A Carnations Regret |KNY x Reader|

|Chapter Eleven, Sudden Jonquil|

   Soft purring eased me out of my sleep, accompanied by soft headbuts against my cheek. I peeled back my eyelids, finding Hoshi staring at me, her one working eye lined with tears.

   "Mmm...mornin'..." I said, sitting up in the dirt, before a rush of nausea hit my head. I hissed, falling back on my elbow. I pressed a hand to my forehead, finding my arm was wrapped in a thick layer of bandages. I twisted it curiously, when did that get there?

   Hoshi crawled up onto my chest, licking my cheek. I smile, brushing her fur with my fingers. "Thank you..." I mumbled. She purred, pressing her forehead against mine.

   "Y/n! You're Alive!" Zenitsu cried, flopping on top of me as he sobbed into my shirt. I winced, hissing as he put pressure on my burning arm. "Ah, sorry," he said, scrambling back.

   "'m alright," I said, holding out my hand for him to help me up. He helped me to my feet, holding my shoulder to stabilize me as I struggled to hold my balance. "Thanks," I mumbled, barely audible.

   "Are you sure you're alright?" The boy asked, holding a roll of bandages. I nodded, patting his shoulder.

   "Just fine, where's Tanjiro?" I asked, not finding him or the girl around. Nezuko's box was still there, so that was good. I looked back at the house that spat us out; in case I could see anything behind the closed windows and doors.

   "I don't know," Zenitsu whined. "I'm just so glad you're alive!" He said, outstretching his hands for a hug, before quickly (and awkwardly) retracking them with a dry chuckle.

   "One hug, that's it," I said with a sigh. He jumped on me, smothering me in a bear hug so tight I felt all the air being squeezed from my lungs.

   "I thought you were gonna die! Then Tanjiro would kill me and I could never get married!" He screamed.

   "Great, really feeling the love," I muttered, awkwardly patting Zentisu's heaving back. He suddenly paused with his cries, sniffling as he looked up towards the door. "What's up?" I asked as Zenitsu untangled his arms from around me.

   "Do you hear that?" He asked. I tried to listen, but heard nothing. I hesitantly looked at him, convinced he was joking and about to try and scare me. But he straightened out shakily, a hand outstretched as if to protect. Oh my God, what was with people thinking I'm weak?

   I swatted his hand away, walking towards the house with pursed lips. Hoshi purred contently, Cammie squeaked, and Bouko...I looked around for the bird, finding that she was in the young boy's arms, sprawled out and snoring away. He seemed a bit scared of her, holding her awkwardly to avoid waking her. I grabbed the door, slamming it open, just in time for a boar-masked man to jump at me.

   I just barely dodged the tackle, moving out of the way just as his foot was about to collide with my chin. He landed easily, pointing his sword at me with a scratchy chuckle.

   "Pretty good reflexes, fight me!" He demanded. I stared at him for a moment.

   "Huh?"

   "Fight me!" He yelled. I furrowed my brows, squinting at the eyes of the boar head.

   "No," I said slowly, waiting for him to understand I wasn't a demon. He growled, rushing towards me, waving his swords (as he had two of them, one hiding on his side) at me. I ducked beneath a slash, jutting out my good foot to trip him. He easily hopped over it, dropping down to the ground where I was, and swiped his blades towards my feet.

   I leapt up, my knee colliding with the side of his face. He jutted up one of his blades, just barely catching me on my calf.

   "Ah! Y/n!" Zenitsu screamed, pulling me back by the collar of my shirt. He pointed at the boar man who stood up quickly, readying his blades for another attack. "What do you think you're doing?" He yelled. "We're all demon slayer's here!"