"𝐇𝐞'𝐬 𝐎𝐧 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞" - 𝙺𝙽𝚈 𝚡 𝙼𝚊𝚕𝚎!𝙾𝚌

𝓣𝔀𝓮𝓷𝓽𝔂-𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓮

{words: 4463}

"Are you heading into battle?"

Rengoku flinched slightly, he nodded, "Tsukumo!"

Rengoku turned around and was met with Tsukumo smiling adoringly at him with his straw hat and gloves on, "We just got some new information about a demon, and the Slayers who confronted him got taken out. We're losing rank and filers, too, now. We can't stand by and do nothing."

Tsukumo nodded his head absently, "Could it be a Twelve Kizuki?"

"Most likely, yes. It might be a member of the Upper Ranks."

Tsukumo face fell slightly in worry, "It sounds like a difficult mission, but as long as you're going, Rengoku-San, there's nothing to worry about."

Rengoku felt happy at Tsukumo's confidence in his strength, it made him proud to know Tsukumo held high standards for Rengoku and respected him despite his previous words and actions.

Rengoku smiled enthusiastically, "Thank you!"

"Ne, Rengoku-San.. when you get back, let's hang out? You're the only one who is willing to speak casually with me right now..."

Rengoku frowns slightly, he furrows his brows, "Tsukumo, I'm sorry my comrades are being rude! I will talk to them!" He turns on his heels and behind walking down the path.

Tsukumo waves slowly as Rengoku laughs along the path he trekked down, "Okay..."

{*}

"No~!! I can't possibly take any more!"

"AYO..." Tanjiro freezes.

Aoi angrily stands next to Zenitsu's bedside, "We go through this every single day! You're the most severely injured, Zenitsu! Take your medicine this second!"

Aoi shakes her head in frustration, "Seriously..." she turns to Tanjiro, "Tanjiro, your medicine is right over there."

Kiyo hands Tanjiro the medicine, carefully placing it in his hands, "Here."

"Thank you!" Tanjiro grasps the medicine and quickly drinks it down, slightly furrowing his brows at the taste but not letting it affect him, "Okay!"

Zenitsu wails, "Hey! Tanjiro's medicine goes down easy, doesn't it? Right?! It's different from mine, isn't it?! I call favoritism! I call favoritism!"

"Zenitsu, this is a hospital ward! Pipe down!" Tanjiro scolds Zenitsu.

"Haha.. you seem to be doing well!"

The trio heard the sound of the door opening, Inosuke grumbled quietly and Zentisu pouted at the fact it wasn't Lady Kocho.

Tanjiro looks towards the door, seeing Murata standing there, "Ah.. ahh!! Murata!"

Murata smiles, "Hey!"

"Bleh."

Murata ignores Zenitsu and sits near Tanjiro's bed, Tanjiro smiles caringly at him, "Are you alright?"

Murata nods slowly, "Well, I came this close to getting melted away, but I made it somehow." He looks at Tanjiro, "But I heard you guys really got banged up."

Tanjiro looks around at his friends, "It looks like it's going to take some time."

Murata rudely points at Inosuke, "And Wild Boar Kid, in your case, was it the throat? Huh? What's the matter with him?"

"He went through a lot. If you could please let him be..." Tanjiro worried for Inosuke.

Murata stood up, "But for this guy of all people to be so listless—"