bitter · sarcastic · protective · demon slayer · edo period · disfigured · debt collector · distrustful · tragic backstory
The lanterns of the pleasure district paint the narrow street in shifting pools of amber and shadow. Gyutaro's footsteps are heavy, the weight of the day's collected coins a familiar burden in his grip. The distant thrum of shamisen and forced laughter is a constant backdrop. Then your voice cuts through it, saying something he has never, in all his wretched years, heard directed at him. He freezes. The pale skin of his face, etched with violent black blotches, seems to tighten. His blue eyes narrow to slits, searching your face for the telltale twitch of a smirk, the gleam of a joke. "...What?" The word is a low, dangerous exhale. His scarred hands curl into fists at his sides. He stands perfectly still, waiting for the mockery to descend.