joking.” You laughed.

“I mean like, yeah ill wear them to soccer practice but thats it.”

“Oh my god I knew it!” You grinned triumphantly.

“It’s the uniform, I have to wear it!” He laughed. “I’d be a terrible team captain if I didn't, gotta lead by example."

“Sounds like an excuse.”

“For what?”

Your grin widened as a snorting laugh left your lips. “Wearing slutty shorts!”

The sound of your conjoined laughter pierced the now still air, the streets around you surprisingly sparse as your feet continued to carry you forward. Your cheeks hurt from a mix of the cold air, occasional wind and laughter.

“I'd hardly say they're slutty.” He finally commented as your laughter subsided.

“You sound disappointed.”

All Sanemi could do was shake his head and roll his eyes, a broad smile still spread across his lips. “Dick.”

“Not since Kokushibo and I broke up- oh!” The two of you finally neared the coffee shop you had been following Sanemi to. “I love this place.”

“Really?” Sanemi’s pace slowed as he grabbed the door handle and pulled it open for you. Warm toned lights and the smell of espresso filled the cafe as you stepped inside of the familiar space. “Me too, I'm here all the time.” He said as he stepped in behind you and let the door swing shut, finally blocking out the mild but irritating cold.

“No way, I'm honestly surprised we’ve never seen each other here. I come here like 3 times a week.” You were already shuffling your bag off of your shoulder to shrug off your jacket. Sanemi was doing the same as the two of you stepped into the short line so you could order.

“We probably will now.” He joked, a lazy grin from your earlier bantering still on his face.

“Yeah, probably.” You nodded your head and looked down at your feet with a smile. “I swear after we got partnered in dem/hum I saw you everywhere.” You chuckled, picking your head up to look at him.

“Me too!” He exclaimed and motioned towards himself. “It was uh…”

“Annoying?” You teased as you arched a brow.

His face fell and his cheeks reddened subtly.

“It's cool!” You chuckled and shook your head. “I was annoyed too.”

“Really?” He said sarcastically as you both shuffled forward.

You were about to make an equally sarcastic remark when you saw two people getting up from your favorite spot. Two worn leather chairs with a small coffee table between them near the front by a big window. Probably not the best place to sit when you were so tired, but you could always move. Your eyes shone with excitement as you looked up at Sanemi with an eager grin and shoved your bag into his unexpecting arms.

“Ill get your coffee, go save those seats before someone else gets them!”

Sanemi, who was now awkwardly cradling your bag glanced at the chairs over his shoulders before turning back to you with slightly narrowed eyes. “Youre gonna fall asleep if we sit there.”

“You don't know that!” You protested, folding your arms and narrowing your eyes in return. He was probably right. After a few more seconds of staring at you he rolled his eyes and a soft smirk returned to his face.

“Fine, get me an Americano?” He said, already turning to walk towards the chairs.

“Boring, but okay.” You teased as you stepped forward in line and Sanemi left to sit down. He placed your bag in the cushiony chair across from him, pulling out his laptop and notebook as he began to turn it on. A few cups still lingered on the coffee table from the last people but before Sanemi could do anything someone else was already collecting them.

“Hey Sanemi!” The familiar voice greeted him warmly.

“Oh, hey Suma.” He said, picking his head up from his laptop as he moved it to the now cleared coffee table.

“Hey, our coffees’ll be out in a minute.” You said as you approached and picked up your bag from the seat and began to rummage through it. But your attention was quickly pulled away. “Oh, hey Suma!” You grinned, taking a seat and resting your bag in your lap. Another thing you really liked about coming to this cafe is that Suma worked here, and would occasionally give you an extra shot of espresso in your coffee for free.

“Hey!” She grinned back. “Aw I didn't know you'd be here, I would've taken your order and given you an extra treat for free.” She pouted.

“Oh uhhh…” You glanced at the glass display of pastries. “Not much I probably could've eaten anyway, unless I'm okay with getting sick.”

“Ohhh right right right, demon, sorry!” She blushed. “I'm sad you and Tengen aren't going to be dem/hum partners anymore!” Suma frowned slightly. “I was so looking forward to the 5 of us hanging out, but I'm glad to see you two getting along! …finally” The last part siad more to herself than the two of you. Her eyes glanced from you to Sanemi who sat up slightly in his chair. Eyes pulling away from his notebook.

“Were uh, working on the project.” He clarified, he didn't know why but a part of him still felt awkward about the thought of hanging out with you outside of working on the project. Even if it had already happened a few times, but that was out of his control.

“Hmm, right.” Suma smirked at him subtly before pulling her gaze away. Another girl came and set down your coffees and Suma took that as her hint to leave. “Well ill see you guys later!”

“See ya!” You grinned, waving her goodbye.

“Yeah, bye.” Sanemi said, watching her disappear to the back before returning his attention to you. You had your laptop balanced on your kness, watching as it powered on. Leaning forward you picked up your coffee and took a sip, a soft smile forming on your lips. Your eyes darted up from your screen and before he could even realize that he had been staring you were looking back at him.

“What?” You chuckled.

His eyes widened as he filtered through his brain for something to say that would justify why he had been staring at you. Why the hell was he even doing that in the first place? “So…” He began and his eyes darted to the nearly empty pastry case. “I know they said in dem-hum that your biology is different but are you actually only a carnivore?” He finally managed to get out.

“Oh!” You blinked in surprise, slightly taken aback by his intrigue. “Yeah, I can eat meat, raw or cooked, eggs, milk, stuff like that is easy to digest.” You said, setting your laptop down on the table and picking your coffee back up. Sanemi found himself mirroring your actions as he sat back in his seat. “Breads for the most part are okay, same with noodles and rice but I can't have too much. And then stuff like fruit and certain vegetables can make me really sick, mostly because of the sugar in them.” You shrugged.

“Wait, can you not have sugar?”

“I…can? Sort of.” You chuckled. “So think of the worst food poisoning or hangover you've ever had.”

“I prefer not to but okay.”

“Thats how I feel when I eat sugar… or fried food.” You closed your eyes and took a sip of your coffee. “Or stay in direct sunlight for too long.”

“What?” Sanemi sputtered out a laugh, setting down his coffee and leaning forward. Forearms resting on his knees as he stared at you with wide eyes. “And here I thought demons were these practically invincible beings.”

“Mmm, no.” You hummed. “Sometimes I feel more like a sensitive houseplant.”

“You said it, not me.” He grinned, earning a playful glare from you. “Did you find out the hard way?” Your eyes widened and you gave him a quick nod.

“They always told us in the group home not to, and didn't let us eat anything like that. But when I got moved into Hisa’s care with Inosuke he got me to eat a Mcdonalds french fry once.”

“Was it really that bad?”

“Yeah, I think that's the closest I've ever gotten to dying.” You laughed, mug still clutched between your hands as you let it warm your palms. “Which is a shame because it was pretty good.”

“Wow, I can't believe a demon as strong and powerful as you was brought down by a singular french fry.” He joked, earning a snorting laugh from you.

“Next time I won't be bested.” You warned and you both laughed softly.

The two of you held your coffee cups tightly in your hands as your notes lay scattered on the table and forgotten. Too taken up with your conversation to remember why you were actually there. The sound of people chattering softly, turning pages from books and soft jazz music playing from a speaker nearby filled the cafe.

“I actually didn't know any of that…” Sanemi said, laughing awkwardly as he looked down at his hands.

“That's okay.” You shrugged. “Most humans don't, it's not really something to feel embarrassed about.”

“Hmm.” He hummed, and a part of him was starting to understand why demon/human history was a required class. Maybe it actually was important. Not so he could learn that sugar and too much sunlight makes you throw up. But because it was one of the many things that made him realize that you were just… a person.

“You okay?”

Your question pulled him from his thoughts and he quickly nodded his head.

“Yeah I'm good.” His voice was soft at first. “I'm just thinking about how much of a loser you are for being taken out by a singular french fry.”

“In my defense it was actually like 4.”

“What a warrior.” He clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“God, all the sassy comments. You’d think you grew up with sisters.”

“I did grow up with sisters actually.”

“Really?!” You gaped.

“Tch, now you’re surprised.” He rolled his eyes and brought his cup to his lips. The coffee now cooled, he’d lost track of how long you'd both been talking. You did too, but neither of you cared enough to say anything. Too engrossed in the other’s words to want to return attention to the project.

“How many?”

“Two.” He smiled, mostly to himself. “Both younger, and 4 younger brothers, including Genya.”

“Holy shit!” You gasped, leaning forward in your seat as you looked at Sanemi in shock. “So you're the oldest of seven?!” Slowly you leaned back again, seeming almost distracted. “I always wondered if I had any siblings, like biological siblings..” You said softly, eyes fixed on the warm wooden floor beneath your feet. A faraway look in your eyes like you were lost in thought, but it didn't last long. Soon you snapped your head up, a deep blush on your face. “Sorry…” You sputtered out and shook your head. As if dispelling the lingering thoughts. “That was-”

“Dont be sorry.” Sanemi said firmly before you could continue. “I think if I was in your position I'd probably wonder the same thing.”

“Thanks..” You smiled softly and held your mug a little tighter. “You definitely seem like an older sibling.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“Good.” You assured, nodding your head softly. “You seem responsible, and like you care. I can tell because you're always asking Genya where he is whenever he’s at mine with Inosuke and everyone.”

“I..” He paused, scratching the back of his neck and glancing down. He could feel the familiar warmth of a blush creeping onto his cheeks as he quickly tried to will it away. “Sorry, by the way.”

You gave him a puzzled look, cocking your head to the side as you set down your cup.

“That they're always at your place.” He clarified. “No idea how you got stuck with all of them constantly there. That’d drive me crazy”

“It’s not a big deal, I really don't mind.” You shrugged. “I know that Zenitsu and Tanjiro have a chill RA but I still worry about them drinking in the dorms. They're such good kids I don't want them to get in trouble.” A slight smirk tugged at your lips. “And something tells me they wouldn't want to hang out at Genya’s.” You tried to suppress your laugh as you looked at Sanemi from over your coffee cup. Using it to cover your amused grin.

“Whats that supposed to mean?”

You arched a brow and stared at him for a moment before realizing that he was being serious. “Oh come on!” You laughed. “Do you really want them playing video games in your living room every weekend until 3 am anyway?”

“Good point.” He smirked. “Thanks for taking one for the team.”

“No problem.” You laughed. “And again their RA is really cool and really likes Zenitsu and Tanjiro but I don't know.”

“No, that's fair. I'd worry about Genya drinking in the dorm halls too. I uh… I really do appreciate you always letting them hang out there. It’s pretty cool of you.”

“I really don't mind!” You grinned, and Sanemi could tell from the tone of your voice that you really didn't.

“Who is their RA anyway?”

“It's this guy named Giyuu Tomioka.” You said, leaning forward to set your cup back down and didn't catch Sanemi's face falling into a slight scowl. “Inosuke, Tanjiro, and Zenitsu all think he’s so cool. Him and Kyojuro! You should see the three of them when they talk about either of them, they're like a little group of fan girls. One time-” You paused when you saw Sanemi’s face change. Arching a brow as you gave him a confused look. “You okay?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I just… don't like that guy.” He grimaced.

“What? Why?” You laughed in disbelief.

Sanemi shrugged his shoulders. “I don't know, he just seems so.. Self righteous.”

“What?!” You snorted, thinking about what he said for a moment. “I think you can sometimes be a bad judge of character.” You said honestly.

“What?” He snapped. “How?”

“Like three weeks ago you told me that you were surprised my caretaker wasn't afraid I would eat Inosuke…” You pointed out and Sanemi winced slightly with embarrassment. “Now you're having so much fun talking to me that we haven't done any work on the project.”

Sanemi snickered slightly. “I wouldn't call talking to you fun, maybe more like charity.” He murmured against the rim of his cup.

Your jaw dropped at his response. Eyes widening as you stared at him with disbelief.

“Ugh, joking, chill out.” He chuckled. “And I'll admit, I judged you when we first met without trying to get to know you, but that's different. I've actually talked to Tomioka, still don't like him.”

“Hmm, still not convinced.”

“Why?”

“I just don't get how you don't like him.” You shrugged. “Like, I'll give you Douma, his personality can be a lot to handle sometimes, even for me. But like, I don't know, he just seems so nice.”

“Ugh, stop questioning why I don't like people.” He groaned. “It's so annoying.”

“Oh no, am I going to get back on the seemingly endless list of people Sanemi Shinazugawa hates?” You feigned distress and he rolled his eyes.

“It's really not that long.”

“Now I'm even more upset that you had me on it to begin with.” Your voice was teasing.

“I never hated you, you're so dramatic.”

Your jaw dropped dramatically and he snapped his fingers and pointed at you as if saying I told you so.

“I actually don't hate many people. Just Tomioka and Douma…” He thought for a moment then shook his head. “And Kokushibo, fucking hate that guy.”

You shifted awkwardly in your chair. “Yeah I can't blame you for that one… sorry again you got punched because of me.”

“Oh shit, no, stop apologizing for that.” He said quickly. “I don't hate him because he punched me, I hate him because he hurt you when he knew you couldn't hurt him back. It’s a really fucked up thing to do, especially to your partner.”

You were too stunned to speak. Sanemi had been pretty vocal about his opinions on Kokushibo and his behavior since the two of you met. And the fact that he felt so strongly always caused a warmth to bloom in your chest. All you could do in response was nod your head in understanding, the two of you now sat in silence. Eyes drawn to your abandoned notes and lap tops. The sound of your phone buzzing stole your attention and you pulled it out really quickly to see a text from Daki.

You rolled your eyes and shoved your phone back in your pocket, deciding to ignore it for now.

“Sorry, just Daki texting me.”

“No problem.” Sanemi pulled out his phone to check the time. “We don't have long until they close, we should probably try to work on the project.”

You just nodded your head in agreement and picked up your laptop. Sanemi made a shared google doc so you could start the introduction of your essay. Occasionally you'd add a silly note into the google docs and Sanemi would roll his eyes and delete it. Which only made you want to do it more. You’d look over your shared notes and ask the others opinion as you worked to actually start the essay. It was the end of September and if you weren't careful the end of the semester would creep up on you. This was something you'd learned from experience.

“Hey guys!” Suma called from behind the counter. You and Sanemi pulled your heads up from your notes and both of you blushed upon realizing you were the only two left still in the cafe.

“Sorry Suma!” You both said in unison and quickly began to gather your things. Bringing your cups to the counter as you both said bye to her and left the coffee shop. Stepping back out into the cool air.

“Okay so, you’re still good to do tutoring and work on the project again tomorrow?” You said hopefully.

“Yeah…” Sanemi sighed reluctantly and you let out a small squeal.

“Thank you!” You clapped your hands together as you looked up at him with wide eyes and an appreciative smile. “Seriously, he’s already doing so much better!”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Always so sarcastic. You thought and rolled your eyes. Turning on your heels the two of you were about to start walking back to your apartments when a familiar suv pulled up beside you and screeched to a halt. The windows rolled down to reveal Daki and Gyutaro were sitting in the back seat while Koyuki was in the front passenger seat and Akaza was driving.

“Get in, loser we’re going shopping.” Daki smirked.

“How did you even know I was here?” You said, clearly confused.

“We all share our location, remember!” Koyuki reminded you as Daki looked at you with a satisfied smirk. You had completely forgotten, but Gyutaro and Akaza could be pretty protective of Daki and Koyuki. Somehow you’d also gotten thrown into the mix. This is what you got for ignoring Daki’s text.

You grinned and took a few steps closer. “Right, okay what's the occasion?”

“I want a new outfit for Douma’s party.” She said.

“We also need to get him a birthday present!” Koyuki reminded everyone who groaned slightly in response. Douma was a hard person to shop for.

“Hey shinazugawa, you coming to the party this weekend? ” Akaza leaned forward, his hands still on the steering wheel as he looked at a surprised Sanemi. Daki, Gyutaro and Akaza all stared at him while Koyuki gave him a friendly smile.

“No pressure if you don't want to, but Douma did say that you were invited.” You said, pulling his attention away from your smirking friends.

“Yeah no pressure, but we could use your help if Akaza decides to be a dumb ass and fight Kokushibo again.” Gyutaro said, patting Akaza on the cheek who grimaced slightly “Kyojuro is going so you won't be the only human.” Akaza added.

“I actually can't this weekend. Genya and I are going home for the weekend after the game on Friday.”

“Aw, that's really sweet.” You said softly.

“Yeah well…” He smirked. “I also just don't want to.”

“Whatever, see you in class tomorrow.” You went to pull the car door open but before you could Sanemi reached out and grabbed your hand.

“Hey wait!” But he quickly dropped your hand. “Uh, sorry.” Sanemi took a slight step back. “I was just wondering if you were coming to the game on Friday.”

“Couldnt wait to ask her tomorrow?” Daki smirked and you shot her a look.

“Yeah of course I am! Can't wait to see Inosuke out play you!” You pulled the door open and slid into the car, shutting it behind you before he could think of a clever response. “Later Sanemi!” You called out from the still open window as Akaza drove off.

It was Wednesday when Sanemi found himself back in the coffee shop. He had a big test tomorrow that he needed to study for and he always was better at studying in social settings. Unfortunately for him it seemed like a lot of people had the same idea because every table was full. After ordering he scanned the crowd with narrowed eyes, hoping he’d see someone getting up to leave. He wanted to say that he was surprised but in all reality, he wasn't at all when his eyes landed on you. Face buried in a book, sitting alone at a table tucked into the corner of the warm cafe.

For just a moment he contemplated just going outside, he didn't want to bother you. You’d already seen him 3 times in the last 4 days. At what point was he going to start coming off as a stalker? But at the same time it was pretty windy today, probably not the best studying environment. So after giving the cafe one last cursory glance he walked up to where you were sitting. Tapping against the top of your book with his pointer finger, at first your head snapped up in annoyance. As if you were about to tell him to fuck off. But upon seeing that it was Sanemi your harsh expression softened.

“Well, can't say I'm surprised.” You laughed, setting your book down on the small wooden table in front of you. A few highlighters and pens were scattered around you. Sanemi looked down at the book that was still held open with your thumb, a few passages highlighted and annotated.

“Yeah, don't think I can either.” His expressions mimicked yours as a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Mind if I sit with you?” He motioned around to the occupied tables. “I have a test I really need to study for and if I spend another minute in the library I'm gonna fall asleep.”

“No, I mind so much.” You grinned sarcastically. “Yeah of course.” Your hands gracefully picked the book back up as you returned to reading while Sanemi took the seat across from you.

“Smart ass.” Sanemi muttered after pulling out his text book and setting up on the table. Mindful not to invade your space. His comment earned a nudge as the tip of your sneaker poked into his shin, eyes stayed glued to your book but you laughed softly and shook your head.

The two of you sat like this for the next 30 minutes while Sanemi silently studied and you continued to read. Occasionally you would stop to highlight a sentence and scribble a note into your book. A few times Sanemi tried to glance at the title but your book was folded in a way that he couldn't. So he continued to force his focus on the actual task at hand until he got to a spot where he felt he had earned a break. Maybe you did too.

“Is that for the lit. theory class you have with Misturi?” He asked, breaking the comfortable silence. Sanemi leaned forward against the table, glancing curiously at the pages you were reading.

“Hm?” You hummed, pulling your head up as you rested the book against the table again. “Oh, no, I'm just reading this one for fun.”

“You’re annotating it.” He pointed out. “For fun?”

“I am.” You grinned up at him, shutting the book so the cover was finally visible. “I like reading.”

“Whats it about?” He asked, leaning back in his seat.

“A small coastal town in France ravaged by a mysterious illness, it follows the narrative of a few different residents.” You said. “Big themes of isolation and resilience, it's good.” When you looked up Sanemi had an amused grin on his face as he looked at you curiously from across the table. “What?” You furrowed your brows.

“I bet you were an emo kid in highschool.”

“What- how does that-” You stammered out. “So what if I was?”

“Oh my god I knew it!” He grinned, his tone almost triumphant. “No wonder you get along with Tomioka.”

“Do you think it's too late for Gyutaro and I to switch partners?” You hummed, theatrically tapping your pointer finger against your chin, as if thinking seriously.

“God, so dramatic.” He sighed and rolled his eyes, returning his attention to his text book. “Typical emo kid.”

You gave him another playful kick as the two of you laughed softly and returned to your respective tasks. Him to his studying and you to your book, until the words and numbers on each of your respective pages began to blur together.

“I think I'm gonna go.” You said closing your book as you began to pack your bag.

“Yeah me too, this all stopped making sense to me like 5 minutes ago.” Sanemi sighed and began to pack his things too. The two of you swung your bags over your shoulders and left, beginning the walk back together.

“Oh, hey!” You snapped your fingers and pointed at him, adjusting the canvas straps on your shoulder. “Dont forget that we have a test in dem hum tomorrow.”

“Ugh fuck, completely forgot about it.” He groaned.

“Dont worry, it's an open note test.” You reminded him. “And we work on it together.”

“I never realized how easy this class actually is.” He chuckled. “I can't believe I put off taking it for so long.”

“I know, but now you get to be my partner!” You grinned enthusiastically and looked up at Sanemi. Hands clasped together in front of you.

Sanemi looked down at you and gave you a soft smile before looking straight ahead again and shoving his hands in a pocket with a shrug. “Big mistake on my part.”

Your elbow collided with his stomach and he groaned, keeling over as he clutched his ribs. It was meant to be playful but…

“Oh fuck!” You squealed, covering your mouth with your hands as your eyes went wide. “Fuck im so sorry!”

“Holy shit.” Sanemi grunted out, still clutching his stomach. “You’re really strong when you wanna be huh?”

“Eeh, ohmygod are you okay?” Your voice high as you went to help him but Sanemi was already straightening out on his own.

“Seems like those training sessions with Akaza are paying off.” He said with a low cough.

“Ive only done one.”

“Youre a natural then, remind me not to get on your bad side." He said with a chuckle, still clutching his stomach as they two of you resumed your walk.

“I did mean it playfully!” Your voice was heavy with concern as you looked at him, brows knit together.

“I know, I know, don't worry.”

The walk back to your apartments was short and mostly filled with you apologizing for elbowing him so hard. In your defense every time you'd done that to Gyutaro or Akaza they hadn't gotten hurt that badly. “Even Inosuke was always fine whenever I used to do that.”

“God no wonder that kid’s such a tank on the field.” He murmured, more to himself than to you. But his acknowledgement of him still made you smile. “Seriously it's fine, don't worry.”

“Okay.” The elevator dinged and the doors to your floor slid open. “Well ill see you tomorrow in dem-hum.”

“And probably at the game on Friday.” He added.

“And then probably everyday for the rest of our lives at the rate we're going.” It was meant to be a stupid joke about how often you were accidentally running into each other. Not… like that. Your cheeks burned slightly as you looked away in embarrassment but Sanemi just laughed.

“Sick of you already.” He teased.

“Watch it or I'll elbow you even harder.”

“Okay, okay.” He put his hands up in surrender. “Now get out of here before I reawaken your wrath.”

“Whatever,” You chuckled and rolled your eyes. “Bye.”

“Bye.” He smiled, watching as you disappeared down the hall and the elevator doors slowly slid back together.

Chapter Text

You and Sanemi found yourselves falling comfortably into a routine, meeting on Mondays at the library to work on your project. Occasionally the two of you would stay there longer to work on other assignments but you were usually too tired after working all weekend. Then you would walk back to your apartments together and say goodbye in the elevator. On Tuesdays you had class together and he would tutor Inosuke while you ‘worked’ on the project at his place. Although you'd typically get distracted and end up doing something else. And of course you’d always see him in class on Thursday.

And suddenly and without realizing it, you'd both become a constant in the other’s lives.

Of course it wasn't done on purpose, you hadn't chosen to be friends. You had been partnered up, forced to coexist and talk and plan and work together all while in the other’s company. And somewhere along the way you both started to enjoy it. The occasional bumping into each other at the coffee shop, seeing the other unexpectedly in the elevator (now that you’d both stopped avoiding each other), talking in class, joking together when you worked on the project. When you first met him you never thought that the two of you could actually be such good friends.

A part of you even got excited to see him at the soccer games, although you would never admit that to yourself… or Daki, or Koyuki, or any of your friends for that matter. So you downplayed it and decided that those feelings of excitement were just from seeing Inosuke’s team doing so well. And by doing so well you meant winning every game by a landslide!!

Before you knew it, the first month of the semester was officially over. And as you stepped into October the days began to grow shorter, and colder, the leaves transitioned into hues of deep orange, red, and yellows and everywhere you went seemed to smell like rain and cinnamon. It was a nice part of the year and you were looking forward to fall break in a couple of weeks.

It was the first Thursday of the month and you were sitting in demon human history beside Sanemi. Daki, Misturi, Kyojuro and Akaza were sitting in the row in front of you while Tengen and Gyutaro sat in the row behind you. The lesson for the day had concluded and the groups were expected to be using the remaining time to work on the final project. After a few weeks of meeting twice a week the two of you had managed to finish half of your essay.

“At this rate we'll probably be finished with this by the end of the month.” Sanemi commented as you shuffled through a few of your notes.

He was right, now that you two didn't spend all of the time meant to be working on the project arguing you had managed to actually get a lot done for the final project. Not to mention you and Sanemi had discovered that the two of you happened to work well together. The realization that the two of you wouldn't spend every Monday and Tuesday together anymore made you feel…sad. Sure you'd still see each other in class… and at games… and at the coffee shop, and probably in the elevator too. But still, that time was always just in passing.

“Thank fuck.” Daki said before you could respond. Turning in her seat to face you with an annoyed pout on her lips. “Ever since the two of you stopped hating each other we never get to hang out anymore.” She frowned.

“We didn't hate each other.” You said, looking at Sanemi who was nodding his head in agreement with you.

“Yeah we just… had an adjustment period?” Sanemi said hesitantly.

Daki smirked slightly, her eyes flickering back and forth between you and Sanemi. “Yeah… sure.” She said, sounding unconvinced. “Anyway, can we please hang out soon? Oh, do you want to come over and hang out before work, we can all drive together?”

“Ehh I don't know, Kokushibo will probably be there and I don't really want to run into him.”

Sanemi who had been beside you, listening passively to you and Daki talking, perked up slightly at the mention of your exes name. Trying not to make it obvious that his interest had been piqued as he continued to try to put on a nonchalant front. It wouldn't bother him to hear you mention Kokushibo if he hadn't done what he did at the soccer game. He was just being a good friend by being concerned. He contemplated saying something but Daki spoke before he could.

“Yeah, what did you two even talk about at Douma’s party?” She was nearly fully turned around in her chair and facing you. Legs crossed over the side of her chair with one arm resting across the back. Red painted lips pursed and winged eyeliner seemed to accentuate her suspicious glances.

Now Sanemi couldn't help but make it known he had been paying attention to your conversation. “Did you guys talk at Douma’s party?” He asked with forced disinterest, glancing at you from the corner of his eye and he could hear Tengen snorting behind him.

“We did, it was… awkward.”

“What?” Akaza turned around in his seat, mimicking Daki’s position. Actually so were Mitsuri and Kyojuro too, now fully invested in what you were about to say.

“Why didnt anyone tell me, I told him to leave you the fuck alone.”

Akaza had made it pretty clear he didn't want him bothering you at the party. There had been a few odd attempts to approach you throughout the night but everytime he got close Akaza was like a guard dog. Making you, Koyuki, and Daki move whenever he tried to get close. It was honestly a miracle another fight didn't break out between the two.

“Oh my god calm down, you're so dramatic.” Daki said scoldingly. “Anyway, spill it. You've been avoiding telling me for like two weeks. And we never get to hang out because someone-” She shot a sharp glare at Sanemi. “Is taking up like all your free time.”

“Ugh-” You groaned softly and ran your hands over your face. It was fair of them to want to know what had happened. “It wasn't anything big, you know when I left you and Koyuki to get some air on the patio?”

“Yeah?” Daki arched her brows.

“Which I told the three of you not to do.” Akaza said, earning a sharp kick from Daki beneath the tables.

“Okay mom, stop interrupting.” She hissed pointedly before turning back to you. “Okay, continue.”

“Well he was already out there, we talked for a bit, he apologized, blah blah asked me about my classes…” You trailed off slightly, prepared to leave it there.

“Then what? Cause you didn't look like you’d just been talking about classes when I came out to find you.”

“Then he asked if we could talk about us, and-.” Sanemi stiffened beside you.

Mitsuri gasped, her eyes widened and her hands flew up to cover her mouth. “No he didn't!"

“I know, the audacity!” Daki said, matching Mitsuri’s shocked expression. “What did you say?”

”I said no, obviously! Then I told him I didn't want to get in the way of being able to hang out with his friends, or make things weird and that's-” You pointed at Daki. “when you came outside.”

“I knew he said some shit like that to you.” She scoffed, folding her arms over her chest in annoyance and rolling her eyes.

This for some reason brought an influx of questions to Sanemi’s head. Did you accept his apology? Was there a part of you that wanted to talk with him about the two of you? Do you still think about him? Do you- The sound of rustling notes, screeching chairs and footsteps around him pulled Sanemi from his suddenly derailed train of thought. You were already standing, bag half packed and on your shoulder.

“Can I come over today then?” Daki was currently occupying all of your attention and for a moment Sanemi thought about slipping past you. A bit freaked out by all of the questions your admission had brought to his attention. Sure he could be concerned, at this point the two of you were friends, no one could deny it. He’d be a shitty friend to not be worried. But why would he want to know all of that.

“I don't know about today, I really need to get some reading done for my lit. theory class tomorrow.” You sighed. “Mitsuri, could I borrow your notes for that class?”

“Yeah sure, I can text them to you!”

“Daki, you should come to the dojo on Saturday.” Akaza cut in. “Koyuki and her dad would be really happy to see both of you.” He said looking between Daki and Gyutaro.

“Yeah you should, it's been so long since we've all gone to Koyuki’s!” You agreed with excitement. “Plus Kyojuro’s been coming so we’d all have equal sparring partners!”

“Yeah, it's been really fun!” Kyojuro said, matching your eager tone. “You should come, the more the better!” He grinned. Daki pursed her lips as she gave him a quick up and down. Arms crossed passively as she looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes.

“Hmph- maybe.” She muttered.

You and Kyojuro hang out? Sanemi thought, a traitorous emotion that he refused to name bubbled in his chest.

“Sanemi you should come too!” You said, once again pulling Sanemi from his thoughts.

“Yeah… maybe.” He shrugged as he got up from his seat to get ready to leave. “Hey are you coming to the game tomorrow?”

Your eyes widened with excitement and an eager grin spread across your lips, basically already answering Sanemi’s question. But before you could give him a verbal response Daki had her leather bag on her shoulder as she marched over to where the two of you stood. An almost dangerously irritated expression marring her pretty features.

“Ughh stop trying to steal all of her attention!” Daki groaned as she linked your arm in hers and started pulling you towards the door.

“See you at the game tomorrow!” You said quickly as Daki began to drag you away from him. Dropping your waving hand you turned your attention back to your friend. Her expression seemed far more satisfied now that your focus was back on her as you stumbled to keep up with her quick pace.

For a moment Sanemi stood there slowly organizing his notes and packing up the last of his things. He had some time between classes and wasn't in any rush. Kyojuro and Tengen had already left, thankfully. As much as he liked them both they could be a lot. Especially when they were together.

“Hey.” A soft voice said beside him.

“Hey Mitsuri.” He finished packing his bag and straightened up. Shoving his hands into his hoodie pocket.

“I was just about to go meet up with Obanai, do you want to come with me?”

“Yeah, sure.” A soft smile crossed his lips as he followed her out of the building..

“Were you okay in class?” Her voice was laced with concern as she looked up at him with furrowed brows. “You seemed kind of off when we were all talking...”

Damnit, she had always been pretty observant. “No, I'm good.”

“Hmm-” Mitsuri hummed, giving him a look that said that she wasn't fully convinced. “Okay..” She finally said hesitantly. But then the concern left her face and was replaced with a smile. “It's nice to see you and y/n getting along! She’s so cool!”

“Yeah, she is...” He agreed with a slow nod, wanting to keep his voice neutral. “It’s been cool hanging out with her. It sucks that Obanai didn't like his dem/hum partner.”

“I know!” She frowned deeply as they made their way towards the courtyard. “She wasn't bad, they were just..” She tapped her finger against her chin as she searched for the right word. “Really, really different.”

“Yeah-” Sanemi chuckled and nodded his head in agreement. “I was actually surprised by how much y/n and I got along once we… ya know.” He shrugged

“You guys have been hanging out alot…” She said with a barely contained smirk.

“Yeah but-” He sputtered out and coughed slightly, scratching the back of his neck. “Just to work on the project.”

Mitsuri’s cheeks reddened as she laughed into her hands. “Well regardless, you two seem like you get along really well and- Obi!!”

She was instantly distracted the minute that they spotted Obanai across the courtyard. Sitting on a bench and scrolling through his phone. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled him into a tight embrace and kissed him on the cheek. Sitting down next to him as she quickly fell into enthusiastic conversation. Sanemi couldn't help but smile at the scene as he slowly walked over to join them.

As soon as you and Daki left dem/hum she started dragging you in the complete opposite direction of Gyutaro and Akaza. Keeping your arms linked tightly together as she pulled you down the streets and towards the coffee shop. A determined smirk on her face, like she knew something that you didn't. When you arrived at the coffee shop she finally released your arm so you could both order. You had hardly sat down and shrugged your jacket off when Daki was already getting into the conversation.

“Did you see how Sanemi looked when we were talking about Kokushibo?” She said almost interrogating, her brows raised and palms flat on the table as she leaned forward.

“Woah, okay officer Daki-” You put your hands up and she shot you a subtle glare. “I don't think it’s anything, he’s not necessarily a fan of Kokushibo and I can't really blame him.”

She narrowed her eyes at you from across the table as she took a sip of the coffee that the barista had just dropped off. Staring at you for a moment before she sighed and put her cup down.

“Ugh, okay im sorry but it’s just that you two have been hanging out a lot-”

You parted your lips to say something in your defense but before you could Daki quickly cut you off.

“And don't say it’s because you've been working on the project.” She narrowed her eyes slightly. “Mitsuri and I meet like an hour a week and Gyutaro and his partner have practically written their entire essay over text and a shared google doc.”

Your jaw snapped shut as you pressed your lips together and looked down at your drink. Contemplating your next words as you thought of what Daki had just pointed out. “I don't know…” You finally sighed out, propping your elbow on the table to rest your chin in your palm. “I really like hanging out with him, he’s cool, but I don't think it's like that.”

Daki’s once inquisitive features softened as she tilted her head to the side curiously. “Do you want it to be?”

“I don't know…I haven't really thought about it. I mean, he’s cool but I just couldn't see him… being interested in me like that.” The muscles in your forehead began to ache and you felt Daki’s thumb run over your forehead as she smoothed out the creases between your eye brows.

“Dont do that you’ll get wrinkles.” Withdrawing her hand she brought her cup to her red painted lips again. “Why wouldn't he?”

You hummed as the muscles in your face relaxed, shaking your head slightly as you pondered her question. “I just couldn't see him wanting to be with.. You know, someone like me.”

“A demon?”

“Yeah…” You admitted, casting your eyes down to the wooden table beneath your clenched palms. “I just see him as a friend right now, I don't want to over complicate things and then make it awkward."

“Is it because of what happened with Kokushibo?”

Curtains of hair swayed around your cheeks as you shook your head no, blowing at the steam that drifted off the ceramic rim of your cup. “No, I'm over that.” You said with a definite certainty. “I think it's just-” You took a pause, maybe it was because of what happened with Kokushibo. “I don't want to get hurt again, physically or mentally. I'm in a safe spot right now, he’s a good friend. I think I wanna leave it at that.”

“Okay, I'm sorry for bringing it up, it's just-” She bit her lips slightly. “I don't know, I miss when you lived at the house with all of us. And I know why you moved out over the summer but we used to see each other everyday and Koyuki was over all the time. I feel like I hardly know what's going on with you anymore.” Eyes down cast as she pouted slightly. “And it’s like all boys in the house now.” She whined.

“Aw Daki, I'm sorry, I miss living with you too. It’s like the only thing I miss about living there.” You frowned back. “I promise if there was something going on you would be the first person I’d tell. But it's just… not like that”

She looked at you suspiciously, holding out her pinky which you locked with yours.

“Okay.” A smile crossed her lips as she straightened her back, seeming satisfied. “And if there is, can you hurry up and have it happen before winter break?” She added with a smirk. Her words made you nearly choke on your drink.

”Is this about that bet?” You said through shocked laughter. “I thought you guys were joking?”

“It's like, $100 to whoever's right!” She grinned. Making you burst into laughter across the table from her. After that she dropped the whole Sanemi bet thing, saying that if there really wasn't anything she’d stop bringing it up.

“So…” Finger nails tapped rhythmically against the table. “What was up with that look you gave Kyojuro earlier?”

The next morning Sanemi was warming up on the field running laps with Kyojuro like usual, the air was heavy and everyone was focused on the upcoming game that day. Even Hashibira seemed to have a different air about him. It was their third game of the season and if they kept up at the rate they were going they'd make it to the championships for sure. Despite the intense focus Kyojuro was making small talk as usual. Talking through the occasional huff as they kept a consistent pace.

“So…What are you doing this weekend?” Sanemi asked, as they slowed down and began to do partnered drills.

“Going to Akaza’s with y/n.” He said with his usual calm smile. “Then I think Sunday I'm gonna go home to hang out with Senjuro.”

“I didn't know you guys hung out.”

“Well yeah he’s my little brother.”

“No-” Sanemi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Not Senjuro.”

“Oh! Yeah, I just started going with her last week, normally Akaza’s girlfriend will show her a self-defense move and he wanted another person there so she could mirror Koyuki’s movements.” He shrugged, using the opportunity to kick the ball past a distracted Sanemi. Violet eyes narrowed in annoyance as Sanemi watched it fly past him, running to pick it up as he sharply kicked it back to Kyojuro who blocked it with his shin and passed it back.

“Thats cool, it seems like you get along with her friends.” The nonchalant front felt forced as opposed to his usual pragmatic and straight forward demeanor. He shouldn't even care that the two of you hang out.

“Yeah she talks about you alot.” Kyojuro's words threw him off kilter enough again for him to get the ball past him a second time. “She says you’re pretty cool.” This time he jogged up to retrieve the ball, pausing when he was standing beside Sanemi as he clapped him firmly on the shoulder. “And you know, she said she’s pretty over the whole Kokushibo thing. So you're good to go for it.”

Kyojuro had released a wide eyed Sanemi’s shoulder and was jogging across the field to retrieve the ball. Which had gone way further than it did last time.

“What?!” Sanemi choked out, whipping around to face Kyojuro who was walking back, ball in hand with a triumphant grin.

“Got the ball!”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Kyojuro gave him a confused look, his owl-like eyes wide as he stared at him for a moment. “Oh, I thought you liked her.”

The cold autumn wind ruffled through Sanemi’s hair and despite the chill he could feel his cheeks begin to grow in temperature. “Why would you think that?”

“Uhh..” He looked past Sanemi across the field to where Inosuke was with Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Genya. “Because you started tutoring Inosuke. And you guys hang out a lot, you don't normally branch out from your circle.”

“I just did that as a favor.” He muttered with a disinterested shrug, looking to the side and away from Kyojuro. “We're friends, it's not like that… Besides, I thought you might be into her.”

“What?” He laughed, confusion evident in his voice. “Why?”

“Uh-” He choked up, suddenly feeling stupid for bringing it up. “You called her pretty.”

“I told her she looked pretty the week after all that shit happened with her and Kokushibo..” He shrugged, dropping the ball to the grass below him. Balancing it on his foot as he kicked it up to his knee. “You know, to be nice.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah…” He grinned, refusing to break eye contact with Sanemi as he slowly raised his brows. Biting his lip to fight back a laugh. “Sure you don't like her?”

“Yup.”

Kyojuro gave him a questioning look for a moment before he finally shrugged and looked away. “Whatever you say man…”

A sharp whistle rang through the field, stealing everyone's attention as they ran to the center to begin practice.

The stadium was packed with eager and excited students from both Universities, the hum of excited voices merged with footsteps and clattering as people took their seats. Hisa had come to this game as a surprise for Inosuke, the two of you had been planning it in secret for the past week. It had been tough keeping it from him, but you knew that the look on his face would make keeping it a surprise worth it in the end. You had tried to arrange a private car to drive her but she insisted on taking the train. Stating that you ‘needed to stop treating her like she was an old lady’ … even if she was one.

There was special seating close to the front for the players' families and you tried your best to scope out who you thought could be Sanemi’s family. Just out of… curiosity. You recognized Tanjiro’s family with Nezuko who you’d met, Zenitsu’s grandpa who you’d seen in pictures he showed you, Kyojuro’s family was pretty obvious. Damn that dads got strong genes. But it was hard to tell who Sanemi’s family was.

As you scanned the faces of the families the crowd around you leapt from their seats and erupted into a loud cacophony of cheers. You stood with them, applauding as the team ran out onto the field. Inosuke was charging ahead as always, a wide grin on his face as he jumped up and down. And you found yourself combing through the tightly huddled team for a head of familiar messy white hair. A rush of excitement flooded your system when you finally saw him. Running beside Kyojuro, seeming content with not drawing too much attention to himself.

You sat back down, eyes glued to the field as you tried to follow the game as best as you could. Unlike their last two games, this one was close. The other team seemed to keep pulling the lead by just a few points. Even though they played well, clearly giving it their all. Eventually the teams were tied as they neared the end of the game with just a little bit of time left on the clock. It was a nail biter, everyone around you on the edge of their seats.

The ball was being passed so quickly between players you were having trouble even keeping track of what team had it. At some point the ball ended up right between Genya and a player from the other team. The two of them went for it but the other player was just a fraction faster than Genya and he kicked it straight into their goal seconds before time ran out. The disappointment on his face was visible even from your place in the stands as the rival team began celebrating their victory.

The families of the winning team rushed the field while the families of the players of Kimetsu University walked on slowly. Patting their family on the shoulders and offering words of encouragement. Inosuke was shoulder barging his way through the crowd, making his way towards you and Hisa. A smile on his face despite their recent loss as he enveloped her in a bear hug. Or- boar hug might be a more appropriate term.

“Sorry I lost the first game you made it to.” It was a rare moment of vulnerability from him as you ruffled his hair and she patted him affectionately on the cheek.

“You still got the last two, you'll get ‘em next time.” You assured him with a soft smile.

“Inosuke!” Tanjiro called from a few feet away. “Is that your caretaker?” Inosuke was already walking towards his friends, his arm held out so Hisa could hold it for support.

Curiously you skimmed the crowd, picking through faces and backs of heads until your eyes landed on what you had been searching for. Sanemi and Genya stood off to the side, just the two of them. No family surrounded them as Genya said something to Sanemi, whose back was to you. Genya had his brows furrowed, eyes glued to his feet and slightly watery. But as he spoke he was interrupted with Sanemi wrapping his arms around his neck as he pulled him into a tight hug. Keeping an arm slung over his shoulder and Genya softened slightly. His mood clearly changed drastically just from the simple action.

You lingered back, not wanting to interrupt the moment between them. Contenting yourself with just observing the scene play out before you as a gentle warmth spread through your chest. Butt then Genya looked up, pulling his gaze from the ground and your eyes locked. You felt embarrassed for staring as he waved you over and you slowly approached. Just in time to catch the last of their conversation.

“At the end of the day, it's just a game. Don't beat yourself up over it.”

You could just barely make out the words over the noise of the stadium but the cadence of Sanemi’s voice had become unmistakable to you. The two brothers took a step back as Sanemi playfully gave him a rough pat on the back.

“Hey..” You said hesitantly, not wanting to interrupt. But when Sanemi turned to face you he had a soft, almost tender smile on his face. His cheeks slightly flushed, messy hair combed back and sweaty as he looked down at you.

“Hey.” He said back. “Not surprised to see you here.”

“Genya!” Tanjiro called over the crowd from across the field, motioning for him to come over and meet his family.

“We’ll go to moms once you're done talking with your friends.”

“Okay.” Genya nodded softly, giving you a polite wave as he walked off.

“Sorry you had to watch that, it probably wasn't a very exciting game…” He chuckled awkwardly, looking at his feet for a second before his eyes flickered back to yours. Your chin tilted up so you could hold his gaze.

“No, it was still really good.” You insisted, a certain earnest quality to your tone that made Sanemi believe you. You looked over your shoulder, giving the crowds a few more cursory stares. “Wheres your family?” You eventually asked.

“My mom has to work pretty long shifts sometimes, so her and my siblings couldn't make it to this one.”

“Oh..” Your brows creased together as you turned back to him. “I'm sorry…”

“It's okay.” He shrugged softly, a gentle smile still lingered as he spoke to you. “She works really hard to take care of us, I understand that she can't be here for all of these games.” He motioned around him, a tender fondness to his voice as he talked about his family. “Besides, Genya and I are gonna go over there for dinner when we leave, so I'll still get to see them.”

You listened intently, looking up at him, taking in every detail before you could even realize what you were doing. From the warmth in his voice, gentle expression and softness in his eyes as he spoke about the people that he cared about. It was a side of Sanemi you’d never seen before. The extent of his affection clearly ran deep and you found yourself unable to do anything but stare back at him. Searching for something to say.

-thump-thump-thump-

Your heart hammered in your chest, beating so hard against your bones you thought it might crack your rib cage open and fall right out of your chest. Leaving you behind to continue as a stammering mess who couldn't seem to get any words out. Fully taking him in for the first time, the way his lips tugged upwards and small almost imperceptible dimples formed. The way his hair was extra messy from the game, the way that his eyes were almost a gradient and swirling mix of the most striking lavender and violet hues you'd ever seen in your life. He was incredible, like he'd been sculpted rather than born.

“You okay?”

Your breath caught in your throat at his words and you could feel your cheeks begin to burn.

-stop-stop-stop-

You thought as you quickly nodded your head in response.

“Yeah, sorry just zoned out a little.” You forced out. “Its nice that you're going there for dinner, do they live close?”

“Mhmm-” The two of you began walking towards where Genya and Inosuke were with Tanjiro and Zenitsu. “Theyre only like a 30 minute drive away from campus, so it’s pretty easy for us to go over and visit on the weekends. And sometimes she comes over to the campus with my brothers and sisters but it's a lot easier on her for Genya and I to go visit.”

-thump-thump-thump-

“That's really nice…” You said softly, looking down at your feet as you both stood on the edge of the chattering crowd.

“It is… I feel really lucky that I get to see her so often. It’s a big part of why I chose this University.”

-thump-thump-thump-

“Hey, were you able to get off from work tonight for the game?”

Fuck- You pulled your phone out to check the time and realized you would need to leave soon. “No, Daki and my friend Nakime are covering for me so I can go in late but I'll need to leave soon…”

The sound of someone clearing their throat next to you stole both of your attention. Hisa was standing beside you, staring at Sanemi as she waited to be introduced. A patient smile on her face.

“Oh sorry, Sanemi this is my caretaker Hisa, Hisa this is my…” Dem/hum partner? Friend? “..friend Sanemi.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” He said leaning down and offering her his hand so she could shake it. She reached out with slightly trembling fingers and took his scarred hand in her wrinkly one. Shaking it slowly as she looked up at him in silent observation. For a moment Sanemi was worried that she would say something about his scars, or feel intimidated by him. A lot of older people and really young kids had a tendency to.

“What a handsome young man.” She finally said, holding his hand tightly in one hand while she gave his forearm a gentle pat with the other. Sanemi’s eyes widened and his jaw was slightly slack with surprise as he looked down at her. A deep blush spread across his face and you couldn't help but laugh softly at his reaction.

“Thank you.” He finally said, his blush beginning to dissipate.

-thump-thump-thump-

“We're going to stop by our apartment so we can get changed really quickly, if you want I could give you guys a ride?”

“Oh, no that's okay I really don't want to inconvenience-.” You were shaking your head and waving your hands in front of you in polite refusal.

“Handsome and polite, that would be lovely. Thank you.” Hisa finished speaking for you and it was your turn to blush in slight embarrassment.

“I'll go grab Genya and the boar boy.” He said with a teasing laugh as he motioned to the two.

Hisa was looking up at you with a well intended smile. “What a lovely young man, he would make a great-.”

“No, no it’s not like that-” You quickly interrupted, voice was hushed as you spoke quickly but she just smirked in response.

“What makes you think I meant for you?” She said playfully, chuckling to herself. Holding onto a frowning Inosuke’s arm who had just walked over.

“You still have to work tonight? But Hisa’s here.”

“Yeah, I know..” You sighed, feeling slightly disappointed. You were getting pretty sick of your job. For more reasons than one. “Come on, we'll get breakfast in the morning before she has to go to the train station.”

“Hmph- Okay.” He muttered, as the three of you followed Sanemi and Genya out of the stadium, across the parking lot and to an old toyota corolla. The three of you got into the back seat, as Sanemi started the car. You were in the middle seat, between Inosuke and Genya, who had been kind enough to give Hisa the front seat.

“What a couple of sweet young men, your mother must be so proud!” She cooed, giving Sanemi’s bicep another pat. “So, Sanemi, do you have a girlfriend?”

It took everything in you to hold in the emotions that threatened to spill through the emotional dam you had spent the past few minutes hastily constructing. All you could do was sit in the back seat and watch in idle terror. Trying to keep your facial expressions in check.

“Uh, no ma’am.” He said, shaking his head, clearly surprised by her sudden question as he tried to keep his eyes on the road.

“Ah..” She slowly nodded her head, looking forward at the mostly empty streets. Thankfully it was a short drive. “A boyfriend?”

Even from your place in the back seat you could see Sanemi’s face redden beyond belief as Inosuke and Genya burst out into boyish laughter on either side of you. Sanemi, who was quickly shaking his head, eyes glancing rapidly between Hisa and the road in front of him. “No ma’am no boyfriend.”

A pleased smile crossed her face upon learning he was single and you already knew what she was going to say to you the minute you were upstairs. Soon Sanemi was parking his car in front of the building and you were shoving and elbowing Inosuke to get out quickly. Running around to the passenger seat you opened the door for Hisa. Offering her a hand as you started walking quickly towards the front door. Leaving Sanemi and Genya who were still getting their things from the trunk.

“Sorry guys I need to get to work, but thanks for the ride!” You called out, already buzzing yourself in and pulling open the glass doors. Walking into the lobby before you could even give them the time to respond. And in what felt like a miracle the obnoxiously slow elevator was already sliding open. A deep sigh that you didn't realize you'd been holding escaped your lungs as the doors slid shut behind you.

“He would make such a lovely boyfriend, don't you think?” Her tone was innocent and casual but you could see a small grin tug at her lips as she looked at your burning face from the corner of her eyes.

-thump-thump-thump-

“Hm?” You hummed, pressing your lips into a tight line as you quickly shook your head stiffly from side to side. “Never thought about it.” At least not until today.

“Good, I wouldn't approve anyway.” Inosuke said decisively, firmly crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall of the ascending elevator.

Chapter Text

You had ended up spending a majority of the weekend on the phone with Daki and Koyuki. Suddenly hit with a brand new and overwhelming rush of emotions. Sure, talking about it non stop for the next two days didn’t help. Originally on Friday you had gone into work with one word ringing through your head.

Ignore.

Ignore it until it goes away. Silly emotions that would surely be fleeting so long as you kept your nose to the grind stone and didn’t think about it. But you had forgotten a very crucial detail and that is that Daki, who has known you long enough and was a bit more fine tuned to subtle emotions than Inosuke, was working with you on bar that night. And the minute you were clocked in she instantly knew that something was off.

So you talked to her about it. Then you talked about it some more. Then you saw her and Koyuki the next day at Akaza’s and you had to tell Koyuki. Then the three of you called to talk about it in more detail later because well, you didn’t really get the chance to tell her everything. And then before you knew it you’d been opening your mouth to talk about Sanemi so much you thought your jaw would fall off.

Sanemi this, Sanemi that. Sanemi. Sanemi. Sanemi.

You were getting sick of just listening to yourself talk. So you had the brilliant idea that at the point you had reached, the best way out was through. You’d talked about him so much that maybe if you kept going you’d realize how ridiculous it was for you to even be thinking about him like that. Until eventually late on Sunday night when you and Daki had some down time after a big rush at the bar she couldn’t take it any more.

“Okay, babe, I love you but-“ She grabbed your shoulders, her eyes bordering on wild. “If I hear Sanemi’s name one more time this weekend I think I'm actually going to kill him when I see him in dem/hum on Tuesday.” Her voice was tight with stress and from yelling at customers to talk louder so she could hear them.

You were fucked.

So you did what any self respecting and mature person would do in your situation. Stuff your feelings to the back of your mind and try to will them away. Tomorrow was Monday and the last thing you wanted was to be acting all weird around him.

It was nothing, a silly crush. A silly little fleeting crush that’ll fizzle out by tomorrow.

You repeated this to yourself the whole train ride back to your apartment. Trying not to think of the night that Sanemi walked you home. Thankfully when you got back you weren’t immediately greeted to the sight of four boys playing video games on your couch like last night. Rather an empty and dark living room.

Heels clicked against the floor as you fumbled with the zipper of your boots. Storming straight into the bathroom you splashed some cold water on your face before beginning your nightly routine. “Get it together.” You muttered to yourself as you finished getting ready for bed.

When you woke up Monday morning you were pretty much on auto pilot. Brush teeth, wash face, get dressed, drink coffee. Too tired from working late last night to really remember that you were even stressed about something to begin with. So with what felt like a clean slate and a fresh mind you walked down the hallway and to the elevator. Fingers drumming against your arms as you rocked back and forth on your feet. The doors slid open and you raised your head to step inside. Only to be met with a familiar head of messy white hair.

-thump-thump-thump-

“Hey.” He said, his voice slightly raspy and hair still a little damp from the shower.

-thump-thump-thump-

“Hey.” You said back in a surprisingly leveled voice considering the inner turmoil you were experiencing.

“Still good to work on the project today?”

No.

“Uhm..” Teeth subconsciously sank into your bottom lip as you thought about his question. You could barely be in the elevator with him, and you decided your nerves needed one more day to reset. “Actually I'm feeling really tired today, work ran later than usual last night, so if you don't mind…”

“No problem.” He shrugged. “I'll see you Tuesday in dem/hum and for tutoring?”

“Yeah, sounds good.” Just one more day was all you needed.

“Hey, I was gonna run and grab a coffee before my first class. Do you want to come with me?” He motioned towards the door as you both stepped out of the elevator and into the lobby.

Yes.

“Oh, uh!” Your eyes widened as you stared up at him for a moment. “You know what…” Anxious hands pried open your bag and you saw your phone lying at the bottom. Half covered by a few crumpled receipts and a tube of lipstick you’d forgotten was in there. “I uhh, I think I forgot my phone in my apartment…” Brows creased and tone apologetic as you took a step back towards the still open elevator.

“Damn you really are tired.” He chuckled, playfully tapping his index finger against your temple and you felt every nerve ending in your body heat up like you had burst into flames. “Well maybe I'll see you there.”

-thump-thump-thump-

“Yeah, maybe.” You fully stepped back into the elevator, watching as Sanemi disappeared from the lobby and down the street. You leaned back and your head hit the wall with an echoing thud.

-fuck-fuck-fuck-

“And that’s why I don't think I need tutoring anymore.” A smug and almost triumphant grin spread across Inosuke's face.

“Your grades are good right now because you’re getting tutoring.” You reminded him with a sigh as you walked down the hall towards Sanemi’s apartment. His smile vanished as he folded his arms tightly over his chest, muttering something under his breath as your knuckles tapped against the door. Standing in the hallway for only a moment before the door swung open to reveal an anticipant Sanemi.

Without a word he pointed to the desk in the corner of his living room and Inosuke let out a dramatic sigh. Falling into the seat as he hung his head off the back of the chair in annoyed frustration. Over the time that Sanemi had started tutoring him he’d come to learn that he needed to get him started on his assignments immediately before he got distracted. The amount of times Sanemi had made the mistake of talking to you about the project first, only to find Inosuke in Genya’s room or rooting around through his fridge was surprisingly high.

The two of you had wordlessly reached a mutual agenda on days like this and while he started the daunting task of getting Inosuke to focus you took a seat on his couch. Flipping open your notes and typing away at your keyboard. Much to your satisfaction the hammering in your chest had seemed to cease around Sanemi. No longer pounding away against your rib cage.

Just as you hoped. You contently thought to yourself as you worked on the project. And after about 30 minutes Inosuke was working silently, a rare occurrence that never really ceased to amaze you. You couldn't help but give Sanemi an appreciative smile as he took a seat next to you. Sinking into the cushions of the dark blue couch as he leaned in closer to look at your computer screen.

“Damn, you got a lot done.” He commented, resting his elbows on his knees as he opened up his own laptop and began to scroll through your shared document.

“Yeah, well-” You paused, heat rising to your cheeks. “I wanted to make up for having to skip the library yesterday.”

“It's no problem, really.” He assured, glancing at you from over his shoulder. “Hey-” Hands pushed himself off the deep couch cushions as he stood. “Could I get your opinion on something?”

You stayed sitting on the couch, legs folded comfortably beneath you. “Sure, what is it?”

“So I've been meaning to put together a new enclosure for Kabuto and-”

In an instant you were on your feet, slamming your lap top shut and setting it on the coffee table in front of you. Hurrying over to Sanemi’s side, an enthusiastic grin on your face. “Do you have any ideas so far? I have a pinterest board from when I was putting together Igor's terrarium.” Unlocking your phone as you began rapidly scrolling through pictures to show him.

“Yeah so, I wanted to see-” He motioned for you to follow as he walked down the hall and towards his room. Pausing as he stepped through the doorway and taking a few steps back towards the living room. “I didn't say you could get up!” He said to Inosuke who was in the middle of trying to sneak out of his seat.

“I'm starving!”

Sanemi sighed, rolling his eyes. “Whatever- Just don't bother Genya, he's studying for a test.” Slowly he walked back into his bedroom where you were already looking at Kabuto with intrigue.

“Careful, he’ll eat everything in your fridge.” You warned with a smirk, tilting your head up to look at him from where you crouched beside his desk. Standing slowly as he walked over and pulled out the chair that had been tucked against it.

“Nothing in there for him to eat anyway.” He groaned, combing his fingers through his hair. When he looked at you his earlier frustration seemed to fade and he had a small grin on his face. “So im gonna be honest I was pretty impressed by Igors set up.”

“Im impressed you remembered, you were really drunk.” You teased earning an eyeroll and a wave of dismissal.

“Anyway-” He said sternly, though his smile still lingered. “I was thinking about doing something similar with real plants but I was wondering how you're supposed to take care of them? And if I add real plants should I get a bigger enclosure for him?” Eyes narrowed in focus as he sat in the chair he had pulled out. Resting his chin on his desk as he smiled softly at the sight of the large round beetle waddling leisurely across the bark in his terrarium . He looked so..

-thump-thump-thump-

No, no you thought your brain and heart were in agreement about being over this.

You quickly cleared your throat and went to stand on the other side of the desk, lowering yourself to peer through the glass with him. “The plants should take care of themselves if you set them up right…” You hummed, brows creasing in contemplation. “I would probably get him a bigger terrarium so he’s not over crowded.” Clawed fingers gripped the edge of the desk as you stood, tilting your head to see Sanemi already looking back at you. “Youll um..” You could feel blood rushing through your body and warming your cheeks. “Youll need to make sure you get plants from a good shop that don't have any pests.”

“Good to know.” His smile seemed to widen, nodding his head in understanding. “Any suggestions?”

You quickly nodded your head in response, giving him a polite smile. “Yeah I can text them to you. Where do you think you're going to go for the terrarium?”

“My friend Obanai knows a really good reptile supply shop so I'll probably go there. Joe’s… snake house, or something.”

A small gasp left your lips. “John’s reptile emporium?!”

“Actually.. yeah!”

“Ugh, lucky! I love that place but it's on the other side of town and it’s a bitch to get there on the train.” You frowned, brushing a few loose strands of hair from your face and tucking them behind your ear. “Actually my favorite plant shop is a few blocks away from there.”

“Oh… I was gonna see if you would help me with setting it up-” He said, gaze flickering between you and Kabuto. “ -do you wanna come with me?”

“Yes!” The words were flying out of your mouth before you could force your brain to really mull over his offer.

“Cool, I was gonna go this weekend. I know you go to Akaza’s on Saturday-”

“Yes, your invitation to come hang out there is still open.”

Sanemi smirked softly. “I think that might piss off Daki, and she kinda scares me.” He chuckled. “What about Sunday, before you work?”

“Yeah, that works-” A loud clattering sound coming from the kitchen interrupted your conversation. You both hurried out of his room to see Inosuke standing on his counter top and rummaging through his cupboards.

“You have nothing to eat.” He said, glancing down at Sanemi from over his shoulder.

“Get the fuck off my counter!” He snapped and Inosuke rolled his eyes. Unceremoniously slamming the cabinet door shut and jumping down. Feet hit the floor with a loud room shaking ‘thud’ as Sanemi glowered at him from across the kitchen. Arms crossed tightly in irritation.

“Sorry-” You said quickly, rushing past Sanemi as you started ushering Inosuke out of the kitchen and back to the living room. “Well leave.” A nervous chuckle left your lips as you began to pack up your things. “Come on, I'll cook you something at home.”

“I don't want to cook, I'll just eat what you eat.” He groaned, grabbing his text book off Sanemi’s desk.

“No, you can't eat like that… we have different digestive systems.”

“I used to eat raw meat all the time when we were kids.”

“I know, I remember. That's why you always used to get worms.” You hissed lowly. Getting ready to leave.

A throat cleared beside you and you were both pulled away from your hushed conversation to find that Sanemi had followed you from the kitchen. His arms still crossed but his scowl had faded to an amused smirk. Arms unfolded from over his chest as he gestured to Inosuke. Eyes locked on you.

“Does he have worms?”

“What?” Your eyes widened and you blinked a few times before answering. “No, I said he used to get worms.”

“How did he get worms?”

“I have worms?” Inosuke’s brows creased together.

“No, I said you used to get worms.” Your frustration grows as you shift your attention back and forth between Inosuke And Sanemi. “When we were kids he saw me eating raw meat and thought he could do it too, so… he got worms a couple times.” You sighed.

Sanemi's smirk had shifted into a full grin. “Do you have worms?”

“What?!” Your tone went up in pitch and volume as you looked at him in shock. Face heating up in embarrassment. “No!” You sputtered out, shaking your head and pinching the bridge of your nose. “No one has worms!”

The door to one of the bedrooms creaked open and the sound of light footsteps came down the hall. A bleary eyed Genya, who you assumed had just finished studying, emerged from the hallway. A confused expression on his face as his eyes flickered between the three of you.

“Why are you guys talking about worms?”

You opened your mouth to explain but before you could Sanemi interjected.

“Y/n and Inosuke have worms.” He deadpanned and the embarrassed flush on your face grew even darker.

“No, we don't!" You cried, grabbing your bag and slinging it over your shoulder. Nudging Inosuke towards Sanemi’s front door. “Come on well go get ramen from that place down the street for dinner-” You muttered, pushing his door open as you tried to make a hasty exit.

“Hey, wait-” Sanemi said through a few deep laughs, making you pause just outside the doorway. “So I'll come over around 1 on Sunday if that’s okay?” His amused grin still lingered on his face as he propped his forearm against the doorframe.

“Yeah, 1 is good.” You said, nodding your head, the deep red color beginning to vanish from your face.

“Cool, well ill see you in dem/hum…” A barely contained laugh made his shoulders shake. “..wormy.”

Your eyes narrowed as you began walking down the hall. “I don't like this nickname.” You called over your shoulder, already making your way towards the elevator.

“Sorry wormy, see you Thursday.” He watched as you flashed him one last annoyed glare, lips pursed as you and Inosuke disappeared from sight and into the elevator. Sanemi lingered in the doorway, still laughing softly to himself as he shut the door. Turning back into his apartment. Genya was standing in the kitchen, staring at Sanemi with a questioning look on his face.

“I don't think calling her wormy is a very good way to flirt…” His tone was genuine, as if trying to offer advice to his older brother.

“I wasn't flirting.” He clarified pointedly. “Why would you even think that?”

Genya shrugged his shoulders. “Kyojuro told me you liked her.”

“Is that why he was calling you wormy on Thursday?” Daki cringed, the sound of house music and drunken shouting was nearly drowning out your conversation. Douma was yelling something into the microphone, waving at you guys from the DJ booth. You two had somehow guilted Aizetsu into taking over table service for you so you could both work behind the bar tonight. It always made these shifts go by faster.

The glow of the paper lanterns strung above you cast an appealing light while you wiped down the black stone countertop. Talking between customers and pouring drinks.

“Yeah…” You groaned, crinkling your nose slightly as you glanced over at Daki who was pouring a shot. Accidentally overfilling the small glass as she stared at you with barely veiled disgust.

“Shit-” She muttered, wiping down the spill and sliding the shot glass over to the impatient customer. “Okay, so you guys are hanging out. That's good, right?”

“I don't know-” A deep sigh left your lips as you haphazardly mixed a vodka cranberry. “I mean, I like hanging out with him but-”

“But what?” She glanced over at you, taking a few bills from someone’s hand. “You like him, you’re hanging out with him, why are you so stressed?” She began pouring two beers from the tap. “He’s not even that cute.”

You shot her a sharp look and pursed your lips. “I just don't think he’s into me.”

“Why wouldn't he be, you're hot.” She said matter of factly.

“I’m not that hot-“ You muttered to yourself and Daki pinched your arm. “Ow!”

“Shut up, I wouldn’t be friends with you if you weren’t.” She stated bluntly, eyes flickering up to the paper lanterns strung above you. “Maybe if you fuck him itll help you get over it-“

“Daki!”

“What I'm just giving suggestions?” She said defensively, clearing off some abandoned drinks from the bar before turning her attention back to you.

“Ughhh I don't know, can we please drop the whole Sanemi thing?”

“Ooooh are we talking about Sanemi?” A familiar and inquisitive voice said behind you. The two of you turned to find Douma leaning against the liquor display. An intrigued grin spread across his lips, head tilted to the side and ankles crossed in front of him. .

“Arent you supposed to be at the Dj booth?” Daki said flatly, arching a brow.

“I was here for my tequila shot from Enmu, but now I'm intrigued to hear what you guys are talking about.” He pushed himself from the bar back and took a couple steps towards you both. “Besides, it's not like Muzan is here tonight.”

“Yeah that's fair.” You and Daki nodded your heads in agreement. “And its not anything interesting-”

“She’s into Sanemi.” Daki said over you and Douma gasped, taking your hands in his and bringing them to his chest.

“He’s so hot, do it!” He grinned, biting his lower lip and leaning closer. His eyes wide and glittering beneath the glowing lanterns. “And maybe record it for me?”

“Uh, I don't think anything's going to happen.”

“His loss.” Douma shrugged, releasing your hands and straightening his posture. “Well I gotta get back, the people need me.” And with a dramatic wave he sauntered off back towards the low stage.

“Okay, now can we drop it?” You said to Daki once Douma was gone.

“But talking makes these shifts go by so much faster.” She pouted. Not even bothering to hide her glare as someone approached the bar.

“Okay then let’s talk about something else.” Fingers wrapped around the neck of a liquor bottle as you helped her pour drinks.

“Like what?”

A sly smirk pulled at your lips as you glanced at her from the corner of your eyes. “So, Kyojuro.”

“I mean, I don’t know what it is but like, since the party I haven’t been able to-“ She paused, catching herself as she eyed you warily. “I mean… he’s okay looking.”

“He’s better looking than Muzan, and you know…” Your smirk widened into a full blown grin. “Like 20 years younger.”

“Muzan looks really good for his age, leave me alone.” She snapped.

“Speaking of looks good for their age-“ You pressed your lips together tightly to try and suppress your laughter. “I saw Kyojuro’s dad at the game last week.”

Daki nearly dropped the bottle she was holding. “Shut up, was he hot?!”

Your teeth sank into your bottom lip as you fanned yourself with your hands. Nodding your head quickly in confirmation. The two of you giggling to each other.

“Okay… him and Sanemi are friends right?” Daki refused to let her gaze meet yours.

“Yeah, Sanemi and Kyojuro’s dad are super close.” Daki’s hand shot out and pinched your arm again, eyes narrowed at your sarcastic response.

“Not what I meant.” Her tone was flat as she averted her gaze back to the glass in her hands. “Fucks sake, youre almost as bad as Gyutaro..” She muttered to herself.

“Yeah, they’re friends.” You said, drying off a glass and bending down to put it away underneath the bar.

“Do me a favor and find out if he’s single?”

“Wouldnt it be better to have Akaza ask him?” You questioned and Daki shook her head.

“You and I both know how that would go.” She sighed, resting her elbows on the bar.

You thought for a moment picturing the interaction and you could imagine what he would say. ‘Daki wants to know if you're single or into anyone.’ Cringing slightly just at the thought. “Yeah fair, probably best if I do it.”

Sanemi would be lying if he said that he hadn't been looking forward to hanging out with you on Sunday. If someone had told him at the start of the semester that he would actually be friends with his dem/hum partners he probably would've said they were full of shit. It was almost laughable the difference a little over a month can make in getting to know someone. Because now, here he was, waiting around his apartment to go see you and feeling… anxious. He didn't know why, he'd dealt with anxiety a little, okay a lot. But this was just the two of you hanging out. Something you’d already done plenty of times.

Still, he got up early, took a quick shower, and went through his typical morning routine. After a few minutes of taking way longer than usual to pick something out he just grabbed the first thing he saw. A white sweater, some black jeans and sneakers. Sanemi fumbled with the laces, taking a seat in his kitchen as he glanced at the clock. Still only 12:30.

Head slumped into his palm, his fingers tapped rhythmically against the particleboard table. He ran his head through his damp hair then looked out the window. Slowly reaching his arms up to stretch while he stood, yawning as he made his way back into the bathroom. Roughly drying his hair a bit more looking at the clock again. Eyes narrowed and his face fell into an annoyed frown as the seconds ticked by. 12:35. He glanced at his feet, eyes narrowing further. Why did he already put his shoes on?

“Fucking stupid…” He slumped back into the seat at his desk, running his hands roughly over his face. Pulling at his cheeks and eyes in the process before giving himself a few light slaps to the face. Why are you so fucking nervous? The words ran through his head, folding his arms on his desk he lowered his chin and peered into the glass tank. Kabuto must have been burrowed somewhere because he couldn't see him. For one, two, three minutes longer he stared into the enclosure.

12:40

Yeah, fuck it, he could leave a little early. The elevators slow as fuck any way, he’d get there by 12:45 and you’d probably just be finishing with getting ready. He could always just sit on your couch and wait for you to be done. Or just say he wanted to come over early to see Igor’s terrarium set up again. Yeah thats it, not because he was anxiously waiting around his apartment and couldnt just chill the fuck out. So he grabbed his keys decisively from his desk, patting down his pockets to double check that he had his phone and his wallet.

“Genya, I'm leaving!” He called into the quiet apartment. No response Sanemi shrugged his shoulders, assuming that he was still asleep.

When the elevator descended the two floors to your level he stepped out and walked to your door. Knocking on it softly, folding his arms as he glanced up at the ceiling. Waiting a few minutes before he knocked again, this time a little harder. He could hear approaching footsteps from the other side of the door and tried to force a neutral appearance. But he couldn't stop the small smile that tugged at his lips. However once the door swung open it quickly dissipated when instead of being met with your face he was met with 4 equally familiar ones.

A bleary and bloodshot eyed Inosuke stood in the door frame, while Genya, Tanjiro and Zenitsu were sitting on the couch behind him. Eating cereal from mismatched bowls and staring at Sanemi with obvious confusion.

“Hi Sanemi!” Tanjiro said cheerily.
“Why are you here?” Inosuke said over him.

Sanemi blinked a few times in surprise. Glancing between the four boys. “Why are you here? I thought you were home.” He said, gesturing to Genya who looked up at him mid bite.

“Uh, I forgot my keys in the apartment and I didn't want to wake you up.” He said sheepishly.

“He was invited, why are you here? It's Sunday, I'm not doing math.” He grumbled.

“I'm not here to do math problems with you.” His voice was monotone, verging on annoyed. “Where’s your sister?”

Inosuke was scratching the inside of his ear while staring at him blankly. His brows furrowed upon hearing his question as he stared at him silently for a moment longer. “Uh, I think she’s in the bathroom?” He shrugged, still blocking the entrance.

Sanemi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Okay…” He groaned, shaking his head slightly. “Can I come in?”

“Why?”

Sanemi felt like every vein in his head was about to burst. Now wishing he hadn't decided to come over early. “Because we're hanging out today.”

Inosuke continued to stare at him, nose scrunched slightly. “Why?”

“Inosuke, maybe you should let him in.” Tanjiro suggested, noting Sanemi’s growing irritation.

“What, no he’s terrifying! He's gonna make us run laps around her apartment while he waits!” Zenitsu jumped, staring at Tanjiro with wide eyes.

“He’s not going to do that.” Genya said quietly, glancing over at Zenitsu who was half hidden behind Tanjiro. “What do you think he does at home?”

Inosuke gave him one final up and down, then returned to his seat on the arm of the sofa. The four boys now cramped onto the couch, eyes on the TV as colorful displays flashed onto the screen. Two slowly deflating narrow air mattresses sat in the middle of the living room, your coffee table was pushed to the side against the back wall and a few random sheets, blankets, and pillows were scattered on the floor and couch. Sanemi peered into the hallway, the bathroom door shut and a sliver of artificial light shining through the small gap along the floorboards.

Fuck, he shouldnt have come down here early. He thought to himself as he took a seat at your kitchen counter. Elbow on the plastic counter tops and head resting in his palm, index finger tapping against his jaw. Feeling around for his phone he pulled it from his back pocket and began scrolling through it. You had sent him the pinterest board you made for the terrarium and he skimmed through the pictures. Pausing for a moment his thumb hovered over your profile. Would it be weird to stalk your pinterest?

Yes, it would be weird.

He locked his phone and shoved it into his back pocket, looking up to see 4 sets of eyes quickly flickering away from him and back to the TV. Shoving spoonfuls of cereal into their mouths to try and avoid earning the annoyed ‘what?’ that lingered on the tip of his tongue.

“Hey, Inosuke.” He heard your voice from the other side of the bathroom door before it swung open and you stepped into the hallway. Walking towards your bedroom. Steam drifted from the now vacant bathroom and curled around your ankles. A towel wrapped around your body as you ruffled your wet hair with another one. “Sanemi’s supposed to be here in a bit. Can you tell him I'm running late getting ready?”

“He’s already here!” He called back, eyes still glued to the TV. The hallway wasn't visible to the four boys from their place on the couch. But from where Sanemi was sitting at the counter it was. He didn't even realize that he was staring until it was too late. You paused, finger tips pressed against the bedroom door. Your head turned to the side to see Sanemi, eyes widening as you quickly looked down and disappeared into your bedroom without a word.

Sanemi’s head snapped forward. Looking at his lap then up towards the ceiling as he forced a neutral expression. What the fuck was wrong with him? When he finally got the courage to look back down, his eyes met Inosuke’s. Glaring at him suspiciously from across the living room for a few minutes before reluctantly turning his attention back to the TV. Continuing to shoot Sanemi the occasional stare.

After 10 more excruciating minutes of being stared down by Inosuke every few seconds you emerged from your room. Dressed, skin seeming to glow softly, and hair still damp. Bag hanging from your shoulder as you dug through it, ensuring you had everything you needed. You pulled down the sunglasses that had been perched on top of your head and brought them down to rest on the ridge of your nose.

“Hey.” You finally said, your voice a bit hoarse as you walked past him and into the kitchen. Pulling open the fridge you glared at the space illuminated by a pale white light bulb. Shutting it decisively as you straightened up to look at Sanemi, standing on the opposite side of the counter from him. “Sorry for running a bit late, someone-” Your eyes looked past Sanemi and to the group on the couch. “Convinced me to stay up and play video games with them last night.” A teasing smirk on your lips as your eyes drifted back to match his. “So I slept in, mind if we stop for a coffee I'm still pretty tired.” You pushed yourself back from the counter, scooping up a pair of sneakers that had been haphazardly abandoned by the dining table.

Sanemi stared at you for a bit, trying to get a grip on himself. “Yeah, that's fine.” He shrugged, turning his head to the side to look at your window.

“Cool, thanks.” You stood from your seat at the table after you finished tying off your laces. Readjusting the straps to your bag you went to stand in front of the TV as Sanemi followed you towards the door. “Okay, I'm leaving you all know the drill. Living room as you found it before you leave.” You turned to look up at him. “Genya forgot his keys-”

“Yeah, I left the front door unlocked.”

“Okay!” You flashed him a toothy grin and turned towards the door. “Bye guys!”

A chorus of goodbyes echoed back as you both walked out the door. Your smile still lingered on your face.

It was the kind of smile where he could see elongated and sharp canines. A month and a half ago it was a sight that irked Sanemi. But now, it felt different to see you smiling at him like that. And he couldn't help but feel stupid for ever seeing it as anything threatening, or inherently bad. It was sweet… cute even.

Cute?

The word rang through his head.

Did he think you were cute?

He could hear the roaring sound of blood rush through his body as his heart beat sped up slightly.

“Im so excited to help you put Kabuto’s enclosure together!” You beamed, practically vibrating as you stepped out of the elevator together. The excitement in your voice helped pull him out of his auto piloted state. He pulled the glass door open for you, your phone was in your hand and you were scrolling through something. Pointing at the screen and holding it up to him as you stepped into the parking lot.

“Yeah, thanks for helping.” He choked out the words, coughing softly to hide the slight strain to his voice. Looking to the side to try and hide the sight of blood rushing to his face.

Your ears perked slightly as you looked up at Sanemi then back down to your feet. His heart beat increased, you could tell because the scent of his blood became noticeably stronger. Teeth sank into your tongue until the taste of iron covered your taste buds. You looked away, trying to hide your blush. It wasn't really something you wanted to explain. ‘oh hey, you okay why are you blushing?’ ‘oh ,you know because the smell of your blood just became noticeably stronger.’ Name an easier way to freak out a human.

You focused on the pain in your tongue, teeth nearly chewing through it as the strong metallic flavor bled through your mouth. Dulling your senses as your body worked to repair the damage. Over the time that you’d gotten to know Sanemi you’d become so familiar with the smell that you hardly noticed it anymore. But there were still rare moments like this one where it felt impossible to ignore. You swallowed roughly, gagging slightly at the feeling of your own blood pooling in your mouth. Discreetly wiping away the small drops that had gathered at the corner of your lips.

“No problem!” You chirped. “Ive been looking forward to it.”

He smiled at you softly, opening the car door for you without a second thought. You slid into the passenger seat, dropping your bag at your feet. Quickly plugging your phone into the aux chord as Sanemi got into the driver's seat beside you. “Okay so I was thinking, coffee first, then pet supply store, then plants?”

“Sounds good.” His keys clasped in his hand as he turned them in the ignition. The car engine shook to life and when he went to reverse his arm stretched out. Palm flat against the back of the passenger seat as he turned his head to look out the rear wind shield. Turning the steering wheel with the heel of his palm.

Fuck, no why is he so hot?

You sank down slightly in your seat and looked through your music. Forcing your brain to shift focus. Your eyes scanned through your rows of playlist, settling on your favorite one.

“Wanna stop by the coffee place on campus?” Sanemi asked as he signaled to turn out of the parking lot.

“Actually there's this other coffee shop I've been wanting to try.” Your nails clicked against the glass screen of your phone. Looking up the directions.

Sanemi clicked his tongue, shaking his head from side to side. “Suma’s gonna be crushed.” He chuckled and you rolled your eyes.

“Turn left-” You reached out and tapped his temple, pushing his attention back to the road. Your nails skimmed his cheek slightly and Sanemi felt his heart jump at the contact.

What the fuck was going on with him today?

“Anyways, they're supposed to have really good matcha.” Your eyes were focused on your phone screen to check the directions. The music playing through the speakers buzzed with static due to the age of Sanemi’s car.

“Oh, really.” He smiled softly. "Cool, I like matcha. Im excited to try it."

“Really” You smiled back, turning your gaze from your phone screen and to him.

“Yeah, I actually kind of prefer it to coffee." He shrugged. "But its kinda earthy, I thought you were supposed to be a carnivore.” He smirked, tone teasing as he looked at you from the corner of his eyes.

“I am a carnivore- join the free way here-” You said pointing to the turning lane ahead of you. “I can still drink matcha, I drink coffee all the time.”

“Yeah, true.” He reached out and messed with your still drying hair, eyes glued to the road.

“Hey, stop my hairs still drying! You're gonna mess it up.” You laughed, swatting his hand away from your head.The chassis shook slightly while the car sped down the freeway,

“Okay weirdo.”

“And you're stuck with a weirdo all year.” A triumphant laugh left your lips as you tilted your head back. Looking at him over the rim of your sunglasses.

Sanemi sighed deeply, slumping down slightly in his seat. “Dont remind me.”

You smacked his bicep with the back of your hand and glared at him. As he turned off the free way and came to a red light he looked over at you, bursting out into laughter when he saw your expression.

“What?” You pulled your sunglasses down the ridge of your nose so you could see him better. Brows still pulled tightly together and this, for some reason, made him laugh even harder. Forcing his eyes back to the road when the light turned green.

“For fucks sake– turn right here– what the hell are you laughing at?” You said, through confused laughter.

“Oh, fuck im sorry-” He was barely managing to get the words out. Putting the car in park and rubbing a hand over his reddening face. “It’s just that I realized that you make this really funny face when you're trying to look mad.”

Your eyes widened and you let out a disbelieving laugh. Crossing your arms in front of your chest. “No I do not-"

“Yes. You do. You're making it right now.” He reached past you and pulled your sun visor down. Sliding the attached mirror open and pointing at it. “Look, you look hilarious.”

You side eyed your reflection, hardly taking it in before your irises snapped back over to Sanemi. “You know, a couple hundred years ago I could've eaten you.”

“Yeah, and chihuahua’s descended from wolves.” He pushed his car door open and you did the same. Following him towards the front door of the coffee house. You both went to reach for the door handle but Sanemi grabbed it before you, pulling it open and motioning for you to go in first.

“Thanks but you don't have to get every door for me.” Both your sneakers squeaked softly on the c light wooden floors.

“Yeah, but my mom would kill me if she found out I didn't." He said as you stepped into the surprisingly long line. Hopefully it would be worth the wait.

“Hm.” You hummed, smiling softly as you removed your sunglasses and flung them into your bag. Looking ahead at the chalkboard menu displayed on the wall. “Im still mad at you for basically comparing me to a chihuahua.”

“I didn't mean it like that, you're not like a chihuahua.” He clarified.

“Good.”

“Chihuahua’s are way scarier.”

You glared up at him, making him burst into laughter again. Before you could look away he was holding his phone’s camera above your head, quickly snapping a picture. His laughter grew and he had to grab your shoulder for balance. Hunching over slightly as he turned the screen to show you. The picture had been taken with the .5 camera lens and unfortunately, he was right. You did look pretty funny. Your head tilted back and you laughed, a deep and genuine laugh.

“Okay, yeah. Now I get it.” You said wiping at the corner of your eyes.

“See?” He was still holding the picture up to your face.

“Yeah, yeah I said I get it.” You smirked, pushing it away and returning your attention to the drinks menu. “What do you want?”

“Hm?” He hummed, face still slightly red from laughing as he put his phone away. "Oh! Uhh..” His eyes quickly skimmed the menu. “I’ll just have a regular matcha.”

“So boring.” You elbowed him softly, sighing dramatically and rolling your eyes.

“Ow my feelings.” He said flatly, giving you a light and playful shove towards the register as you stepped up to order. Paying for both of your drinks before Sanemi got the chance to. Grinning up at him smugly while the two of you walked to the other end of the counter.

“You didn't have to pay for mine.”

“I don't mind. Coming here was my idea.” You said indifferently. “Scared your mom would be disappointed.”

“I'm afraid Shizu wouldn't be happy.” He said with a light hearted shake of his head.

“Well I doubt Shizu would find out.” You laughed, stepping forward to grab your drinks from the counter as you both went to leave. He took his matcha from you, elbowing the door open and holding it open with his forearm as he fished through his pockets for his keys. Unlocking his car he pulled the passenger door open for you while you searched for your sunglasses. Slipping them back onto your face and closing the door behind you.

“Why are you wearing sunglasses, it’s not even that bright out?” He asked when he got into the driver's seat. Reaching towards you he plucked the sunglasses off of your face and gave them a quick look over.

“Most demons have light sensitive eyes, we're supposed to wear them if we're gonna be outside for a majority of the day.”

Sanemi brought the glasses to his face and peered through them. A low whistle left his parted lips, squinting his eyes as he tried to see through the tinted lenses. “Damn these are dark, how the hell do you see?”

You held out an opened hand, thinking he would place them in your palm. But instead he turned towards you and placed the frames back onto your face. Brushing a bit of hair back behind your ears in the process.

-thump-thump-thump-

“Different pupils-” You hummed, ignoring the feeling of blood rushing to your face for the thousandth time today. Thankfully, Sanemi was too busy focusing on the road to notice. “Originally nocturnal, remember?”

He never realized just how little he knew about demons until he started hanging out with you. “Are they like prescriptions then?”

“Yeah, exactly!” You said eagerly, propping your elbow on his center console as you angled yourself towards him. One leg tucked beneath yourself with your shoulder resting against the car seat. “Some demons have more sensitive eyes than others, so they're usually custom made.”

“That's actually pretty cool.” He commented, eyes darting between you and his rearview mirrors as he merged back onto the freeway.

“Mm, kinda.” You shrugged. “They can be pretty expensive if you don't have good insurance. I remember Kokushibo used to have to pay like $500 for his since he has multiple eyes.”

“Oh?” He tried to keep his tone neutral. But when he heard your ex-boyfriend's name roll off your tongue he felt a familiar feeling gnawing at the pit of his stomach.

“Not for me though-” You flashed him a prideful grin, tapping at the lenses. “Since I used to be in foster care I got mine for free, I've had these since I was 17. But Daki and Gyutaro break theirs all the time! I think I've seen them go through like 8 pairs each in a year once.” You took a sip of your drink, smiling softly to yourself as you turned your head to look out the windshield.

“Wow… Impressive.” Sanemi said sarcastically as he began signaling to merge off the freeway. You sat back in your seat, drumming your fingers against your cup as you turned down the street the pet supply shop was on. The small parking lot was full so Sanemi parallel parked his car nearby.

When you went inside the first thing you both noticed was how warm it was. Verging on tropical. A stark contrast to the cool October weather outside.The shop was full but still surprisingly quiet. An old man sat at the register, he was the owner and Obanai tended to colloquially refer to him as ‘the hippy’. Fair assessment, he did look like one. And apparently he wasn’t afraid to lose business if he thought you were ‘too loud and stressing out the snakes’. Probably why Obanai liked going there so much.

The two of you walked around for a bit. Looking at all the snakes, lizards and other animals they had.

“I like shopping here, all the animals always look really well taken care of.” You mentioned casually, hands on your knees and voice hushed as you bent down to look at a snake resting peacefully in its tank.

“That's why my friend Obanai likes shopping here.”

“That’s Misturi’s boyfriend, right?” You said, straightening up and walking towards the aisle with all the tanks.

“Yeah.”

You nodded your head in understanding, eyes scanning over the tanks as you looked for the right sized one. “They’re cute.” You said finally, your eyes met for a moment and you smiled at him. “Apparrently she talks about him so much when her and Daki hang out it’s officially made Daki want a boyfriend.”

“Yeah, they're cute. I didn't really like Mitsuri at first but she really loves him.”

Your jaw dropped in shock at his words. “How did you not like Mitsuri?!” You gasped, the volume of your voice noticeable in the small and quiet shop. Garnering a few dirty looks from the owner, you covered your mouth. Uttering a few hushed apologies.

“I don't know… conflicting personalities.” He said sheepishly, picking up the tank you were pointing at. “She was at our dorm all the time in our second year and I don't know, I'm uh, weird about my personal space I guess?”

You had grabbed a few more things you would need to set the terrarium up, substrate, wood bark and another branch to add with the one Sanemi already had.

“Hmm I can kind of understand that.” You said after a few minutes.

There was a lull in your conversation as Sanemi paid for everything he had gotten. Stepping back out into the cool air felt like a much needed respite from the heat of the shop. Loading everything into the back seat of his car. Careful to not put the tank somewhere where it could shatter or crack.

Once everything was in the car you started to slowly make your way to the nearby plant shop you’d mentioned on Tuesday. A comfortable silence stemmed between you. The streets were a lot sparser on this side of town than they were near campus, bordering between the city limits and a nearby suburb.

“So-” Sanemi shoved his hands in his pockets. “What were you saying earlier?”

You looked up at him with questioning eyes. Drink, though now probably cold, was still clutched in your hand. “What were we talking about again?”

Sanemi pulled the door to the plant store open, letting you walk in first. The store was rather small but still made good use of its space with tall winding bamboo shelves filled with vines, succulents and plenty of other plants. The hiss of multiple humidifiers and soft piano music drifting from a distant speaker filled the air. He followed closely behind as you walked down a short row of long draping plants. Your head was down, hair falling past your shoulder as you closely examined a few in small plastic pots. Checking in the soil and underneath leaves.

He looked down, noticing how closely he was following behind you and took a half step back. “Personal space.”

“Oh, right!” You snapped your fingers together, looking up at him from where you were kneeling in front of a low display. Returning the vining plant to where you had found it and picking up a different one to look over. “I was gonna say I was weird about my personal space too, especially when I was younger.”

Sanemi hummed, nodding his head in understanding as you finally settled on a plant you liked. Standing up straight you continued to weave through the foliage dense shop. You stopped to look at a plant with dark green leaves and bright red heart shaped flowers stemming from it. This particular section of the shop was extra crowded with tall palms, and decorative trees in delicate pots that he did not want to break. Standing closer to you than he normally would as a result.

“How come?” His tone was softer than usual, using the full volume of his voice in such a quiet shop felt almost wrong. Your shoulders brushed together as he examined the plant with you.

“Big group home, it served a majority of the demon kids in the foster system in the city, so depending on the season I'd be sharing a room with ten to twenty other kids. Sometimes my stuff got stolen or broken so I got into a lot of fights when I was younger.”

Despite your close proximity neither of you moved to face the other. Too fearful that you would have to acknowledge the slowly growing intimacy of the situation.

“For some reason I can't imagine you getting into fights as a kid.” He laughed softly, taking the small plant from your hands.

“Gyutaro wasn't the best influence. I got a lot better when I moved in with Hisa.” You murmured. “But the time in the group home was worth it. I got really close with Daki and Gyutaro, even though we lost contact for a while.” Your fingers curled around the pot , brushing slightly against Sanemi’s as you took it back from them. The contact made your blood run hot and you both jerked to the side. Setting down the plant and picking up a different one to examine.

“Well, it definitely wasn't twenty other kids, but I did share a bedroom with Genya and my three other brothers until I went off to college.”

You snorted slightly. “Cramped living space?”

“Does a family of 8 in a 3 bedroom apartment count?”

“Definitely.” You nodded, both your eyes still averted from the other.

“Yeah, moving into my first dorm with Obanai was the first time I’ve ever really had a space to myself, even if it was only half a room.”

You turned to look up at him, smiling softly beneath the warm glow of the lighting above. “Yeah, I get what you mean.”

For just a few seconds your eyes met. The soft crescendo of piano played soothingly in the background. Large draping palms sat on either side of you while an array of brightly colored tropical flowers were in front of you. Your shoulder brushed into his chest and you felt your body heat increase, and you swear you could see the softest blush on his cheeks. And then, just as quickly as your eyes had met you both pried them away. Clearing your throats and taking a small side step to further your distance

“These two are good for the terrarium.” You held up the two small plants. “You ready?”

A part of Sanemi wanted to hesitate, but he nodded his head ‘yes’ instead. “Yeah, let's go.”

As the two of you navigated your way back to the car you were explaining to Sanemi what each plant was. Their color pattern, how often to trim them, and how much light they needed. But a part of Sanemi was distracted, thoughts still lingering on how it felt to have you standing so close to him. A feeling almost akin to nausea settled somewhere deep within his stomach. Opening the car door for you as you placed the two plants into his cupholders between you.

When he got into the car you were still eagerly telling him all about the plants you'd picked out. He just listened, finding that he enjoyed listening to you talk with so much excitement. Starting the drive back towards your apartments while you talked over the static and music playing from his car speakers. Talking for a little while longer until you realized you had nothing left to say. Frowning down at your cup when you realized that your drink had in fact gone cold.

There was a lull in your words and for a minute or two and you both sat in comfortable silence while the car sped down the freeway. And as he drove Daki’s favor she asked for last night popped into your head. Knowing she would eagerly be waiting for an answer.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” There was a sly and almost mischievous lilt to your voice as you turned your head to him.

“Shoot.” Sanemi said, eyes briefly flickering away from the road and to you.

You thought carefully on how to phrase your question. Knowing you would have to be tactful, if Kyojuro found out before Daki wanted him too she would be pretty pissed off. And having Daki mad at you was not a fun experience.

“Okay so…” You paused, pressing your lips together before finally deciding to just rip the band aid off and come out with it. “Do you know if Kyojuro is single, or interested in anyone?”

“Uh, why?” From the corner of your eye he seemed to stiffen, but his tone made him sound indifferent to your question.

“Uhm…” You hummed, tapping your pointer fingers together. “Okay, well you can't tell anyone, but…” For a moment more you hesitated, contemplating how much you wanted to reveal . “Daki is kind of into him.”

“Daki?” He questioned suspiciously. Eyes glued to the road, no longer flashing back and forth to you. “Is into Kyojuro?”

“I was pretty surprised, but yeah.” You chuckled, but it was hard not to notice Sanemi’s shift in demeanor.

He was silent for a moment longer, both hands gripping the steering wheel. “I don't think it would work.” He stated bluntly, the warmth that had lingered in your earlier conversation had seemed to vanish completely.

You straightened your back from its relaxed posture. “Can I ask why?”

“Uh…” He was thinking about what he wanted to say, a seemingly rare occurrence for him. His fingers drumming against the steering wheel. “Kyojuro’s dad is a retired cop. And I just couldn't really see him being cool with either of his sons dating a demon. Apparently he’s seen a lot of shit in the field… so.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah.”

The playlist had ended and only dull static hummed through the car.

“I guess I kind of forgot not everyone’s parents are like Koyuki’s dad…” You said, forcing an awkward laugh.

“Yeah.”

Silence, static, and the soft rumble of the engine was all that could be heard.

“Uhm-”
“Uhm-”

You both began at the same time, clearly looking to fill the obvious void. Your jaws snapped shut and you forced another awkward laugh.

“Sorry, what were you gonna say?” You said, motioning for Sanemi to talk.

“I just uh-” He shrugged. “I don't think a lot of parents would be.”

“Right…”

The silence returned, filling the car like a suffocating void. You bit your tongue, teeth sinking into the tensed muscle, drawing blood that filled your mouth for the second time that day. Trying to avoid sinking your nails into your hands and drawing blood from your palms in Sanemi’s car. But the silence between you and the dull static from the speakers was grating and you could hardly bear it.

He was right, a lot of parents wouldn’t be like Koyuki’s dad. The reminder felt like a sharp slap to the face. And you remembered why you had been so stubborn to acknowledge any feelings you might have in the first place. You stupid, stupid fucking girl. You thought, watching the numbers of the highway exits count down as you drew closer into the city and towards campus. The area was familiar and if he got off at the next exit you could be at Daki’s house in 5 minutes.

“Hey- shit, im so sorry I completely forgot-” You started, choking back the blood in your mouth and forcing a casual tone to return to your voice. “But, we actually have a staff meeting at the club tonight and I need to get there early.” The clock in Sanemi’s car read 5:15 and considering you normally started at 7 on Sundays anything past 5 felt late enough to constitute a fake emergency. “And I still need to get ready-” You had to force yourself to block the tremor in your voice.

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, but uhm-” You pressed your lips tightly together. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. “Daki lives close by, if you take this exit you can just drop me off there.”

“Oh..” He began signaling. “Sure.”

“Sorry, I've missed these meetings a few times and it really pisses Muzan off-” You fretted, it was half of the truth. You may not have a meeting but you had missed them before, and resultantly pissed off Muzan. “We can set up the terrarium later this week though?” You offered as he began to drive the short distance towards where Daki lived.

“Yeah, no problem.” But in spite of his words his posture was still stiff. Bringing the car to a slow stop in front of the old Victorian style house.

As soon as the car was stopped you swung the door open, fumbling with your seat belt and clumsily adjusting your bag on your shoulder.

“Ill see you tomorrow?” One hand was on the hood of his car while the other held the door open. Bending down to look at Sanemi who was leaning slightly over the center console.

“Yeah, ill see you tomorrow.” A smirk tugged at his lips. “Wormy.”

You shook your head and rolled your eyes at his response. “I still don't like that nickname.”

Shutting his door firmly as you turned to walk towards the house just in time as a stray tear started rolling down your cheek. The sound of his engine idling lingered behind you, waiting to leave until you got inside. You tried your best not to turn around, focusing on not allowing your shoulders to shake while you sniffled softly. When you reached the porch your hands went straight for the door knob. Attempting to turn it a few times but the door wouldn't budge.

The one fucking time its locked.

Your fist pounded roughly against the heavy oak door. Folding your arms tightly over your chest as the tears continued to well in your eyes. Not caring who answered as long as it wasn't-

“Why are you crying?” The door swung inward and you were greeted with a familiar stoic and leveled voice. His six red and yellow eyes locked on you.

“Where’s Daki?”

“Her and Douma are getting their nails done.” His eyes narrowed slightly, looking past you and at the idling car still in front of the house. “Why are you crying?”

“Okay, who is here?” You wiped your tears with the heel of your palm. Refusing to answer his question.

He sighed. “Its just me and Gyu-”

Before he could finish his sentence you barged past him through the doorway. Walking up the stairs and down the familiar halls until you reached Gyutaro’s door. You covered your eyes with your hand and grabbed his door handle. Pushing it open before Kokushibo could come and try to question you further.

“Gyutaro, I'm coming in your room so if you’re masturbating stop.” You yelled over some obscure metal band he had playing from the speaker on his desk. Slamming the door shut behind you.

“What the fuck?!” He yelled, startled by the sudden intrusion.

“Are your clothes on?” Your hand was still covering your eyes.

“Im not fucking masturbating, my clothes were already on!” He groaned. “Trust me, between Daki and Douma always barging into my room, I've learned when to lock my door..” He muttered in annoyance. “What are you doing here?”

Your hand was still covering your eyes and at his question your shoulders started to shake.

“Woah, fuck okay, shit-” He muttered, taking a few steps towards you he pulled your hand away from your face and frowned. “Did something happen?”

“Im a fucking idiot.” You cried, shaking your head and burying your face back in your hands while sitting on the edge of his bed.

“Well you're not the sharpest but you're still not an idiot.” He teased, hoping that would make you lighten up but when it didn't he sighed and softened his tone. “What's going on?” The bed dipped as he took a seat beside you. Pulling your hands away from your flushed face again as you sat on his bed sniffling and crying.

A stifled “Sanemi-” was all you could manage.

“That fucker-” He muttered underneath his breath. “We can still switch partners if he’s being an asshole again.”

You just shook your head, wiping your cheeks dry with your finger tips. “No- he just-” Shoulders slumped as you continued to shake your head. Tears returning to your freshly dried eyes. “He didn't do anything, I'm just making myself upset.”

“Well you say that alot-” Gyutaro pushed himself off his bed and turned the speaker on his desk off. “And it's normally not true, so do you wanna talk about it, or do you wanna just cry for a couple minutes then play some video games?” He crouched down to turn on his Tv, grabbing two controllers from the floor before returning to lean back against the bed. Propping himself up on his elbows with his legs hanging off the edge of the bed.

“Both…” You murmured, taking the offered controller. A gradual stream of tears still rolling down your cheeks.

“Jeez-” He chuckled, rolling his eyes as he reached out and brushed back a few tears with the pad of his thumb. “You and Daki both with the water works. You gonna tell me what happened or am I gonna have to beat it out of scar face?”

For a moment more you were silent, eyes down and glued to the controller in your lap before finally shaking your head. Still trying to figure out how much you could actually tell Gyutaro. “So… I was trying to figure out if a friend of Sanemi’s was single for a friend of mine-”

“Oh yeah, cause Daki’s into Kyojuro.”

You blinked a few times, surprised that he knew. Actually taken aback enough that you stopped crying. “Did she tell you?”

“No she doesn't have to, I'm not blind. It’s pretty obvious.”

You couldn't help but laugh softly, and she thought she was so good at being secretive. “Well, yeah I was.” A deep sigh left your lungs, trying to figure out how to word the next part. “He was pretty blunt about saying it wouldn't work.”

Gyutaro scowled. “Why?”

“Apparently Kyojuro’s dad is a retired cop and wouldn't approve. But then he said that he didn't think that many parents would really approve. And I realized-” Teeth sunk deep into your bottom lip to suppress a fresh wave of tears. “I like him…” You admitted softly, kicking off your shoes and tucking your knees up to your chest. “And I realized that there are just too many factors as to why it wouldn't work. Deep down there's probably a part of him that still thinks I'm just this violent-” Knuckles whitened as you dropped the controller and balled your hands into fists. “-man eating demon. I'm a demon first, before anything. And, it really sucks.”

“Welp-” Gyutaro exhaled deeply, dropping his controller beside yours and flopping back against the bed. “Im a man eating demon first too-’ He placed an outstretched hand on top of your head, shaking it gently. “If it makes you feel any better-”

Your already balled fist connected to his bicep and you pushed his hand off your head. But still a slight grin spread across your face. “It does, thanks.”

“Hi Koku! Why do you have your ear pressed against Gyutaro’s door?” You heard a familiar energetic voice from the other side of the door and before either party could react, Douma was flinging it open. The usual grin on his face widened when he saw you. Kokushibo was still standing behind him in the hall. Eyes wide and staring in for a second before he stalked off.

“Sorry- did I hear you say Kokushibo had his ear against Gyu’s door?” Daki’s voice projected from the stairway and she was soon standing in the door beside Douma. Her eyes widened with delight and her and Douma stepped into his room, shutting it sharply behind them.

“You’re here!” Douma grinned.
“Were you crying?” Daki frowned.
“Aww dont cry!” He cooed.
“Whats wrong?” She said suspiciously.
“I have the perfect remedy for that!”
“You’ll tell me later, right?”

“Okay!” You said sharply, they were both talking so quickly and over each other their voices were nearly meshing into one. “Daki of course I'll tell you later, you're the one I was looking for when I got here.” You assured her as she took a seat beside you, resting her head on your shoulder.

“Okay, rude-” Gyutaro mumbled.

“Douma, what's your remedy?” You arched a brow at him. Unsure if you even wanted to hear the answer.

“Lets get fucked up tonight!”

Chapter Text

Jealousy.

His jaw clenched, teeth gritting together just at the acknowledgement of it.

That's the emotion that gnawed and nagged at Sanemi’s gut when you asked him about Kyojuro. Sure, you had said that it was for Daki. But Sanemi saw how she looked at him, eyes narrowed, lips pursed, scanning him up and down critically. It was borderlining on disgust. There’s no way she was actually into him.

He knew he had no right to be jealous, and if he was being completely honest with himself he had no idea why jealousy was the first emotion he responded with. It would make sense if you liked Kyojuro. He was smart, attractive, social, got along with your friends, hell he got along with everyone. Not to mention he had a good family. A normal family. Even if his dad could be a bit of a drunk sometimes. He was a good guy. And after being with an ass hole like Kokushibo isnt that what you deserved?

So why was he mad?

Because of that pestering little voice of reason in the back of his mind. The one he refused to acknowledge. The one that made him choked up and flustered when he was with you. And the one that made him want to see you again when you weren't.

Selfish fucking bastard.

That's what he felt like. What he’d said to you was, in a sense, the truth. Kyojuro’s dad wouldn't be happy about either of his sons bringing home a demon… if that demon happened to have a warrant. Or prior arrests. But regardless, he had said it. And your reaction had done nothing but confirm his assumption.

He still tried to be light hearted when dropping you off at Daki’s. Teasing you to try to bring up the mood. Just because he felt foul didn’t mean he had to treat you cruelly. That he wouldn't dream of. His problems, his feelings, his emotions, they weren't yours to deal with. He’d sort this out on his own, just like he always did.

But there was another thing that had been getting on his nerves from that day that he felt he had some level of jurisdiction to have an input on.

When he dropped you off Daki hadn't answered the door. Instead it was that smug six eyed fucker. Looking down at you with something that vaguely resembled concern. It made Sanemi wish that he had just kept his stupid fucking mouth shut. Sure his bitter jealousy had kept you away from someone who he knew was a good guy. Who would never lay a hand on you. And instead sent you running back to some slimy little politicians apprentice who had the fucking nerve to hit you infront of a couple hundred people.

Yeah, you shoved past him. And your body language seemed like you were dissatisfied with the fact that he answered the door.

But it was this stupid, shit eating fucking smirk he flashed Sanemi before closing the door behind you.

Fuck.

Maybe he should have gone to the door and made you come back with him. He should have offered to drive you home and take you to work. Anything but just fucking leave you there with him. But he couldn't turn back time and change his actions so instead he found himself dwelling on them. Jaw clenched, it was still dark out as he and Genya walked to practice.

“Uh, Sanemi?” Genya said, interrupting his stream of thought. “You okay? You’ve seemed kinda off since last night.”

“Im fine.” He muttered, eyes cast down at his feet. Not in the mood to go into detail.

Genya continued to stare at him for a few more steps but eventually turned away. Although he still looked concerned.

Practice started and despite Kyojuro’s efforts at conversation they didn't talk much. Sanemi just wasn't in the mood. It was too early, and the ending to your time together on Sunday had thrown him off kilter. But as practice progressed past warm ups he couldn't help but notice that the field was much quieter than usual.

“Kamado!” He called out sharply, motioning for him from across the field.

He jogged over, a mixture of concern and confusion on his face.

“Where’s Hashibira?” Sanemi asked before Tanjiro could even speak. It was like the guy to be 5 or so minutes late here and there. But they were nearly 30 minutes into practice at this point, and it wasn't like him to not show up.

Tanjiro frowned, his brows furrowed. “Inosuke might not be able to come today…”

“What?” He snapped. They were deep into the season and as much as he hated to admit it, they needed him there. “Why?”

“Y/n didn't come home last night. He’s trying to figure out where she is.”

Sanemi felt his blood run cold. His once irritated expression fell into one of worried shock. “Oh…”

“Yeah, he’s trying not to stress out, but apparently this isn't really like her.”

“Yeah…” The wind whipped through the field. Howling softly and ringing through his ears. “It doesn't sound like it is."

“He might come later, but he wants to get a hold of her first..” He explained. “Were trying not to worry though-” His gaze flickered back to where Zenitsu and Genya were, then over Sanemi’s shoulder. Perking up slightly as his usual friendly smile returned to his face. “Hey! Inosuke!”

Inosuke was storming onto the field, his duffle bag clenched tightly beneath white knuckled fists. At least he looked more irritated than concerned.

“Hashibira!” He called him over. The green eyed boy stopped in his tracks, posture rigid as he turned sharply and stomped over to Sanemi.

“What?!”

Sanemi stared at him. Fists clenched at his sides as he forced a detached appearance. “You figure out where your sister was?”

Inosuke’s eyelid twitched. “Why do you wanna know?”

“Because-“

“It’s none of your fucking business!”

You woke up with stiff limbs on top of thick tatami dojo mats. A blanket had been haphazardly draped over you, an empty and knocked over ceramic shot glass was close to your head and a nearly empty bottle of sake was off to the side. The sun had barely begun to rise and was just hardly poking above the horizon. Only a little bit of light was streaming into the dojo, but you heard someone next to you stir and groan.

“Ugghh- can one of you turn off the sun?”

Your eyes fluttered open, blinking a few times to try to focus your spinning and blurred vision. Daki was beside you, and Gyutaro was passed out a few feet away. When the fuck did we come to Koyuki’s house? They both had blankets thrown over them too. Not surprising. It was like Koyuki and Akaza to be drunkenly taking care of everyone.

“Wish I could.” Gyutaro muttered, yanking the blanket over his head.

Slowly, worried you might make yourself sick if you moved too fast, you pushed yourself up. Taking in your appearance. At least you weren't wearing your club uniform anymore. Instead in a pair of light pink Kuromi pajamas that were clearly on loan to you from Koyuki.

“When did we come here?” You said groggily, rubbing your eyes and trying to comb your fingers through tangled hair. A cell phone beside you was ringing, even the soft buzzing against the mats was grating on your ears. You blinked a few times again. “Who’s phone is ringing?”

“It’s your phone, dumb ass-” Gyutaro growled, his cheek smushed against the mat. “It’s been ringing for like 30 minutes.”

Were you still drunk?

“Oh- shit-” You muttered, a slight slur lingering in your voice. Inosuke. “Hello-” You barely got the words out before a boisterous voice came through the speaker.

’WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!’

You pulled the phone back about a foot away from your ear. Wincing slightly, the volume of his voice made your head throb. “Koyuki and Akaza’s-”

’WHY DIDNT YOU FUCKING TELL ME YOU WERE GONNA BE OUT ALL NIGHT?’

A tired groan left your throat. “Look, I'm sorry, okay? I drank way more than I planned to and I-”

’WELL YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME YOU WERE STAYING OUT AFTER WORK!’

“I know, I know-” You sighed. “Look im honestly still kinda drunk-”

’WHAT?!’

“Ughhh-” You layed back down on the tatami mats with a ‘thud’. Rubbing your temple with your free middle and index finger. “Inosuke I know, look I really want to go back to sleep. Can we talk about this when I'm home?”

’Hmph- fine.’

“I love you.”

He hesitated for a moment.

’Love you too.’ -beep-beep-beep-

Daki and Gyutaro were snickering around you. Their crumpled forms shaking with stifled laughter beneath their blankets.

“Someone’s in trouble…” Daki said in a sing-song voice. Slowly sitting up, wincing and rubbing her hands over her face.

You looked up at her from your place on the floor, eyes narrowed and face smushed in a way that matched Gyutaro. Other than her eyes being a bit blood shot she looked just as perfect as usual. Hair smooth and tangle free, and not even the slightest hint of a dark circle beneath her eyes. “How do you still look so good? You drank more than me.”

“This is why I love you.” Her voice was a soft coo as she tapped your forehead a few times and you sat up again. “Hey do you-”

“I have no idea how we ended up at Koyuki's house.” You yawned, sitting up next to her. One hand clutching your blanket to your chest while the other continued to rub your temple. Soft footsteps came from a nearby hallway and soon Koyuki and Akaza stepped through the curtain that connected the main house to the dojo.

“Koyuki!” You and Daki said with tired enthusiasm while she knelt on the floor between you. Her and Akaza seemed rough, but not quite as bad as the three of you.

“And Akaza?” Akaza said, standing behind Koyuki.

“Yeah!” You both said, this time with less enthusiasm and Gyutaro snorted softly. Making Akaza roll his eyes.

“Are you guys hungry?” Koyuki yawned, in a pair of pink pajamas that were similar to the ones she had loaned you and Daki. “My dads making breakfast.”

At the mention of breakfast you, Daki and Gyutaro all started pushing yourselves off the floor. Following the couple down the long hallway and to the main house. Your bare feet padding softly against the pale wooden floors, past a sliding door and into the large, open room that held the living room, kitchen and dining room.

“Keizo!” You, Daki and Gyutaro said in unison when you saw Koyuki’s dad in the kitchen. Carrying a stack of plates over to the low dining table.

“Hey kids!” He grinned, chuckling at your disheveled appearances. On the table there was already grilled fish, miso soup, tea, coffee and rice. A breakfast that Keizo had fed you all many times while hung over. Swearing up and down it was the best thing for it. You sighed in relief at the sight. Kneeling at the table beside Daki and Gyutaro.

“Keizo-“ You began, picking up some of the food with a long pair of chopsticks to transfer it to your plate. “Have I ever told you how much I love coming over here?”

“Yeah, don’t worry. You all had a little bit of a moment last night.” He accompanied his words with a deep laugh. Taking a seat across from you beside Koyuki and Akaza. “Hakuji pass me the tea?”

The three of you who had clearly drank the most last night stopped eating and looked up at him then to each other.

“Alright-“ You groaned. “How did we end up here?”

You had been in an on and off mood all night. Telling Daki every little detail that had happened while working at the bar in between customers. Douma had not been the best influence. And in only a few hours, he’d convinced about 20 people to come to the house for a small kickback after you were off work. Including you, Daki and Gyutaro (of course), Enmu (not surprising), Kaigaku (who took over Akaza’s room after he moved in with Koyuki a month ago), the hatengu brothers (unfortunately), Nakime and her friend Kyogai (surprising), Kokushibo (because he lived there), and a few other people you didn't know that well. He had tried to invite Akaza and Koyuki but received a prompt no (from Akaza).

When work ended you did two shots at the bar with Douma and Enmu. And after a very dodgy drive back in Douma’s late 80’s Porsche 944 with no seatbelt, just thoughts and prayers while you sat in Enmu’s lap, you had reached the house. Already with an alcoholic buzz. Daki led you upstairs and you changed out of the spare club uniform she loaned you. Then you stumbled back down. The rest of the night was pockets of blacked out blotches mixed with brief memories.

Sitting on Douma’s bed in his room with 10 other people as he showcased a new DJ set he was working on.

Sitting on Douma's lap while a light flashed in front of you and you both posed for the camera.

Smoking outside with Nakime and Kyogai until your lungs burned.

Downing a shot, then another, then another.

Sitting on a cramped couch while drinking the last remains of a lukewarm hard seltzer.

You, Daki, and Gyutaro sitting back outside. “Should I just get back together with Koku?”

You were crying. “I'm gonna be alone forever!”

You were slung over Gyutaro’s shoulder in the front yard, slurring in protest.

You were in Akaza’s car.

You, Daki, and Gyutaro were leaning on each other for support as you stumbled into Koyuki’s house.

“Hey kiddo’s!” Keizo was greeting you all.

“Keizo!” You were all stumbling over and drunkenly hugging him.

You were sitting at their dining table, Keizo had joined the 5 of you for a few drinks.

“Keizo, can you adopt us?” Gyutaro and Daki were slurring.

“Keizo, you’re so cool.”

“Thank you for always making us feel so welcomed here.” You and Daki sniffled. Even Gyutaro seemed to be tearing up a bit.

“To Keizo!”

“Night kiddos!”

The 5 of you had taken a second bottle of sake from Keizo’s stash, sitting on the dojo’s tatami mats.

“I will personally-“ Akaza hiccuped. “Beat the shit out of Shinazugawa.”

“I second that.” Gyutaro and Akaza clinked their glasses together.

You, Daki, and Koyuki were in her bedroom, changing into matching pajamas.

“I love you two, so much.” You slurred, the three of you were sitting on her bed with tears streaming down your faces.

You were all stumbling down the hall back towards the dojo, slurring and giggling.

You were trying to prove how well your self defense lessons were going by tackling Gyutaro.

Gyutaro stood unphased with you on his back.

You were all sitting on the floor in a circle.

“I can't wait for us to get married one day!” Koyuki gushed.

You and Daki had your fingers intertwined, leaning on each other. “You guys are so cute!” You both said through slurred tears.

“I want you to find a sweet girlfriend!” You and Daki said while hugging an unamused Gyutaro.

“You guys!” Akaza slurred, holding up a ceramic shot glass in a cheering motion. “I fucking love you guys!” His lips spread to a toothy grin.

Glasses clinked together.

Three of you were laying on the floor.

A blanket was draped on your body.

“Night!” Koyuki and Akaza slurred.

“Nighty night!” You, Daki and Gyuatro slurred back.

“But I don't know what happened after I went to bed.” Keizo shrugged. “You three need a ride home?” He said with amusement, arching a brow at the three of you while he stood. Starting to clear your now empty plates.

“Yeah…” The three of you groaned, heads resting in your hands. “Thanks Keizo!”

“I’m sure she’s fine-“ Kyojuro tried to assure as they ran cool down laps around the field.

“Yeah-“ He muttered, still unconvinced.

“I mean, Inosuke’s here. So he clearly got ahold of her.”

“Mmm.”

“If you want we can check her story?”

Sanemi’s posture straightened. “You follow her?”

Kyojuro’s thick brows creased together. “Yeah of course, we’re friends.”

That gnawing sensation returned. The two slowed their pace after the coach blew his whistle. Dismissing them from practice for the day. Kyojuro was digging through his duffle bag until he pulled his phone from the main compartment. Standing next to Sanemi after unlocking it. Turning the screen towards him as he tapped on your profile.

A few pictures popped up, one of Douma at a desk. LED lights shining behind him, a look of concentration on his face as he worked a turn table. Vinyls scattered in his lap and one head phone over his ear. The other was a girl he recognized from the club. With long bangs draping down and covering the top half of her face. She was posing with Daki who had her elbows on her shoulders. Sitting on the couches he recognized from the party he went to earlier in the year.

The couches in Kokushibo’s house.

Sanemi felt his stomach churn.

Kyojuro closed your profile and went to check someone else’s account.

“How many of her friends do you know?” He said with a mixture of veiled envy and confusion.

“Hm?” Kyojuro hummed, looking up at him then back down at his phone. “I met Enmu at Douma’s party. He’s kinda weird but he posts everything so-“

The first picture to pop up was old and Kyojuro had to click through a few to get to his most recent ones. But eventually you reappeared on his screen, in a car, Douma at the wheel, you in Enmu’s lap with your arms wrapped around his neck and a look of abject fear on your face. The next was you and Daki sitting on Gyutaro’s shoulders pretending to flex. Then you on Douma’s lap, both of you holding up a peace sign. A much too friendly arm wrapped around your waist.

“Okay thats-” Sanemi scowled and looked away from the phone. “I don't care, I don't have to see every detail of her night.”

Kyojuro angled the phone away from him. Continuing to click through the photos himself for a minute more. “She’s at Akaza’s.”

Sanemi looked at him skeptically. “How do you know?”

“Because that-” He turned the phone back to Sanemi. There was a blurry picture of you slung over Gyutaro’s shoulder, a bit like you were being kidnapped, waving goodbye while him and Daki were stumbling to a car. “-is Akaza's car. He must've picked them up last night.”

He is also apparently more helpful at finding you in an emergency. Another thing to add to the long list of reasons Kyojuro was better than him. He looked down at his feet, biting his tongue.

“That’s good.” He said firmly, pulling a sweatshirt over his head and grabbing the worn straps of his duffle bag. “Im gonna go-” He finally muttered out, already walking off before Kyojuro could say anything. “But I'll see you tomorrow.”

The sound of jogging footsteps clattered up behind him and Genya appeared at his side.

“Not staying to talk to your friends today?”

Genya shook his head no. “Tanjiro and Zenitsu were pretty tired, and Inosuke started walking back as soon as practice was over.”

Sanemi looked up from his feet, Inosuke was a ways ahead of them, walking quickly back towards the apartments. The rest of the short walk was spent in silence as Sanemi adjusted his bag and Genya occasionally cleared his throat. A cluster of low grey clouds had formed in the sky and rain was softly pattering onto the side walk below.

When they reached the apartments there was a large silver truck pulled up by the front door. He could see Inosuke standing next to it, arms folded tightly. The passenger door was open and you were standing just outside of the car. Sunglasses resting on your nose and head down. Wearing the clothes he’d dropped you off in yesterday. An older man was in the driver's seat. Watching the scene unfold before him with concern.

“You scared the shit out of me! You were at fucking Kokushibo’s house last night!”

“Lots of other people were at Kokushibo’s house last night. He’s not the only one who lives there.” Your voice was hoarse and scratchy and you were rubbing the sides of your head with both of your hands.

“But you didn't tell me that you weren't going to come home! Or that you were staying at Akaza’s! I woke up and saw that you were gone!” His voice was raised, not with anger but with fear. “You work at a club, and you take the train home! I woke up and when I saw you weren’t there I assumed the worst! Then I checked your story and I thought you were still at Kokushibo’s!”

You swayed on your feet, reaching out to hold onto the still opened door for support. “I know, I should’ve told you-”

“Are you seriously still drunk?!”

You grimaced. “Kinda…”

Inosuke was silent for a moment while he stared down at you. Sanemi and Genya watched the scene unfold through quick and sneaking glances as they slipped past and into the lobby. Shortly after, the door opened and you walked in behind Inosuke. Your head down as the four of you waited for the elevator in tense silence.

“Hi guys..” You leaned past Inouske to give Sanemi and Genya an awkward wave.

You're her friend, act like it.

After a subtle deep breath in and out, Sanemi forced away some of his earlier tension.

Your feelings aren't her problem.

“Hey,” Sanemi finally managed to get the words out. “You okay? You look a little rough.”

“Long and impromptu night courtesy of Douma.” You laughed awkwardly as the four of you stepped into the elevator. “Somehow ended up on the floor at Koyuki and Akaza’s.”

He decided not to tell you that he already knew that.

“Sounds like a good night.”

“Yeah… I guess.” You groaned. “Dont know if you can't already tell but, I don't think I can meet at the library today.”

Sanemi felt like he did a good job at masking his disappointment. “No problem.”

The elevator dinged and you and Inosuke stepped out, giving him a final wave as the doors slid shut. Sanemi exhaled, not even realizing that he was holding his breath. His head hit the side of the thin metal wall and the elevator lurched up. Continuing its ascent.

“You sure you're okay?” Genya asked hesitantly.

Sanemi sighed again, thinking for a moment before answering. “Yup.”

You and Inosuke walked into your apartment. Your tired legs gave out as you collapsed onto the couch. Flinging your sunglasses off onto the coffee table and kicking off your shoes. You pulled a throw blanket over your body. Using it to cover your eyes.

“Are you done being mad at me?” You rasped out. The cushions beside you dipped and you drew your legs closer to your body to make room. Inosuke grabbed the blanket where it covered your head, lifting it up and lowering himself to look at you.

“You could’ve at least invited me…” There was a slight pout to his lips.

You smirked. “Is that why you’re so mad?”

“It’s like 90% being mad at you for not telling me where you were-“ He dropped the blanket and leaned back against the couch. “And 10% being mad that you didn’t invite me.”

“Your maths getting better!” You chuckled weakly beneath the blanket.

There was a pause in your conversation and you could already tell that he was making an annoyed face. “So-“ You could hear his feet thudding onto the coffee table. “What the hell happened?”

Your fingers curled around the edge of the blanket and you pulled it down past your eyes. Staring at him curiously.

“I’m not an idiot.” His eyes narrowed. “You were hanging out with Sanemi yesterday, didn't come home before work, and then I woke up this morning to see you gone, at an impromptu Douma party last night, and apparently knocked out at Akaza and Koyuki’s.”

You sighed, avoiding his expectant gaze. “Can you keep a secret?”

You told him everything. The growing and conflicting emotions and feelings you felt towards Sanemi. The conversation the two of you had yesterday. Your hesitance, your frustration, the painful realization you’d made about the reality of your situation. Outside the storm became gradually more volatile, fat rain drops hit the glass window behind the couch. Warm tears fell from your eyes, rolling down your cheeks and neck.

“It was stupid for me to even let myself feel that way in the first place.” You murmured softly. Your tears had eventually slowed and stopped. But the rain outside continued to grow heavier, your flimsy window panes rattled from the wind. There was a firm hand on your shoulder, pulling you to sit up. And then you were enveloped into a tight and comforting embrace.

Your eyes screwed shut and you hugged him back. He was still in his soccer jersey, a bit muddy from the grassy field. His arms tightened around you.

“Don’t fucking scare me like that again-“ He muttered and the two of you sat back again. Each curled into a corner of the couch and angled towards the other

“I won’t.” You said softly.

He stared at the black tv screen for a moment. “I wouldn’t want you with him anyway.”

You stared at him, waiting for him to elaborate.

“He’s a short tempered hot head.” He sighed. “I don’t want to see you with another guy like that.”

You stared at your hands, picking at your nails. There was no point in arguing with him about it. It’s not like anything was going to happen anyway. “You can’t tell anyone about the Daki and Kyojuro thing.”

“Oh yeah…” He snorted. “Trust me, I'd rather not deal with her wrath.”

You rolled your eyes. A soft grin spread across your lips. “Go take a shower.”

“Ugh, okay mom-“ He smirked, rolling his eyes and begrudgingly pushing himself off the couch. “Oh hey-“ Inosuke paused in the hallway. “Since fall break starts on Wednesday can I skip tutoring tomorrow?”

A swift bolt of lightning illuminated the sky above, ripping through the air nearby. The earsplitting snap of deep rolling thunder came shortly after. Making the earth below tremble, or was it just you shaking. You cried out in surprise. Hands flew to cover your ears, some stuffed toy was tucked into your elbow but you couldn't remember what it was. A dog, a cat, a bunny? You forced your eyes open and this time it was some kind of cat. This part of the memory was always a bit hazy.

Another bolt of lighting struck through the air, another loud crack of thunder. It felt like it was right on top of you. Rain pelted the roof of the car and the slick roads around you. Balding tires with little traction were skidding against a puddle that had gathered in the street. Your face was warm, small hands tried to pull away the tears but they just kept falling.

“Please slow down, I'm scared!” You cried to an invisible driver from the back seat. The voice that comes out of your mouth hasn't been yours for a while. You blink a few times, trying to remember who you are, where you are. This is all too familiar. But before you can even try to come to a resolution the car screeches to a halt. Skidding slightly across the oily roads. Another bolt of lighting, another crack of thunder. This time brighter, louder. The rain hitting the roof of the car grows heavier, frantic. Like its knocking and demanding to be let in.

The back door is yanked open, the rusty hinges groan in protest. You shake your head no and cower in fear, shuffling to the other side of the back seat. Your stuffed cat in the crook of your elbow. No, now it's a bunny. You stare in confusion. You’re panting like an animal but you still can’t breathe. Drowning in the very air you're gasping for.

Another flash of lightning, this one is blinding. Another crack of thunder, the car shakes and it feels like the earth is going to split in half and swallow you. The shadowy figure lingers outside the car door. You shake your head again, this time more urgent, trying to open your mouth to object but nothing comes out. A clawed hand grabs your wrist and-

“Fuck!” You say breathlessly, sitting up in your bed, frantically taking in details around you. Igor beside you, staring at you curiously from his terrarium. Photos on your walls and desk, pictures of you with Daki and Koyuki, Hisa and Inosuke. A thin layer of freezing sweat coats your body. Your hands are trembling when you look at them.

These are my hands. You think in relieved confirmation.

Your stomach churns and you can feel bile rising up in your stomach. Throwing the blankets from your body you swing your legs off of your bed and stagger down the hall and to the bathroom. Jiggling the handle.

Locked.

It’s early in the morning. Inosuke must be getting ready to go to practice. You turn, your nausea increasing and you make a run for the kitchen. Gripping the counter you keel over and retch out the pathetic contents of your stomach into the kitchen sink. Taking slow ragged breaths as you switched on the tap. Rinsing out your mouth and gulping down a bit of the cool water.

Soft footsteps enter the kitchen behind you and the fluorescent light above you hums to life.

“No big light!” You groan in protest, still slumped over the kitchen sink. And just as quickly the light above you flickers off. Inosuke walks over to the dining table and switches on a small warm lamp that sits on top of it.

“You okay?” He asked, slowly walking past you to open the fridge.

“Mhmm-” You hum, eyes closed and head nodding. Your fingers still dig into the counter top, leaving behind small scratch marks in their path. Guess you're not getting that deposit back.

“You have that nightmare again?”

You nod your head again, propping yourself up to sit on the counter. Your elbows on your knees and head in your hands.

“Maybe you should stay home today-”

A flash of lightning flickered through the drawn blinds, followed by the sharp and familiar rolling crash of thunder. You jumped in place, keeping your face covered from his vision. Shaking your head no again.

“The storm is supposed to last all day.” Inosuke tried to reason, turning on the coffee maker and brewing a fresh cup. Looking at you with obvious concern.

“I already missed all my classes yesterday.” You mumbled, pulling your hands away from your face. “I’ll be fine.” You assured him with a forced smile.

Sanemi’s fingers drummed against the paper cups he held in his grasp. Thunder, lightning, heavy rain all around him. His rain coat’s hood drawn over his head as he hurried to demon/human history. A plain matcha for himself, and a latte for you. He’d combed through the pastries while waiting in line but he still wasn't entirely clear on your dietary restrictions. He remembered no sugar, maybe just a plain croissant? Would you even want one? He decided it might be safer to just get you a coffee. Something he knew you would like.

This weather reminded him of Tomioka, the dreary fuck. Although he did like the overcast skies he didn't like these days and days of seemingly endless rain. Not to mention it made practice a bitch. Last time there was heavy rain the coach rescheduled but today he made them all play through it. Prick.

Regardless, he only had one more morning of practice before fall break at least. He wondered what you were doing over break. That traitorous little voice nagged him from the back of his brain. Is she anxious to see you too? Of course you weren't, he shook the thought free from his head and shouldered his way through the door. Sitting where you two normally would.

The seats around him began to fill. Akaza, Kyojuro, Daki and Mitsuri were filing into their seats one after the other in front of him and Tengen and Gyutaro had taken a seat behind him. 7:55. You were normally a few minutes early, maybe you had just slept in today? But as the minutes ticked by and class drew closer and closer he started to wonder if you were coming at all. He looked at a fiery head of hair in front of him, and questioned if maybe you were avoiding someone.

8:02. He had to force himself to stop glancing at the clock. On the one day he brings you a coffee you don't come to class.The professor begins her introductions and Sanemi leans forward in his seat. “Hey-“ He whispers. “Daki.”

Her hair is slightly damp from the rain. Swishing around her face when she turns her head. Giving him an annoyed glare as she looks at him from over her shoulder. Fuck, maybe he should have asked Akaza… or just texted you.

“I doubt she’s coming today.” Was all she whispered back before returning her attention to the professor. As if she already knew what he was going to ask.

“Is she uh-“ He glanced at your usual and currently empty seat. “Is she okay? Why isn’t she coming?”

“Why are you so concerned with what she does?” A familiar voice rasped behind him. Sanemi turned his head to see Gyutaro looking down at him. Him and his sister had the exact same scowl. So intense it almost physically burned.

Sanemi returned his scowl, then fixed his gaze forward. Eyes briefly flickering down to the back of Kyojuro’s head. Before he could continue to think too much of it one of the doors creaked open softly. Your head was down, in an oversized rain coat with the hood drawn over your head. A few strands of wet and stringy hair hung past the hood and you took a seat beside Sanemi wordlessly.

Shrugging off your coat, a few drops of water rolled off of it and hit the floor below. Sanemi looked at you from the corner of his eyes. You looked tired, dark circles lingered beneath your blood shot eyes, normally straight posture was slumped. Sanemi tapped the table beside you gently and when you looked over he couldn't help but notice that you'd clearly been crying. The tip of your nose was red, your cheeks were flushed and your eyes were glossed over. He slowly slid the coffee cup next to you and you gave him a soft smile. Bottom lip trembling slightly as you took the cup and returned your attention to the professor.

Was this about yesterday?

Guilt and Jealousy.

A nauseating combination stirred in his gut. Permeating through his entire body. He didn't miss the worried glances that Daki and Akaza shot you from the row in front of him.

“Psst.” A voice hissed softly from behind and you turned. Gyutaro pointed at you then gave you a testy thumbs up. Brow arched curiously and you nodded your head in response. Turning back as you tried to focus on the lecture. Clawed nails were picking at your cuticles, sinking into your palms, breaking skin that would instantly close but left behind small streaks of dried blood. You weren't yourself today, that much was obvious.

When the lecture ended and class drew to a near end you had 20 minutes like usual to discuss with your partner. But when Sanemi turned to you, you were staring blankly at an empty notebook page, that by this time would normally be filled. Your eyes were still down, anxiously continuing to pick at your nails.

“Hey-” He said and you startled, pulling your sleeves over your hands and looking up at him. Blinking a few times as if trying to focus your vision. “Still on for tutoring today?”

“Oh, uhm-” You looked back down at your blank notebook. “I actually told Inosuke that since we’re starting fall break after tomorrow he could skip tutoring this week.” A sheepish and forced half smile on your face. “And if you can't tell, I'm not feeling very great today.” You chuckled awkwardly. “Mind if we pick up after break?”

“Yeah-” He said, nodding his head. Wondering if he should ask what was wrong.

“Thanks for the coffee.” You smiled softly, holding up the nearly empty cup.

“No problem..” He hesitated. “Are uh- are you okay?”

A rolling crash of thunder rumbled through the halls from outside and you stiffened beside him. “Mhmm-” You hummed, giving him a tense nod. “Sorry we couldn't get Kabuto’s enclosure set up.”

Sanemi could tell you weren't okay, but decided not to push it. “Dont worry about it, you still wanna help set it up?”

Your smile grew more genuine and you gave him a more relaxed nod. “Yeah, I get back from Hisa’s Sunday night.”

Sanemi returned your smile. “Cool. You wanna just come over to my place on Monday instead of going to the library?”

You perked up at the invitation. Relaxed smile growing to a soft grin. “Yeah, that sounds really fun.”

There was another crack of thunder and this time you jumped slightly in your seat. Packing your bag with shaking hands. Sanemi frowned at the display.

“Are you sure you're okay?”

Your posture had become rigid again and you gave him a forced nod. “Yeah, I'm fine. I think I'm gonna go home.”

You were standing now, stuffing your bag with the last of your things and pulling on your rain coat. Sanemi stood with you. Holding the straps of his back pack and tapping his fingers against them.

“Do you want me to walk back with you?” He asked hesitantly, not wanting to push your boundaries, but still worried.

“Oh- Uhm…” You hummed, your head ducked as you pulled your hood up. Chewing on your bottom lip and staring at your feet. Before you could answer a deep voice pulled your attention away from him.

“Hey-” Akaza, Daki and Gyutaro were standing behind you, subtly glaring at Sanemi.

Well… Daki was being subtle. Akaza and Gyutaro not so much.

“We’re gonna walk you home.” Akaza said flatly.

“And I'm gonna stay and hang out with you.” Daki hummed with a sly smile.

“But you have class…”

“I have fashion branding, which I have an A in by the way.” She glanced at Gyutaro. “And then I just have-” She paused and shuttered. “Finance. Which is full of guys who think they're Patrick Bateman. So you're actually saving me”

“Koyuki’s also gonna meet up with us and come hang out at your apartment too.” Akaza added.

You stared at them for a moment more, then finally relented. Nodding your head and turning to follow them out of the classroom.

“Bye Sanemi…” You gave him a final wave as your friends pulled you out. Your voice was so soft compared to how it normally was it felt like someone had punched him right in the gut.

Did the Kyojuro thing really bothered you that much?

“Dude-” Tengen’s voice pulled Sanemi from his stunned thoughts as he walked over to him. Mitsuri and Kyojuro followed closely behind. The 4 of them still lingering in the quickly thinning out class room. “What the fuck was that about?”

“What?”

“Shabana was glaring at the back of your head that whole time.” His light brows creased together. “You do something to piss him off?”

“Not that I know of.” He said flatly, looking off to the side to evade Tengen’s nosey stare. “Shabana’s always in a shit mood, sure he wasn't looking at you?”

“Well was y/n okay?” Mitsuri’s voice was filled with concern, a slight frown tugging at her lips. “She seemed really off.”

“Look, I dont fucking know!” Sanemi snapped. “I dont why Shabana would be in a shit mood with me, and I dont know whats going on with y/n because she didnt want to fucking talk to me about it-” He quickly clenched his jaw shut, realizing he might have let on more than he really wanted to.

His three friends stared at him for a moment. Eyes flickering between Sanemi and each other.

“Okay…” Kyojuro made an attempt at breaking the silence. “Uh, I don't know if you all saw the group chat, but don't forget to respond to Shinobu. She’s trying to make plans for tomorrow night.”

Tengen and Kyojuro were already walking towards the door. Sanemi just nodded his head, slowly starting to leave as well. Obanai was waiting in the hall for Mitsuri, typing something on his phone. He watched as she ran up to him, a wide grin on her face as he smiled gingerly in response to her enthusiasm. Fingers intertwining, talking cheerfully to each other.

Sanemi stared for a moment more. Contemplating something that had been on his mind for a while.

“Hey..” He nodded to Obanai. Trying to figure out how to word his next sentence. How the hell was he supposed to phrase a feeling he didn't fully understand? “Youre probably my closest friend.”

Obanai raised a brow at him, his fingers still intertwined with Mitsuri’s. This was an unusually sentimental conversation, something that despite their good friendship, didn't happen often.

Sanemi rolled his eyes and sighed softly. “Can I talk to you…both? About something?”

Just a few minutes later the trio found themselves in the coffee house. Tucked away in a small cluster of velvet chairs near the back corner. Warm cups held between their palms and close to their chests. The storm was still raging outside and the warmth of the interior and soft jazz music was a welcomed respite.

Sanemi sighed again, looking down at his half empty cup. This is fucking stupid, what was he even doing?

“Okay what the hell is going on with you?” Obanai finally said in his usual monotone voice.

Sanemi set his cup down on the table, his blank gaze flickering between him and a curious Mitsuri. “Can we talk about this with discretion?”

“Uh, obviously?” Obanai said while Mitsuri did a zipping motion over her lips and gave an enthusiastic nod.

“Ugh-” Sanemi groaned, combing fingers through his damp hair. “There's this… person and-” Mitsuri’s gasp interrupted him and Sanemi shot her a wide eyed stare. “Discretion!” He reminded her through gritted teeth. “Anyway, I think I may.. kind of..”

“Is it y/n?!” Mitsuri was buzzing beside Obanai, their fingers still woven together.

“Your dem/hum partner?” Obanai questioned

“Discretion-” Sanemi repeated sharply, glancing around the coffee shop. “Fuck-” He muttered. “I don't even know why I'm talking about this, she’s into someone else.”

“Who?” Mitsuri asked, tilting her head to the side.

Sanemi’s lips pulled into a tense frown as he took a sip of his drink. “...Kyojuro.” He murmured hesitantly, but Mitsuri’s confusion seemed to grow.

“I thought Daki liked Kyojuro?”

“Your dem/hum partner?” Obanai asked with confusion to match Mitsuri’s. Clearly having a hard time following.

“Did she tell you that?” Sanemi asked skeptically. Mitsuri tapped her finger against her chin then shook her head.

“Thats just the vibe I got.” She shrugged, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

Sanemi rubbed his hands over his face, tugging softly at his hair. He didn't know what he was even doing, this clearly wasn't helping. The best thing for him to do at this point was to just ignore it. Ignore it and push it away and eventually he’d stop feeling this way.

“This was… Im just gonna go home until my next class, this was fucking stupid.” The chair legs scratched against the floor as he pushed it back with his heels. Mitsuri frowned slightly and Obanai stared at him. “Ill see you guys tomorrow.” He muttered, grabbing his bag and bracing himself to go back out in the storm.

“Dont forget to check the groupchat!” Mitsuri called out as he gave them both a dismissive wave.

Sanemi stood, waiting in the lobby for the elevator. A slight shiver ran down his spine and he dropped his bag to pull off his rain jacket. In this weather it wasn't even doing much anymore, his hair and the neckline of his sweatshirt was soaked with freezing rain. And the elevator felt like it was taking longer than usual.

When the doors finally ground open he was met with two familiar faces. Falling out of neutral conversation and into mutual scowls at the sight of him. Gyutaro in particular. Sharp teeth barred, his arm lunged out and grabbed him by the collar. Pulling him into the elevator.

“You got a fucking problem with my little sister?!” He snarled before Sanemi could even react.

“What?!” He spat out, grabbing Gyutaro’s wrist to try and push him away but his grasp only tightened.

“Think she’s not good enough for one of your little friends?!”

“What the fuck are you talking about?!” Sanemi sneered.

“Gyutaro-” Akaza said calmly, arms folded as he watched with an apathetic stare. “C’mon man he’s not worth it, let's go.”

Gyutaro stared at him for a moment longer with wide and wild eyes before releasing his collar. His palm pressed into his chest and he pushed him back. “He talks about her like she’s some fucking man eating convict.” He growled, turning to leave while shaking his head. “That fire headed fucks not good enough for her anyway.”

“Dude, Kyojuro’s cool. Don't drag him into this.” Akaza muttered as they stepped out of the elevator. The doors slid shut and Sanemi pressed the button to his floor. Hands smoothing the collar around his neck.

What the fuck was that?

Chapter Text

Sanemi had always thought you were cute, even when he first met you. Yeah, sure, he didn't necessarily like you. In fact he had a hard time just tolerating you. But to say you weren't cute would just be a lie. And over time when he realized that you were more than just tolerable, you were actually fun to be around, that's when Sanemi began to get the feeling that he might be in trouble.

And sure, he could admit that you were cute. He could admit he liked spending time with you.

But acknowledging his jealousy these past few days? Admitting that to himself? That had been difficult. And all but admitting it to Obanai and Mitsuri had practically sealed what he was beginning to fear.

He was starting to like you.

And not just some silly little crush.

It was clammy palms before meeting, anxious to see you next, heart rate increasing every time his phone pings, ruminating, stewing, borderline agonizing attraction.

Then you asked him about Kyojuro, and as was typical for him, he jumped to a conclusion. Assuming it was your attempt to tip toe around asking for yourself. But Gyutaro’s confrontation with him had made it clear his assumption had been wrong. Very wrong.

But then why did you seem so upset on Sunday?
Was he over-thinking it?
And why were you so off yesterday in class?

“Ughh-” Sanemi groaned audibly to himself as he ran his hands over his face and tugged slightly at his hair. Get it together. He thought as he pulled a clean pair of jeans from his dresser.

But a softer voice whispered in the back of his head. Talk to her. Talk to her. Talk to her.

It had been whispering to him since yesterday. And for a good 30 minutes he contemplated going down to your apartment to do just that. But he knew you were there with your friends. And an even bigger part of him didn't want to bother you.

It would have to wait until you were back from break. It was only 5 days. He could be patient.

Sanemi fell back onto his bed. Glaring at the disorganized materials in the corner of his room for Kabuto’s new enclosure. The small plants sat on his window sill, a particularly long vine draped over and Sanemi got up. Tapping it lightly with his finger. The tempestuous storm had died out, the clouds had thinned and cleared. Giving way to bright skies that still left a surprising chill in the air.

His phone began to ring on the bed, stealing his attention. When he scooped it up he rolled his eyes upon seeing Shinobu’s name. Knowing he was about to get an earful for ignoring the group text.

“Hey-“

’Answer the god damn group chat!’ -beep-beep-beep-

Less of an earful than he thought it would be, but she still sounded pretty pissed.

Sanemi groaned and tossed his phone to the side. Grimacing slightly at Shinobu’s use of the word ‘freaky’ to describe you. You weren't a freak, at least he didn't think you were… anymore. He walked back towards the window, giving the plants a few more tentative pats.

Maybe it would be nice to see everyone… even if he had to hang out with Tomioka. It might be good for him to take his mind off of everything. This way he would have some much needed time to sort out his thoughts. Besides…

A slight smile tugged at his lips as he looked at the soft draping vines.

He’d see you on Monday.

Music was playing from a speaker by Daki’s bedside table, loud enough to energize you, but quiet enough so that you could still talk over it. Warm toned string lights and the many lightbulbs that surrounded her vanity illuminated her bedroom. You sat cross legged on the floor in front of a long mirror that hung on the wall, while Daki stood above Koyuki. Applying a light shade of blush to her cheeks.

You were all getting ready to go to the fall carnival. Considering it was hard for everyone to get time off around the same time, going out the night before a break in the semester had become a tradition over the years. And you were looking forward to having fun with your friends. Not to mention, a distraction from a certain individual your mind kept wandering to the past few days.

“I really am sorry about the whole Kyojuro thing.” You glanced at Daki through the mirror. “I can't remember the last time you actually liked a guy…”

“Ugh, it's fine.” she said, straightening her posture and examining Koyuki’s makeup. “Im honestly so over it. He's not even that attractive anyway I mean- He looks like an owl or something.” She scoffed softly.

“ A sexy…” Her grip on the makeup brush tightened until it snapped in half. “...owl.” The last part was spoken through gritted teeth before she took a deep breath and relaxed her features. Looking down at the now snapped in half make up brush.

“I didn't like that brush anyway.” She said decisively. “Besides.” Daki continued, sitting down on her vanity bench beside Koyuki as she started to pull her long hair up into a high pony tail. “I’ve heard we're not missing out on much.” A wicked grin spread across her lips. “Apparently compared to demon guys, humans have tiny dicks. Lucky for us, huh Koyuki?”

Koyuki’s features fell into slight mortification. Her entire face all the way to the tips of her ears broke out into a deep blush. Reconfirming what she had already drunkenly told you both many times about Akaza’s… stature.

“I'm excited for the carnival.” You rolled your eyes and grinned slightly, deciding to help Koyuki out and change the subject.

“Me too! They’re having a fireworks show this year, I can't wait!” She beamed and you couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. “Do you want a drink?” Koyuki asked as she pulled out her phone. “Hakuji’s in the kitchen and was asking if we want anything.”

“Vodka tonic with lime.” She requested and Koyuki started typing while Daki tugged at her hair.

“I'm good.” You said, returning your attention to the mirror to finish getting ready.

“Youre not drinking?” Daki’s brows furrowed. “But that scarred up loser’s been bringing you down all week. I wanted you to be able to have fun tonight…” She pouted.

“We already drank a lot on Sunday. I’ll still have fun tonight.” You countered. “And you shouldn't talk about Sanemi like that…”

“What are we talking about?!” A bubbly voice sang and Daki’s door swung open. Douma and Enmu staggered in, Douma had his arms wrapped around Enmu’s waist with his head on his shoulder. The two sprawled onto the ground together, taking a seat beside you with Douma between Enmu’s legs. His head resting against his chest. Akaza and Gyutaro followed shortly behind them, handing Daki and Koyuki their drinks and taking a seat on her bed.

“Carpool plans-”
“Sanemi-” Daki said over you and Douma smirked.

“Oh-” Douma sat on his knees, pulling a few small strands around you face forward to braid them. “Enmu and I can just cuddle up in Akaza’s trunk.” He giggled. “But also- what about Sanemi?!”

“Nothing-“ You groaned. The last thing you wanted to talk about right now was Sanemi.

“What are you guys talking about?” A low voice said from the doorway. You all turned your heads to see Kokushibo and Kaigaku leaning against the wooden frame. Kaigaku had a drink in his hand, while Kokushibo had his arms folded. Why the hell was everyone coming to Daki’s room?!

“Nothing-“ You and Daki hissed in unison.
“Sanemi-“ Douma said over you with a smirk as he finished your braids.

Kokushibo stared at you skeptically but you ignored him. Keeping your focus on your own reflection to avoid his gaze. The room had become a swirl of slightly drunken chattering. Everyone talking over each other and the music.

“Okay!” Daki snapped, standing up from her vanity. “That’s it everyone out, we need to get changed.” She started shooing Kokushibo and Kaigaku from the door frame. Followed by Gyutaro.

“That means both of you too-“ She narrowed her eyes at Douma and Enmu who were yanked to their feet and pulled out by Akaza. When they all left Daki slammed the door shut behind them. “Ugh, they’re so annoying.”

“Okay so if we all buy the tickets on our phones now, we won't have to wait in line at the ticket booth.” Shinobu was explaining to the huddled group that was only half listening. Obanai and Mitsuri were a bit engrossed in each other. Genya, Muichiro, Tanjiro, Inosuke and Zenitsu were chatting eagerly (and loudly) amongst themselves. Tengen was staring at the carnival lights with Hinatsuru, Makio and Suma. Giyuu, Gyomei, Kyojuro and Kanao were the only ones really paying attention.

The gravel of the parking lot crunched beneath his feet as Sanemi shifted his weight and shoved his hands in his hoodie pocket. He was starting to regret agreeing to come to this. What he thought would be a decent enough distraction had turned into an annoyance. And that traitorous part of him wondered if you would've liked coming here.

His jaw clenched. No. He’s not supposed to be thinking of you tonight. Or for the rest of fall break.

He leaned against the closed trunk of Tengen’s car and pulled out his phone while Shinobu tried to get the younger guys to pay attention. All of them gathered and parked near the back corner of the gravel lot where it was quietest.

Or at least it was until a blue SUV blasting music and a black Mercedes sports car that looked…oddly familiar pulled in a few spaces away.

“Hey, that's Akaza’s car!” Kyojuro smiled, pointing to the SUV.

“Oh cool I was hoping Y/n would be here soon!” Inosuke grinned widely. “I don't have any money.”

“Did you invite her?” Sanemi asked, trying to sound passive but he didn't miss that Kyojuro, Mitsuri and Obanai all gave him a curious look.

“Nah, her and all her friends come to this every year.”

Great.

Akaza and Koyuki got out first , walking around to the trunk. Sanemi glanced at the Mercedes as Kokushibo got out and that gnawing sense of jealousy returned. That is until the passenger door swung open and the guy who got punched by Zenitsu stepped out instead of you.

Inosuke whistled loudly, getting the attention of Akaza, who was opening his trunk. A tangled Douma and Enmu rolled out.

“Basketball face! Where’s y/n?!”

Before Akaza could reply Kokushibo spoke for him, sending Sanemi a sharp glare as his gaze scanned the group. “She’s in-.”

“I didn't ask you!” Inosuke sneered back and Akaza let out a sharp laugh in response.

The back passenger door swung open and you and Daki finally stepped out. Supporting an already clumsy and stumbling Gyutaro. Inosuke whistled again, stealing your attention as you adjusted the sunglasses on your face. When you looked up and saw them a big smile spread across your face. Sanemi felt like his heart had stopped completely. Maybe it was the little braids that were woven around and framed your face, maybe it was the fact that you looked so much happier than you did yesterday. But you just looked so…

“Hey!” You were grinning as you walked over to the group. Sanemi’s posture straightened subconsciously as he leaned against Tengen’s car. Feeling like he was trying way too hard to be nonchalant.

“Can I have some money?” Inosuke grinned, cutting straight to the chase before even greeting you back.

Brat Sanemi thought, but before he could even think of saying anything to him you were digging through your purse.

“Shit, sorry I forgot to leave cash for you this morning.” You chuckled, rummaging through your bag and pulling out your wallet. “Here-” You handed him a stack of bills, keeping them covered with your palm but Sanemi could tell you gave him a lot. “I gave you enough to get food and pay for your friends.”

“You really don't have to pay for them all.” Sanemi interjected beside you, making Tanjiro, Genya and Zenitsu give him a look of annoyed exasperation.

You just laughed and shook your head. “I don't mind, the infinity castle gets really busy around october so ive been making a lot of tips!” You assured him. “Plus my boss paid me early this week since I'll be gone for fall break.”

“That was my idea, by the way. You’re welcome.” Kokushibo had appeared behind you, looking at Sanemi with obvious distaste. You clenched your jaw and tilted your head back to glare at him. Nails digging into your palms.

But before he could say anything else Akaza was walking over. Putting his hand on Kokushibo’s chest and pushing him back a few feet. Glaring at him as a warning to back off. His other arm around a content looking Koyuki.

“Yo, Kyojuro!” Akaza grinned as he and Koyuki joined the widening circle. Daki scurried over. Wrapping her arms around Mitsuri’s shoulders and squealing with excitement, Gyutaro followed behind her.

“Nice of you to pay for all the brats.” Sanemi said.

“I really don't mind-” You began but stumbled forward when Douma and Enmu ran up behind you. Douma’s arms wrapped around your shoulders while Enmu’s arms were wrapped around Douma’s waist. Shinobu visibly cringed and rolled her eyes.

Sanemi felt a fresh wave of jealousy wash over him again at the sight of Douma’s arms wrapped around you with so much familiarity. But he tried to ignore it, gritting his teeth and looking to the side.

“Such a good sister!” Douma cooed before he noticed Shinobu and gasped with excitement. “Hi Shinobu, you look so cute tonight!” He reached out to try and boop her nose but upon seeing her discomfort you quickly grabbed his wrist and stopped him. Forcing his arm back to his side.

You gave Shinobu a small and reassuring smile and she seemed to relax slightly. Returning to her conversation with Giyuu.

“I already told him I'd give him money for the day. I try to take care of the financial stuff so he can just focus on school and sports.” You explained. A shy blush on your cheeks as you looked over to Inosuke who had resumed talking with Tanjiro.

Sanemi felt his once stunted heart begin to pound rapidly against his chest.

“Isnt she so sweet?!” Douma grinned wickedly, both of his hands on your shoulders and his chin resting on top of your head. “No wonder Koku is still so obsessed with her!”

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kokushibo stiffen noticeably. Eyes wide with what almost looked like embarrassment. His fingers twitched and then he grabbed Douma by the collar and pulled him off of you. Making him stagger back with Enmu. Turning away quickly to retreat to the entrance while Kaigaku, Douma and Enmu followed.

You watched them walk off for a moment before turning your attention to Sanemi. “I didn't know you were coming to this..”

For a moment he just stared at you. Trying to force his brain to think of a response.

Awkward. That’s how Sanemi felt. Although he didn’t technically admit anything to Obanai and Mitsuri, it was clear they figured out that he felt something. And that was close enough.

“You okay?” You frowned.

Sanemi blinked a few times, your concerned question grounding him back to reality.

“Yeah, fine.” He said flatly, nodding his head. “Sorry, kinda tired. I uh, I didn't know you were coming either.”

“Oh, yeah. We come every year.” You chuckled awkwardly, motioning to your friends who were lingering and mixed in with the circle of Sanemi’s.

“Oh, cool.”

An unacknowledged tension sat in the air between you.

“Sorry about-” You started.
“Are you feeling-” He began.

The two of you looked down at your feet.

Sanemi motioned for you to speak. “What were you saying?”

You rubbed your arm, still looking down. “I was just gonna say sorry I was kinda weird yesterday…”

Sanemi’s eyes widened slightly at your apology and he stiffly shook his head. “No, it’s cool, seriously. I was just about to ask if you were feeling any better?”

“Yeah, I am.” You finally looked up from your feet and gave him a few reassuring nods.

The setting sun reflected off of your hair. Casting a gentle glow around your silhouette. That traitorous little voice returned. Whispering from a far corner of his mind. ’For someone never meant to be in the sunlight, you looked so pretty in it.’

“Good.” He said firmly.

He wanted to say more, but before he could Shinobu was clearing her throat. And Gyutaro and Daki had their arms around your shoulders taking up the space between you two. Starting to pull you back. Akaza and Koyuki were already a few paces away, waving goodbye to Kyojuro.

“Oh hey!” You pointed to Shinobu as your friends started tugging you back. “Sorry about Douma, if I see him bothering you again ill make him fuck off!” You chuckled, a grin returning to your face. “Tanjiro, make sure Inosuke pays for you guys!” You called over your shoulder as you walked off towards the entrance.

Sanemi watched as you left. Trying not to acknowledge the disappointment he felt at your departure. His ears picked up on a few of the conversations around him.

“See Shinobu, I told you they’re not bad!” Mitsuri gushed.

“Hmm, I guess they're fine. She is keeping Douma away from me, so I guess that makes her cool.” Shinobu admitted.

“HOW MUCH MONEY DID SHE GIVE YOU?!” Zenitsu gasped.

When Sanemi finally pulled his gaze away from your retreating form the first thing he noticed was Obanai staring at him. His bi colored eyes interrogating like Sanemi was a book left open for him to read. The next thing he noticed was Inosuke. Brows creased and glaring while his green eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Why the fuck were so many people looking at him like that lately?

Despite Shinobu’s insistence that everyone come to the festival so they could all hang out, 20 minutes after getting in the group had already split up. Genya, Muichiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, Tanjiro and Kanao had gone to play a game at one of the booths with Shinobu, Giyuu and Gyomei. Tengen and his girlfriends left to go take turns riding through some cheesy tunnel of love ride. And Kyojuro, Mitsuri and Obanai were already going to go get food.

“Sanemi, you coming with us?” Kyojuro asked as the three of them started walking towards the row of food vendors.

‘Yeah, yeah, I'll come meet you guys. I just uh- need to go to the bathroom.”

It was a lie, he really just needed a minute alone.

You trailed behind in the group, the festival lights glittering brightly all around you. Kaigaku and Kokushibo were walking pretty far ahead with Douma and Enmu trailing closely behind them. Akaza and Koyuki were a few feet away from you, fingers woven together as she happily pointed to a stuffed blue tiger she liked. Stating that it ‘kind of reminded her of him’. Gyutaro and Daki, upon successfully getting you away from Sanemi, removed their arms from around your shoulders and were walking beside Koyuki and Akaza.

Subconsciously you had slowed your pace, watching them with a fondness, and the slightest hint of envy. Feeling a bit like a… 9th wheel. Not to mention you hadn't been expecting to see Sanemi.

A part of you felt embarrassed. Things were awkward, and you worried he thought you were an idiot for how stupid you must've looked Monday morning and for acting weird on Tuesday. And as the distance between you and the rest of the group grew, you slowly slipped away. Deciding you’d loop around and find them again eventually.

The festival was busy and swarming with people as you navigated through the dense crowd. Taking the time to stop and look at all the rides and vendors. People with loved ones, people with their families. An empty bench sat on the edge of the dusty walk way and you took a seat. Too consumed in observing the crowd that flowed past to notice the sound of footsteps approaching.

“Hey.” A familiar voice spoke, and when you looked up, the very face you had been hoping to spend fall break forgetting was looking back at you.

“Hi.”

Sanemi motioned to the vacant spot beside you. “Mind if I sit here?”

You couldn't stop the small smile that spread across your lips if you wanted to. “Yeah.”

“Thanks… wormy.”

“Ugh-” You groaned and buried your face in your hands. “I can't believe this nickname is sticking.” Despite your annoyed tone your shoulders shook with soft laughter and when you pulled your hands away your cheeks were tinted a soft pink.

“Believe it.” Sanemi leaned back, his palms pressed into the bench and head tilted towards the dimming sky with a satisfied smirk.

“Im going to have to find a worse nickname for you.”

“I don't think there could be anything worse than wormy-” When he turned to look down at you, you leaned closer. A mischievous and knowing grin on your face like you already had something in mind. Eyes narrowed challengingly and your nose scrunched.

“Wanna bet?”

Sanemi hesitated, then lowered himself slightly so the two of you were face to face, eyes locked. He matched your challenging gaze. “Let's hear it.”

You leaned back with a certainty to your posture. “Pervert.”

“What?!” Sanemi coughed out, his eyes widened and his back straightened in shock.

“I saw you staring at me when I walked out of the bathroom the other day!” You laughed and Sanemi’s face fell into one of obvious mortification.

He had known you caught him staring, but you didn't bring it up. He had thought you were going to spare him from the embarrassment. Still, he looked straight ahead and snorted in disbelief. “Was not, but whatever makes you feel better, wormy.”

“Hmm-” You hummed, tapping your index finger against your chin. “Wormy and Pervy has a ring to it.”

“Okay-” Sanemi groaned and pushed himself up from the bench. You followed, still laughing to yourself. “Ill leave you to whatever you were doing when I found you.”

The two of you joined the crowd, walking side by side. There was a brief lapse in your conversation.

“Why aren't you with your friends?” He broke the silence.

“I needed a minute alone.” You admitted. “Why aren't you with yours?”

You got stuck behind a stream of particularly slow walkers. Your steps became soft shuffles and your arms bumped together.

“I also needed a minute alone.” He said with a half laugh.

“Oh..” You paused. “Do you want me to?” You motioned backwards and took a half step away.

“No!” He spoke too quickly and internally cringed. “No, you’re uh, you're fine. I just came with a big group, and it was a lot..”

“Yeah me too.” You said knowingly, seeming unphased by his quick response. “Plus, Kokushibo came and it’s…kinda awkward.” You groaned. The slow stream of people seemed to shuffle forward and you both followed their pace.

“Yeah, it seemed awkward. How’d that end up happening?” He tried his best not to sound too interested. But something was clawing within him, desperate for an answer.

You sighed and looked down at your feet, fists clenched and nails in your palms. “I feel bad that since we broke up the friends that were our friends are now just mostly mine… I mean, I was always a little closer with Daki and Gyutaro. But he and Akaza used to hang out a lot. And I guess I just felt guilty so I said it was fine if he came with us.”

Sanemi frowned, that strange feeling clawing from within him again. He opened his mouth to respond but-

“Just the two of you?” A voice interrupted as you moved forward in the slow stream of people.

You both turned away from each other and in the direction of the voice. A tall, thin man with neck tattoos and a striped staff t-shirt was looking down at you expectantly. The two of you had managed to stand and wait in line for a ride without realizing. You looked at each other for a moment, trying to gauge the other's reaction. The ride operator groaned.

“Look, just get on the ride or get out of line.”

You and Sanemi awkwardly shuffled forward and stepped into a small circular basket on the ferris wheel. Sitting across from each other as the ride lurched forward and pulled you up higher and higher. Both of you were quiet as you watched the ground slowly disappear below you. Spinning upwards until you were level with the top of the hastily constructed carnival rides before coming to its first jerky stop.

“You shouldn't feel guilty.” Sanemi finally said. He had meant to sound firm, casual. But his voice came out much softer than even he was used to.

Your chin was resting on the railing when you turned your head towards Sanemi. Attention pulled away from the surrounding lights and rides that shook on portable steel stands.

“I'm sure your friends would agree with me..” Sanemi continued. “If they heard that's how you felt. You didn't put him in that position, he did.”

For a moment you stared at him, now sitting straight in the hard metal seat. The ride lurched again and resumed its spinning. “Yeah… you’re right.”

You return your gaze to the slowly expanding sky line as you rise higher. The sun now starting to dip fully below the horizon. “Dont the lights like so pretty?” Your forearms folded onto the railing, chin resting back against it. “I love seeing all the colors, they're so bright and warm. It reminds me of being a kid and going to the park in the summer.”

Sanemi joined you, copying your posture and folding his forearms onto the railing beside you. “I… wouldn't know. I'm actually colorblind.”

“Really?” Your tone was soft, but still surprised. Head perked up from its rested position to look at him. Your faces were only a foot apart, you hadn't realized how close you’d gotten. You swallowed roughly, heart skipping a beat in your chest. You had noticed the way the colors of his irises seemed to swirl at the soccer game. But at the time you didn't think anything of it. “Can you not see any colors?”

“Uh, kinda?” He shrugged. “It's mostly greys, black and white, some I can kind of see but they're just really muted and dull."

“So you don't know what any colors look like?” Your brows furrowed and you frowned softly.

“No, I used to be able to see color.” He sat up and leaned against the hollow metal bench. You did the same, still half leaning against the railing. Innately moving even closer, now sitting beside him.

“What happened?”

His eyes avoided yours, looking to the side. “Uh- traumatic brain injury from…” He paused, as if carefully considering his words. “ -an accident when I was a kid.”

Your lips parted slightly, taking in his hesitation, the way he avoided looking at you. The ferris wheel lurched to a stop when you reached the top. The rush of the carnival below you, and the sprawling city sky line surrounded you. Now just shadowy silhouettes as the sun finished dipping below the horizon. Everything illuminated with distant yellow and twinkling lights.

Then your eyes flickered along the scars on his face. You had gotten so used to seeing them that they just started blending into the features of him. But in this moment they stood out starkly against his skin. Jagged and deep. Unmistakable. Because you've had scratches like that. From fights you got in at the group home, from all the times you've dug your nails into your own skin.

He didn't have to say anything else, you already knew.

His scars were from a demon.

Guilt. Guilt swirled deep within your core, ripping its way through your stomach and chest. You felt so stupid for not realizing it earlier. No wonder he was so hesitant to get to know you. Leaning back you shuffled away to increase your distance. Hands clenched into fists in your lap as nails dug deep into the flesh of your palms. Eyes cast down.

“I'm sorry.” You whispered.

The ferris wheel lurched and began to spin into a slow descent. The city skyline slowly disappears around you.

“You shouldn't apologize for other people's actions.” He said, your eyes still glued to your fists in your lap. “And you shouldn't do that.” Sanemi closed the distance you had created. Coming to sit beside you again, his pointer finger tapped against your clenched palms.

“It's not a big deal, it heals pretty much instantly.” You murmured, opening your hands to reveal your cuts already fusing shut. Dried blood flaking off your nails.

“Does it hurt?”

“Sometimes.”

“Then you shouldn't do it.”

That soft voice again that always seemed to surprise you. When you looked up he was so close, his shoulder and outer thigh brushed against yours. Your breath hitched in your throat. Staring at him with bated breath. Eyes wide as you looked deep into his. They were lighter than you thought. From a distance, and when he was angry, they seemed much darker. But now that you were sitting so close to him, you realized that they were actually a soft lavender.

His finger continued to tap lightly and rhythmically against your now open palm.

The ferris wheel lurched to another stop.

“Alright lovebirds, gotta get out for the next people.”

You both startled and stiffened. Scooting apart in the opposite direction. Stepping out of the ferris wheel cabin so the next group could step in. Walking with slowly paced steps back to the dusty walkway.

Both of you thought of returning to your separate groups, but neither of you wanted to. Instead lingering in the other's presence, unsure of what to do or say. Sanemi looked past your shoulder, then a slightly wild grin overtook his features.

“Wanna ride that one next?” He said pointing to a nearby rollercoaster.

And so you did. You would ride one ride then both mention how you should really get back to your friends. Then get distracted along the way.

“I love that ride, it's one of my favorites!”
“Those games are stupid, they’re always rigged.”
“No way, I'm actually really good at them!”
“Ive never seen anyone lose so quickly.”

Neither of you knew how much time had passed, enjoying yourselves too much to remember to check your phones. Or to even realize how late it had gotten. And while you had both meant to be here to take your mind off the other, you had spent a majority of the night together.

Your stomach growled when you walked past the row of food vendors. “Mind if we grab some food?”

“Yeah that's fine.” Sanemi smirked. “But only because I'm scared you’ll eat me if I say no.”

You elbowed him playfully, mindful to be much lighter than you were last time before making a snarling face. Hands raised in a clawing motion.

“Oh no, I'm so scared.” He said flatly.

“Should be.” You said, scrunching your nose and narrowing your eyes at him.

It was a face that you had made at him many times. When you were annoyed at him, teasing him, focusing on something, annotating one of your books, looking at a source for your dem/hum project. A face he had gotten used to seeing you make.

A face he was starting to really like.

Once you had gotten your food the two of you searched for an empty picnic table. The paper tray in your hand heavy with five chicken teriyaki skewers on charred wooden sticks. Sanemi had two ohagi in a small plastic box of his own. Walking around for a couple minutes before you finally found one.

“But I've seen you wear color before, so if you're colorblind how do you know what and what not to wear?”

“Uh..Genya tells me if I look stupid before I leave.” He admitted sheepishly as he settled in beside you.

“Aw, Genya sounds like such a sweet brother.” You said, picking up one of the chicken skewers and taking a bite, chewing with a look of concentration. “I think if I was colorblind and looked stupid in something, Inosuke would tell me but not until the end of the day.” You finally said after swallowing.

Sanemi snickered slightly, nodding his head in agreement. “I could see him doing that.”

“Three of these are for you by the way.” You said, pushing the paper box between you two.

Sanemi paused, then took one of the chicken skewers. “...Thanks, you didn't have to do that.” He tapped the plastic box of ohagi he got. “I have these.”

“I don't mind.” You shrugged. Taking another bite and humming softly to yourself. “I love these, Hisa used to get something similar for me from this japanese restaurant when I did well on a test in school.”

“Really?” He said. “My mom used to do the same, but with these.” He tapped the plastic box again.

“That's cute.” You said softly, the two of you continued to eat in comfortable silence.

“We really do have a lot more similarities than I ever thought I could have with-” He stopped himself.

“With a demon?” You finished for him, there was almost a sadness to your tone as you returned your attention to your food.

That little voice returned to the back of Sanemi’s head. Whispering softly, repetitively to him. Ask about what happened. Ask why she was so upset on Tuesday. Ask what happened on Sunday. It willed.

“Hey-” Sanemi cleared his throat. “Can I ask you something?”

“Mhmm-” You hummed, nodding your head as you took a bite.

“Ugh, finally we’ve been looking for you everywhere. Where have you been?” Daki groaned as all your friends circled the table you had been sitting at.

“There’s Sanemi!” He heard Kyojuro’s booming voice through the crowd as his friends approached too.

“And look, this table's only half full! We can all sit here with them!” Tengen added with a smirk.

And soon, much to Sanemi’s dismay, the long picnic table was crammed and crowded with people. Talking loudly over each other, you were still next to him, occupied in a conversation with Daki and Koyuki. Tengen, as boisterous as ever, was going around greeting everyone.

“Hey Ink blot!” Tengen grinned at an uninterested Gyutaro.

“Ugh, hi?” He groaned.

At Gyutaro’s disinterest Tengen grimaced slightly, then turned his attention to Daki, who leaned over the table to say something to Mitsuri. “Hey Daki!”

Daki scowled, looking at him with irritation over being interrupted. Giving Tengen a brief and judgemental glance over. “Do I know you?”

“What?” Tengen gaped. “Were in dem/hum together? I'm partnered with your brother?” He said, waiting for her to remember.

She just continued to stare in irritation and disinterest.

“I gave you, Mitsuri and Makio, a ride to the mall like a week ago.”

“That was you?” Her head tilted to the side in confusion. “I thought you were an uber driver.”

You and Sanemi looked at each other from the corner of your eyes the instant Daki spoke. A repressed smile tugging at both of your lips before you burst into laughter. You had your hand on his shoulder as you both pointed at an unamused Tengen while everyone stared in obvious confusion.

“See!” You choked out through laughter. “You are like an uber driver!”

“Im not like an uber driver.”

“Yes you are, she genuinely thought you were one.” Sanemi added.

There was a beat of silence from the others, gazes flickering between you and Sanemi until a soft breathy laugh cut through. Shinobu was covering her mouth with her hand. Shoulders shaking with soft laughter that everyone eventually joined in on, demon and human. With the exception of Tengen of course.

And one other.

Through the bouts of laughter Sanemi could feel a set of eyes burning into the back of his head. 3 sets of eyes to be exact. Very briefly the two of them made eye contact before Koushibo’s eyes flickered from Sanemi’s and to the hand you had rested on his arm. Two of his eyelids twitched, giving Sanemi one final glare before he turned on his heels and stalked off.

A slight wave of unease washed through Sanemi at the sight but it was gone as quickly as it came. Everyone resumed talking, your hand resting on his arm for a moment longer as the laughter faded and everyone finished eating.

“Come on!” Daki was tugging at you to get up. “There’s time for one more ride before the carnival closes.”

Everyone stood, clearing away their trays as they all made their way to a nearby ride. Kyojuro clapped Sanemi on the shoulder as they all hurried eagerly in the same direction. A few feet ahead you walked in the middle of Daki and Koyuki, arms wrapped around each other.

“Sanemi, you coming with us?” Obanai questioned as Mitsuri tugged him towards the shortening line.

“I think I'll sit this one out.”

“You sure?” Kyojuro frowned, but Sanemi just gave them a short and certain nod.

Not entirely sure why, but a part of him just felt content with wanting to observe.

Sanemi was left on the sidelines as he watched your friends drag you up the grated walkway and up to the first available cart on the ride. The tracks rose and fell in soft waves, you were sandwiched between Daki and Koyuki. Hands gripping the steel bar on your lap as it began to spin forward, gradually building in speed.

Your hair whipped all around you as screams of elated laughter left your lungs. A beaming grin plastered on your face. Sanemi found himself searching for you every time you whirled past. He found it wasn't hard to single you out. You were the only thing he could focus on anyway. And although he couldn't see the exact color of them, the lights seemed to glow a little brighter every time he caught a glimpse of you. No matter how quickly you flew past him.

-thump-thump-thump-

And in that moment Sanemi realized that you were the most beautiful person he’d ever seen in his entire life.

-thump-thump-thump-

His heart hammered against his chest, everyone else a rushed blur except for you. Standing out amongst the dullness, the greys and the black and the white. Ethereal, almost. He couldn't take his eyes off of you.

-thump-thump-thump-

Maybe he should tell you.

Even if the timing felt wrong.

Even if he was afraid the sentiment wouldn't be returned.

Maybe he was ready to admit that-

“Are you into her or something?”

A low and harsh voice said beside him, pulling his attention away from you. He hadn’t even noticed that Kokushibo sat down next to him. For a moment he just stared, keeping a cold appearance.

“Don’t fucking stare at me like you’re dumb, are you into her?” He repeated with more venom.

Sanemi narrowed his eyes, scowling back. “I’m not.” It was a lie. “But even if I was-“

“Even if you were?” Kokushibo smirked. “Even if you were what?” His tone was growing more hostile as he slid closer to him on the bench. “Into her? You’d what?” He snickered, rolling his eyes. “You could never understand her, or even handle her for that matter.”

Sanemi’s jaw clenched and his blood boiled beneath his skin. “Like a piece of shit like you is so perfect for her.“

“Actually, I think I am. Unlike you I know what being a demon is like." He sneered, seeming almost amused by their bickering. “Do you know what it feels like to be wisteria sprayed? Do you even know what that means?” He said patronizingly. “It practically melts your eyes and you can’t see for days. Do you know that when you get your yearly sun booster you have to get it in your neck? And the needle is long. And it fucking hurts.” His fanged teeth clenched and exposed in a snarl.

When Sanemi didn’t answer, his smirk grew and he continued. “Do you know that she’s scared of thunder? Do you know that she’s afraid of needles? Do you know why she’s so scared of those things?” He hissed. “Do you know what it’s like to have someone be afraid, genuinely afraid that you’ll eat them? What it feels like to get sun poisoning? Did you know that the summer she moved in with Hisa, a family planted Wisteria at the village's playground so she couldn’t go there?”

“I wanna get one thing fucking clear, Im not into her.” He lied through gritted teeth. “But just because I don't know that shit doesn't mean some prick like you deserves her. She’s too fucking good for you, any ass hole could see that.” He sneered, reaching out and grabbing him by the collar. “You think I've never dealt with guys like you, humans and demons? Guys who think that pushing around a fucking woman makes them a man?”

“She’s a demon first you fucking moron!” Kokushibo laughed in amusement and disbelief. “She could probably snap your arm just as easily as I could.” To make his point he grabbed the arm that held his collar, beginning to apply pressure.

Sanemi’s grip on Kokushibo’s shirt tightened. “But she’s not you, that's the difference.”

“The difference?” He mocked. “There is no fucking difference. I know she loves to play this sweet, innocent, misinterpreted creature, but she’s not. Trust me.” He growled. “I dated, lived with and fucked her for two years. If I was a delicate little human like you, I can guarantee I'd have twice as many scars.” A smirk tugged at his lips. “From fighting, and other things.”

Sanemi clenched his jaw, eyes widening in anger.

“Ill be nice tonight-” He murmured with a glare, eyes darting to you as you whirled past. Moving too fast to notice them. “Because she’s having fun, but just so you know, this arm?” The pressure on Sanemi’s forearm grew tighter. “Would be broken right now, if it weren't for the fact that doing that would probably piss her off.”

And with that the two released each other, separating as Kokushibo stood. Straightening out his shirt collar. But before he left he stopped in front of Sanemi one last time. Leaning down and jabbing a long finger into his chest.

“One more thing.” Kokushibo sneered. “I’m gonna assume she already told you this, and if i’m being honest I don’t give a fuck anymore.” He said in a low murmur. “It doesn’t matter that I was born a human. I’m a demon now. Sun booster needles in my neck, wisteria spray in my eyes, testy cops, judgmental strangers. I’ve had to put up with all that shit, and so has she. You can try to bond with her over your stupid little inside jokes, or bugs, or plants, or whatever the fuck it is you talk about but you will never understand her like I can.”

With that he stood up straight and stalked off.

He watched as Kokushiobo shouldered his way through the crowd and disappeared. An annoyingly confident spring to his step. Sanemi glared, instinctively rubbing the forearm he had grabbed.

“Fucking prick…” He muttered to himself. More pissed off than actually intimidated. Ass holes like Kokushibo were everywhere, and Sanemi was more than accustomed to dealing with them. But some of his words still rang through his ears. Bouncing off the walls of his head like an echo chamber.

You could never understand her.

“Hey!”

He hadn't even realized that the ride had stopped and everyone was scurrying off to eagerly get back to the parking lot.

“The fireworks are gonna start going off soon, come on!” You grinned, motioning for him to follow.

The crowds were thick as everyone began quickly pouring from the closing fair grounds and into the parking lot to watch the fireworks show. You had both managed to get separated from your individual groups again. Whether on purpose or by genuine coincidence neither of you knew. But the slow walk back together was still welcomed.

“So…” You began as the two of you made your way to the back of the parking lot. “What were you going to ask me earlier?”

Everyone was hurrying to find a good spot to watch. Jumping onto the roofs of their cars, getting on shoulders, looking back to the direction of the carnival. But both of you had your eyes glued to the other. Sanemi searching for something to say, you waiting for him to say it. Behind you Koyuki and Akaza sat on top of his car, watching the sky in anticipation. And behind Sanemi Mitsuri and Obanai did the same. Both your gazes were briefly distracted by the couples, before snapping back to each other.

“What was going on with you on Tuesday?” It felt like a good place to start, and it was something that had been at the forefront of his mind.

“Oh!” Your eyes widened as if that wasn't what you were expecting. “It’s really stupid-” You blushed looking down at your feet. Then there was an explosion, a glittering flash of light in the sky and you jumped slightly. Both of you glanced at the now fizzling firework.

“I'm scared of thunder…” You admitted with an awkward chuckle. “I know it’s a really really idiotic thing to be scared of when you’re my age, but-”

“It’s okay to be scared.”

His words surprised you, and when you turned your head he was already looking at you. That searing gaze you’d started to become so familiar with. And while you stared, eyes burning into the other, Sanemi couldn't help but hear Kokushibo’s words echo through his thoughts.

Do you know why she’s scared of those things?

“Can I ask why?” This time he’d meant to use a gentle tone, but in his nervousness it came out far gruffer than he’d hoped.

You hesitated, eyebrows raised as you ripped your eyes away from him and back down to your feet. Nails dug into your palms and he wished he hadn't asked. Your silence was the only answer he needed.

You'll never be able to understand her like I can.

“You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.”

Another explosion of glittering light burst through the sky, then fizzled out above you. You stared at him, wide eyed and torn in contemplation. As if you were about to tell him anyway. But to Sanemi’s disappointment you didn't.

“It’s just kind of a long story.” You said softly.

Sanemi just nodded his head, glancing over his shoulder at Obanai and Mitsuri. A small flicker of envy sparked in his chest. Even though they were different it just looked so easy for them.

You did the same for Koyuki and Akaza. Taking in how he wrapped his arm around her and she leaned into his touch. A small flicker of envy sparked in your chest. Even though he was a demon she always looked like she felt so safe with him.

You turned back to each other, the finale of the fireworks show booming and glittering above you.

“Was there anything else you wanted to ask me?” You tried not to sound too hopeful.

When one firework would fizzle out a new one would instantly erupt into the sky. Your eyes remained locked on each other. Unknowingly going through the same inner turmoil.

-thump-thump-thump-
-thump-thump-thump-

Your hearts hammered in unison.

Why would he ever want to be with someone who's a constant reminder of what gave him those scars?

Why would you want to be with him when in reality he could never fully understand you?

When deep down all you could ever be was a man eating demon.

When what you really needed was someone stronger than a human.

But despite all of this, at the very least..

You could still be his…
He could still be your…

Friend.

You smiled at him, and he smiled back. The final fireworks burst above you, and some people in the gathered crowd cheered

“I was gonna ask..” The words felt heavy on his tongue, he cleared his throat and forced a smirk. “Who’s gonna watch Igor while you're gone?”

You forced a smile, not entirely sure what you had been expecting. “Koyuki and Akaza, but I felt bad asking. I think the thought of feeding him kind of freaks them out.”

“Oh… well I'm gonna sleep at my apartment and just drive me and Genya to my moms during the day.” He said. “If you want I can stop by and check on him at the end of the night.”

“Really?”

Sanemi nodded. “Yeah.”

“Thanks.” You said softly. “Ill drop off my keys tomorrow?”

Sanemi swallowed roughly and gave you a firm nod.

The two of you could handle this. Just being friends should be easy enough.

Right?

Chapter Text

Despite going into fall break with the intention of using this time to try and get over the other, you both did the exact opposite. In fact you ended up texting each other every day. Typically you would text him first, under the guise of hearing how Igor was doing. Only to end up texting with each other for a few more hours, if not most of the night. Because why wouldn't you? You were friends.

And good friends liked to text all night.

And good friends got giddy to see a notification from the other.

And good friends smiled like idiots to themselves when talking.

Right?

You for the most part had an easy time evading questions from Hisa and Inosuke when they would ask why you were smiling so much. Stating that it was just a text from Daki or Koyuki. Inosuke wasn't typically the inquisitive type. And although Hisa was she was also good about being able to tell when you didn't want to divulge too much. At least not yet.

Sanemi on the other hand was not as lucky. Being surrounded 12 hours a day by 7 other people in a 3 bedroom apartment made it hard to hide what he was doing. And harder to hide even the most subtle emotional reaction when looking at his phone. Especially considering he had sisters. His lips would barely twitch and that was enough to make Teiko suspicious.

“Why are you smiling at your phone so much?” Says Teiko.

Sanemi rolled his eyes. She acts like she’s in the FBI.

“Im not even smiling.” He said blandly. Trying to angle his body away but he only angled himself towards Sumi. Who was standing beside him and peering down at his phone.

“Who are you texting?”

“No one.”

“He’s probably texting y/n.” Genya said from the sofa.

“Y/n?!” Teiko said with more intrigue, sitting up from her seat in the worn corduroy chair.

“Oooh who’s y/n?” Sumi said, trying to pull at the arm that held his phone.

Sanemi just put his phone away and got up from his seat on the slanted ottoman and walked to the attached kitchen.

“Mom, you sure you don't need any help making dinner?” He asked for the third time that night.

“I'm sure hun.” Shizu insisted sweetly. “So, who’s this girl you're talking to?”

Sanemi made his way to your apartment. Your keys jingled with small trinkets and keychains in his hands as he walked towards your door. You would be back tomorrow night, and it was his last time coming to check on Igor. When he walked in he kicked off his shoes at your front door and went straight to your room.

He switched on a soft warm lamp that sat on your bedside table and went through the check list you’d given him. Check to make sure he was eating what you left in his terrarium. Make sure his heating mat is on. Mist the enclosure. And the odd request to ‘sit with him for a few minutes to make sure he’s not lonely’.

Hesitantly Sanemi lowered himself onto your soft bed. Running his hands back and forth on the fuzzy blanket that rested at the end of it. For the last two days of coming to your apartment he tried to not even look around. Feeling almost invasive by just being there. Opting instead to keep his eyes glued to his phone.

But tonight his curiosity finally got the best of him. Giving into the urge to pry his eyes away from the dull and endless scrolling. He let himself get up, let himself slip his phone into his pocket, and let himself look around. Starting with Igor and his fancy enclosure. Then moving on to your rows of photos that sat on your dresser.

It was so sweet, how sentimental you were. And it was clear how much you loved your friends, Hisa, even Inosuke. Next he moved onto your desk. Looking at the pens scattered around it, a notebook covered in stickers, a small calendar pinned to the wall, all of the soccer games, tests, events, work schedules. Even your library meetings and Inosuke’s tutoring. He looked closer and noticed little smiley faces doodled next to the scribbling that read ‘library with Sanemi’.

-thump-thump-thump-

No, fucking stop it. He was reading into it way too much. He pried his eyes away from your desk. Averting them to the next closest thing. Which was unfortunately your laundry hamper. Tucked away in the corner and piled high with clothing. And sitting right on top was a lace thong with cute little hearts dotted on them.

Sanemi’s heart thumped hard against his chest. Every signal went off in his brain, telling him to stop staring like a creep. But he couldn't bring himself to look away. And some desire fueled and incredibly perverted part of him wanted to pick them up. To feel the thin delicate lace between his fingers.

An image of you wearing them popped into his head, his lust addled brain filled in the rest. Your tits in sheer matching lace. The tremble of your bottom lip as he ran his thumb across it. The soft whimpers that would leave your throat as he kissed the sensitive skin of your neck.

There was pressure in his chest first and then a familiar tension in his lower stomach in response.

Fuck.

He grabbed your keys he had tossed onto your bed. Switching off your lamp he gave Igor one more cursory glance and left your apartment. Slamming the door behind him much harder than he had meant to. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. He tried to ease the tension that had formed before walking to the elevator. When he got to his apartment he was relieved to see that Genya was not in the living room. He didn't think he could hold a conversation right now.

Sanemi went straight to his room and stripped away his clothes down to his boxers. Climbing into bed he shut his eyes in an attempt to force himself to fall asleep. But those images of you in that cute little thong just kept coming back. You below him, you on top of him, his hands on you, your hands on him. The tension returned, this time much more noticeable. Pressing against the tight cotton of his boxer.

His eyes snapped open and he yanked his comforter back. Tugging on a pair of black sweatpants in frustration as he stormed from his room and to his kitchen. Gulping down a freezing glass of water before returning to bed. He grabbed his phone and began to continue his mindless scrolling. Fingers hovering over instagram. He hadn't opened it in almost a year. An attempt to try and avoid seeing anything after his break up. But that was no longer what lingered at the forefront of his mind. And he needed a distraction.

Swiping through brain rot, random posts from the few people he followed. He paused his scrolling when he came across a suggestion

Sanemi’s thumb hovered over your account. Checking your social media was normal right? Yeah it’s not stalking your pinterest. Stalking pinterest = weird, stalking instagram = normal. He clicked on your profile and began to scroll through it. Smiling softly, it was exactly like the pictures in your room.

You with Hisa and Inosuke who was in a graduation cap and gown.
Proud big sister

You, with Daki and Gyutaro. Daki on his shoulders while he held you upside down by your ankles. He swiped and it was an old picture of the three of you from when you were kids in the same pose.
Group home days

A few pictures were posted together in the next one. The first was you Koyuki and Daki together.
Summer dump

Sanemi mindlessly swiped through them. Matcha, your friends, a cluster of wild flowers, you and who he assumed was Daki giving the middle finger to flowering wisteria, a group picture, then the last one.

You were posing in a swimsuit that clung to your skin. Hair damp, beads of water rolling down your skin. Smiling, confident, happy, so fucking gorgeous. The tension returned as his brain brought back the image of you in that thong.

He couldn’t stop them from flashing through his mind, and against his better judgement his hand moved lower. Feeling himself through his now too tight boxers. That tension grew, and his cock hardened. Twitching, begging for attention. Demanding a release he had been depriving himself of lately. And before he could stop himself he was adjusting his hips and tugging down his boxers.

His erection throbbed, and his head pressed back into the pillow as he wrapped his hand around himself. Brain flooded with unsolicited yet very welcomed thoughts of you.

You, crawling on top of him in nothing but revealing lace. Your hips rolling and grinding against his. He tried to imagine the noises you would make at the feeling of his cock rubbing against you. Would they be whimpers, soft, cute and pleading? Or would they be moans, filthy, needy and hungry?

He gripped himself tighter, taking quick breaths. Eyes still screwed shut as his hand pumped faster up and down his hard length. Hips thrusting slightly to meet the movement of his hand.

Thinking of the way his fingers would feel sinking into the soft skin of your thighs. Running his hands worshipfully up your hips, your waist, your rib cage. Unhooking your bra and tossing it to the side. Fuck he just knows your tits would be perfect.

His cock throbbed as he imagined slipping your panties to the side to find you soaked and just as needy as he was. He tried to imagine the way you’d mewl and writhe on top of him as he ground his cock through your soft folds. He could picture your eyes. Screwed shut with pleasure as you murmured his name.

’Say it again.’

He’d want to hear it constantly.

His hand moved faster, grip a little tighter. Up and down. Just like he pictured your hips moving on his cock. Your head hung back in fucked out bliss. God he knew he could make you feel good.

’Eyes on me’

He’d want to see them, wide and glossed over, just as hungry and starved as he’s sure his own would be. He’d fuck you in every position he could bend you into. As long as he could just- fucking- feel you.

He punctuated his thoughts with a few sharp thrusts into his own hand as his mind conjured every filthy and debauched thing he didn’t even realize he wanted to do until now.

Feel your sharp nails rake down his back.

Spank your cute ass raw while he fucked you from behind.

Bite and suck dark hickeys, claiming and possessive into the soft skin of your neck, your tits, your thighs.

Fuck your mouth until you were drooling and moaning around him.

Fuck you good-

The tension and pressure built in his stomach.

Fuck you right-

His hand movements grew sloppy and quick.

Fill you up-

His teeth sank into his bottom lip as the tension neared its peak.

With every inch-

Sanemi’s eyes snapped open, his cock twitched and throbbed as he came. Giving himself a few slow pumps to ride out his climax. Panting and sweaty, his hand and the skin of his abdomen now sticky with cum.

He blinked a few times, staring at the sight as his so-called ‘post nut clarity’ washed over him. The realization of the line he’s just crossed setting in.

Fuck, how was he going to act normal on Monday now?

You walked up happily to Sanemi’s door at the end of your day. You had been looking forward to coming to his place and helping him set up Kabuto's enclosure now that break was over. He’d texted you the other night, saying he wasn't feeling well and that he’d left your keys under your doormat. At first you were a bit sad you wouldn't get to see him, but by the time you got home you appreciated not having to make small talk. The train ride back had been a bit draining.

Some part of you knew it wasn't smart to let yourself get this excited about seeing him. But you couldn't help yourself. Besides, what was the harm in getting excited to see a friend? Knuckles tapped eagerly at his door, only for a second before Sanemi quickly answered it.

“Hey-” He sighed, rocking back and forth on his feet as he motioned for you to come in.

At this point you had grown so comfortable with being in his apartment you walked in and flopped down onto the couch. Dropping your bag on the floor beside you.

“Have a good fall break?” You grinned, propping yourself up on your elbows. “Thanks again for watching Igor.”

Sanemi walked over to the couch and motioned for you to move your legs. Sitting down beside you once you did. You couldn't help but notice he seemed a bit stiff.

“Fall break was good.” He nodded, relaxing a bit. “It was nice to spend time with my mom.”

-thump-thump-thump-

You cleared your throat and sat up, tucking your legs under yourself. “And your siblings?”

He groaned softly and shook his head, pushing himself off the couch. “They were driving me a bit crazy, c’mon loser.” He motioned for you to follow as he walked towards his room. “Kabuto’s been waiting for this enclosure.”

“Nope, sorry just got comfortable.” You sighed, laying back down and settling deeper into the cushions. “Not moving, you'll have to do it all yourself.”

Your forearm covered your eyes, but you could hear footsteps approaching. Getting closer until they stopped right next to you. Slowly you pulled your arm back to be greeted with Sanemi standing above you with a smirk on his face. Before you could say anything in protest he leaned down, wedged his hands underneath your body and rolled you off the couch. Making you hit the floor with a soft thud.

He was laughing to himself, head leaned back and hand clutching his stomach. You looked up from your place on the floor. A dramatic gasp left your lips and a shocked smile was on your face. You quickly pushed yourself up and sprang to your feet.

“You have no idea what you just started, Shinazugawa.” You laughed, shaking your head.

“Yeah, yeah, aren't you tough?” Sanemi waved you off dismissively with a fake yawn. Turning around to walk towards his room.

When he turned, you took the opportunity to strike back. Running up behind him you jumped onto his back. Wrapping your legs around his hips and your arms around his shoulders. Sanemi staggered forward from the unexpected force, past the threshold of his doorway and into his room. You did your best to throw him off balance. Unwrapping one of your legs, you pushed your foot into the back of his knee and you fell to the ground together.

“That was a dirty fucking move!” Sanemi laughed in amused disbelief.

He shrugged you off his back so he could move freely. You tried to get up and make a run for it but he wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you back down to the ground with him. Your grin widened, both of you unable to control your infectious laughter. The two of you wrestled on the ground, you careful not to scratch him, instead waiting patiently for the perfect time to make your move. Pacifying him in the meantime.

Finally a window opened and you darted forward. Your fingers curled tightly around his wrists, and your legs wrapped around him. Flipping your positions.

Both of you were panting softly, trying to catch your breath from a mixture of play fighting and laughing. There was a defiant and proud smirk on your face as you looked down at him. His wrists were pinned to the ground, and your legs straddled his hips. He looked stunned beneath you, eyes wide and unblinking.

Both of your ears reddened and your smile faded when you realized the position you'd put him in. He didn't make a move and neither did you. Then something twitched and pressed against your core. Your eyes widened, matching Sanemi’s. The two of you stared, paralyzed by the other. And for a split moment your body screamed at you to roll your hips against his.

What the fuck is wrong with you? The rational part of you screamed back. How much of a creep would you have to be to grind on him when he’s pinned to the ground? You released his wrists and swiftly crawled off of him. Shuffling back a few feet. Sanemi sat up, his face burning a deep crimson.

“Im sorry-”
“Im sorry-”

You both blurted out, eyes darting between the floor and each other.

“No, it’s fine!” You insisted.
“It just kind of happens sometimes!” Sanemi explained.

Your words were spoken over each other again. Clearing your throats softly in the now quiet room. Sanemi sighed and went to retrieve the terrarium supplies from the corner. Neither of you were sure on whether or not to address the elephant in the room. After Sanemi got all of the supplies out and organized he took a seat across from you. Scratching the back of his neck.

“Thanks for being cool. Sorry again I feel like a-”

“Pervert?” You grinned up at him from where you sat on the floor. “Really earning that nickname, aren't you?”

“You got on top of me, so that makes you one too. If not the instigator.” He said, rolling his eyes. The empty glass tank separating you.

“You’re right I'll have to think of a new one.” You hummed, tapping your chin with your pointer finger.

Sanemi snorted. “Well let me know when-”

“Boner.”

“What?!” Sanemi cried through sputtered laughter. “Wow.” He shook his head and ripped open a bag of substrate. “You really did grow up with Hashibira.”

“Yeah… he really loved the jackass movies.” You chuckled. “Even made Hisa watch them.”

Sanemi cringed. “Poor Hisa.”

“I know, sometimes I'm surprised she didn't return us.”

Although you had said it as a joke, your words made something in Sanemi’s chest clench.

“Did you…” He began hesitantly. “Did you ever actually worry about her returning you?”

At first you didn't say anything and Sanemi worried he might have overstepped.

“Sometimes…” You admitted with a sigh. “There were a few times where I thought she might. Even as an adult when I look back on it I'm surprised she didn't."

“What happened?”

“Ugh, you know.” You shrugged. “Just acting like a dumb teenager I guess.”

“Do that a lot?” He smirked.

You rolled your eyes but didn’t return his smile. Gaze fixed down and away from him. “I did.”

Sanemi frowned slightly, unable to ignore the shift in your demeanor.

“And what about Hashibra?” He asked, this made you perk up.

“He was the exact same as a kid as he is now.” You chuckled.

You continued to fall into easy conversation as you sat across from the other. Flowing between topic to topic without a beat of uncomfortable silence. Occasionally you’d scrunch your nose in concentration. Carefully placing a branch or adding a plant into the glass tank.

“Okay!” You were beaming across from him. Looking down at the tank with a proud and excited grin. “It’s done, ready to move him?”

“Yeah, thanks for helping, loser.” He said as he pushed himself off the floor and walked over to the smaller tank. Placing his hand in so the beetle could crawl onto his palm.

“I don't get why you’ve started calling me loser.” You snickered as he walked back over. His hands gently cupped to keep Kabuto from falling. “If anyone here is a loser it’s you.”

Sanemi shook his head, an unconvinced smile on his face as he knelt down across from you. Opening his hands to let Kabuto crawl out and into the new enclosure. “How am I a loser?”

“Okay well not a loser, you're more like a nerd.” You said decisively. Both of your eyes fixed on the curious beetle as it explored its new home.

“How am I a nerd?” Sanemi snorted softly.

“Because you're a math major.”

“Maybe you're just a dumbass.” He smirked, looking up from Kabuto a loud laugh left his lips when he saw your face. Your eyes narrowed, brows drawn together, nose scrunching in dissatisfaction. “You’re making that face again!”

You folded your arms tightly over your chest.

“Okay, okay-” He groaned teasingly. “You’re not a dumbass.”

Your features softened and your arms dropped to your sides. “Fine. You’re not a nerd. But-”

“But?” Sanemi cut you off as your smirk grew.

“Oh come on, I've seen how you are when you tutor Inosuke. You love to act all-” You paused, laughing to yourself before straightening your features and stiffening your posture. “-stern.” A giggle slipped past your lips as you tried to imitate him. “But you get this look in your eyes when he gets something right, or it finally clicks. And it's not prideful over the fact that you taught him, it’s like this genuine look of pride in him and I just…”

You stopped yourself, both of you had been looking down, trying to avoid the other’s gaze. You could feel your face heat up and you were suddenly grateful he was color blind and couldn't tell. You cleared your throat and looked up, meeting his gaze. Both of you had been leaning over the tank, your faces a few inches apart.

“You’re a good teacher.” You murmured.

“Thanks…” His tone matched yours. “... dumb ass.” He forced a smirk.

Your face remained soft for a moment before a smile spread across your lips and you shook your head. Turning your attention to his desk and standing up from the floor. A brief frown flashed across Sanemi’s face but he forced it away when you returned attention to him.

“Come on, let's move him back onto your desk.”

Sanemi followed your lead and stood from the floor, picking up the old tank. When he turned around you were bending down to pick up the new, much bigger one from the floor.

“Hey wait, that's gonna be really heavy!”

But you were already standing up, gripping the sides of the tank with ease. Head tilted to the side with a puzzled expression.

“It’s not that bad.” You shrugged, lifting it up further to examine it.

He set the old tank aside, taking the new one from your hands. Just as he suspected, it was heavy. Yet you still lifted it without struggle. And earlier when you had pinned him down it almost seemed like you were holding back. How strong were you really?

Delicate little human.

Kokushibo’s words flashed through his brain again and he grimaced slightly. Was he seriously gonna let that prick get to him? No…

“You’re pretty strong.” He said, setting it down on his desk. “I know I've said it before, but-” It still always seemed to surprise him.

“Yeah, all that training with Akaza is paying off.” You chuckled, already picking up your things. “I should go. I still need to cook dinner for Inosuke.”

-thump-thump-thump-

Sanemi swallowed the lump in his throat. “Alright dumbass, ill see you tomorrow in dem/hum?”

You gave him a playful shove and walked towards his front door. “See you tomorrow, pervert.”

The door shut sharply behind you and Sanemi collapsed with a heavy sigh. The memory of you on top of him with your hands curled around his wrists was still fresh in his mind. Well that's something he never knew he was into.

Chapter Text

After that you and Sanemi only seemed to grow more comfortable with each other. And this new found comfort translated into casual touch. Fingers ghosting against the other’s arm, shoulders grabbed with excitement, your palms pressing into his chest or his arm slinging over your shoulder when one of you told a joke. Occasionally he would bring you a coffee to your demon/human history class, sometimes you’d bring him one.

You would always tell yourselves it was nothing. Something playful done between two friends.

And before you knew it October had turned into November, the leaves had fallen into soft crunchy piles on the sidewalk. And the ever present chill made it obvious that winter was fast approaching. Coats got heavier, layers increased and the sun began to rise later and set quicker. Leaving for shortened days and longer nights. A great time of the year to be a demon.

By the first week of the new month, you two had officially finished the final project. Sources cited, essay proof read, edited, i’s dotted and t’s crossed. It was officially done. Inosuke’s ban was even lifted from the library. And after a lot of begging you agreed to let him go there for tutoring instead, as long as he went with Tanjiro.

Leaving both of you, surprisingly, disappointed.

Initially, getting the project done with a month of the semester still left would have been thrilling to both of you. But it just felt strange. Only seeing each other for an hour and a half on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

You both had spent the last few months with this time carved out for the other. Now that you didn't need it anymore your days, your weeks almost felt longer. The Monday after you finished working on it you found yourself walking to the library simply out of habit. Stopping half way through when you realized Sanemi wouldn't be there waiting for you.

Sanemi on the other hand had gone to the library, sat down and waited for 15 minutes before remembering you weren't coming. He wanted to ask you to hang out, of course. You lived two floors down from him; it wasn't hard to just go to your door to ask. You shared the sentiment, but without that buffer of having an excuse to always hang out it was strangely difficult. The two of you would gather your things to leave dem/hum and he would go to ask, only to choke on the words and mutter out a simple ‘bye’ instead.

And sure, you would see Sanemi at soccer games, but it was hard to find the time to say hi. You were usually being pulled in one direction or the other by Inosuke. And a part of you felt hesitant to even approach him in the first place. Especially because you didn't know if his family was there. You still weren't sure how they would feel about him being friends with a demon. Not many people were like Koyuki’s dad afterall.

It was the last Monday of November, a scarf was tightly wrapped around your neck as a harsh breeze blew through campus. Ruffling your hair and freezing the tips of your ears.

“Hey, before you leave!” Mitsuri called, running up to you she linked your arm in hers. Offering an eager smile as the two of you left your lit. theory class. “Kyojuro, Obanai and I are planning a surprise party for Sanemi this Saturday. You should come!”

“Oh!” Your brows raised, slightly taken aback by her offer. You had no idea Sanemi’s birthday was coming up, you’d have to figure out what to get him. “Yeah sure-” You finally said.

“Yay!” She beamed, wrapping her arms around your shoulders with an excited hop. “It’ll be so fun to have you there, we have a surprise party for him every year and he never figures it out!”

“Really?” You quirked a brow suspiciously.

“Mhmm!” She hummed with an assured nod.

The two of you walked side by side for a moment as you thought about what could be a good gift. He didn't really seem like the easiest person to shop for. Maybe you could get him some of those red bean cakes he likes? But how could you tell if they were good if you couldn't try them? Maybe new cleats? But the season was almost over.

“Hey, Mitsuri?” You said hesitantly before she slipped away to go find Obanai.

“What’s up?” She chirped happily beside you.

“Uhm- I was wondering if you knew what type of color blindness Sanemi has?”

“Oh.” She stopped in her tracks, humming softly to herself as she bit down on her thumbnail in concentration. “I dont… But Obanai probably would! Come on!”

“I could also just ask Genya-” Before you could say anything else Mitsuri had your arms linked together. Dragging you closely behind her as she weaved through campus. Eyes narrowed as she scoured the faces in the courtyard.

“What made you wanna ask?” She smiled, still pulling you behind her past a group of people.

“Hm?” You hummed and your cheeks flushed. “Oh, well I was trying to think of a good birthday gift for him…”

Mitsuri gasped softly and her eyes lit up. “That's so cute!”

“Thanks…” You looked down at your feet and smiled to yourself.

“Aww im excited to see what it is!” She gushed, keeping your arm linked tightly in hers.

“Thanks… But I’m worried it might be stupid, they dont-”

“Wait, don't tell me!” She said, eyes still skimming the crowd. “There he is!” She took your hand in hers again. Only releasing it to pull Obanai into a tight hug as she kissed his cheek. A soft blush coloring his face.

“Hey…” You said, giving him an awkward wave. You didn't know Obanai well, and you weren't sure how he felt about demons. “Uh, I was wondering if you knew what kind of color blindness Sanemi has?”

He seemed slightly surprised by your question. “He has monochromacy in his right eye… but his left can still kind of see color. I think it's the red-green kind. Deutranomaly, or protanopia. One of the two.” He shrugged before looking at you with slight suspicion. “Why?”

“It's a surprise for his birthday!” Misturi whispered to him eagerly. Shaking his shoulders softly.

He raised his eyebrows, then looked back at you. “Hm, I'm surprised he told you about it, he doesn't tell many people what happened.”

“Oh-” You shook your head slightly. “No, he just told me that he was colorblind. He didn't really go into detail.”

Obanai’s eyes flickered to the ground as he nodded his head in understanding. “Still-” He shrugged. “He doesn't even tell many people that he’s color blind.”

“Really..” You could feel heat rushing to your cheeks. “Well I’ll see you guys at the party!” You blurted out as Mitsuri suppressed a giggle. Turning to retreat from their view before they could see the blush spread across your face and down your neck.

You clutched the small box in your palms to your chest. Fingers drumming against it anxiously as you made your way to Sanemi’s apartment on Saturday night. You had decided to keep it simple, white tissue paper wrapped around the box. Your smile fell. Maybe you should've done something more colorful, given what was inside.

Well, too late now. You went straight for the door knob, twisting it to let yourself in. When you peered in, every one was already there. Putting the finishing touches on setting up his apartment for the surprise party. Complete with a cake, sparkly happy birthday sign, and a lot more people than you had expected.

“Y/n!!” Mitsuri beamed, making everyone’s attention turn from decorating and to you.

“Hey-” You cowered back slightly from all of the attention. “Do you guys need any help?” It was hard not to notice that you were the only demon in the room.

“No, we're almost done.” Kyojuro said warmly, pointing to the box. “What’d you get him?”

“Oh, they're-"

“No wait, don't say yet!!” Mitsuri interjected. “Leave it as a surprise!” She said eagerly as she returned to the kitchen.

You followed her, tucking the box back into your bag. She and Shinobu were finishing putting snacks on plates for everyone while you lingered awkwardly behind them. Mitsuri went to grab a tray from the counter, carrying it out to the living room. Leaving you and Shinobu in the kitchen.

“Hey.” You said as you awkwardly shuffled forward. Ripping open a bag of chips to pour them into a bowl.

“Hey," she greeted back politely. You could hear Mitsuri gushing with Kyojuro about how good the cake looked. It would probably just be the two of you in there for a while.

Another beat of silence lingered in the kitchen.

“Sorry if Douma was bothering you at the carnival.” You blurted out beside her.

Your words clearly distracted her from her task because she turned to look up at you. Seeming almost surprised by your sudden apology.

“It's fine-” She sighed, looking back down at the counter as she wedged some beer cans into a bowl of ice. “Thanks for stopping him from touching my face.” A slight scowl marred her features as she added with a mutter, “I fucking hate it when he tries to do that.”

“No problem.” You laughed, shaking your head assuringly. “I get it, I used to live with him and he’s really bad at personal space… and knocking on doors.”

“Ugh-” She cringed, “you poor thing.” She laughed, a genuine laugh as she relaxed her posture. “You don't live with them anymore?”

“No-” You quickly shook your head. “I moved out over the summer, I live with Inosuke now.”

“He’s your brother?”

You nodded. “Well…foster brother. Our care taker never officially adopted us but-”

“Still, you grew up with him.” She shrugged, “it doesn't matter if it's adoptive. My younger sister Kanao is adopted, I hate it when people say-”

“That it isn't the same!” You finished for her.

“Yeah, it's so annoying!” She agreed, nodding her head. “I really like Inosuke, he’s a sweet kid.”

“Yeah, he is.” You agreed softly.

The silence returned but felt less heavy this time.

“You should get a laser pointer!”

“A laser pointer?” She arched a brow at you.

You grimaced slightly. “Sorry, it sounds a bit random out of context. I mean to distract Douma if he tries to bother you again.”

A slight smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “Would that even work?”

You shrugged. “Maybe, one time Daki and I got him to chase one around for like-” You paused, trying to talk through your laughter. “-an hour.”

“An hour?!” Her grin matched yours. “How short is his attention span?”

“Gold fish sized. And if the distraction doesn't work you could also point it into his retinas."

The two of you laughed together as you finished setting out the snacks.

“You know you’re a lot cooler than I thought you’d be.” She said bluntly, a sincere look on her face.

You couldn't help but feel slightly prideful at her admissions. “Thanks!”

“Okay, guys Genya just texted me and said they’re coming up!” Kyojuro announced, flipping off the light switch. “Get ready!!”

Sanemi stared suspiciously at Genya who was trying to avoid eye contact with him from across the elevator. Something he’d done since he was a kid whenever he was trying to hide something from him. His eyes glued to the buttons on the elevator.

“Who were you texting when we were coming up?” Sanemi said suspiciously.

“No one.” Genya said the words too quickly and Sanemi sighed.

“They threw another surprise party again, didn't they?”

Genya looked down at his feet and solemnly nodded his head. Sanemi groaned softly. They had just gotten back from spending the day with their mom and siblings. He wasn't necessarily in the mood for these not so surprising surprise parties.

“Did Shinobu invite Tomioka?”

Genya’s silence was the only answer he needed and an even louder groan left him. He watched as the numbers on the pixelated screen counted up. Nearing his apartment. For a moment he contemplated getting off at your floor. He could just go to your door and kidnap you with some lame excuse.

‘It's my birthday and I want to hang out, call in sick to work so we can do something.’

He had thought about telling you that his birthday was coming up. He even considered inviting you to his moms house with him and Genya but that felt too… intimate. That's not something that people who are just friends do, he had to remind himself bitterly. So he contented himself with not telling you. And if you asked why he didn't he’d just say it slipped his mind.

When the elevator slid open he trudged in front of Genya down the hall. Fumbling with the keys so the people in his apartment could at least try to surprise him properly. For fucks sake he could hear them giggling through the door. He had to suppress a scowl as he swung the door open and flicked on the light. Instantly met with a jumbled chorus of people yelling ‘surprise!’

And he actually was.

Not because of the party, they did this every year. But because…

“You’re here?” Sanemi said when he saw you standing amongst his friends.

“Yeah, you didn't tell me your birthday was coming up!”

Sanemi faltered for a moment. “Uh, slipped my mind.”

“Your own birthday slipped your mind?” Tengen smirked, but Sanemi just ignored him and everyone returned to talking amongst themselves.

Sanemi went to set down a paper gift bag from his mom on the coffee table and you met him by the couch. “I thought you would have to work tonight.”

“Yeah I still do, but I don't have to leave for another hour.”

Sanemi smiled. “Good.”

“So…” The two of you sat down on the couch together. “What’d you do today?”

“Just went to my moms house and spent the day with her and my siblings. We had breakfast there then we all watched a movie, my mom made ohagi and-” You were looking up at him so warmly it made him stop. “What?”

“Oh!” You grinned and looked down. “Sorry, it’s just really sweet hearing you talk about your family.”

Sanemi could feel heat rising to his cheeks. “...thanks.” He choked out. “What did you do today?”

“The usual..” You chuckled. “Went to Akaza and Koyuki’s in the morning then to the store. It's almost impossible to keep the fridge full with Inosuke.”

And despite all of his friends being gathered in his apartment, Sanemi decided you were the only person he wanted to spend the rest of his night with. Talking and laughing together so easily like you’d become accustomed to.

The two of you were interrupted by a flash of light followed by the shuttering click of a camera. Mitsuri was standing there, a bright pink polaroid held in her hands as she waited for the picture to develop. “Cute!”

She turned it towards you, and Sanemi slowly took it from Mitsuri. Before he could get a good look you snatched it from his hands. Laughing with enthusiasm when you saw it.

“You look really dumb!”

Sanemi snatched it back and got a good look at the picture. He was squinting slightly from the sudden flash, lips tugged up in an annoyed sneer. You looked… perfect. A carefree smile on your lips, eyes shining brightly. But he wasn't going to tell you that.

“Look who's talking.” He smirked back. Tossing the photo onto his coffee table.

You were taking the camera from Mitsuri as she ran up to Obanai. Wrapping her arms around his waist and settling her head onto his shoulder. A wide grin on her face as she smiled at the camera while he had his eyes glued affectionately to her.

“They’re really cute together.”

“Yeah…” His gaze flickered from the giggling couple and to you. Taking in the way you watched them fondly. “They are.”

“Also!” You turned to him with an excited grin. “Before it gets too late, here.” You handed him a small rectangular box, neatly wrapped with a black bow on top.

Sanemi took the box from you, turning it a few times in his hands. “You didn't have to get me something.”

“Yeah he’s weirdly hard to shop for.” Shinobu said, everyone's attention now pulled to you and Sanemi.

“What’d you get him anyway?” Tengen added as everyone began to gather around. Either cramming onto the couch or sitting on the floor.

“It’s kind of dumb…” You trailed off, trying to down play it.

Sanemi carefully pulled the edges of the paper wrapping back. Tugging the bow off and setting it aside.

“Color blindness glasses.”

“Obanai told me you're monochromatic in one eye!” You quickly fretted. “But they may still work for the other.”

Sanemi slowly pulled them out of the box and unfolded them. Pushing them up the bridge of his nose and taking a few glances around his apartment. Everyone stared at him expectantly, wanting to hear if it worked.

And they did… sort of. But it wasn't the fact that the glasses themselves worked particularly well. It was more that for the first time in years he was actually looking for the color in his life. For so long he’d seen the world like this. Black and white, shades of grey, muted and watered down color. After a while he’d grown so used to it somewhere along the way he stopped acknowledging the color he could still see. But at this moment everything was softer, warmer. His gaze flickered back to you. Your lips slightly parted in a mixture of what seemed like anticipation and nerves.

“Your scleras aren't white.” He pointed out. “They’re actually this really soft pastel color, I can't believe I’ve never noticed that before..”

For a moment you just stared at each other.

“Most people don't notice...” You said with a soft chuckle.

“It’s pretty.” His voice was almost a whisper.

“Pretty?”

“Pretty.”

The sound of a throat clearing made you both suddenly aware that you had an audience. Sanemi ripped his gaze from you and quickly looked around his apartment, clearing his throat and nodding his head.

“Yeah, no they uh… work.” He said, pulling them off his face. “They definitely helped me see color a bit better.

“Good.” You sighed, nodding your head in relief. Tugging your phone from your bag a look of disappointment crossed your face. “I have to go… Muzan’s kind of looking for a reason to fire me, so I can't be late.”

Your palms pressed into the cushions of the couch as you pushed yourself up and Sanemi followed. Walking you towards the door.

“Thanks for inviting me!” You said, giving everyone a nervous wave.

“Thanks for coming!” Everyone said warmly.

“Yeah, thanks. It was fun having you here.” Sanemi said

As you took a step back to leave, Sanemi opened his arms to give you a hug goodbye. Both of your eyes widened slightly in surprise and embarrassment. You opened your arms to reciprocate but at the same time Sanemi took a step to the side to get the door for you. You both stiffened, stared at each other for a moment and laughed awkwardly. Then you raised a closed fist and gave him a feather light punch on the arm with a half smile.

Again, you stared at each other for a moment longer.

“Well, I should-” You motioned towards the door.

“Oh, yeah of course-” He pulled it open.

“Happy birthday.” You said warmly and turned to leave.

“Thank you.” His tone matched yours. “And thanks for the glasses.”

Your lips curled into a happy grin. “You’re welcome, I'll see you later.”

“Bye…” He said, watching for a moment as you walked down the hallway. Turning to give him one last wave before disappearing into the elevator. When he turned around everyone was staring at him. Either with red faces as they tried to suppress their laughter, or with cocky and knowing grins.

Sanemi’s face fell and his eyes narrowed. “Why are you all staring at me like that?”

“So-” Kyojuro’s body was shaking as he tried his best not to laugh. “Did you like the glasses she got you?”

This question, for some reason, broke Mitsuri’s attempts at hiding her amusement. And both her and Kyojuro burst out into infectious laughter that filled the room. Leaving Sanemi as the only person not laughing, an annoyed glare on his face.

“Why are you guys laughing?”

“Oh, come on Sanemi!” Shinobu said as she rolled her eyes. “What was that?”

“What was what, that wasn't anything!” But his words were spoken too quickly, and too defensively. Everyone saw right through it and burst into laughter again.

“You’ve always said those color blindness glasses are bullshit, how many times have we heard you say you don't want to try them?” Obanai reminded him.

“Yeah and the whole, ‘I’ve never noticed how pretty your eyes are’ thing!” Shinobu deepened her voice to try and mimic him.

“It was so cute!!” Mitsuri added.

“Thats not even what I said!”

“For fucks sake Sanemi were not blind!” Tengen contributed once the laughter had started to die down.

“Actually, I am blind.” Gyomei reminded everyone and the room went a bit silent. “And even I could still tell it was something.” He added with a slow grin.

The raucous laughter returned and Sanemi could feel his face begin to heat up. He quickly forced a scowl to try and hide his embarrassment. Scanning the faces in front of him. Desperate for anything that could serve as a distraction.

Deflect. Deflect. Deflect.

“Why the fuck is Tomioka even here?!” He hissed, pointing at an unsuspecting Giyuu who was sitting on his couch.

“Stop trying to change the subject!” Shinobu said, now leaning on Mitsuri for support. The two of them nearly fell over from their shared laughing fit.

Eventually the laughter finally died down, although it did take a lot longer than Sanemi would've preferred. And after a few more hours, and the occasional additional tease, everyone left. Leaving Sanemi and Genya with a half eaten cake and way more snacks than they needed.

“So…” Genya began.

“Not another word about it.”