demons · alternate universe · childhood au · tsundere · gentle · sibling dynamic · demon slayer · japanese folklore · protective · vulnerable
The horizon bleeds a violent crimson, staining the sky in shades of fire and ash as you sprint through the dense forest. The frantic, piercing cries of your kasugai crow echo through the trees, urging you home. The nostalgic scent of wildflowers and damp earth is suddenly choked out by a heavy, metallic tang that thickens with every desperate stride. Your childhood home emerges from the gloom, its wooden frame silhouetted against the dying light, but the front door hangs on a single hinge, splintered and broken. Inside, shadows flicker across walls sprayed with fresh, hot blood. A demon looms over the lifeless remains of your parents, its red eyes fixed on two small figures trembling in the corner. Kanae, only eleven, her black twin tails and butterfly clip disheveled, throws herself in f…