⚔ His Protector - Demon Giyuu X Tanjirou ⚔

⚜ ~ 5 ~ ⚜

Things had returned to normal after Giyuu's outburst. Lucky for him, Tanjirou was a nice individual. He never held a grudge. The snow storm had passed, followed by countless days of clear weather where the snow began to melt. Those were the days Giyuu attempted to help Tanjirou learn how to wield breathing techniques. Of course, it ended up with absolutely no progress in the end. It was less Tanjirou and more Giyuu's lack of social skills. He simply couldn't find ways to word it so the other would understand. Eventually he gave up, calling it quits. It upset Tanjirou, who pestered him, but in the end the younger male gave up. There was no changing Giyuu's mind.

By the end of the week, Tanjirou had mentioned moving on. Giyuu knew staying in a cave only lasted so long. It was sunset, meaning a couple hours and they could get moving. The only real issue was Giyuu himself. He felt odd, a slight pain growing in his stomach. As a new Demon, he knew food was essential. He'd spent energy daily gathering stuff for Tanjirou and in the end, he was paying a price for his own hunger. Of course, he never said a word. It was slightly him avoiding worry, while also knowing Tanjirou would willingly donate. He truly didn't want to lose his own morals. 

As Tanjirou sat by the fire that was slowly dying out, Giyuu felt the pain shoot through him. Without thinking, he groaned as he leaned forward. The pain was excruciating, bringing tears to his eyes as his mouth grew watered. His glands produced saliva rapidly, only showing he was slipping as he'd feared. He could hear Tanjirou's uneven breathes. Biting against his tongue, he struggled to stand. It was a chore, but in the end he got to his feet. His movements were slow, the pain only growing as he choked back his blossoming hunger. He hurried for the exit to the cave, only slowing as Tanjirou called out.

"Giyuu-san?"

"Stay here. Do not come outside, understood?" Tanjirou fell silent. He was confused what exactly was happening, leading to him nodding in agreement. There was no denying the fear he felt seeing those primal eyes meet his, but a whole new emotion came forward as well. He remained silent as Giyuu stumbled into the evening, the sun covered by the trees as it only grew further below the horizon. 

Tanjirou had listened to those orders. He sat silently in the cave for nearly an hour before his worry picked up. Giyuu had been gone without a word, only leading to him breaking that promise. That one order he was given. He noticed the sword still on the floor, so he grabbed it. Holding the hilt tightly, he wandered into the eve. The cool air was refreshing, but also caused a shiver to race along his body. The millions of stars overhead were a sight he loved, the large moon at it's fullest. His gaze dropped to the trees, scanning for any sign of Giyuu. 

He didn't know what led to him wandering off entirely. He simply did. Using his nose, he tracked the scent, following at a slow pace. He was indeed scared by himself. Even with the sword, his heart pounded in his chest. The further he traveled along the forest, the stronger the scent got. He broke past a small entrance before coming upon a small outcrop of meadow. A body of water rested peacefully in the center. Giyuu's scent was practically on top of him, only making him more cautious. He spoke out, cringing at the breaks in his tone.

"G-Giyuu-san? Are y-you here?" Hearing the sound of a snapping twig, Tanjirou jumped slightly. He spun on his hells, facing the way he'd come from. Blue eyes shimmered under the moonlight, watching him from the woods. His breath caught as he tensed, the smell slightly different. It was still an ocean breeze, but there was a different aroma, similar to a thunderstorm. Tanjirou didn't need assurance to know that smell was not a good sign. Slowly, he stepped back. Those glowing eyes watched before finally moving. The sudden speed startled the younger male, the feeling of nails digging into his shoulders drawing a whimper as he was knocked back into the grass. The sword was still in his grasp, his feet kicking the taller Demon above him. Each kick was barely noticeable as Giyuu merely stared down it's prey. The moment Tanjirou saw the teeth, he felt his heart sink. The other lunged forward, Tanjirou raising his arm as teeth dug into his flesh. The metallic smell rose in the air as his scream was piercing. The bite was deep, Giyuu's hands pushing Tanjirou's legs to let him close the distance. The younger male had tears searing his face as he cried out, swinging the sword in his other hand. The metal hit Giyuu on the head, his mouth opening far enough for Tanjirou to remove his arm. Blood trailed his body part, dripping onto the clothes as he struggled the climb out from under the other. It was to no real accomplishment. Tanjirou had nearly crawled free before a hands snatched his leg, pulling him back. Firm hands grabbed his arms, nails digging into the flesh and wound already present. His breath clung in his lungs as he felt his body shake. Fear oozed off him, his sobs filling the night silence.

Tanjirou had waited to be attacked again, his body aching. Opening his eyes, he saw those blue eyes were different. There were too many emotions present, mostly panic and disbelief. Those nails that dug into Tanjirou let him go as Giyuu crawled away. He could taste the blood in his mouth, noticing the large wound on Tanjirou's arm. The younger male refused to move, fear still coursing through him. Giyuu was back to his usual self, his heart sinking at the trembling sight of the other. What he had feared most had come to reality. 

"Tanjirou..." Hearing his name, the maroon haired boy slowly sat up. He held his bleeding arm as his gaze met Giyuu's. Those blue eyes narrowed, irritation and sorrow washing through them. He felt heavily guilty, even if Tanjirou hadn't listened to him. 

"I'm okay, Giyuu-san... I am fine..." Those words were broken, a lie Giyuu noticed. He frowned as he watched the other curl into themselves. The blue haired Demon was hesitant, but slowly moved closer. Guilt swarmed him endlessly. As his hands pressed to Tanjirou, the other flinched to the touch. It was expected in Giyuu's opinion. 

"You're bleeding too much... Let's get you back to the cave to mend these, okay? I'm so sorry..." Tanjirou remained silent as Giyuu picked him up. He felt the smaller male lean into him, hiding his red eyes from crying. There was no end to the pain in his heart at seeing the once gentle soul be brought this far into despair. All because he'd lost control. It was his fault once more and it nearly costed the younger male his life. Exhaling a long breath, he wandered back without a word. Simply basking in the silence while stepping under the moons cool glow.

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Hope you've enjoyed the story thus far. Looking forward to posting more soon, so see you all then! Leave me feedback; It is greatly appreciated! (✿◠‿◠)