Dispassionate

30

30) Sleep Demon

Tanjiro was currently on the roof of a train, much against his own will of course.

"I'll try to wake them up! You find the demon!" Tanjiro shook his head at this. "You're a lot stronger than me, and I'll deal with these people." He pointed to the boy on the ground, and the other who sat seated. He had been connected to Tanjiro.

"Oh my! Did you wake up already? And after I gave you such a nice dream!" The demon turned around to get a good look at Tanjiro. "Hmm, I suppose you wouldn't mind if I just put you back to sleep."

The demon moved its hand towards Tanjiro. He could see the kanji and mouth. "Sleep."

Tanjiro felt his eyes closed, before they were opened again. He adjusted the grip on his katana pointing it at the demon. The demons eyes widened slightly, grin never actually leaving his face.

"Sleep." Again he said. Tanjiro had woken himself up before he managed to fall. "Sleep."

"Sleep."

"Sleep."

"Sleep."

"Sleep."

"Sleep."

"Sleep!" Tanjiro had run towards the demon, blacking out for a moment. This demon had gotten impatient. How many times would he wake up? It's damn annoying.

Crying. That's all he could hear. Who was crying? He looked down at his youngest sibling. "Why didn't you protect us?" He wailed. Tanjiro's breath caught in his throat. He could hear footsteps behind him.

He didn't know who it was. All he could smell is blood. "Well? Aren't you going to say anything? I'm sick and tired of waiting." Oh. His mother. He felt something grab his hand.

"You left us. You were safe with Saburo, while we were here suffering. Why did you leave us, big brother?" Hanako. She wasn't crying. She wasn't angry either. Her face was LIKE his on most days. Blank.

He felt someone shove him. "Did you even smell the demon? Did you? Well? We're waiting." Takeo asked, face angry and eyebrows knit together.

"Answer! You've been quiet for so long," Nezuko yelled. "It's absurd! I don't care what you have to say, just say something thing!" She screamed from outside, throwing snow at the back of his head.

He could see Shigeru in the corner of his eye, sitting quietly. Tanjiro wanted to apologize, something. But he could barely choke out a 'sorry'.

He blinked and was met with a peach thrown at his head.

"The moment I died my responsibilities should have been put on you. Was it so hard to keep them safe? If I knew you were going to fail I might've just left you out in the cold one night. Let you get attacked by a bear before you find your way back. I'm tired of seeing that expressionless face."

His eyes snapped open as his blade was met with the demon's neck. Before the demon could be put back to sleep he sliced its head off. "My family.... Would never say such profanities!" He yelled.

"Hey— Mr. Rengoku, please, wake u—" The man suddenly grabbed the neck of the young girl attached to him by the ropes. He was choking her.

Zenitsu watched her breath with struggle, grabbing at Rengoku's hand. Zenitsu grabbed the man's arm in an attempt to make him let go.

Inosuke was trying to shake Seiko awake. "Hey! Get up Makoro!" He looked over to the other two. "Hey! Bug eyes, you'll kill her!" He pointed a finger at Rengoku, who was still asleep.

♡︎

"Sir please listen to me." He had his katana pointed at her. "I don't know who you are, but you are intruding! I believe it best for you to leave!" The woman's purple eyes gazed deep into his fiery ones that I won't look up the color of because I am lazy as fuck.

"This is just a dream! You need to wake up! You're hurting a young girl!" She took a step forward, his katana basically touching her chest. "Three of the demons slayers you were with have already been woken up, if you'd just let me approach yo—"

"I know not who you are, but I ask of you to leave!" The woman was getting tired of this now. "My name is Kie Kamado. And I'm trying to awaken you, but you're only making this all the more difficult."

Rengoku's blade faltered for a moment, before he put it back in its scabbard. He's heard that last name somewhere, but he doesn't quite remember. Who?

He felt Kie's hand hold his. "Please." She whispered. He felt his mother grab his arm. "Kyojuro, wake up." She muttered, pressing her forehead against his.

♡︎

"Brother, who is that? I don't want her here." That didn't sound like something his sister would say, but he ignored it. "Hello, what's your name?"

This girl decided not to address Fumiko, and stared into Seiko's soul. They looked almost exactly alike. However, this girl wasn't wearing the usual yukata, but pants. She held a fan over her mouth.

"Jun.... That's not me." She muttered, pointing to Fumiko. "I don't like dresses. They limit my movements. Don't you remember? Wake up." She told him. He looked confused.

"Jun! She's creepy!" Fumiko pulled on his sleeve. "Hey, it's okay Fumi! I'll sort this out!" He got yanked down by her aggressive pulling. "Please, I wouldn't act in such a childish manner. I may be young but I have some respect. This demon doesn't know what it's doing." She muttered.

"Hmm?" He hummed, looking at her with confusion. "Wake up, big brother." Sh r called out to him. "Jun, she's probably a demon! Let's go inside before—"

"Quiet you." She swung her arm in the air and hit some sort of barrier. Fumiko wasn't there anymore. "Jun, wake up." She took a step forward to meet the frozen boys face.

"This," she used her arms to gesture all around her. "Is a dream. And you know it." She poked at his chest with her sharp nails. "That's wasn't me, and you know why?" Reality snapped back to him as he shook his head.

"No, Fumiko...."
"I left this place to become a samurai. I wasn't here for your training." She leaned in for a hug. "I promise I'll visit you someday, but you need to wake up. I'm sorry."

She stabbed into his back with a training katana, letting the blood pool onto both of their clothes.

♡︎

The man gasped as he dropped the young girl onto her ass. He looked down at her as she struggled to breathe.