Outside His Flames - Kimetsu No Yaiba

4. Lord Uzui

Sleep had become a beast that Tsukiko sought after endlessly. When the time came that she finally was able to reach it, the beast would turn only to devour her.

After spending a month sedated for her lungs to heal, Tsukiko spent two more waking in fits as Rengoku died repeatedly in her dreams. Once she finally stopped dreaming of him, still no comfort came.

She had tried endless remedies to find a peaceful sleep, but Tsukiko only found solace when she rested in Tanjiro's arms. Yet, he would be ordered onto missions, leaving Tsukiko alone.

The visions had stopped and, in their absence, came more nightmares filled with horrific sights. Some involved her friends, some her family, and others she learned were of the previous vessel of the moon god. All left her waking in tears and screeching out into the night.

The lack of sleep was taking its toll on the demon slayer. Now, she was done waiting for the terror to stop.

Iguro's brows furrowed at the sight of Tsukiko sitting on the engawa of his estate. Dark bags had formed under her eyes that stared blankly forward. Her cheeks had hallowed as the nightmares were deteriorating her entire being. The light of the fading sun only helped to deepen these features.

Onigiri sat on a small tray untouched at her side. Once again she was not eating.

Tsukiko's head turned when the serpent hashira called her name and finally her eyes focused on something. At the sight of her eyes, Iguro's own narrowed. The two star filled orbs were without their moons. Iguro almost wished that she would cover them, something about her eyes felt disorienting.

"You are finally back," Tsukiko's voice was hoarse and scratchy. Last night at been especially horrible.

"The redhead is gone again?" Iguro asked knowing the answer. Tsukiko only stared back at him. "I guess you want to stay here again don't you?"

A small smile developed on the girl's lips and a small nod occurred. The serpent hashira had grown accustomed to her appearing when Tanjiro was sent on a mission.

"I heard that have a secluded creek nearby," Tsukiko picked up a rice ball and took a bite. She knew Iguro wouldn't even think about listening to her if she refused to eat. The girl did not want a repeat of when he held her down and forced her to eat.

The thought of the occurrence sent a shiver down Tsukiko's spine. The serpent hashira had enlisted Shinazugawa in forcing the girl to eat. They had held her down and deprived Tsukiko of oxygen until she ate each bite. It was only then that Tsukiko's body stopped vomiting.

"What of it?" Iguro scoffed.

"I want to bathe in it. There is a full moon tonight. It could stop the nightmares."

The serpent hashira was suprised. He had heard about the scene in a river after she had went blind before but wasn't expecting Tsukiko to ask if she could bathe in the stream nearby.

"I'll allow it," Iguro's voice was sharp, "only if you tell me why you keep coming here when the boy leaves."

It wasn't that Iguro hated Tsukiko, in fact he was quite fond of the younger girl. It was that she would come and follow him around when he was actually home. It did not help that Tsukiko moved silently, she was like a ghost hovering at Iguro's elbow.

"You are the only one untouched that I can stand to be around at the moment." Tsukiko deadpanned, gazing out at the garden.

"Untouched?" Iguro asked.

"I do not have nightmares about you," Tsukiko's eyes cut over to the man standing next to her, "I have seen your future and I know your desires."

"You've seen lots of people's futures," The hashira was growing annoyed at the lack of a straight forward answer. "Go ahead and tell me. Forget that I told you not to mention my future."