Our Halcyon Days || Reader x Tanjiro | RESUME 2022!

* s e v e n t e e n *

"Gah!"

The demon's severed head spun and rolled on the ground, marking its path with blood as it went. Your aching hand immediately released its hold on your scimitar, and the sword flew straight into the earth. Embedded deeply there, the blade lost its sinister gleam; frost cracked off its surface in little bits.

Warm, sticky blood oozed down your feeble arm. Your quick gasps for breath continued through the tiredness of it all. You glanced at your bloody arm.

...I didn't even know that was possible...

It was at this moment your knees decided to give out on you, and so you collapsed. Tanjiro was safe -- he had to be. Both demonic threats were gone, and you had heard him yell out your name a little earlier.

If you could just relax for a moment, that would be such a splendid --

"DAMN IT!"

You felt irritation rise up in your expression.

"DAMN IT, DAMN IT! ALL I HAD TO DO WAS BRING YOUR HEADS BACK, AND THE GREAT ONE WOULD RECOGNIZE MY ABILITIES!" A whole eyeball popped out of the demon's real eye socket, his jaws never ceasing to move in his fit of anger.

"You're right," you said, with a mix between gentleness, bitterness, and pride, if that were at all possible.

"You had to bring our heads back, on Kibutsuji Muzan's orders. Doing so would prove your worth to him, and yet here you are." His sharp, elongated teeth grated against one another in anguish and rage, and you only continued to speak. "You're left no body with which to carry out your orders. You'll die in a matter of seconds... and all for what? Recognition?"

From behind you sounded the soft footsteps of your ally, reassuring as always. You closed your eyes, heaving a great sigh.

"...Won't forgive you..."

You cracked open an eyelid at the dying demon's words, with an eyebrow slightly raised.

This one's going slow.

"Shoving my face into this vile dirt... I won't forgive you. Won't forgive you-!"

"Right, and no one's asking you to-"

Your lips froze.

Chills ran down your spine,

And it wasn't because of his childlike tantrum.

Is that-!

"Oh," you breathed.

"Oh shit."

A red arrow ejected your abandoned sword from the ground, and you scrambled to your feet, limbs screaming with pain.

How can he still use his Blood Demon Art?!

Another vector flipped the blade, so that its tip pointed towards you -- no, on second thought, not towards you...

You paled.

It was pointed at Tanjiro.

"No."

Your voice sounded hollow, almost as if detached from your body.

"He will perish alongside me," cackled the demon, his head soon crumbling to dark ashes -- though, the seconds that ticked by seemed to pass slower than ever. "So see you in the afterlife. See you in hell!"

An arrow parallel to the ground materialized through the length of your sword, which had been suspended midair.

A surge of adrenaline rushed through ever fiber of your body.