Y/n woke up to the smell of fresh linen and wisteria.
Where am I? Everything hurts... breathing hurts..
My legs are numb.. my fingers are numb..
My head is pounding, my chest is aching...
What's happening?
The exhausted girl hauled herself upright and shook the hair out of her groggy eyes. Pristeen, pale walls towered around her, not a speck of dust could be seen as she twisted in her seat to look around. Through the thumping in her ears, Y/n could hear a soft beeping noise.
Am I in... a house?
No... this is the intensive care unit of the butterfly mansion hospital! But why am I here?..
She looked to her right. In the bed next to her, curled up in the fetal position with an oxygen mask over his face, was Muichiro.
...
The memories hit her like a truck. The fight, the upper rank demon, their combined breathing techniques... Suddenly she felt sick. Both of them had almost died during the battle but her injuries weren't the reason for Y/n's distress.
During the fight, Muichiro had awoken his demon slayer mark; sentencing himself to a young death in the process. Half of her was jealous of the power he unlocked... The other half was terrified for his future.
...
(A few months earlier)
"Swordsmen are like precious stones." The stone hashira, Himejima Gyomei, knelt at the riverside. His abnormally large hands were wrapped around his rosary as he bowed his head towards the rushing water.
"They must be beaten over and over again in order to achieve their optimum shine; every edge must be sharpened to perfection in order for the stone to be deemed as complete. The hashira are the most refined stones that the demon slayer corps have in their arsenal, yet even we are not perfect yet."
Y/n blinked, her reflection dancing along the water's surface. Beneath the current, pebbles rolled and tumbled, smoothed down by the aggresive flow of the river.
"Himejima-sama? Is it possible for a demon slayer to become perfect? I thought that was impossible."
Gyomei chuckled. "Dear child, you are correct. It is impossible for anyone to be truly perfect, yet there is something that a swordsman can do to reach their peak; unlock their slayer mark."
A moment of silence passed, and the milky-eyed hashira turned his broad shoulders to face the girl standing across from him.
"A slayer mark is a representation of one's physical peak. A branding, if you will. It only appears once a swordsman's core has been polished to perfection."
...
When Gyomei had explained to her that any slayer who unlocks their mark will die at the age of 25, Y/n had felt unbothered. Surely gaining access to that kind of power was worth the sacrifice?
But this is Muichiro we're talking about... Can I really go on as if everything is okay when I know what he's sentenced himself to?
The injured hashira shook her head once again. She couldn't waste time thinking of the future now, he was right infront of her in the present. Although, he did look rather weak, his hands trembled slightly as he slept.
I wonder what he's dreaming of?
Muffled groans came from his shaking form, the oxygen mask over his jaw preventing him from fully yelling out. His skin was taut and pale, his limbs thin and bruised, his eyes squeezed shut.
Y/n's heart swelled with worry. He must be okay, right? She had assessed him in the field, none of his injuries were fatal...
Is this the slayer mark taking its toll on his body? I thought it was meant to make him stronger, not half kill him!
Desperately, she reached for him. Her arm flailed in the air, his bed was so far away...
As she struggled, the rise and fall of his chest quickened. His hands jerked around him and he fought the tubes in his neck and arms, causing small beads of blood to gather where they penetrated his skin. Frantically, Y/n looked around for help.
What the hell, why isn't the machine calling someone? His heart rate on the screen is dangerously elevated, so why isn't an alarm going off?!
Throwing one last desperate look out the door of the infirmary, Y/n clenched her teeth at the realisation that no help was coming.
Shit... I'm gonna have to deal with this myself.
...
A/N: If you're this far into my book, consider following! I'm currently on 30 followers :3
Next chapter will be published on 30/10/23
767 words
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Mirrors | T.Muichiro X Reader
Fanfiction"I think I've fallen for you, Y/n." The mist hashira whispered. Muichiro looked at her, waiting for her answer. His stomach was tied up in a nervous knot as he watched her eyes light up. The mirror hashira blinked at him. A gentle smile appeared on...
