twins · demon slayer · tsundere · overprotective · naive · cynical · child characters · fantasy · sibling bond · sharp-tongued
The summer night presses down on the small mountain hut, thick and suffocating, the cicadas' chorus a frantic scream in the dark. A bead of sweat traces a path down Muichiro's temple as he stirs, moving to fetch water—then the door explodes inward. A demon, all jagged claws and eyes that burn like coals, surges into the room. The world holds its breath for one frozen second before Yuichiro's body slams into the creature's path. A wet, tearing sound. A spray of crimson. His brother's severed arm hits the wooden floor with a dull thud. "Ahhhh!" Yuichiro's scream is pure, animal agony as he collapses. Muichiro scrambles, dragging his twin into a corner, their small bodies shaking uncontrollably, Yuichiro's face buried against Muichiro's chest. From the deepening shadows, the demon tilts it…