Dancing in the Mist (Demon Slayer / Kimetsu no Yaiba: Tokito Muichiro x OC)

Chapter 9

    ...It's been a while since you were last here.

I let down my guard. I guess that I really do handicap myself subconsciously.

Honestly. I won't be there to save you forever, you know? One of these days, you need to face your past.

One of these days. Just not... today.

    ...Fine. Be glad I have a soft spot for you, Kasumi.

    I'm always thankful for you, ******.

✯¸.•'*¨'*•✿ ✿•*'¨*'•.¸✯

    "...leave... in the way... worried... rest..." a female voice said in a slightly annoyed tone, most of the words blurred out by Kasumi's dazed mind. Her body felt like a chunk of metal, her stiff limbs refusing to move.

    "Shut... you're annoying," a male voice, somehow familiar, spat in irritation.

    "Brat, I need... bandages, so get out," the female's voice continued, her stiff voice sounding like she was holding back from smacking whoever she was talking to.

    "I'm not leaving," the male voice said with finality, his strange familiarity grating in Kasumi's nerves. Why did the sound of his voice keep drawing her out of her comfortable sea of mist? Why wouldn't he let her just sink back down and rest? Why was she filled with the desire to see his face? Why...?

    "Wh...y..." Kasumi rasped, her voice barely above a whisper, yet her eyes felt as if they were wielded shut.

    "Kasumi," the male voice called out, his blank tone underlined with just the hint of worry.

    "Please get out of my way," the female voice ordered, and Kasumi could hear a new pair of footsteps approach her. "Can you hear me? Open your mouth if you can," she asked gently, a stark difference from her earlier harsh tone.

    Kasumi, as if the action took every ounce of her strength, opened her mouth just enough to ask, "Wh...o...?"

    "Don't worry, you're safe," the female voice reassured her. "You're currently resting in my estate at the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters. The demon is dead, and everybody you fought to protect is alive."

    Who is this... everybody...? Demon? I don't understand... Kasumi wondered, her mind still hazy from sleep, and the darkness beckoned her with a welcoming hand.

    "You idiot. You almost died," the male voice scolded, which was followed by the sound of a light whack.

    "Tokito, no harassing my patient when she just woke up," the female voice said with renewed annoyance.

    "Hmph," the male voice huffed, and Kasumi could feel a slight depression on the bed underneath her. She flinched as she felt a warm, calloused finger poke her eyelids. "Why haven't you opened your eyes yet? Don't tell me you're too weak to even do that," he said, an obvious taunt in his words.

    A wave of annoyance hit Kasumi as her fingers twitched, the urge to punch him in the face rising with every passing second.

    "Tokito, she can't open them because of the metal keeping them shut. If you have working eyes then you can see this for yourself," the female voice said passive aggressively as the presence beside Kasumi disappeared.

    "You're annoying. Hurry up and heal her, Insect Lady," the male grumbled.

    "I'm doing that regardless of what you say. Now, get out of here so I can change her bandages," the woman ordered, and the male's presence finally faded away. With his disappearance, Kasumi no longer felt any reason to stay awake. With a sigh, she let the soft comfort of sleep wrap her in its embrace once again.