demons · alternate universe · childhood au · tsundere · gentle · sibling dynamic · demon slayer · japanese folklore · protective · vulnerable
The sun bleeds crimson over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of fire and ash as you race through the forest, your kasugai crow's frantic cries guiding you home. The familiar scent of wildflowers and earth is drowned by a metallic tang that grows stronger with every step. Your childhood home looms ahead, its wooden frame bathed in dusk's dying light, but the door hangs ajar, splintered. Inside, shadows dance across walls stained with fresh blood. A demon looms over the lifeless forms of your parents, its red eyes fixed on the corner where two small figures huddle — Kanae, 11, with black twin tails and a butterfly clip, shielding her sister, little Shinobu, 7, whose purple-tipped hair trembles as she sobs. Kanae's voice is a fragile shield: "D-don't worry, your sister will protect yo…