Am I Home? (Demon Slayer x Fem!Reader)

Chapter 18: Lull to Clarity

It was weird to not have the boys around anymore.

There was still a lot of things to get done around the Butterfly Estate, with the occasional Demon Slayers coming in for rest and healing.

But aside from that, the hallways were quiet once more.

None of the other Demon Slayers that came in did the training that the boys did. Their injuries never being to same extent as theirs.

The silence in the hallways left you even more restless than when you knew that the boys would be leaving the estate. So to quell the nerves, you kicked up your training regime difficulty. The girls of the Butterfly Estate woke up the next morning to find that they didn't have to make breakfast. As you had already been up for hours and finished with your morning workout.

As lunch time rolled around, you had already gone over all the admitted Slayers and could be found scouring the estate looking to Tsuyuri to train and spar with.

You noticed, during the spar, that Tsuyuri would stare at her coin before putting it away and talking with you without flipping it. So despite your anxiousness, you were extremely happy that she was confident and willing to talk to you out of her own will. 

Sparring with Tsuyuri was always fun and a great challenge. One long blade verses two of yours? It was definitely a feat that took you all those weeks of tied spars to finally winning. That first week with Uzui, and all the times he visited you here at the estate, helped strengthen your body. Now, as Kocho appeared on the engawa to watch, your steps were smooth. Tsuyuri, and even Kocho, could say that you moved with the wooden Yoroi-doshi and Wakizashi as if they were extensions of your arms.

Using the wooden Yoroi-doshi and Wakizashi only when sparring with Tsuyuri was something the both of you had agreed with. As you kept the two real blades safe in your room for when Uzui would come (as you very much didn't want to die while sparring with the hulking man you call brother.)

Kocho could only hum as she watched, your style of fighting was a similar -if not exactly- like Uzui. 

Despite there being no chain to connect both of the wooden blades you wielded. You swung them around both together and apart. Making sure to never over extend your arms and kept yourself centered. 

Tsuyuri came at you, her wooden katana slicing horizontally from the right thinking that you had left your side open. You surprised her by swiftly bringing both of your blades down to meet the katana, saving yourself from what would have been a heavy blow. The way you held them this spar was interesting and Kocho made sure to make note of it.

The Yoroi-doshi was a very small blade, more like a dagger, but with only one sharp edge. That, you held in your left hand upside down, with the blade under your fist instead of on top. The flat side of blade resting along your forearm when not engaged in the spar. The Wakizashi you held was still smaller than a katana, but was much longer than a Yoroi-doshi. You held that in your right hand, like one would a regular, one handed sword.

You pushed the katana away with both your arms. Using the motion to follow through, you stepped forward into Tsuyuri's space. Your left hand preventing her katana from getting closer while your right was held at her throat.

Both of you were panting from the exertion of the spar, but smiles brightened up on your faces as you released Tsuyuri and bowed to her in thanks for a good spar.

Kocho clapped her hands, catching only Tsuyuri by surprise as you had seen her earlier from the corner of your eyes. "My, what an excellent sparring match! Are you sure you wouldn't want to try out to be a part of the Demon Slayer Corps (Y/N)?"