In Chapter 1~

An image blurred into her mind...

The image of a boy with white-silvery hair... the boy slowly turned to her staring at her with golden eyes... he smiled... his eyes slightly squinting... as he showed a gummy smile before he spoke...

"I have what it takes!"

"Not today or any time in the future!"

"I'll never give up no matter what!"

"For you! You better stay with me Y/n...forever!"

Her eyes then saw the burgundy hair as white-silver... the sword as a flute... the clothes as a light ocean blue and white haori... the fusuma doors as soft fluttering trees... the hard tatami mats as soft grass... Y/n unconsciously muttered out a name though no-one heard...

"...Akari...,"

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The sight was slow and Y/n's sense all of a sudden sharpened... She gritted her teeth as she tightly clenched her fists. 

She knew it wasn't him... he disappeared years ago... he could even be dead...  but she couldn't help but see all the similarities...

The boy ran towards the demon. 

'A mistake,' Y/n thought. 

His eyes widened as the demon beat one of the drums...

'DUM' ...

Y/n saw the boy's eyes close... scrunched up tightly... awaiting for the impact... 

...

It never came, the sudden gush of air breezed past the burgundy-haired boy as he opened his eyes... his eyes caught smooth s/c skin and sharp e/c eyes that burned with the slightest bit of hatred as she stared upon the demon... 

"You just had to remind me of him...," Y/n growled gritting her teeth.

"Huh...?" He asked confused before his eyes widened. "Your arm!" 

Y/n stared at her right arm... there was a nasty ghast on it made by the claws.

"It doesn't matter... after it's taken care of it'll heal," Y/n said as she unwrapped her left arm around the boy that was unconsciously holding him tightly... 

"No... but because of me...," The boy stuttered out guiltily. 

"It's not your fault... I didn't have to save you... I could have just left you to die so shut up and be grateful," Y/n muttered.

The boy kept quiet as he stood up. 

"Are you okay?" Y/n mumbled. 

"Hai?" 

"Are you hurt?" Y/n spoke more clearly as her e/c eyes stared into his.

Tanjirou's POV~

I felt my lungs burn... my whole body was in pain, but I have to keep going! I charged forward as I saw the demon stumble only realizing that I made a mistake as he made a menacing smile, his hand reaching for the drum...

I closed my eyes tightly... awaiting the impact...

'DUM' ...

A sudden breeze caused me to flinch... I felt... warm... and comfortable as if someone was protecting me. I felt an arm wrap themself around me as a felt the gush of wind past me, I opened my eyes as I gazed upon a woman.

Her black hair was flowing backward and I could see streaks of golden yellow hair... her e/c eyes sharpened as they burned with slight hatred, staring at the demon... but there was something else... sadness...? anger...? distress...? no... it was... before I could think of anything else I felt the warmth disappear.

"You just had to remind me of him...," She growled. 

"Huh?" I asked... 'What did she say?' 

The sudden smell of iron and the sounds of heavy liquid dropping brought my attention to her right arm. 

"Your arm!" I shouted concerned.

The woman glanced at her arm where there was a large cut made by the claws.

"It doesn't matter... after it's taken care of it'll heal," She said. 

"No... but because of me...," I stuttered out guiltily as I stared at the nash.

"It's not your fault... I didn't have to save you... I could have just left you to die so shut up and be grateful," The woman muttered.

I slightly flinched before I stook up quietly.

"Are you okay?" 

"Hai?" I asked.

"Are you hurt?" The woman spoke more clearly as her e/c eyes stared into mine. 

"N-No! Thanks to you...," I hesitantly laughed as I stared into her captivating eyes.

No one's POV~

"What are you talking about, it hurts... doesn't it?" Y/n asked the boy after he answered. 

"Excuse me?"

"Why are you lying?" Y/n repeated before sighing. "Your bones... I bet it even hurts to breathe," 

"H-how did you...," The boy stuttered surprised.

Y/n just shrugged.

"Wait... Have you seen Zenitsu?" The boy asked as his eyes widened.

"...Zenitsu?" Y/n repeated, raising an eyebrow. 'Was that someone she should have known?'

"He has yellow hair and he's wearing an orange haori with white triangle patterns... oh and I'm Tanjirou Kamado," Tanjirou introduced himself. 

"I never asked," Y/n sighed. "Your friend is safe... as well as that little boy,"

"Ah... I'm so glad," Tanjirou smiled brightly in relief.

"Oi... who are you?" The demon growled interrupting their conversation. "Enough chit chat,"

'Dum'

'Dum'

'Dum'

'Dum'

'Dum'

'Dum'

'Dum'

Y/n groaned in annoyance as the rooms shifted with every sound she looked to her side to see the kid struggling. He landed on his back or side every time the room shifted and it annoyed her. She really wanted to ignore that gritting look on his face that indicated that he was in tremendous pain... she wanted to ignore his shining eyes that still held onto hope... 

Ignore? maybe not... 

She wanted to kill him... Yea... she really wanted to kill him... if he wasn't here then she wouldn't have been reminded of him... if he wasn't here then she could ignore the throbbing pain in her heart... if he wasn't here she could get rid of these useless emotions... if he wasn't here then she could finally go back to being the emotionless machine once again... like how she lived her life the past few years... 

But she couldn't... she couldn't lay a hand on him or ignore him.. something stopped her... maybe it was a part of her old self when she was with him... when she was happy... 

Y/n sighed before she bridal carried the boy to soften the impact of the damage and landed gracefully on her feet as the room shifted once more. 

"Wait! I...I'm fine!" The boy yelled in her arms. 

"I know it hurts but you're gonna have to stick with me okay? I'll give you an opening... go forward and fine the opening thread," Y/n muttered before immediately letting him go softly and running towards the demon. 

"You think you can defeat me lowly human!?" The demon yelled out as he hit one of his drums. 

'Dum'

Y/n dodged the gush of wind as it cut the tatami before she was in front of him, Y/n saw his red eyes opening before they widened as she jumped over him... his eyes trailed to her figure and as he looked in front once more Tanjirou was ready to strike. 

"Kyogai! Your Blood Demon Art was incredible!" Tanjirou complimented before he swung his nichirin blade and the demon's head was unattached... before rolling onto the tatami mats with a thud. Y/n turned around as she looked at Tanjirou.

"Ack!" He gasped out in pain, clutching onto his chest after breathing deeply. "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"

"Boy...," A raspy voice called out to Tanjirou catching the attention of the two. "Answer me... You think my Blood Demon Art... was incredible?"

"It was amazing... But, I can't forgive you for killing others," Tanjirou answered seriously as he looked back at the demon who was starting to turn to ash.

"I see...," 

"Wait... I need to get a blood sample," Tanjirou muttered before taking out a needle and flinging it towards the demons fading body. 

"Meow!~," A sudden cat purred as it walked in front of Tanjirou after he took out the blade-like needle. 

"A cat? So, you're the one who's gonna deliver this to Miss Tamayo, right?" Tanjirou asked smiling before petting it and handing the needle. "There, there. Thanks! Now you're all set. All right, take care now!" 

Y/n stared blankly at the cat as it disappeared. "Demon...," 

"Hai?" 

"Are you friends with a demon?" Y/n asked as she blankly stared. 

"Ah... hai... but they're really nice!! They helped me and my sister!!" Tanjirou blurted out. 

"I never asked," Y/n spoke before walking towards the entrance of the room. 

"Ah please wait for me," Tanjirou called out before stopping to bow to the demon. "Please rest in peace,"

Y/n glanced back to the tears of the demon as he faded away. 

'I guess even demons have such emotions,' Y/n thought as she continued running with the boy.

"Kiyoshi! Teruko!" Tanjirou called out as he ran, opening rooms before he opened a specific room and getting hit by a book. 

"Ah... there are more kids," Y/n muttered as she stared at the two kids. 

"Why are you throwing stuff at me?" Tanjirou groaned, holding onto his forehead (I thought his forehead was as hard as stone...)

"We're so sorry... the tsuzumi suddenly disappeared, so we panicked," the boy stuttered.

"I see... Well I'm glad that you're safe," Tanjirou smiled softly at them and not even a second later the youngest looking kid started to weep.

"You did a good job hanging in there," Tanjirou reassured as he kneed down to soothe the girl's hair, patting it gently... like what a brother would do... "Come on, climb onto my back-Gah!" 

Y/n bridal style carried Tanjirou once again before looking down on the kids. 

"Ora...," Y/n muttered as she crouched down low so that the boy could climb on as he had a leg injury. 

"Ah... thank you," The boy slightly blushed before climbing on.

"Wait you don't have to-," Tanjirou started protesting. 

"Shhhh...," Y/n hushed him as she motioned for the girl to follow. They walked through the dark hallway silently. 

"I smell blood...," Tanjirou muttered. 

Y/n looked up at the entrance and the light coming from it before walking slighter at a faster pace.

They reached the entrance to see...

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Cliffhanger :))

Thanks for the read!! 

Hope you enjoyed!~ ^^

Word count: 1656

ACE out~