Found Family (OC x Demon Slayer)

16

Inosuke stabbed his swords into the ground and walked away from them with his head lowered in a defeated manner. Asami wanted to leave, unable to stay in the presence of her deceased friend. This friend was more of a father figure, or an older brother to Asami. When Akaza killed Kyojuro, she felt a big piece of her heart break away and crumble.

Asami stood beside Inosuke, turned away from the former Flame Hashira. Tanjiro was still mourning, crying and clawing at the ground in grief.

"Stop your crying!" Inosuke ordered, when he too was crying. Asami hugged herself, trying to picture it was Kyojuro who was giving her a comforting hug.

"And you! Snap out of it for crying out loud! We're gonna train now!" Inosuke wailed. Although he tried to act tough, he was broken the same as the others.

Two Kakushi came running for the group. They helped bring the Demon Slayers back to Headquarters and to Shinobu for treatment. The entire time, Asami did not smile. She didn't complain when Shinobu asked her to take off her gloves with other people in the room. She stared blankly into space, her mind clear. She felt empty.

It's been a couple of days since they four Demon Slayers returned to Headquarters. Still, Asami didn't smile. She didn't eat as much. She refused to sleep, fearing that a nightmare would wait for her. Dark circles had formed under her now dull yellow eyes. She wasn't badly injured physically, so when she was all healed up, she went straight to the Love Mansion.

When she returned to the Love Estate, Asami didn't speak to Mitsuri. She knew she was being selfish, but couldn't pull herself together. One day, the three girls who assist Kocho came by the Love Mansion. With them, they carried a large basket filled with Asami's favorite treats. But the girl never came out of her room.

When Hagenezuka came back with her new war fans, she ignored his angry remarks and his enraged scolding.

The flowers Asami grew in her bedroom had begun to wilt due to her negligence to take care of them. She had no motivation to do anything anymore.

Mitsuri had been trying her best to help Asami out of her depression, all to no avail. Sometimes, the Love Pillar would have Tomioka come by, knowing the girl loved to ramble to the Water Hashira. Again, this didn't work. Shinobu and her assistants would come to the Love Mansion, but they too were shut out.

Today, Tanjiro and the others would be stopping by. A soft knock on her door let her know that they were here now.

"Do you think she's sleeping?" Tanjiro whispered to his friends from the other side of the door. Asami sighed softly and got up to answer the door.

"What?" She muttered, returning to her futon as the boys walked in her room.

"We're worried about you, Asami. Miss Kanroji says you haven't been eating well. This isn't like you." Tanjiro said, his kind face showing his worry.

"Yeah. It's weird." Inosuke said.

"I just miss him is all." Asami murmured. "I miss him so much." Her eyes welled up with tears.

"It's ok to miss someone, but you should also take care of yourself." Zenitsu said. "I don't like seeing your pretty face all sad."

"Come train with us! Then we can kick that demons ass!" Inosuke tried to pump up Asami.

"Sure." Asami shrugged. "Maybe I'll come by later."

"No. Now." Inosuke picked her up and raced out of the Love Mansion.

"Put me down!" Asami screamed, kicking at the boy's back. Inosuke kept running back to the Butterfly Mansion, laughing all the way there.

"Sorry about him." Tanjiro and Zenitsu apologized to Mitsuri, bowing as they spoke.