Eye Patch Girl (KnY)

Set Our Hearts on Fire

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"You won't disappoint me, will you?"

Himo stood above him with a calm look when only recently she had died. Unlike him, she walking freely on the flesh prison he was instead trapped in, her feet were as quiet as he remembered while she stepped on the Demon Lord. Muzan hissed and tried to attack her, but his arm fell off with the click of a blade being sheathed trailed with it as he shrieked, it felt unclean while Tanjiro's mind was silence. She took his arm with one hand and put another arm to hook his shoulder, dragging him out with one good tug and pushing him up to the arms of those he knew above waiting for him—trying to get him back for good.

Smiling, she freed him at last with Nezuko and many others' help and waved at his rising body who looked back down at her with worry, once he disappeared she glared down at Muzan with his arms outstretched but out of reach towards Tanjiro. He sputtered something about wanting to be brought with back into life, how he was his only chance at living. She glared down at him and he shrank, he was helpless in her realm where the dead were king. "Do you really think you deserve to be brought back with him? To be allowed a happier life after what you've done? I told you to burn in Hell and one of these days I'll be back to dampen those flames by spitting in your face so just you wait."

"Why you!!–"

"I am the one in control here. The dead do not follow me by force like your demons did with you, but instead I united them to deal with the one pest who's here; you." Himo slashed his waist off from the rest of the abomination he had tried to trap Tanjiro with and he choked on his own blood that had created so many demons in what was now the past. Those demons had ruined the lives of many and changed hers along with thousands of others who called themselves demon slayers. She sighed with a smile of calm content and looked to the arms still outstretched from the tear in the void that had taken Tanjiro, giving it a confused look when it hadn't disappeared yet, it didn't take long until she realised it was asking for her to come.

The hands waved and grabbed at her, others motioning for her to come closer like they wanted to tell her a secret. Muzan died quietly and her time in Tanjiro's mind was coming to a close now that he was alive once more, she wasn't alive, at least not yet.

Himo smiled and raised her arms, the others took her and began raising her into the air with them. While she rose into the void like Tanjiro had, Rengoku, Shinobu with her sister, Tamayo, Kagaya with his wife who was now smiling, and Muichro with his brother smiled as she began to rise into the opening of outstretched arms. While she knew there was damage done in the physical realm, her heart was lighter than ever, knowing the world she returned to would be free at last.

She could continue her thoughts, the world would be normal, or as normal as it could be since the past years. How many lives had they saved far into the future, the world was silent and she loved it.

"You did so well! You truly set your heart ablaze in that moment, I wish I could've spoken to you more but whether you are a demon or human now, I consider you a part of the Demon Slayer Corps."

"I'm glad you put that drug to good use. Guess what, I found Kanae again."

"I'm glad he's finally dead, say hello to Yushiro for me. Tell him that I do hope he finds happiness even without me to guide him anymore."

"Himo! I didn't show you my brother! Doesn't he look just like me?"

"You deserve a life of happiness after this my child, I'm sure my other children are still quite surprised at the plan we both pulled off together...but you did wonderfully."

The  came a surprise she didn't expect; Demons like Daki and Gyuutaro, Rui, Mother Spider, Kokushibo. Her parents smiling together, Kako with a lopsided grin, and Tanjiro's family.

"Thank you. I don't think I properly thanked you and Tanjiro...Or, we because, we do owe you quite a lot. Mother spider isn't really my mother but I'm glad she's happier not as a demon now."

"Nii-Chan! We met up together again in a different life! This time we're twins! You really did lead us into another life together! And I thought you were bluffing!"

"I must admit, you humans really were always stronger than us demons. I'm glad, because now we're free because of it. Tell the others I said hi...I have amends to make with my brother Yorichii and my parents..."

"Himo, we're so proud of you. I don't think I would've wanted you any other way, thank you for keeping your head up, I wish I could've given you a better life...tell you what, I will in your next life, I promise..."

"I'm...sorry...I'm so sorry— I know I can't say enough to make up for what you went through so young because of me, but know that your mother and I are so proud...you did what I could've only dreamed of, you're so brave...my girl...."

"Are you gonna be Tanjiro's girlfriend now? Cause I liked seeing you visit! Mama! Is she gonna be part of our family now?"

"Yes dear. Thank you, for taking care of my daughter and son...please continue to do so into the far future."

"Oi, Himo. You didn't even need that gift I gave you in the end, I'm sorry for leaving you so soon....that demon ended up killing me and I was too outmatched in the end. Like everyone, I'm proud to have you as one of my students. You know...I always wanted to come back and say hi, now you know why I didn't, dying is fun, ain't it."

"Don't worry...I still love you." Himo whispered, repeating it to herself before shouting it to them as she could hear her heart beating once more and her eyes opened this time in the new world she helped create, one that was free of demons, tears she didn't know the origin of streamed down her face as she gripped her sword and pulled it close. Finally her life was free, she could enjoy a life without demons and properly live without fear, she could be scared of things like spiders and not about a shortened life. "Ah?! She's alive?! How!! Tanjiro, get over here, your girlfriend is alive!!"

"She's not my girlfriend! Shut up about that already!!" He yelled but tackled her into a hug with everyone else dogpiling onto her to give her a hug of a lifetime. Himo was glad to receive it and sobbed with the rest of them at their new freedom together, the Pillars settled down around them, even Sanemi and Obanai who held hands with Mitsuri behind their backs. Everyone was in tears for a final ending that was the best outcome they could get for all that they'd lost in this life. "How did you survive that? You died in the demon way and in the human way...I saw you die..." He whispered and hugged her tighter as if he was afraid she would slip away and die again.

"I don't know, I'm not a demon anymore though...I think? I can't bring that back, my teeth are sharp, are my eyes weird? Maybe I burned it up to save myself, maybe the healing abilities just went into overdrive to spare me as a human." She shrugged knowing that no matter what happened to her demon ability she was alive and happy. Tanjiro looked closely at her eyes, they were still the sparkling blue ones he loved, but instead of being icy like they were when he had first begun their journey together, they had melted enough to become warm. Her pupils were still slits like his, but she no longer had demon speed or those bones. He took a closer look and squinted to see a thin line going over the eye that was blind.

"SERIOUSLY?! IT HEALED A DECAPITATED NECK AND A RIPPED OUT HEART BUT YOU STILL HAVE A SCAR ON YOUR EYE?! And you're still blind in it...but we match now!" He shouted indignantly but let out a laugh and Nezuko laughed, she was glad to see her brother managed to finally get the perfect life after being so tired and carrying so much weight in his shoulders, they were free, and it was wonderful to be free.

"We match, and I love it."

"I love it too, but I also love you."