KNY OC Yue Kurosaki

Yue Kurosaki (黒崎 ゆえ) is a major supporting character of Demon Slayer/ Kimetsu no Yaiba. She is a Demon Slayer of the Demon Slayer Corps and Sanemi's fiancée. 

黒崎 英 /    黒崎   華月 (ゆえ)

Yue Kurosaki

Characteristics 

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Age: 19

Height: 160 cm 

Weight: 60 kg 

Birthday: August 31st

Hair Color: White with red tips.

Eye Color: Crimson Red

Affiliation

Affiliation Demon Slayer Corps (Formerly)

Occupation: 

Demon Slayer

singer and dancer (Post-War)

Combat Style:  Iron Breathing

Personal Status

Relative(s)

Unnamed Biological Parents (deceased)

Unnamed Biological Brother (deceased)

Sanemi Shinazugawa (husband)

Kyogo Shinazugawa (Father-in-law deceased)

Shizu Shinazugawa (Mother-in-law deceased)

Genya Shinazugawa (Younger Brother-in-law deceased)

Sumi Shinazugawa (Younger Sister-in-law, deceased)

Teiko Shinazugawa (Younger Sister-in-law, deceased)

Hiroshi Shinazugawa (Younger Brother-in-law, deceased)

Shuya Shinazugawa (Younger Brother-in-law, deceased)

Koto Shinazugawa (Younger Brother-in-law, deceased)

Sanehiro Shinazugawa (Descendant)

Unnamed Descendant

Contents

1 Appearance

2 Personality

3 Abilities

4 Fighting Style

5 Equipment

6 Relatives

7 Battles

8 Trivia

9 Quotes

Appearance

Yue is a girl of short stature, with large and gentle eyes of red color that are framed by thick eyelashes, and lilac lips in contrast to her dark complexion. She has long, thick, white-red hair, braided into a single braid and fastened with a red leather thread. She has straight cut bangs, a straight fringe, and two loose, chin-length strands that curve downwards from above each of her ears.

Yue wears a slightly purple-tinted variation of the standard Demon Slayer uniform, consisting of a button-up jacket with a stand-up collar and long sleeves, featuring silver buttons and a shirt pocket on the left breast, with the kanji for Destroy (滅めつ Metsu?) engraved on the back of the uniform. Beneath the jacket, she wears a white long-sleeved, collared undershirt. The uniform is fastened at the waist with a white belt and includes a pair of matching tattsuke-hakama pants, which are wrapped at the calves with crimson kyahan. Draped over her uniform, she wears a long white haori with red circles. On her feet, he wears tabi socks that match the crimson tone of her uniform, along with white zōri sandals with white straps. 

Personality

At first, Yue was very aloof and silent due to the abuse she endured in her past before being adopted by the Kurosaki family. Born to an African mother and a Japanese father, who both died when she was 5 years old, she was shunned by society. Metis were rarely accepted into the Japanese society, even less when one of their parent was even more exotic than the European settlers who lived in the main cities.  Yue's parents tried to protect her to the best of their abilities, but she witnessed the racism her mother experienced daily and the humiliations both parents suffered from for daring to "breed".  Despite these hardships, Yue was very happy with her parents and wished to grow old so she could protect them. Unfortunately, a mob of furious villagers decided to kill them out of jealousy for this family that was thriving. Forced to become a street urchin, Yue learned to stop crying and to repress her emotions and desires to survive in the harsh environment she was forced into.  She begged in the streets and turned to theft to afford food. 

One day, a nice family of three was robbed while walking the streets to find a doctor for their fragile son, Kenshiro. She saved them from the robber, and the three of them invited her to a meal. They learned that she was an orphan living on the streets, and the Kurosakis decided to take her in and adopt the young girl. She grew up, a young and caring girl who loved her parents and young brother. They rose in fame and power and were able to give their children a good life and education. She met Sanemi Shinazugawa when they were still teenagers. He watched her protect the young Kenshiro, and she used her handkerchief to clean up the blood from a superficial cut on his forehead.  Unbeknownst to her, she later met with Sanemi and his father, who visited her family to arrange a marriage between her and Sanemi. After the parents agreed to the betrothal, she never saw Sanemi again. 

Her life turned upside down when their family was attacked by demons. She protected Kenshiro and sustained a lot of injuries until  Gyomei rescued both of them and killed the demons. He took the two orphans under his wing, and they became his trainees. Filled with an intense rage against demons for the deaths of her parents, both Kenshiro and Yue worked hard to enter the demon slayer corps. She undertook the Final Selection of her own volition to become a Demon Slayer, without consulting her superiors for permission, and passed the selection in flying colors, while protecting Kenshiro.  

Yue demonstrates extreme determination and hatred for demons. She turned her fear into rage and determination. Her mind was solely focused on killing demons and protecting her brother, Kenshiro. Deep down, Yue is a very soft and kind woman. She believes that humans can do good, like both sets of parents she had,  and do bad, like those who killed her parents. She is a good listener, brave, and easily admires new things she encounters. She's very curious about how the world would be without demons. Because of her traumatic childhood, she also plasters a lot of fake smiles because she refuses to look back and truly face her emotions.  Upon seeing Sanemi again, she recognized him and became closer to him once again, in a bid to fulfill the wishes of their dead family members. 

Abilities

Overall Abilities

Yue was the trainee of Gyomei Himejima, who had been personally trained by him in the art of combat. As such, Yue possesses extremely refined physical abilities, sharpened skills, and prowess that potentially mark her as a future member of the Demon Slayer Corps' Hashira. 

Indomitable Will: Like most Demon Slayers, Yue possesses an undaunted will and spirit, refusing to give up and die when fighting even the most formidable foes that defeated her masters and, later on, the Demon King, Muzan Kibutsuji.

Physical Abilities

Enhanced Strength: Yue has attained incredible physical strength through harsh training. She can jump extremely high distances incredibly quickly, showing her incredible leg strength. In terms of arm strength, she can swing her katana at tremendous speeds incessantly without tiring. 

Immense Speed and Reflexes: Yue is extremely fast. During Rehabilitation Training, she could consistently outspeed Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, and Inosuke Hashibira all at once before they mastered the Total Concentration: Constant (全ぜん集しゅう中ちゅう・常じょう中ちゅう Zen Shūchū Jōchū?). 

Immense Stamina and Endurance: Yue has incredible stamina and endurance. During the Infinity Castle arc, she could exert herself even farther than her limits and fight against powerful demons, being able to endure numerous attacks from even an upper-ranked demon. She can keep fighting despite the injuries that she had suffered from the fight and recover enough to then help in the confrontation against Muzan shortly afterwards.

Supernatural Abilities

Spatial awareness:  Yue has an exceptional sense of spatial awareness. She can know where her body is in space and where her body is in relation to other people and objects, and thus she can  navigate her surroundings with grace and ease. This allows her to make effective counterattacks and dodges and stay ahead of her opponents. 

Fighting Style

Master Swordswoman: As an immensely gifted individual, Yue is an incredibly powerful swordswoman with excellent proficiency with a sword, enabling her to slay demons since she was young, and face more dangerous ones, such as Upper Rank demons. Her combination of impeccably refined swordsmanship skills and sharply acute space awareness allowed her to fight against and clash toe-to-toe with an Upper Rank by herself for some time before Sanemi's intervention. She was also able to contribute to the battle against Muzan Kibutsuji, alongside her fellow Demon Slayers.

Breathing Style

Iron Breathing (てつ の呼こ吸きゅう Tetsu no kokyū?): A Breathing Style Kanao learnt and later mastered by simply observing Gyomei Himejima.

Stone Breathing (  岩いわの呼こ吸きゅう Iwa no kokyū )  A breathing style learned by Yue from  Gyomei Himejima. However, although Yue has learnt it, she was not as skillful with it and could not fight to her fullest using it. Thus, she developed Iron Breathing, a Breathing Style more suited to her, and can properly make use of her strengths.

Techniques

First Form: Harder than stone (壱いちノ型かた　石より硬い Ichi no kata: Ishi yori katai- The user performs a singular and powerful horizontal thrust.

Second Form: Punishment from the elders (弐にノ型かた　長老たちの罰Ni no kata: Chōrō-tachi no batsu)- The user lifts the sword upwards towards the right, above their head, and unleashes four vertical slashes at once down on the enemy, resembling iron batons.

Third Form: Like the master chefs (参さんノ型かた　名シェフのように San no kata: Mei shefu no yō ni) - The user unleashes a whirlwind of slashes around their body that can defend them from incoming attacks and slice up their surroundings.

Fourth Form: A thousand-knife dance (肆しノ型かた　昇千本のナイフのダンス Shi no kata: Senbon no naifu no dansu) - The user releases several slashes above them from below their target.

Fifth Form: Iron Shield (伍ごノ型かた　鉄の盾 Go no kata: Tetsu no tate) - The user rapidly moves their arms in circular motion to block any attack coming their way.

Sixth Form: The thousand cuts of the burning soul (陸ろくノ型かた　燃える魂の千の切り傷 Roku no kata: Moeru tamashī no sen no kirikizu) - The user rotates their body in an uppercut movement, creating a tornado of slashes.

Seventh Form: Divine punishment of the Iron Lady (漆しちノ型かた　鉄の女の天罰 Shichi no kata: Keifū - Tetsu no on'na no tenbatsu)- When the technique is unleashed, the user constantly bombards their opponent with multiple slashes and cuts from multiple angles stealthily. Finally, the user delivers an incredibly powerful horizontal slash, cleaving right through their opponent.

Eighth Form: Judgement of heaven by Iron's purity (捌はちノ型かた　金属の純度による天の審判 Hachi no kata: Kinzoku no jundo ni yoru ten no shinpan) - The user backflips into the air and, while upside-down, unleashes a powerful gust of circular wind that slashes apart anything below.

Ninth Form: The exalted (玖くノ型かた　高貴な者 Ku no kata: Kōkina mono) - The user activates her special ability and pushes herself to the extreme.  It's her own version of Tanjiro's transparent world, which allows her to be extremely aware of her surroundings and shortens the time of reaction.  It exhausts her faster than any other form she uses, but she's lethal and dangerous during the short window her power is activated. 

Equipment

Standard Nichirin Katana: Yue carries around a standard-sized and shaped Nichirin katana with a black blade that has a deep silver outline. Her katana's tsuba is shaped like a lotus, with a silver core and an overlapping red border to mimic her hair. The handle is red and wrapped in white cords, and it ends with a red kashira.  With her katana, Yue has a standard sword sheath that is a shade of deep gray with silver marks resembling drops of water on it.

Trivia

Her surname, Kurosaki, is composed of the Kun'yomi reading of the kanji for "Dark"(Deep mysterious and powerful energy) or  "Wise"  and the kun'yomi for "strength" (suggesting being able to overcome any obstacle).

Yue's given name is composed of the kanji 華, which means magnificent, and 月, which means moon. So her given name could be roughly translated as "magnificent moon".

So together, her name could be roughly translated as: "The Deep mysterious and powerful energy of the magnificent moon."

Yue's favourite foods are  pork cutlet and  Tuna Tataki. 

Yue's hobbies are cooking, dancing,  reading, singing, and watching fireworks.

Yue's mentor was Gyomei. She derived her Iron Breathing from his Stone Breathing.

Yue's born to an African mother and a Japanese father, resulting in her having dark-skin and textured hair when it rains/ it's damp. She suffered a lot of discrimination and violence when she was a child due to her being a metis, but always managed to keep a bright outlook on life.  Her kind heart led her to rescue and later be adopted by the Kurosaki family, only for her to lose them all to demons. 

Yue fell in love with Sanemi after spending time fighting by his side. She realizes that he's far more sensitive than he lets on and only acts tough and rough to protect those he loves. 

She survives the war against Muzan, but spends six months in a coma. One of the last things she said to Sanemi before fainting was that she was happy and proud to have been his betrothed and wished to meet him in another life and hopefully marry him. He stayed by her side until she recovered completely and the two married each other, thus completing their families' wishes, but also because they both genuinely love each other.

Kenshiro Kurosaki, her adopted brother, had always been frail and of fragile health. She always protected him from anything they encountered, fighting his battles and rescuing him from demons. As soon as he grew older and stronger, he vowed to protect Yue and died in her arms in a fight against an upper demon.

Quotes:

(To herself) "We promised each other that we would make sure no one suffers like we did. Kenshiro-kun... I will kill Muzan or die trying!"

(To herself) "I can't give up right now. I have to make everyone proud of me. Moms, dads.. Kenshiro, please  give me more strength."

(To Sanemi) "Shinazugawa-sama... What our parents decided for us when we were young, we don't have to go through with it. However, even if you decide to break off our engagement, I hope you will accept my blade. I want to fight by your side."

(To Sanemi) "Shina--Sanemi-sama. I... I consider myself lucky. In this life, I have seen the worst and the best of humanity. Humans hated me because I was different, because of the color of my skin...Demons wanted to kill me because I am human... yes, I suffered, but I also have been loved. I have been taken care of. I can say I had a good life!"

(To Sanemi) "Sanemi-sama. My heart is beating for you. I know, I know you don't feel the same for me, but I just wanted you to know that I have been honored to serve by your side. I wanted you to know that I love you, and I wish we had gotten married in this life. I hope in the next life we will meet again, and I will get to be your wife."

HUG Shorts: Always wanting you

Sara stretched her arms when she stood up from her bed. She looked at the blonde supe who had just entered the bedroom. Her head turned to have a better view of his face. It made her purse her lips into an appreciative grin, and she bit her bottom lip. Homelander was a man in his prime. She loved the fact that he was older than her; something about it turned her on and sent shivers down her spine. She loved the fact that he was mature, that age could be seen on his face when he smiled. Her eyes stared at his beautiful and perfect blonde hair. It looked like gold against her skin, and she loved to run her fingers through his golden locks. Her eyes averted from his hair to his eyes. They were an intense, uncanny blue, a color she knew was the result of the compound V running through his veins. They were the mirror of his soul, speaking of truths his mouth could hide, and they were beautiful.  Sara nibbled on her bottom lip as her eyes averted from his face to his chest. 

Homelander was perfection made flesh. There was nothing that could compare to his uncanny beauty. She licked her bottom lip, unable to resist the sight before her. He always made her wet. She couldn't help herself after all. From the moment they met, Sara had felt the cold shiver of fear and the hot shiver of arousal go down to her loins. It stirred up something from deep within, and the more she studied his naked chest, the more she wanted to set her hands on him. So she walked towards him and held onto his towel. A grin graced her features, and she slowly pulled on it. The supe could tell his girl was hot for him. She became hot and bothered as soon as he stepped into their shared bedroom.  He could feel she was genuine with him, a love stronger than the ugly truths about his past, stronger than those who tried to break them apart. He could smell her fear and her arousal mixed together in a delicious scent he was drunk with.  Sara grinned and slowly untied his towel, just so she could make it drop to his feet. 

Her black eyes grew wide as she saw his cock, and she sucked at her bottom lip and slowly ran her hand through her silky black locks. She didn't know how Homelander did it, but she couldn't resist him. She couldn't stop wanting him. Homelander cupped her cheek and stroked it with his thumb. He flashed his wolfish grin and pressed his lips to her neck. The contact made Sara moan, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Her knee pressed against his legs, and she gently pressed it against his cock. John groaned and nibbled on her skin. Sara closed her eyes briefly and ran her fingers through his blonde hair, and started to massage her scalp. He grabbed her by her ass and promptly lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and cuddled John in a tight and warm embrace. She felt at peace; in a morning like this one, she was at peace. Homelander loved her. He wanted her. He made her feel safe, desired and wanted and it was priceless. 

Colby Shorts: Poisonous memories.

Mary swallowed a lump and rubbed her arms together as the chilly wind blew over her. Her green eyes looked in the distance, admiring the beautiful sunset. She woke up with a heartache that lingered until sunset, leaving her perplexed, as there was no apparent reason for her to feel this way. Tommy Shelby was home, after all. He came back and was deeply involved in their little family life. He was giving her his utmost attention in the midst of a hectic couple of months. The brown-haired woman put her hand against her chest and squeezed the fabric between her fingers. Today was a familiar day... And the more she racked her brain to find the answer to her question, the stronger her heartache became. It was a familiar day, so why did she feel melancholic?  It suddenly dawned on her. Today was her wedding day to her ex-husband, Carter. 

She could see herself, frail and heavily pregnant, scared yet hopeful because she was about to marry a man who claimed he loved her. What did she know about love when she was still a child? She was too young to realize that marrying a man twice her age under these circumstances was wrong. She was too young to realize that this man was using her. He was preying on her youth and innocence. He was using her good heart and naivety. A pervert who married a 15-year-old girl he defiled and impregnated when she was just 14. A pervert who doubled as a liar because he pretended he was disabled and unable to work, when the whole time he was just a lazy man. A pervert, a liar, but also a coward who didn't go to war on a false excuse. He didn't tell her about his gang affiliation and the money he owed them. He even ran away from both the delivery and the funeral of the child they had.  How come the memory came back to her after all these years? She dutifully snuffed out any memory she had of her dead husband. How miserable her life was before she met Tom. How miserable she was! 

She grew up thinking she was forsaken by God! How could she not, when the nurses kept repeating nobody wanted her? Her father died at the hands of God. Her mother was the very one who left her at the orphanage, and the nurses? OH, they had to wash the "black" off of her skin. Mary knew that if Tommy knew about these old racist hags at the time, he would have punished them. He would have found a way to protect her from their whips and psychological torture. He would have protected her! Her heart sank in her chest, and she wished she had never gotten married to Carter. She wished she never had to suffer at the hands of that man and instead spent more time by Tom's side. A blink, and suddenly, a couple of tears just ran down her cheek. It snapped her out of her thoughts, and she took a deep breath.  She endured, but she came on top of it. Today, her husband was dead, and all the pain he brought her was behind her. Today, she was safe and loved. Tommy wasn't a man of many words, but he showed his genuine affection with actions. She knew he loved her even if he had never directly said those words. She knew, and that was what truly mattered. Mary smiled through the tears and rubbed her arms together. 

Life was better now that Tom was in her life.

Life was better because Tom was in her life. 

Klasma: A bad encounter

Before handling Elijah, the witch wanted to close her shop. After all, becoming Klaus's companion implied she would never return to Mystic Falls, and she had to give up on the life she used to lead. The witch agreed with the terms. After all, what exactly did she have to protect here? She opened up her shop but never made meaningful connections here. She was, for lack of better words, akin to furniture inside a house.  Well, not exactly.  She still struck an odd friendship with the resident witch: Bonnie Bennet.  The relationship remained superficial, as Bonnie suspected she was a witch, but never received confirmation (and frankly, never had the time to investigate, given how messy her life was). The others only saw her shop as a convenient meeting spot, so leaving would not put them in distress. Nëela was certain they would not even notice that she was gone. 

One of them did. Damon Salvatore. He had always kept his distance from her since she settled in Mystic Falls. He watched Stefan talk to her, out of concern for Elena, but also because he could smell that she was powerful and a supernatural creature. He wanted to assess her threat, but realized over the years that there was nothing to worry about the apothecary at the corner. However, that vanished the day the witch met with Klaus. That day flagged her as more dangerous than she looked for both brothers, and while Stefan tried a direct approach, Damon remained in the darkness to observe her from afar.  He noticed that she remained the same, aloof, not really caring for the Salvatore brothers, unlike the rest of the lot, who seemed to be attracted to them like moths to a flame. She was living her own life, and perhaps that was the bit that really drew Damon towards her. He tailed her one day, when she made herself very pretty and went on a date that never happened with Klaus. Her genuine upset reaction caught him off guard so much that he decided to keep following her.  Did she fall for the monster? Could it be that someone could genuinely love someone who caused so much pain as Klaus? If there was a chance for the Original, maybe there was some for him? 

"Leaving us so soon?" -He walked into the shop, unannounced. It made her gasp, and she turned around to face him-

"So soon? If you knew me, then you'd know I have been around for years. There's nothing for me here, so I'm leaving."

"What a shame! Bonnie really liked this place." 

"She will find another. I've met a very curious vampire a while ago. His name was Stefan Salvatore. I heard there were two brothers, and since you're as curious as he is, I assume you're Damon Salvatore?" -She knew who he was; she saw him interact with Elena and the gang. Of course, it was Damon, and he knew she was bullshiting by pretending not to know who he was. He grinned and shrugged his shoulders. The witch pushed her sunglasses up her nose and lifted a brow. 

"Guilty as charged. I am Damon. I have a question to ask, and I hope you will give me an answer."

"It depends on what you ask, but please, try me."

"I know you're a supernatural creature. I just couldn't figure out what you were. Care to tell me?"

"Will you stop stalking me, Damon?" -She asked, bemused. He lifted both arms and chuckled at her words. Would he? Perhaps he would, perhaps he wouldn't. He was just itching to know what she was and why Klaus seemed to gravitate around her-

"I can promise I will try." -She rolled her eyes and chuckled at his answer.-

Well, if she were to believe all the intel she got from observing Elena and the gang, he was too busy wrapped up in his drama to eventually try to find her again. So she decided to bite the bullet and reveal her true nature to him. Slowly,  the witch removed her glasses, which revealed her closed eyes as she wanted to be dramatic. Damon crossed his arms against his chest and waited for her to open her eyes. The uncanny gold color took him by surprise, and he was left with a clenched jaw and a piercing blue stare full of incomprehension. How could she have eyes like this? They weren't typical of vampires. They weren't even typical of the Originals. The only creature he saw with eyes like these was Klaus, but only because he was a hybrid. He looked at her with eyes wide open and growled at the sight of this little witch's uncanny gaze.

"You look as if you've seen a ghost, Damon. Ahah!" -She laughed and put both hands on her hips- " I am sure that you're wondering what I am, so let me tell you." -She closed the distance between them but stood a couple steps away from him- "I am not a vampire." -She cleared that one question he had- "I'm not a werewolf- "Another option cleared- "I'm not human either" -She grinned- "I am a witch. A cursed witch, so I can't really identify as a witch anymore."

"Then what are you?"

"A cursed soul and a badass!" -She chuckled and put her sunglasses back on her nose.- "Now now, I have given you exactly what you requested from me. You can now leave." -She shrugged-

"What's your deal with Klaus?"

"And why should I answer you? Oh, let me guess, are you afraid that I'm plotting with  Klaus against you?" -She laughed and shook her head- "Lighten up, Damon! Not everything is about your family. I know who Klaus is. We have... History. All I want is to leave Mystic Falls and hopefully never return."

"You didn't like the town, uh?"

"Oi... It's none of your business, Damon. I'm not going after you or Elena and her gang. I'm just trying to get out of here as fast as possible. So let me finish and I'll be out of your hair."

Damon snorted. She had never been in his hair. As a matter of fact, she was never in their business. Damon knew that the witch was minding her own business, always kept to herself, and never made a fuss. She was so discreet that had it not been for Bonnie and her two other friends gravitating around the golden-eyed witch. Still, Damon knew from experience that he couldn't trust anyone, especially not supernatural creatures, because they tended to lie and have ulterior motives.  She was a bit different, brash, genuine, and salty. He realized that she was not lying and had no reason to.  He stroked the tip of his nose and grinned. 

"You're not in my hair, darling. But yes, I'll keep an eye on you. If I see you with Klaus, trying to come at my family and friends, I'll become nasty. You know that, right?"

"And I'll ask you one more time, do you really think that you're the center of the world? I don't care about you and your posse. I don't think Klaus cares either, but I won't speak on his behalf. What I know is that we're getting out of here, and I hope we don't cross paths anymore. Now, shoo!"

Damon gave her a bitter chuckle and slowly but surely walked back. He didn't want to fight because there was no reason for him to try it that night. She was determined to close her shop for good, and she even went as far as to reveal her true nature to him. He couldn't exactly ask her for more than this, so he simply didn't. Instead, he left the shop, now convinced that Nëela was dangerous. Damon was determined to watch her until she left Mystic Falls, and he was certain they would hear more from her simply because she was associating herself with Klaus, and Klaus was trouble.  He was always "trouble".

-TBC- 

Doya: Distant memories

Oya sat on the edge of the bed she was sharing with Dean. He was sleeping next to her, but she knew that it was never a deep slumber. Dean was always on high alert, and the slightest noise would wake him up. The hunter tried to make the least noise possible, so her husband wouldn't wake up. She grabbed her phone and scrolled through her contacts. She stopped at Jake's name and bit her bottom lip. Should she text him? This late at night? Oya tapped her thigh with her fingers and texted Jake. 

[Text: J: Hey, J! I saw that you're on tour right now! Congrats!!! If you're still touring when our honeymoon is over, I'll see you. Jake, I haven't seen you in a while, and I miss you. Let's try and meet soon, okay? O.]

She sent the text and crossed her legs under the sheets. The shift on the bed managed to wake up Dean, who rolled on his side to have a good look at his wife. His emerald eyes stared at the young woman, and he lifted his brow.  He knew she was restless and had been for several nights in a row, so he took it upon himself to ask her what was going on. 

"Hey! You either don't sleep at night or you wake up in the middle of the night. Are you okay?"

"MMMhhhh... Kinda. I've been missing Jake lately. I usually managed to attend one of his concerts when I go on solo missions, but I haven't seen him, and I miss his music." -She sighed, one big heavy sigh that meant she wanted to say more.-

"Come on, O. Spit it out. You know what he's been doing lately." -He knew she was his biggest fan, of course, she would know what he was doing.- 

Dean was right, Oya knew how Jake was doing. She was a fan of his work, had been for a very long time. Of course, she wanted to follow his career and would hound social media just to keep tabs on him. Dean knew she was genuine in her love for Jake's music. She listened to his Eps when they were driving. She knew the lyrics by heart. She always praised Jake's voice out loud on random occasions. Dean knew she felt joy when she was listening to him, and he knew that she would always make sure to know what was going on with Jake. 

Dean didn't keep tabs on his brother, but he knew that if Jake ever needed some help, he would come to him. Could he blame the guy for keeping some distance from his siblings? They've been through this with Adam when the latter showed up. Unlike with Adam, however, Dean and Sam tried to treat Jake better than they did their late brother. Still, there had been some distance between the brothers because Jake was doing his best to stay clear of the supernatural world. Jake eventually kept in touch with them, mostly through Oya, but he didn't call or visit them often. Dean furrowed his brows and wrapped his arms around his wife's waist. Oya gave him a soft grin and ran her fingers through his dirty blonde hair. 

"Yes! He's been on tour with a serious name in the business! Owen Ryan! Jake's staying at hotels now. He's also enjoying a bigger audience, and I've read some comments online about how good he is and how good-looking he is, too. I just want to see him again! I know we're on a honeymoon, but... Can we meet him?" -She gave him a puppy gaze and a little pout as she asked her question.-

"So that's why you've been restless lately? You want to see my brother?" -Oya nodded and bit her thumb- "And you want us to interrupt our honeymoon so you can see him?" -She nodded frantically before a light chuckle escaped her lips- "You're a very unserious person, Oya."

"Don't be unfair, Dickhead!" -Oya pouted again and gently hit Dean's shoulder. He chuckled and leaned his cheek against her thigh- "In all seriousness, I miss Jake very much and I would like to see him again. We're not working a case, so we wouldn't bring him troubles!" 

"You know damn right that it's not true. Wherever we go, there's always trouble. Jake won't like it, but since my Missus said she wanted to see him, who am I to deny her?"  -Her face lit up and she resumed stroking his hair-

"Thank you. I know you're not super close, but... I also know that he cares about you, and I am sure that he will be pleased to see you care about him too, especially when he's reaching a new milestone."

Oya wanted to support Jake's career in the best way she knew how. She always bought his EPs, always attended his concerts, and made sure to actively contribute to the fandom online. It was the best she could do as a fan. It was the least she could do as "Family". In truth, Oya was mostly doing it selfishly as Jake's sister-in-law. She knew that they would not be able to see each other as often as she wished they did. She knew they couldn't have a proper relationship as it was something unheard of in the "hunting community". Hunters rarely got to have families, and those who tried to do so were aware of the possibility of either losing their children or making them orphans. Hence, very few hunters actually tried to have families. 

The Winchesters were one of the very few families still alive, and if Oya was very honest with herself, she would even talk about a Dynasty of hunters starting at the moment the Men of Letters existed. Oya even joked with Dean about how she was certain they had an ancestor even older, clearly establishing the Winchesters as a long line of hunters, perhaps the only one in America. Yet, did it really matter? She realized that it didn't quite matter how long and how prestigious the bloodline was because to her, all she saw were Dean, Sam, and Jake. All she saw were the brothers and her family. Anything else was just white noise. The truth, however, was that they were a family, and because it was rare for hunters to have one, she cherished the bond she shared with Team Free Will and Jake. 

"There could only be you to think about doing something like this. I have to say, it's a good thing, O."

"Ah! Sincereity from the Elder brother!" She chuckled and let him unwrap his arms from around her waist to slowly sit on the bed.- "I'm joking! I know.... I know what you're trying to say. I'm just glad to do it for the sake of our family. It's going to be alright! Jake will be happy to see us, and we'll have a good time listening to him. There won't be any case, and if there is, we'll take care of it together. I feel relieved. I wanted to ask a while ago, but I didn't realize just how much I was missing him until tonight."

"I'm glad you asked." He cupped her cheek with his large calloused hand and pressed a kiss to her lips- "Now maybe you will be able to sleep? I'm exhausted."- He teased her while rubbing the tip of his nose against hers-

"Dickhead!" She grinned, pecked his lips, before she swiftly wrapped herself in the sheets. Dean chuckled and joined her under the sheets before he pulled her into a tight hug.-

That was settled. They would see Jake, and while a part of Oya felt relieved, something refused to leave her mind alone. Some anxiety clung to her brain as she had a bad feeling about meeting Jake this time around. Perhaps it was all in her head, and she was just anxious about seeing Jake after so long. Perhaps something happened, and her intuition was clueing her in. The only way to be certain was to proceed and meet with Jake. 

-TBC-

Hope was the weapon of fools

When talking to a friend about discovering "late" into adulthood, how important it was to be loved, I was reminded of how much I was able to grow over the years. Genuine love can help you blossom into the best version of yourself. It can help you hope. It can help you achieve things you never thought you could (or never thought of). It can help you heal or at least soothe your deepest wounds. It was love who helped me get the best care for my mental health and realize I needed it. It was love that helped me become the person I am today, the love I have for others, and the genuine love others had for me. Not so long ago, I couldn't even assert myself or make decisions because I thought it wasn't my place to do so, and it didn't matter because I didn't matter anyway. I couldn't even pick up where to sit at a restaurant... Today? I'm back to being myself and choosing for myself! I  also watched others transform for the best, once they found love or allowed themselves to love again.  I love it! I love watching someone getting genuinely loved and cared for. 

Don't get me wrong, love is not going to solve issues, and it won't bring back what's been lost and can't be replaced like a loved one, but Love will soothe and help us carry on.  Love isn't a magic solution, and it's not going to solve everything. I still have suicidal ideations, despite all the love and care I have. I still suffer from mild anxiety and clinical depression. I still have other little moments of anger, weakness, and frustration, but my heart is soaring! I feel so much better! I met wonderful friends, and I am able to do things I couldn't dream of doing before. I also realized the difference between fake love and genuine love and how they're worlds apart. I guess you have to learn the hard way, so you can keep the lesson etched in your very soul. 

I noticed yesterday while talking to my friend,  that one of the positive changes that happened within me was about Hope. I grew up with Hope in my heart until I reached adolescence. I used to think that "Hope was the weapon of fools." In my mind, a long time ago, being hopeful was seen as a recipe for disaster due to the constant heartbreak and betrayal. I thought I was wrong to be hopeful, and I would be punished for daring to dream of something better. So I tried not to be and instead remained a "practical and realist" person. 

In truth, I was unable to recognize the self-destructive patterns I had been engaging in. I was unable to realize that those I surrounded myself with did not have my best interests at heart at the start of my adult life. I couldn't see the strength and capability I already possessed within me. I simply killed hope and kept doing it so it wouldn't grow in my heart. This way, if I were disappointed, I would reframe it in my head as a reality check.  It was simply Life unfolding as it was supposed to be. Such a simple trick! 

Then, I grew out of those bad relationships, and I slowly but surely picked myself back up, thanks to the genuine love I received. Little by little, I realized that what I mistook for "reality" were simply the self-realized prophecies and bad company fueling my insecurities, depression, and anxiety. It was a lack of reassurance and security mixed with low self-esteem and other fragilities. It wasn't "Fate" or "Punishment" for being alive. It was none of these things. It wasn't even me. 

How could it be me when I shrank myself to please others? How could it be me when I quieted my voice and ignored my needs and desires because it would be an inconvenience to others? How could it be me when I gave up on myself because I listened to those telling me that I would never amount to anything? Voices telling me they loved me when in truth they wanted to push me to my grave? (That might never be a story I would tell). It took me a long time, a lot of work, and a great deal of support to finally detangle everything and escape the sharp claws of self-destructive patterns I was stuck with. 

Love, genuine and kind love, helped me see that I wasn't valued before. Love from others made me find myself again. It made me accept myself the way I forgot how to. It made me hope again. I dared dream again. I dared assert myself again, and my favourite thing is that I learned that "yes, I could be loved for who I was!" I found myself feeling hopeful again, and this time,  oh, I truly cherish the ability to do so. I no longer feel the same way as I did decades ago. I realized that Hope was resilience and a fuel to do better... to be better. Love brought back Hope. Love helped me get back to myself. And I think that it's one of the testaments of how being genuinely loved could help, and I wish, I really wish that everyone would experience true love, and that I will keep moving in the right direction and be the better version of myself.