She's so 1914 (KNY x isekai!reader)

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ 𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

(m/n): mispronounced name

lots of pov switching this chapter!

The descent down the mountain was a little bit painful, but you were determined to get Ozaki to safety. You really didn't expect to grow so attached to her, but she was so sweet, so caring. Like Kokushibou, she felt like a true friend. You hadn't known her for long, but she made you feel appreciated.

"We're almost there. Just hold on, Ozaki. Please, just- just hang on!"

She didn't respond, obviously, but she felt like a corpse in your arms. You knew she was just asleep, that her injuries weren't as fatal as they could've been, but you couldn't get the image of her lifeless eyes out of your head. You trudged onward, even though you felt like your bones were shattering with every step.

You wondered if you should have stayed. If anything was going to turn out all wrong because you joined the fray, if anybody was going to die. What if Giyuu and Shinobu hadn't shown up in time? What if they didn't arrive at all? Zenitsu, Tanjiro, and Inosuke would all be dead, same for Murata, and countless other slayers who relied on the help of the Hashira.

No, you scolded yourself, stop thinking like that. It was time to stop dreading what you've ruined and time to start anticipating what you can save. Like Ozaki.

Like Kokushibou.

Damn it, you hoped that Tanjiro would be alright.

...

"What are you doing here?"

Kokushibou slowly lifted his head. "Lower Moon Five."

Rui scoffed.

"How did you get out of that box?"

"I'm much... stronger than you, Bui."

Bui???

"It's Rui."

"That's what I said."

"Whatever," Rui sneered, the ivory webs from his fingers glimmering like small knives under the light of the dangerously bright moon, "You're a traitor. I don't care if you're stronger than me. I'm still better than you'll ever be, after all, I never betrayed 'That Man'." He shoved his hair off of his shoulder, "I never left for some girl who's probably dead by now. If she hasn't been eaten by any of my relatives, then her blood's rushed to her head. She's dead, traitor, you threw everything away for nothing in return. Isn't that funny?"

Kokushibou could feel his blood beginning to boil. He flexed his claws subtly under the long sleeves of his kimono. He was so, so tempted to kill this brat right here and right now.

"What's wrong, creep? Bear got your tongue?"

"Your taunting is going to be the death of you."

"Then at least I'll die knowing I offended the oh-so-great Upper Moon One."

"I'm not offended," Kokushibou stated, straightening his posture and tilting his head down to glare at the boy, "I have enough self-esteem to not be deterred by some little child's attempts at what (M/n) would call being 'savage'."