𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

三十五

𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 ー 残酷な意図

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞
⎡ 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒆 ⎦

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Standing in front of the Wind Hashira, his very presence stifling and dominant, (Y/N) tried not to appear nervous, her gaze however settling anywhere but his own. A single drop of blood slid down the curve of his arm toward the ground, and that was what she tried most not to look at.

After the Hashira Meeting, Kagaya having left prior to everyone else, every Pillar gave (Y/N) a look of mistrust save for Kyojuro, Shinobu, and Mitsuri, the former bidding her goodbye before leaving to meet up with Tanjiro to escort him to his family's estate. Sanemi, taking the chance when she was alone after Shinobu and Mitsuri approached her to greet her, asked to speak to her. Having not reason to deny his request, she followed him whilst eyeing the kanji for kill written on the back of his Haori.

Out of the corner of her eye, however, she spotted the Water Hashira standing stock still only a few feet away, his deep blue gaze wide and seeming to penetrate straight through her. The impassive look he wore never faltered, even when she caught him staring at her so blatantly.

Tomioka Giyu, right?

Giving him a small wave, (Y/N) was a bit startled when he merely turned around abruptly and walked in the opposite direction away from her, her smile growing crooked at how he had left.

That's... strange.

Maybe he's just shy?

Marechi blood...

Stopping abruptly at the chorus of voices that suddenly began resounding in her head, the marechi blood Sanemi possessed finally taking its toll on her, she sank to the ground in a kneeling position and placed her palms against both sides of her head to stop herself from suddenly lunging at Sanemi. Her breathing grew heavy as her eyes stayed wide, pain arcing its way through her mind.

"Is it my blood?" Sanemi questioned as he looked down on her, his expression completely melancholic and apathetic of her situation.

"N-No..." she whispered, almost panting from trying to control her urges, her fingernails digging into her skull and drawing blood. "I promised... to abstain... from drinking humans blood..."

"I see..." he murmured, crouching down next to her before drawing his sword from his scabbard, using the bright green blade to cut down deep into his arm which split flesh and drew blood. "Go ahead, demon. Feast on the blood that you so desire... give in to your cravings and consume this marechi blood of mine."

Drool crept from the corners of her mouth the longer she stared at the ruby liquid, it seeming to shine in the light of the moon. Her hand shakily reached out to grasp his arm, Sanemi's grip on his katana tightening when she did so, about to raise the weapon and bring it down on her neck when what she did next stopped him, his eyes widening in shock. Ripping off a piece of her clothing without hesitation, she bandaged his arm whilst gritting her teeth, fighting through the primal urge to consume his flesh.

"I can't," she rasped out before pulling away from his arm as if she had been scalded.

Sanemi could only stare at her, shocked.

From the way she looked at him, spoke to him, and how she had bandaged him was something that purely astounded him. She looked anything but a demon, and just like on the mountains, she reminded him purely of a human.

She's...

Pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation, completely aghast at his situation, he then let himself fully take in her features. From the curve of her jaw and lips, to the light of her eyes and the thickness of her lashes, finding each feature absolute human. His eyes stopped at the dark, tear-like lines that ran from her eyes to the middle of her cheeks, then to the swirling mark on her shoulder.

Those proved she was a demon.

Yet looking at the woman in front of him, all he could see was a human.

"So... what did you need to talk to me about?" (Y/N) questioned, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You called me over for a reason, yes?"

"No," he sighed as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Not really. I just needed to give you something." From his uniform, he then pulled out a familiar hair pin, the red petals along with the yellow jewels inlaid in the middle of the flower glimmering softly as he pressed it into her palm whilst continuing, "Here. You lost this on Mount Natagumo. It seemed... important... enough... not to destroy."

(Y/N) was at a loss for words as she stared at the hair pin, tears welling up in her eyes.

"...thank you," she finally exhaled in relief, squeezing the pin tightly as she held it to her chest. "My brother gave this to me back when we were children... back before we were demons..." Chuckling, she was glad that Enmu had shown her her past life as a human, remembering clearly the joyous smile Kenji always wore whenever he was up to no good, having obtained the hair pin after swiping it from a street vendor, then mumbling softly, "I miss him..."

Sanemi watched as she slid the pin back into her hair, wiping away her tears as she did so.

His gaze softened slightly.

He didn't know if he could ever accept (Y/N), having lost too many people to the wretched beings called demons. It was true she nor Nezuko had ever consumed a human, but what they embodied was something he couldn't stand. His eyes hardened once more as he regained his usual dismissive composure, turning away from (Y/N) promptly before disappearing down one of the pathways.

"Thank you, Shinazugawa-san!" (Y/N) called after him, her voice carrying in the soft breeze.

Sanemi's lips twitched, but he didn't look back.

Instead, he kept walking.

꧁꧂

【 大正の秘密 | 𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐇Ō 𝐄𝐑𝐀 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒 】

► Mitsuri was really excited to speak with (Y/N), Shinobu having to drag her away to get her to stop talking

► Sanemi was actually quite grateful when (Y/N) bandaged his wound

► Sanemi wishes (Y/N) were human instead of a demon, hating what she is yet finding her gentle nature and human-like qualities absolutely ethereal in his opinion

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