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—· · · · ⋆꒷꒦‧₊˚𓆩♡𓆪˚₊‧꒦꒷⋆ · · · ·—
| ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 2 |
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"It's dead."
I simply spoke, sliding my katana back into its sheath.
"Ah! It's dead!" Zenitsu jumped back as the head of the disintegrating demon rolled towards his feet.
"Hey lady...you're really strong," the boy spoke as I nodded and bowed my head slightly in thanks.
"WAHHH Y/N!" Zenitsu exclaimed, arms around me as he whaled into my shoulder, "You're so strong! I didn't even see your blade! There were petals and then a single slicing sound and it was dead!"
"Yes, that is my first form," I stated, not understanding his amazement in my breath-form.
"Marry me! Marry me! If I have someone like you I'll never die!" He whaled once again and I sighed.
I see now...
"Let's find Tanjiro, I can sense him fighting," I ordered.
And the pain he's in.
"Anywhere you go, I follow!" Zenitsu announced, however, he was still attached to me.
"Hey boy, are you alright?" I turned to face the younger child as he simply nodded, "Hold my hand, I don't want us to get separated."
"Why does he get to hold your hand and not your husband?!" Zenitsu complained as I frowned.
"I am not married," I said, giving him a disturbed look as he let go of me, "You're a demon slayer, not a child."
"Y/n don't look at me like that—and don't say stuff like that either!" Zenitsu cried again as I pushed past him to continue our search for Tanjiro.
"She's right Zenitsu, you're acting immature for an adult," the boy spoke as I slightly smiled at the same quarrel that broke out between the two.
"Let go of my wife's hand!"
"Will not!"
"Will too!"
"She's not even your wife, you're delusional!"
"I am n—the room...shifted!!" Zenitsu shrieked as I quickly brought the two of them close to me, "E-Even if I die here, I'm glad it was in my wife's arms."
"I am not your wife. And you are not going to die," I clenched my teeth as we were thrown into room after room before being thrown outside, "Breath of life: Sixth form, a bird's flight."
"We're floating!" Zenitsu exclaimed as I quickly landed on the ground with the two floating above me.
I held out my arms as the technic disappeared, catching the boy as Zenitsu fell head first onto the ground, "OW!"
He defeated it.
"You hear it too?" Zenitsu whispered next to me, grabbing onto my hand.
"Hear what?" I gave a questioning look as he pointed towards the door.
"Those loud footsteps..."
"Comin' through!!" A deep voice exclaimed as the door crashed down, revealing the boar-headed human.
"Ah, I remember him from the final selection!" Zenitsu exclaimed as I gave the boy a skeptical look, sensing malicious intent, "Mr. impatient!"
That's a weird name.
"There it is!" The boar cackled as he pointed one of his ridged katanas at Tanjiro's box, "Time to skewer this demon—"
"Stop that!" Zenitsu yelled, appearing in front of the boar, I hadn't even realized he was gone.
"Huh? If you're really with the Demon Slayer Corps, you should know that we have to kill that thing!" He shouted at Zenitsu as he threatened to strike him.
I simply watched, not knowing how to handle this situation.
The boar is right...it's a demon, even I had planned on getting rid of it, why is Zenitsu pro-
"I refuse! Because...because Tanjiro said it was more important to him than his own life!"
My eyes widened at his words, my heart seemingly stopped as I watched Zenitsu continue to be beaten.
Sidestepping toward the two, I appeared in front of the boar as I simply slapped him, sending him flying into a tree.
Turning around and kneeling to become eye level with the blonde boy, I opened my satchel, removing the bandages and ointment I had, and set them on the ground as I sensed an attack coming.
"If he won't fight me, you fight me!" I felt a kick, and then a punch as I continued to heal Zenitsu, who looked at me with widened eyes.
"Y/n..." he whispered as tears began to form in his eyes.
"Don't move, you'll mess it up," I said, ripping the sleeve of my haori as I used it to wipe the blood and dirt from his face, then ripping my other sleeve as I used it as something to secure the bandage on his head, "Are you alright Zenitsu?"
Tears flowed from his eyes as he continued to watch me get beat.
"Stand up, fight me! Coward!" The boar raged as he continued to strike me.
"I refuse."
"Huh?" His attacks stopped as I turned around and faced him, causing him to take a step back.
"It's against the rules if I draw my blade—"
"YOU'RE A GIRL?!" He exclaimed.
"Yes..." I questioned my own response, confused about his question that only required common sense to answer.
"But...but..." he sulked in front of me, "You didn't even budge when I was kicking you!"
"I felt nothing," I responded, "I thought you were just being easy on me."
"GYAHHH FIGHT ME!" He exclaimed once again, charging at me, attacking me low as I simply avoided his attacks.
"I refuse."
"Fight me!"
"No."
"Coward!"
"I am simply following the rules."
"Draw your sword!"
"I refuse."
"Fight me—!"
"Stop!" I heard Tanjiro's voice as his fist made contact with the boar's gut.
"Tanjiro...you also just broke the rules..." I sighed, as I watched a feared look appear on his face.
"I did, didn't I?" He nervously chuckled but was cut off when he was barely able to dodge the ridged-edged katana that barely scratched his face.
"Finally, someone who will fight me!" The boar exclaimed as he began to cackle evilly, "Draw your sword!"
"I refuse," Tanjiro announced as the boar scoffed.
"Fine!" He exclaimed, dropping his swords, "We'll fight hand to hand."
"T-That's not what I meant!" Tanjiro began to protest but the boar was already...swinging on him?
I don't even know how to describe how he's moving...
I watched the fight in pure amazement as I witnessed the boar move in ways I wish I could understand. His attacks were extremely low like how he was when attacking me, but he landed several punches on Tanjiro. I could see the visible struggle on Tanjiro's face when trying to dodge his attacks.
"Y/n..." Zenitsu pulled on the hem of my haori and I looked down at the beaten boy, "Are you alright?"
I simply nodded, "You should be more concerned about yourself Zenitsu..."
"Hey, Lady..." The younger children came up to me and the little girl pointed to the two fighting, "Will you stop them? It's getting late...and I'm scared."
I looked up to the sky as I saw the sun close to setting, nodding at the girl, I placed my hand on her head and nodded, "Of course."
Sidestepping in front of the boar, I caught him by surprise again as he stepped back as I simply slapped him again, sending him flying back.
"Ah, that sound! It's twice now!" Zenitsu exclaimed from behind me.
"It is possible he got a concussion from that," I spoke with a frown, it wasn't intentional.
"Concussion?" The boar cackled as he slowly sat up, his hand under his mask as it began to fall off, revealing his...beautiful features?
"What's a concussion girl!" He pointed at me with a huge grin.
"You're..." I began, trying to find the words I was looking for as I stared at him.
"Huh?! You have a problem with my face?!" He exclaimed as he charged at me.
"You're very..." I tried once again as it clicked in my mind, "Beautiful."
All movement and sound completely stopped, I couldn't even hear the heavy breaths from anyone anymore.
"HUH?!" The boar exclaimed as he practically stared into my soul, standing only a foot away from me, "Do you...do you think I care if you say that?!"
A pink hue was clearly on his face as Zenitsu shouted, "He's blushing! The boar is blushing!"
"I am not, you coward!" The pretty boar shouted, "What's your name!?"
"Y/n L/n."
"Well Y/n, my name is Inosuke Hashibira! Remember that!" He exclaimed with a finger on my chest, poking me, as I simply nodded.
"How do you spell it!!" Tanjiro asked as Inosuke had a dumbfounded look on his face.
"I-I don't know how to read or write!" He exclaimed in embarrassment as I giggled, "D-Don't laugh at me!"
"Y/n laughed!" Tanjiro and Zenitsu exclaimed at the same time as I looked over at them with a confused look.
"Hey, Inosuke..." I started as the boy gave me a look of awe.
"Yes, I'm Inosuke," He stated proudly as I once again laughed, "Hey!"
"I'm sorry," I cleared my throat with a smile, "Let's say, we make a deal?"
"A deal?"
"You said you don't know how to read or write?" I asked he looked around in embarrassment.
"Yeah..."
"How about, if I teach you how to read and write, you'll teach me hand-to-hand combat?"
"What?!" I heard voices exclaim behind us.
"W-Well..." the boy started as flowers began to surround his head as he stared at me, "I-"
In a moment, the boy froze and began twitching.
"Inosuke?" Tanjiro questioned coming up to his side as he poked his shoulder.
"Gggggh," a gurgling sound erupted from his mouth as his eyes rolled back into his head. He began to fall forward into my chest, and wrapping my arms around him in support, I frowned.
"I think it really is a concussion..."