Rengokus Demise (Rengoku demon au)

Kamados suspicions. (2)

I can't be bothered writing this part but the kakushi took the slayers back to shinobus estate, they all have been through their own lil surgerys and stuff. All the boys + Nezuko have been healing in the same room, but rengoku has been acting...werid. Rengoku has been registered for all his injuries, including his crushed eye.

Back at the butterfly mansion...

Tanjiro hesitantly ate his food, occasionally glancing over at rengoku.

He smells different.

Tanjiro put his spoon down, and placed his food tray on a nearby bedside table. He carefully wiped any excess food off his mouth while suspiciously eyeing down rengoku.

"Dude, stop staring at him!"

Zenitsu whispered, grabbing Tanjiro tightly by the shoulder to get his attention

"zenitsu, didn't rengoku... y'know, get more injuries while fighting the uppermoon three?"
"I couldn't say, you were the only one who saw the fight."

Tanjiro fell silent, glancing over at rengoku again.

Maybe, he's just thinking.

Rengoku sat there, zoned out as he stared at a window infront of him. Almost all his smaller injuries had disappeared, and despite his crushed eye... he slowly peeled away the bandage infront of his eye, that had been wrapped a few days before. He slowly opened his eyelid, surprised to see as the blackout seemed to clear, and he could see perfectly fine out of both of them now.

What did that demon do...?

He quickly pulled the bandages over his eye again as shinobu walked in, carrying trays of multiple different medications for them.

"Morning everyone."
"Morning kocho!" - Tanjiro
"Morning..." - Zenitsu
"Morning." - Insouke
"It's good to see you young boys are eating."

She smiled widely, wondering why rengoku hadn't said anything.

"Rengoku?

He snapped out of his trance, pushing the human food that was untouched on his bed aside.

"Sorry, I was just... thinking."

Shinobu narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but continued to hand the boys their medicine. She picked up the tray and walked over to Rengokus bed, ignoring the other three boys who watched from afar. Her eyes immediately tracked to the discarded food, causing her to sigh loudly.

"Rengoku. You need to eat your food, it's a surprise you haven't died from starvation."

She said angerily, placing the tray down on the bed and grabbing the food. Her eyebrows knitted together as she realised he hadn't even tried to eat it.

"You haven't eaten for almost two weeks."

Tanjiro eyes widen at the news, two weeks...? But, he didn't look malnourished- rather, he looked quite healthy.

"I'm fine"  Rengoku smiled,  raising his arms in a reassuring gesture.

Shinobu didn't think so, she grabbed his medicine and placed it on his spoon. with the food in his bowl she scooped some up, concealing the medication in the food. She held it up to his mouth and waited expectantly.

"Eat."

Rengoku gulped, staring at the food nervously.

Something in me is screaming not to eat it.
"What's in the medicine?"
"Wystera, now eat up."

She forcefully shoved the food in Rengokus mouth, not giving him any time to react. Because of the quick movement rengoku had no choice but to swallow.

"See? That wasn't so ba-"

He wretched loudly- Rengoku quickly stood out of his bed, holding his hand over his mouth. He quickly ran out the room, ignoring the yells of the boys and shinobu. He turned around the corner and into the bathroom, leaning over the toilet and gagging out the food.

Why did I react like that?

He looks at what he'd thrown up, oblivious to the footsteps approaching the bathroom behind him. Shinobu swung around into the room, peering over Rengokus shoulder.

"Rengoku! Are you alright?"

She asked, helping him up to his feet. He rubbed any leftovers off his mouth and nodded slowly.

"Yea..." he mumbled.

The two returned to the room, and Tanjiro was hit with a strong stench. He covered his nose, looking towards the direaction it came from.

Rengoku... did that werid smell coming off him... grow stronger?

Tanjiro watched as rengoku sat down on the edge of his bed, sitting there guiltly while shinobu seemed to lecture him.

He reeks of a... demon.