Demon Slayer: Love Is...[Book 1] || Tengen Uzui x OC

Chapter 24- Love Always Perseveres

(A/N)- I'm so glad I managed to get this done sooner than I planned. So please enjoy! If you haven't read chapters 20-23 please do go back and read them (although you only really need chpt 23 and maybe 21 to understand what's happening in this one).

{??? POV}

It's getting really hard to breathe now and...I have no feeling in my arms and legs anymore. I tried as hard as I could to keep breathing, and by now I have no idea what I even look like. I had lost consciousness nearly three times, so I lost track of how much time has passed since I killed the demon. There was no possible way in which I could do anything but just lay here and hope for someone to come and find me here. But who knows...Maybe by then, I would have already become one of those disgusting human-headed spiders.

Although, even if it probably hadn't been that long, I've had enough time to mentally prepare myself for that kind of future. I didn't like it. I hated it. I hated it so much I would have rathered the demon just kill me instead of subjecting me to something like this. But then I thought...if he killed me, how would I ever get to live the life that I wanted so desperately to have. With Nezuko.

I wished that I could have more to say. Something more dignified. Something better. Something at least more substantial than an apology for my failure. For my...inadequacy. But I didn't. The only thing I could think of was to say I was sorry. Then, I sucked in another shallow breath and being unable to keep my eyes open for much longer I gradually let them droop to a close.

It was peaceful like that, with my eyes closed, and for a moment, I couldn't feel anything at all. I wasn't worried about the feeling I had lost in my arms or my legs. I wasn't worried about what I had looked like, or what I might become, and briefly, I wondered if the poison would just end up killing me. That might be better. However, I wondered, if I would remember anything at all. If I would still have my senses, my brain...

I didn't know.

The thought alone had me straining to push my eyes back open. I had heard the sound of gramps yelling at me. Ordering me to wake up. To not give up.

This had to be about the fourth time I was opening my eyes, but this time was different. As I looked up at the white shining moon in the sky above me. I saw a small butterfly. Its wings light and delicate. It fluttered once, twice, three times before disappearing in a small shower of purple and blue light. Whether or not I was hallucinating hadn't crossed my mind at all. When the butterfly came back it, closer than before, it fluttered its great wings and descended before me.

It had taken me a good few seconds to finally realize that the butterfly was not a butterfly. But a woman. She was light on her feet and the smile on her face was as gentle as the moonlight. The only thought to cross my mind was; who are you?

The woman leaned over me, her form casting a shadow in the light of the white moon. She brought her hand to the side of her mouth and she spoke.

"Hello there," she called. "Are you alright?"

In my mind, I thought the answer should be obvious. My arms and legs were probably reduced to shriveled up twigs. And my face was peppered with blotches, bruised with veins pulsing under my pealing skin. Nothing was alright.

Even still, in the midst of my pain, I sputtered a weak response.

"Gramps..."

The woman only smiled at my answer and I was confused.

"Who are you calling 'gramps'" she replied.