My Brightest Flame (Rengoku X Reader)

Chapter 45 - You First

A/N: 5 chapters left! I can't believe it! I'm proud of myself for getting this far! Let's keep going!

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The jail remained unchanging, honestly it was beginning to be a chore just to be here. She'd sleep through most of the time, but y/n had no interest in sleeping anymore. It took a while before she would get visited again, Kyojuro was always so determined to train and become stronger, he'd visit when he considered himself done with training. He was the only person to regularly visit as everyone was busy preparing for the fight ahead of them. They were so close to the final battle that there wasn't really any time to waste. Y/N kept herself busy with basic fitness, though it didn't benefit her. Her muscles would never get stiff. That was a human problem.

When y/n finally got a visitor after a few days, it was Tanjiro and Nezuko with bright smiles on their faces. Just by looking at the proud looks on their faces, she knew what it meant. She turned to them with an equally bright smile that shone through her muzzle. Her eyes sparkled as the boy lifted up a small vile that held a liquid, that she didn't need an explanation for. It was the cure.

"Thanks to you y/n, lady Tamayo was able to create the cure for becoming a demon! It works entirely!" Tanjiro spoke happily, laughing out of relief. Y/N was happy for a moment before tilting her head curiously. Then why was Nezuko still a demon? Surely he'd want his sister to be healed from this horrible condition as soon as possible. Noticing her curiosity, his face fell slightly. "But, right now, there is only enough for one demon. Of course, I want it to be for my sister, but as someone who helped you should also get a say..."

Y/N felt her happiness disappear as her eyes went from his, to the small vile, to Nezuko's. The younger demon looked at her with a closed eye smile, giving a small hum of reassurance. It was her way of saying that she didn't mind if y/n was to take it for herself, that she'd be fine with waiting. The restriction made y/n's heart ache as she realised that the decision was solely on her.

She really badly wanted to be a human. It had been a long, torturous experience being like this and she'd give anything to be normal again. To train amongst the other hashira as one of them and earn her mark as well. To feel the sunlight on her skin and eat food, drink something that wasn't blood. She wanted so desperately to be herself again. To be able to go near Kyojuro without the subconscious tension between them that she always felt. He couldn't fully trust her when she was like this and it broke her heart slightly more and more every time. The cure, the thing that would solve all her demon problems was right in front of her. It was so tempting. But...

"No." Y/N disobeyed her orders once more, the importance monumental. "Cure your sister. She deserves it more."

Nezuko was such a sweet and gentle soul. She hadn't even eaten a single human, she'd had more of a resolve than y/n and she must be starving...It would be unfair to make her suffer more for no reason when she didn't deserve any of this. Neither of them did.

"Are you sure? It would mean you would be stuck here for longer, the isolation must be driving you crazy." Tanjiro spoke, his voice caring although she could hear the joyous excitement in his tone. Y/N nodded, giving a small smile as she watched the two hug each other with excitement. "Thank you so much! This means everything to us."

"Of course." The demon replied, the sight before her heartwarming as the Kamado siblings celebrated together. "Now go! Don't waste anymore time!" She ordered happily. Nezuko, for the last time, crawled into the box that she had spent her most recent years in, before Tanjiro gave one last thank you before running off to find Shinobu.

Once they were gone and y/n was on her own, she allowed the sadness to take over as she placed her muzzle back on. She didn't regret the decision and she knew it wouldn't be long before the cure was replicated and given to her, but it was so close. Her sword reflected against the small flame outside her prison, soon to be her weapon of choice against the upper moons. She hoped to meet Nezuko as a human too, wondering what she was like before the change. Y/N was sure she was just as sweet as she was as a demon.

Soon she would be able to take her place as a hashira again and when she did, she'd be training like crazy. Her goal made her excited as she imagined her plan in her head. It wouldn't be long now, maybe a few more days and then she'd have a cure of her own. Just a little while longer. Kyojuro was next to visit, his gaze proud and loving as he entered the cell.

"I heard that you passed up on the cure so that the Kamado siblings could be free of demons." He spoke after a moment, looking at her with sad admiration. Y/N could only nod in confirmation, not daring to remove her muzzle another time, if any average corps member saw it could be dangerous for her. Her eyes widened in surprise as she was pulled into a tight, loving hug that warmed her up. The flame hashira's extreme body temperature was the only warmth the demon could feel since her change, and it was a welcome feeling as usually she could not tell the temperature. With a sleepy smile she rested her head onto his chest. "I'm so proud of you." He spoke with a soft, sad voice.

At hearing his tone, y/n lifted her head to look at his face, giving him a hum of curiosity. Why was he sad? Hearing her voice made him grip onto her even tighter, but not enough to hurt her. Kyojuro was acting like she could disappear at any second.

"I'm just worried about the future." Kyojuro admitted, his voice weakened with emotions as he thought about all the possibilities. Y/N was given the okay to fight along with them, regardless of if she was human or demon. And he knew she would accept that offer, she felt obligated to. But what would happen? There was a high chance she wouldn't survive as a human and an even higher chance she wouldn't survive as a demon. They were all going into it, not expecting to survive. Death was expected from all of them, surviving after this would be pure luck. But y/n...her dying after everything she did for him. It didn't sit right with him.

What if Muzan regained his leverage over her? What if she couldn't protect herself? What if he wasn't strong enough to save her like she was with him during his fight with Akaza?

There were so many awful things that could happen. There was barely any chance of them living to see through this battle. Kyojuro wasn't usually the type to think so negatively, but he was forced to be aware of how horrible the end could be. Could he really allow himself to let y/n get hurt after all she'd been through? He'd have to protect her with all he had. She didn't deserve anymore suffering than she had already gone through.

Y/N let out another comforting hum, moving back into the hug with the intention of being supportive. Silently, Kyojuro wrapped his arms around her tightly, protectively in return. He only wished they could stay like that...

A few hours later, Tanjiro had made another unexpected visit after Kyojuro had left much to y/n's surprise. He gave her a joyous smile as he explained that Nezuko had taken the cure and that it was taking time for it to have an effect, however she already seemed better.

"I'm here for a different reason." Tanjiro spoke awkwardly, hoping that he wasn't bothering y/n too much. "Lady Tamayo sent a letter claiming that a gemstone from your necklace had fallen off back there. She was able to learn that the jewel had traces of the blue spider lily." Y/N tilted her head, insinuating to go on.

"If you chose to remain a demon, she said she would like to ask you if you'd like to test a different kind of cure. If it worked it could be strong enough to turn Muzan back into a human." Tanjiro smirked. "She said there would be nothing he would hate more than to become a human again."

In response y/n nodded her head, agreeing to the condition. She'd do anything to make that man's life worse. She'd happily be a test subject of a different style of cure if it meant it would ruin his plans...