{THE EMPTINESS YOU LEFT} Tengen Uzui x Fem!Reader

5. Смърт

It has been almost five months since the death of your little sister. You have been training every second you can. At first, you started alone in your room, practicing moves you learned from gym class and the limited amount of background knowledge in working out that you have. When Uzui found out, he was pretty pissed. But as long as you were alone in your room, he didn't seem to mind.

After that, you began going outside to train alone. You worked tirelessly every day and have gotten stronger in return. Adventuring away from home, you did meet a few fellow non-demon slayer humans, but decided never to admit that to anyone at the house, including Suma.

Now, as you train by yourself outside of Uzui's home, you find a new stranger with firey yellow and red hair approaching you.

"Hey, you must be the new recruit that Lord Tengen was talking about," the guy calls out, his arms crossed over his chest.

"No, not really," you shake your head, walking closer to him. "He won't let me train. I'm sorry, but do I know you?"

"Really? Cause it looks like you're training to me," he smiles. "My name is Kyojuro Rengoku. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," you bow to him. "I am Y/N Hashibira. This training is the only kind that I am allowed to do. Lord Tengen will not allow me to fight."

"And why is that?"

"Because, according to him, I am weak," you admit.

"Well, then let's fix that," Kyojuro smirks.

You furrow your eyebrows together at his comment, not sure what he means. Then, only to add to your confusion, he swings one side of his cape to the side and pulls out a wooden sword.

"Here, take this," he instructs, holding the weapon out to you.

"What's this for?"

"A sparring match," he explains, his eyes glimmering.

"You want to spar with me?"

"I don't see why not?" he nods as you accept the sword. You take a moment to practice your swings, a complete novice to the art of sword fighting.

"You know, this isn't exactly the same as fighting a demon," he chuckles, noticing how clumsy you are.

"How many demons have you fought?"

"Oh, plenty. My brother and I have fought more than our fair share," he informs you.

"You have a brother?" you question.

"Yes, his name is Senjuro. He's a year younger than me," he nods.

"Oh, I have a-" you begin, before stopping yourself. You're still unsure about revealing the location of your brother. "uh, a little sibling, too. Well, I did..."

"What happened?"

"She died," you mutter, trying not to make a big deal about it.

"That's right, I'm sorry for being so forgetful. How awful," he sympathizes.

"Yeah, well, I've got a lot of pent-up energy and rage," you explain, smiling. "Now, what was that you said about sparring?"

Rengoku laughs. "I'm not quite sure you're ready for that yet. I didn't think you'd struggle holding a sword but it seems as though what you said before was true. You are indeed weak."

"Excuse me?" you snap.

"And a bit too slow," he points out.

"I am not!"

"Really? Then you should catch on quickly," he hums, walking around behind you and gripping the wooden sword to show you how to properly hold it.

You're a bit stunned by the close proximity and the warmth of his breath against your neck. You can't help but lean into him just a bit, his large chest pressed against your back.

"Like this," he instructs, wrapping his hands around yours and guiding the sword up and down in a fighting motion.

"Yeah, I got it," you whisper, clearing your throat. And then, when you turn around to face him, you notice there's not much space between the two of you.

But before either of you can say anything else, another voice booms out from across the yard. "Rengoku!"

The both of you turn around to see Uzui walking towards the two of you, his wives standing a few feet away.

"Ah, Lord Tengen!" Rengoku greets him as he takes a couple steps away from you.

"It's been a while," Uzui says. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just showing your new apprentice a thing or two about swordsmanship," he explains, and you can't help but roll your eyes.

"She's not my apprentice, and she certainly isn't yours, either," Uzui corrects, seething through his teeth. "Y/N, I thought I told you not to train."

"I never agreed to anything," you remind him.

"This is unacceptable behavior, Y/N," Uzui sighs. "Why can't you just listen to me and let me take care of things?"

"Because, Lord Uzui," you start, walking closer to him. But, like always, you need someone to step in before you say the wrong thing.

"I'm afraid that I can't spar with you today, Miss Y/N," Rengoku apologizes. "Though I do hope one day I will get the pleasure to."

"You can't seriously think sparring with her could ever be a good idea," Uzui scoffs, looking back at Rengoku.

"If she is determined to become a demon slayer then she must be a worthy opponent. I see no issue in sparring with her."

"You're much more experienced than her, it would hardly be a fair fight."

"Which is why I agreed to some day in the future," Rengoku agrees, nodding his head. "Once you train her properly. But I do apologize for overstepping."

"It's not you who needs to apologize," Uzui grumbles, and you feel the guilt set in.

Uzui places his hands down hard on either of your shoulders and stares right into your soul. "You can't spar like that with people way stronger than you. Be smart."

"But if I did, then it's a lesson learned," you try to tell him.

Finally, he snaps. "Y/N, I can not stand for this nonsense anymore! I've given you time, I've given you patience, I've given you sympathy, and still nothing. You are not a demon slayer, you will never be one, so stop wasting my time! I am not letting you live in my house just for you to go and get yourself killed!"

After that, he sighs before releasing his grip on your shoulders. Everyone else is completely stunned by his words. He's certainly made sure there was nothing else to be said.

"Apologies, Master Tengen," you mutter before walking off in the other direction, leaving the rest of them behind.

"She's a bit fiery, isn't she?" Rengoku comments, and Uzui rolls his eyes.

"You have no idea," he replies.

"I'd think that's what you'd like about her, Tengen," Rengoku continues, smirking at his friend.

"Hmph," is all he responds with, making his way back inside.

"I'm gonna go talk to her," Suma announces. "See if she's okay."

"Good luck, Suma," Makio wishes.