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

12. Surm

Y/N'S P.O.V.

As you look up at Uzui, you finally realize just how ginormous he is. He's nearly a foot taller than you, and he's a lot broader. His biceps alone are as big as your head which makes you feel so small in comparison.

"The thing is... there's something else that happened on the day Suma found me. I know that she knows but I don't think she told anyone. It's not that we've been doing anything behind your back, but..." you begin to trail off, not quite sure how to finish your sentence. "My brother is still alive."

Uzui looks at you with a confused expression, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Wait, what do you mean your brother is still alive? You said you had a sister. Doma killed her," he questions.

"Yes, but I have a brother too. He's still in that cult house," you tell him, your voice barely audible.

You watch as Uzui's hands ball into tight fists, his eyes darkening as they narrow at you.

"Are you fucking serious, Y/N?" he whisper shouts, slamming one of his hands against the wall right by your head. Your whole body runs cold as he cages you in, his towering figure blocking any exit.

"I'm sorry, Master Uzui," you say, your voice quivering. "I promise you that he isn't part of the cult. He's trying to-"

"Why wouldn't you tell anyone that he's still alive, huh? And you knew this whole time?" he seethes, his lips pursed tightly.

You nod, unsure of what to say in this moment. You doubt anything will calm him down right now.

"You idiot! We could have gone in and saved him by now! Why don't you use your fucking brain for once, Y/N!"

"I didn't know what to do. I-I wanted to be the one to help him," you plead, tears filling your eyes. "If he's brave enough to stay there and he's younger than me then I have to save him. It's my responsibility! I'm his only family!"

"What if we could've gotten him out and then sent him somewhere safe? He wouldn't be trapped anymore. That's what you want, right?"

"I-I guess. But he wasn't ready to go right away," you explain.

"He's not ready now?" Uzui argues, his tone becoming more and more harsh with every word.

"No. He knows our mom was killed by demons, and he knows about the cult and Doma, but he hasn't seen it for himself yet," you reply, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"Y/N, are you even thinking right now? As his sister you can't let him stay in a place like that," he shakes his head. "Where is this cult house?"

"I don't know but I'm not going to say," you shake your head. "Please, I don't want you to get involved. This is something I have to do myself."

"Where is it, Y/N?" he demands, glaring down at you.

"Even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you. I ran away without looking back," you say.

"Damn it, Y/N, if I find out you're lying to me I'm gonna be pissed," he growls. "How many followers does that cult have?"

"I don't know," you admit. "At least fifty or sixty, probably. That's all I could count when I was there. There's always people coming and going."

"Going, huh? And you said Doma was the one who killed your sister?" he asks, beginning to relax his tone a bit.

"Yes. He is the leader. Or at least, that's what it seems like," you admit. "You're not really going to go in, are you? They'll kill you."

"So you think a group of humans can take me down?" he smirks.

"I didn't say that," you shake your head as he backs away from you. However, before he can get too far, you reach out and grab onto his arm.

"Let go of me," he commands, glaring down at your hand.

"Please, don't go. Please, Master Uzui, I'm begging you. Just let me take care of it," you plead, looking up into his eyes.

"Y/N-" he begins before you cut him off.

"I can do it," you assure him, your grip on his arm tightening. "I'm strong. Promise me that when people go into that cult house, I can go, too."

"No," he says without giving it a second thought.

"Master Uzui, I can't let you put yourself in danger. You mean too much to so many people," you argue.

"And so do you. I won't allow it," he replies, his tone firm. "That's the end of this discussion. Now, come on, let's go back inside."

"I don't want to. Not after what just happened," you shake your head, your heart sinking.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic. It was just a little argument," he shrugs, pulling away from you and making his way to the back door of the building.

Begrudgingly, you follow him and approach the three women already asking him where the two of you disappeared to.

"We just went for a walk. It's okay. No need to worry," he says as you both take your seats.

You can feel Suma's eyes burning into you, waiting for a response, but you swallow down a mouthful of rice on your plate, and begin eating.

"Y/N, I'm sorry if I came across harsh. I didn't mean to get so upset but we just really wanted you to have a good night," Makio apologizes to you.

"It's alright," you nod. "I shouldn't have acted so dramatic anyway."

Uzui shoots you a warning look and you turn your head away, focusing on your food instead.

"Are you sure everything's alright, Y/N? We can go somewhere else if you'd like," Hinatsuru suggests.

"This place is fine," Uzui insists. "But I must apologize for taking my leave so early."

"What?" Suma pouts. "You're leaving?"

"Unfortunately, I have some urgent business to take care of."

"At this time of night?" Hinatsuru questions.

"I'm afraid it cannot wait until morning," he replies, and his voice holds a dangerous edge.

Suma glances over at you again while Makio and Hinatsuru exchange worried looks.

"Okay," Makio says slowly, her tone skeptical. "If you have to."

"I will meet you back at the estate," he nods. "Make sure to keep a close eye on this one," he then adds as he gets up from the table.

"Why? Hinatsuru asks softly. "What's going on?"

"Y/N has a lot of secrets, apparently. She's been holding out on us," Uzui states as his eyes flash to yours.

"What?" Hinatsuru gasps quietly.

"I'm not going to get into it right now," Uzui says, and then he turns his attention back to you. "But you better not let her out of your sight. Not even for a moment tonight."

With that, he spins on his heel and walks out the front doors of the restaurant, leaving the four of you in silence.

"What'd you do now?" Suma grumbles, not wanting to sound mean but still upset.

"Nothing," you whisper, pushing the rest of your food around on your plate.

"What do you mean 'nothing'? Master Uzui was very upset," Hinatsuru says.

"It's a long story," you mutter, still unable to look at any of them.

"Well, it's a good thing we've got all night," Makio replies, crossing her arms over her chest.

"He found out about my brother," you sigh. "And now he wants to go and save him."

"But you don't?" Suma asks.

"I do," you nod, and Hinatsuru lets out a frustrated groan.

"It's complicated..."