桃色 (𝑷𝑰𝑵𝑲) || 𝗞𝗻𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗰

𝘼 𝙈𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙮

" Bamboo-girl."

Akaza opened his eyes, raising one eyebrow at the tugging he felt. Nezuko blinked up at him, the bamboo mouthpiece on her moved slightly as if she was mouthing something.

" What is it? " He leaned forward, his warm breath turned misty with the contact of the cold air.

Nezuko pointed to the front, where in the middle of the opened field covered with thick layers of snow, were two snowman. Akaza stood up and walked towards it, tilting his head.

" Are these...us? " He guessed, seeing the extra rocks and leaves the girl had put on the snow.

Nodding, Nezuko went to the snowman that represent her and began to build another one. It was much smaller than her and she put it beside her. This third snowman had what it seemed to be a scar on the forehead.

Akaza stared at the snowman. Now who is this? Someone she knew in the past? Before he could even asked, Akaza was caught off guard when a handful of snow was thrown directly into his face.

Nezuko had collected a few rounds of snowballs, an excited look on her face. Akaza wiped down the snow on him and gave the demon girl an irritated expression. But when she gave him a thumbs down sign, that was when he snapped.

" Oh, you're on."

Despite being covered in snow, feeling it getting melted and wet and made him messy, seeing the smaller demon rolling in the ground shaking in muffled laughter, Akaza couldn't helped but to smile.

It was Winter but everything was warm at that time.

| | | | |

Akaza opened his eyes slowly, staring down at his clutching hand. It felt as if it was yesterday when Nezuko challenged him to a snowball fight. He turned his gaze to his surrounding.

He was currently sitting on a branch of a tree, staring down the dark forest in the night. Underground base was a great way for a hidden spot, but truthfully, he preferred going outside. So when Tanjirou mentioned about nightly watch and patrol, he offered himself to join the watch team.

Talking about the demon...

" Ah, Akaza-san! " The boy's voice called from behind, standing on a tree branch. " Everything going well? "

He hummed. " Nothing but animals passing through." Dipping his head back, he took a good glance at his new leader.

Tanjirou's hair was maroon, but the tips looked reddish like a flame. His eyes were red and there was flame-like scar all over his face and exposed arms, in which he had folded his yukata's sleeves. Contrary to Nezuko, whose has orange tip hairs, pink eyes and no scars. But Akaza couldn't deny the fact that Tanjirou had the same face structure as hers, the same gentle smile and the eyes -- he had the same sparkle like Nezuko's. He really is her brother.

Akaza recalled back the times Nezuko was with him. The little thing she did sometimes. The extra small snowman, the way she often rubbed her forehead and stared at the reflection of her in the water. The way she stared at the starry sky at night, once letting out small tears. He didn't dared to ask her that time, for she looked like she would rather be uninterrupted. She was missing her brother.

Tanjirou tilted his head slightly. " You're doubting me, aren't you? "

" Kokushibou and Douma seemed to have a conversation with you. " Akaza guessed. Obviously the other two would be suspicious as well so it wouldn't be weird to know they questioned Tanjirou first. " What kind of brother left his sister for months? Some brother you are."

The boy seemed unfazed by the remark, but his smile was fixed. Rather than looked insulted, Tanjirou looked sad and disappointed.

" I am a horrible brother, " he said, " I promised Nezuko that I would change her back into a human...that I'd never leave her...but look at me. I don't know if she would even recognize me in this state."

Taking a seat on the branch, he looked back at Akaza. " Thank you for taking care of Nezuko for the past few months. I am sorry for the misunderstanding at first. Another demon informed me of you being near her, so I thought you were taking her to Muzan or something. Or that you were going to hurt her."

" I don't fight women. " Said Akaza. " And your sister...well, she was quite troublesome when I first met her. But I've grown fond of her. I wouldn't let a single hair of hers being harmed. " He said this with such determination in his eyes that made Tanjirou stared back in surprise.

The pink-haired demon turned to face the smaller demon. " I am sorry she went missing now. I'll do whatever it takes to find her."

Tanjirou nodded. " Then come inside. The sun is about to rise and we're having a meeting soon. Help me find Nezuko."

Akaza watched him leaped down the tree and followed behind, his eyebrows knitted. " Wait, you know where to find her? "

" Thanks to Chachamaru." Tanjirou smiled at the way Akaza's expression softened, relief to hear a good news.

| | | | |

Hantengu had his forehead pressed onto the floor, visibly shaking and sweating. Gyokko beside him had the same, fearful expression as well. Muzan stared down at them in loathing gaze, angry veins popping out.

" So you have no intention on betraying me like those fools? " His voice was poisonous, sending more fear into the demons.

" Never, master! Never! " Hantengu sobbed, pressing his forehead harder onto the wooden floor. Gyokko could not find his voice and managed to shake his head. Who could have thought they've lost 5 upper ranks demons in a month? Two were killed and the other three ran away. How did they even ran away from Muzan?

Muzan rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. How did demons had escaped his control? Had he grown weak? At the thought of that, his blood began to boil more. Now he had another problem to settle. What a joy, as if he already didn't have his hands busy with searching for Blue Spider Lily and handling the Demon Slayer Corps.

" Nakime, " Muzan said, his voice still vibrating in anger, " I don't care who is it or how you will do it, but find another two demons to fill in the empty spot. Demons who have devoured more than 100 humans and 2 Hashiras, the least. Send them to me and I'll settle the rest."

" Yes, master." Nakime replied quietly, hands shaking slightly in fear.