|| Demon Slayer x Reader Oneshots ||

| T. Muichiro & Yuichiro x Reader | Favoritism (Military AU) [3/3]

This took forever-My writing fuel is running into some trouble so sorry in advance for slow-ass updates~

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"Here's only a taste of what's to come in the next month! If any of you don't think you can endure it, now is the time to leave!"

It was the first time the recruits had heard General Muichiro raise his voice and be it the menace behind the promise his word birthed or simply just the realization of what they had chosen, half the newly graduated left that day. The "rehabilitating" ones gave them a salute as they left.

"Not everyone is fit for them, I bid you good luck."

Indeed, the elite Ace of Aces, the ten knights of our nations, only commanded the best of the best. Many are left behind and are forced to serve under less infamous commanders, there was no shame in that. Or at least that was how it should be, in all honesty, I felt as though if I try to leave my soul wouldn't let me take it. Self-shaming was the prime reason but another part of me knew it was because I couldn't bear leaving the Generals, they've become precious to me in some way. After all, I held them to the absolute highest regard as their subordinate and felt honored by the chance to serve by them. And if I may indulge myself, I think I formed a sort of bond with them in the time we spent together.

I smiled at the thought and turned back to the remaining new recruits. I saw the determined ones with their restless eyes yet quivering lips, the unsure ones who stayed still after that, and it was then I made up my mind to help polish these stones into gems no matter what.

I nodded at that soldiers-to-be in respect and turned back; locking my gaze with the twins, I saluted, I didn't speak a word for who was I to speak for all these people? And plus, a face along can convey many words.

The brothers gave me the familiar smiles I had recognized to be their own and nodded their heads in recognition.

"I expect to see every single one of you before me at the end of this month!"

People joined in my salute, "Yessir!"

Time passed and the days became increasingly worse to the point where even I became emotionally distressed. I was quick to recover and make up for it, however, I still had to watch out for the newly graduated which was rather bothersome. And speaking of the recruits...

No casualties to report for their training, and yes, it is quite amusing that it was something to take note of. But the Generals would never let anything truly life-threatening happen to the recruits, at least that was I had insisted to anyone who had approached me after just about every exercise. The twins, for better or worse, did not make the fact that I was someone they had taken notice of since the beginning a discrete piece of information.

"Honestly, I've set my standards too high after seeing how [L/N]-Kun held herself, you people are getting more and more disappointing as the year pass."

"I know a certain girl that is already more prepared for the battlefield than you are now, oh hey, she's behind you."

I was sure that they didn't know they had dug a ditch and tossed me straight into it with those words, but then again, maybe they knew exactly what they were doing. By saying what they had said the new recruits must have held resentment towards me for being favored while the old felt appalled by the idea that I could just intrude like this; I had to work harder to create and maintain good relations because of that. Serving hot water in the morning, giving advice, and pulling up the occasional disembodied hand from the snow. I was practically forced to do that but I suppose being a good person doesn't hurt most of the time.