"Shut up! I was going to say I missed you, but now you don't deserve it, you old fart!"
"I'm not old!" He playfully digs his knuckles into your head and jabs your side. "You little brat! You should be speaking to me with more respect!"
"But you star...
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The cry that shattered the silence was unlike anything Inosuke had ever heard.
Tanjiro's scream pierced the air, a sound so raw and anguished that even Tanjiro himself could hardly believe it came from his own throat. His cry echoed through the aftermath of the fiery explosion as he stumbled forward, consumed by the crushing realization: He failed. He failed to protect someone that he cared about again! Inosuke, normally brash and impulsive, stood frozen in shock, his eyes wide behind his mask, unable to process the devastation before him. Amidst the charred debris and swirling smoke, three figures stood, creating a heart-wrenching scene. Tanjiro and Inosuke's minds raced with disbelief and denial, desperately hoping for a miraculous outcome.
There you were, standing between Upper Moon Three and Rengoku, the demon's arm seemingly thrust through you, piercing your abdomen.
Tanjiro and Inosuke's breaths hitched as they took in the sight. Inosuke, though silent, was a storm of emotion behind his mask. His fists clenched at his sides, a mix of anger and helplessness swirling beneath his fierce exterior. His usual bravado was gone, replaced by the stark reality of the situation. He wanted to rush forward, to tear the demon away from you, but the terror of the scene rooted him to the spot. Tanjiro's legs felt like lead, each step toward you an effort against the weight of his despair. This couldn't be happening! You weren't supposed to be in this fight, let alone sacrificing yourself for your mentor.
Why hadn't he been quicker?! He could've stopped you!
His heart pounded in his chest as he slowly closed the distance, each beat echoing the desperate rhythm of his thoughts. Every fiber of his being screamed for him to reach you, to somehow change the course of this grim reality. Tanjiro grimaced, clutching his side as he took deep, heavy breaths. It was difficult to breathe, but he was determined to keep moving forward. His mind whirled with a torrent of emotions until a shift in the air, a breeze strong enough to blow Rengoku's haori to the side, revealed something that had him blinking his eyes in confusion, his heart stuttering in his chest.
It may have seemed like the end, but this fight was far from over.
The chaotic positioning and previously obstructed view led both Tanjiro and Inosuke to mistakenly believe you had taken the fatal blow and were now in the clutches of death. However, Akaza's hand was frozen mid-air, just inches from striking you. Time once again seemed to stretch into eternity as everyone slowly processed the situation—it was a strange sensation—time moving both slowly and quickly at the same moment. Akaza snapped out of his momentary stupor first, his glare hardening as he moved into action. Simultaneously, you lunged at Akaza. Rengoku, with lightning-quick reflexes, wrapped his arms around both you and Upper Moon Three, prompting a tense struggle between the three of you as the demon tried to pry you off while fending off Rengoku's powerful grip.
"What the hell are you doing getting in the way?!" Akaza seethed, gritting his teeth as he struggled to keep Rengoku at bay with one arm while trying to unlatch you from his other arm.
