The World On His Shoulders | Demon slayer x Male reader

Chapter I

The sun hung low in the sky. Y/N's clothes were dusty, and his headscarf bore the signs of a long day's work. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead as he walked the path leading to his family's home.

As Y/N approached, his younger brothers, Hiroshi and Shuya, burst out of the house and rushed down the steps to greet him. Both boys were dressed in simple, threadbare clothing, their faces lit up with excitement.

❛ ━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━ ❜

Third POV:

"Nii-Chan!" Hiroshi exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise. "You're back already?"

Y/N's lips curled into a tired yet genuine smile as he knelt to embrace his younger siblings. "Yeah," he replied in a soft, weary voice. "It was a long day, but I thought I'd come home a bit earlier today."

Shuya, the youngest of the two, clung to Y/N's leg, his small hands clutching at the fabric of Y/N's pants. "Nii-chan, you smell like tea," he said.

Y/N chuckled softly and ruffled Shuya's hair with affection. "That's because I've been picking tea leaves all day," he explained.

Y/N ruffled Hiroshi's hair as well. "How was your day you two?" he asked.

"Boring," Shuya said quickly.  "Teiko and Sumi are boring,"

Y/N raised a brow. "Now, that's no way to speak of our sisters, they are not boring they just like other stuff."

"But it's the truth," Hiroshi chimed in, agreeing with their younger brother "And Sanemi and Genya are out! so that means we are bored." He pouted.

"Out?" Y/N asked and his two brothers nodded in unison.

"Fishing" Hiroshi explained to him. "I wanted to go with them but they said nO StAY HErE," Hiroshi said mockingly making Y/N chuckle.

"Well I'll be here for the rest of the day until night, I'm sure we will find something fun to do boys." Y/N smiled when his brothers beamed at that. "But! first I need to speak with Mom and then find those two and make sure they don't get in trouble."

With Hiroshi and Shuya on either side, Y/N entered their home. Now inside and near the kitchen, their mother, Shizu,  held their youngest brother, Koto, in her arms. She looked up with a  surprised look that soon turned into a bright smile when she spotted her eldest son entering earlier than usual. 

Koto's soft snores filled the room as Y/N leaned down and gently planted a kiss on his mother's forehead. 

His mother's hand reached out to caress his cheek, her touch filled with tenderness. "You're home early, my sunshine," she remarked softly.

Y/N nodded, his expression serious. "I wanted to talk to you alone," he said calmly giving his brothers an apologetic look.

Hiroshi and Shuya, exchanged a glance and, with reluctant pouts, quietly left the room with Koto in Hiroshi's arms.

Once they were alone, Y/N and his mother sat down on the tatami mats, facing each other. 

Y/N gently laid the yen notes on the table and took a deep breath. He looked at his mother, She smiled in gratitude but also with a tinge of sadness as she noticed the modest amount.

"Thank you,  Y/N," she whispered, her fingers tracing the yen notes. "This should keep us going for another two days."

Y/N didn't respond immediately. Instead, he hesitated, his eyes fixed on the table as he searched for the right words. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and filled with a sense of resignation.
"Mother, I need to talk to you about something," he began. "I won't be having any more work this season. not picking tea...or anything else really." He paused, allowing his words to sink in.

His mother's face fell as she absorbed the news. She had relied on Y/N's hard work to provide for the family, and the uncertainty of their future weighed heavily on her heart.  "I can find a job and-" She was interrupted right away.

"We've already talked about it," he said firmly, locking eyes with his mother. "I won't have you working. Who else will take care of my brothers and sisters if you're not here?" He reached out and grabbed her hands, trying to reassure her. "I'll find a way. I always do,  fishing can keep us going for the next weeks, either selling or eating I hope you're not tired of fish." He chuckled. "And during the nights I can still work... so don't worry."
 
His mother's concern turned into frustration as she realized that Y/N was still planning to go out at night. She looked at him with a mix of anger and worry.

"Y/N," she said sharply, "if you plan to be going out who knows where, doing who knows what at night, how can I not be concerned?" She raised her eyebrows, her voice tinged with exasperation.

Y/N sighed and closed his eyes for a moment before responding, "Mom, it's not illegal or dangerous if that's what you're wondering. It's just... not something you need to concern yourself with."