As Things Should Be

-23- Empathy

My Dear Sanemi,

She would admit, she was slightly smug as she began her letter, the ink scratching nicely against the paper.

Despite your preconceived notions,
the demons have done well here.

She looked out of her window and listened to the night air, full of crickets and other insects that sang to the moon. Every now and again, she would hear Miku's infectious giggles when she was found or did the finding.

Hide and seek was apparently the family's preferred game and based on how the roof creaked, Kanae would bet Daki was hiding somewhere up there. The first time the demon had slid up the eaves, Kanae had been startled by the ceiling shifting above her and she was ashamed to admit that her first thought was a poorly-planned surprise attack. Shinobu had almost torn through the ceiling and a few of the slayers they were tending had been startled, but Daki had apologized surprisingly profusely.

"I swear I didn't mean to freak anyone out of anything - " she had begged and Kanae could only laugh.

"You're alright! We were just startled!" she had managed through her laughs. It was hilarious how tightly strung they all had been - and all over a child's game! "I'm sorry we got you found."

"I'm not! She knows she can't hide in the ceiling! We'll never find her!" Gyutaro had snipped from down the hall.

"Yeah!" Inosuke's infuriated cry had almost reduced Kanae to pure giggles.

They're much more human than I ever could
have imagined. Though I'm sure you'll
roll your eyes at that.

They play games with each other and Miku, 
the hybrid, has begun making friends with
Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho. Sometimes I hear them
all playing together in the yard.

 It's true; Sumi, Naho, and Kiyo had found an affinity for their fellow playmate and while they were still hesitant to play with the demons, there were a few times Kanae had smiled and watched the girls race around the garden in a game of tag. When was the last time her girls had been so childish?

The girls were sleeping now and the moon was high which meant the demons were wandering and by the sound of it they were letting the young girl win. Kanae smiled as she heard Doma's false woes of how he'd been found and Miku's loud victorious battle cry from the moon-lit garden. There would be none of Inosuke's familiar cackles, he'd left on a mission a few days ago...

She'd never forget the worry etched on the demon's face... any of their faces as that human went down the road.

"Please... let Daki follow him," Doma had begged her. "She has before - just to keep him safe."

"I cannot allow it..." she had informed him regretfully. "The master insisted you all stay here for now... but I will ask him if it's possible. You could be of more use on the field than off of it."

"We'd be willing to fight," Akaza had nodded from Doma's side. "If the Master allowed it."

"Please, just Daki - she won't harm anyone," Doma had continued to plead.

"I cannot," Kanae allowed herself to stay firm. She would not go against the Master's orders, especially if they made some form of sense. "But I know Inosuke can handle himself for this mission. I promise, before he goes out on another one, I will present the idea to the Master."

The demons care deeply for their
demon slayer boy.

They've offered to help on the field
just so that Inosuke won't face terrible
demons alone.