Demonic Love || GiyuTan Fanfiction

VII

I love you, Tanjiro. Always have, and I always will.

***

The boy and the demon stood facing their enemy, Tanjiro in a fighting stance, just about ready to attack the opposing entity. Giyuu braced himself, ready to either attack, defend, or take a hit.

"How shall we play today, hm? Maybe we can play a little game together, does that sound fun," Kikotei asked, smiling down at Tanjiro.

"I'm not interested in your games," Tanjiro growled. Gripping the hilt of his blade, he ran forward then leaped up to the sun demon, this time trying to be more aware to avoid his previous mistake.

Kikotei swiftly turned to strike at Tanjiro, though this time the demon slayer was able to block the hit.
"Judging by the way you move, it seems your stomach was healed," the sun demon said emotionlessly. "I can fix that for you, if you'd like," he teased.

Hearing that, Giyuu growled fiercely, making his way to the two.

"I'll be sure you're dead before I let you kill me," Tanjiro snapped, glaring at the demon. Behind Kikotei, Giyuu came striking down, managing to tear into the other demon's back. Kikotei turned just enough to strike back at Giyuu as his wound healed using regeneration. He barely missed the demon, leaving a tiny scratch on Giyuu's neck. Had he struck slightly higher, he would've torn into Giyuu's face. Tanjiro attempted to take this as a time to strike, Aiming for the sun demon's neck to try finishing the battle quickly. Despite having so little space, the demon was able to swiftly duck and turn, avoiding the attack then striking Tanjiro with what would've been an uppercut with claws instead of a fist. Instead he ended up ripping into Tanjiro's leg, causing the boy to fall backwards off the tree they were fighting on. Giyuu had landed on the ground and immediately ran to catch Tanjiro. After doing so he lied the demon slayer down, looking back up at his opponent, infuriated.

"A-ahh," Tanjiro complained quietly, his voice filled with pain. He attempted to stand, not wanting to sit out of the battle as he did last time. Giyuu growled at him defiantly, clearly wanting for him to stay where he was. Why is it always Tanjiro getting hurt, Giyuu thought angrily. I'm sorry, I was supposed to protect you... Giyuu looked back up at where his enemy previously was.

"Giyuu-san, look out!" Tanjiro yelled as Kikotei came up on the other demon's side. Giyuu whipped around just in time to block the opponents attack. Growling with annoyance, the water pillar quickly swung his other arm to try landing a blow on his enemy. Kikotei allowed the hit to land, seeming completely unaffected.

Tanjiro watched nervously as he attempted to stand back up on his one good leg. Kikotei continued trying to strike Giyuu, the water pillar doing the same as he defended himself. I've got to help! Tanjiro thought to himself. Finally managing to get up, though off balance, he attempted to get in a stance where he'd be able to use a water breathing technique. The burgundy-haired boy tried standing with both feet but immediately regretted moving his injured leg, the pain of a million flaming needles filling his entire leg. Come onnn, I can't stand out and watch another battle, Tanjiro complained. He tried moving his leg again, this time attempting Total Concentration Breathing to see if it could help. He focused on the breathing in attempt to ignore the searing pain in his right leg, slowly lowering it until he was standing on both legs, 95% of his weight on his left leg. Alright, you can do this.

Taking another breath, Tanjiro prepared his attack. "Water breathing. Fourth Form. Striking Tide!!" Tanjiro dashed forward with his attack, landing only a few strikes before tripping and falling because of his injured leg. Giyuu had been launched into a small bush when this happened, Kikotei now standing with half healed cuts. The demon laughed, though no amusement was actually heard in the laugh.