The monster under my bed

Chapter 22: You're Safe Now

Nezuko picked at Muichirō's comforter, listening to the silence in the hospital ward. It's been a few days now, and his Doctor said he was ready to be discharged this evening.

She wanted to ask Muichirō how he got away. The thought was gnawing at her, because how, how did he do it if he'd been so injured and sick?

How did he make it?

But she was scared of upsetting him by asking. The boy lying on the same bed she was resting her elbows on looked like a fragile porcelain doll. Nezuko wondered when Muichirō would go back to school.

"Mui...? Muichirō?" she whispered. Immediately, the eyes of her companions lifted from their textbooks and focused on her.

Muichirō opened his eyes, and unconsciously scratched at the IV connected to his arm, before reaching for the fox plushie seated next to him.

"I'm listening."

"Uh...I've been wondering for some time, how did you escape from Boogie and the other guy? I mean, those were two grown men...It's okay if you don't want to answer, I was just curious, you know."

"Did you beat them up?"

Inosuke asked.

"Idiot! Does it look like he can do that easily?" Zenitsu yelled, smacking Inosuke over the head.

"Get your eyes checked!"

"Who are you calling an idiot?!"

Muichirō closed his eyes and sighed, shivering slightly. Inosuke and Zenitsu quickly settled down.

"Sorry." Zenitsu muttered.

"If you want to tell, you can. No pressure."

Muichirō smiled tiredly.

"I ran away...after we crashed in the forest. It was raining really hard, I guess we slid on the road. It was muddy."

He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart. Just recalling the event made him awfully anxious.

A warm hand wrapped around his, and squeezed it gently. His eyes opened, and gazed straight at a face identical to his.

"Yui-nii..."

"It's alright, Muichirō."

Muichirō nodded, and swallowed.

"They got knocked out on impact...I think I did too, but...I came to. I don't know how Boogie didn't wake up when I crawled over him...I don't know how I made it out in that rain..."

Muichirō buried his head in his arms, tucking his knees up to his chest.

"I felt like I was dying! I couldn't breathe! I could barely walk!"

He whimpered, mostly to himself.

"I felt so helpless. I couldn't bring myself to trust anyone..."

Genya sat down next to him on the bed.

"I'm really sorry you had to go through that, Mui."

Tanjiro walked over to the bed, and sat at the edge, where Kanao was patting Nezuko's head.

"If there's anything we can do to help you, please don't be afraid to tell us."

Muichirō nodded, and rubbed his eyes, sniffling.

Just then, a Doctor walked into the room.

"Good afternoon! I see you all are keeping my young patient company, that's very nice of you."