Chapter 1
What's this? This story isn't a react fic, blasphemy!
In all seriousness it's nice to see everyone once again, it has been quite a while since my last upload. Unfortunately, this past month/month and a half has been rather chaotic, everything from college to real life stuff was kicking my ass. Thankfully, I think the worst of it has passed so I'll be back on the writing grind. I'm currently working on 3 other stories (not counting this one and yes John Wick is one) which are all expected to have a word count between 20-60k each. Needless to say I'll make sure you guys have a lot to read this summer :)
Regrading this fic, I wanted to start branching away from react and Re:Zero fics (don't worry I won't stop making either) or try my hand at an original story. I was actually inspired by another story called "The Swordsman and the Asura" by The Masked Spider, give it a read it's really good. It has singlehandedly made me a Tanjiro x Susamaru shipper, and I have no shame in admitting that. So I hope you guys enjoy this little series I'm starting, let me know if you have any questions by leaving a review or just private messaging me.
With that out of way enjoy the first chapter of What It Means to Be Human
Pain
The feeling was practically alien to Susamaru, she could count on one hand how many times she felt any type of agony. It had been so long since she actually felt anything really, other than the hunger for flesh or sadistic glee when she tore apart her opponents. Sure, there was the occasional slayer and if they were lucky enough, they might nick her with their swords. But those cuts healed within milliseconds, she didn't have any time to acknowledge the feeling of the wound. Any unfortunate soul that was able to inflict that damage soon had their bodies torn to pieces from her temaris.
But this pain, it was the worst thing she had ever felt in all her time as a demon. Every cell in her body felt as if it was on fire, tearing themselves apart from inside out. Her muscles ached despite her arms and legs being severed. Frankly her entire body was nothing more than scattered pieces of flesh and bone. The curse tore her apart and it did so at almost an agonizing pace, each hand making sure they maximize her agony as much as possible. Susamaru would've given anything to make the feeling stop. Even as she laid on the ground as nothing more than a head the pain persisted.
'It hurts so much.' Tears had formed at the corner of Susamaru's eyes, both from the pain and the feeling of betrayal. 'Master Kibutsuji…why?…I didn't mean to…please forgive me, please make it stop…it hurts…I don't like this feeling..I never wanted…All I ever wanted to do was…'
"...play…" The word came out as nothing more than a soft strained whisper, her voice cracking and quivering with emotion. How long has it been since she felt anything other than cruel enjoyment from the suffering of others? How long has it been since she shed tears? She just wanted to have fun and play with her temaris, not suffer a long excruciating death. "All I wanted was to play…someone please…play with me…"
Vaguely Susamaru could hear the sound of approaching footsteps, they were slow yet steady as though the owner was out of stamina. The steps stopped for a few moments before returning a moment later, getting progressively closer. Her eyes darted to the figure when their shadow encompassed her severed head, protecting her from the rays of the rising sun. Her eyes partially widened when she recognized the form to be that of the black-red haired slayer. Fear began to race through Susamaru's head, only adding to the pain she felt. She fully expected the teen to bring down his blade upon her. The act would finally end her suffering, but if Susamaru was being honest, she didn't want to die. Not by this slayer, not by the traitor, not even by Muzan himself. The thought of death scared the demon more than she would ever admit, a fear that she never had to face until now.
However, her fright began to dissipate when the slayer continued to stand there, holding something within his left hand. Slowly the young man crouched to one knee, allowing for Susamaru to see the look in his eyes. Rather than the hate filled rage she expected his eyes held nothing but compassion and sorrow. He looked down at her not with pity but with sympathy and care, like a loved one would. If Susamaru didn't know any better, she'd say the demon slayer was sad that she was going to die. She would have laughed if she had the strength too, such a thought was ridiculous, no one cares when a demon dies. They were nothing more than bloodthirsty monsters who needed to be exterminated, undeserving of any mercy or empathy.
As if sensing her skepticism the slayer placed the object in his hand onto the ground beside her head. It was one of her temaris, it hadn't disappeared yet and miraculously not a single drop of blood stained the ball. The slayer with surprisingly gentleness placed the temari right next to her. Susamaru half expected him to chuck the thing right before her eyes or tear it into little pieces, after all why would a human respect a demon's. Yet, once again the boy had baffled her with his kindness, not an ounce of hate present in any of his movements.
"Here's your temari." The pain had begun to fade when the slayer stared down at her with his soft eyes, his voice quiet yet kind. Shifting his position so that he was on both of his knees the red eyed boy remained sitting by her, his hands resting passively on his thighs. "It's ok, I'll play with you…there's no need to be scared."
Of all the things he could have said that wasn't even in the top hundred, those spots were reserved for various insults and degrading remarks. Where was the cruel taunting? Where was all the talk about how she deserved this and so much worse? Where was the animosity, the contempt, the unfaltering hatred? Why was a Demon Slayer being nice to her? They were sworn enemies, hell bent on destroying each other, waging a secret war for who knows how many centuries. The last thing this boy should be doing right now is treating her as if she was a person as well.
Yet, for some reason this slayer just broke down hundreds of years of what she'd been told in the span of a few minutes. The Temari Demon would rather rip her own tongue out than admit aloud that she found the act to be nice, far more comforting than it should've been. In all her time as a demon not a single person, human or not, looked at her the way this slayer was right now. His look made her feel special, maybe even as far as to say important, as though her life was worth something that should be cherished. Not even Muzan looked at her with anything close to the same type of care, no matter how hard she tried to please him. So how was it possible that the one she was hellbent on killing was able to soothe her torment, both physically and mentally.
The tears that were barely held back now flowed freely down the demon's face, rolling down her cheeks onto the ground below. This warm and tender feeling, it was unlike anything Susamaru has ever felt, she'd be lying if she said she didn't like the feeling. Unfortunately, the Temari demon had no experience with dealing with such a warm emotion. The only thing she could do was silently let her tears trail down her face, small whimpers barely being heard from her severed head. She was unsure if it was out of happiness for getting to experience such a lovely feeling or sadness because it would be the last time, she'll ever get to feel it. If this slayer was offering her this kindness in her last then she would accept with open arms, figuratively of course since her limbs were currently in pieces.
"...th-thank you…" The Temari Demon croaked out, sounding far more sincere than she thought herself capable of.
"There's no need to thank me, I would never deprive someone of what they love most. You may be a demon, but you were also a human at some point." The slayer closed his eyes and smiled down brightly at her. His voice held nothing but sincerity, not a single hint that he was lying could be detected.
"...I-I…I'm sorry…" Those basic two words felt weird leaving her mouth, the feeling was amplified due to her actually meaning it for once. She couldn't remember the last time she apologized to someone and was sincere about it.
"It's ok…" Slowly the slayer reached his right hand out, the Temari thought he was going to hit her or something like that. Her eyes widened when he did no such thing instead, he gently patted the top of her head. It felt strange yet at the same time comforting, the had subsided becoming nothing more than a thought in the back of her head. Tilting her eyes upward Susamaru noticed how his smile had brightened considerably. "I forgive you."
A surprised, choked gasp left the Temari Demon's mouth before she could think about stopping herself. 'He forgives me?' Susamaru repeated within her mind, trying to find some reason, some explanation for how he could say such a thing. She doubted, whether it was a demon or a human, would forgive anyone who attempted to take their life in such a short amount of time. This slayer, he was far different from anyone, no one was capable of this much empathy without feeling some level of anger. Yet here he was patting her head and saying he forgives her without a shred of hate. She searched and searched for any sign of deceit that would give away how the boy was truly feeling, how he was really just enjoying her suffering.
However, no matter how hard she tried Susamaru could find nothing but genuine care from the slayer. If it wasn't for the fact that she was dying, Susamaru would deny everything before her eyes as nothing more than lies. Despite what her decades of memories as a demon have taught her, the Temari Demon couldn't bring herself to care to question it. She'd rather enjoy what little comfort she'll get in her last moments than turn it away.
'My last moments.' She'd nearly forgotten now that the pain was but a distant memory, this was it her death. She's been alive for so long that the mere thought of finally being put to rest was more than enough to make her tear up in fear. The demon didn't know whether this feeling was from her own choice or as a result of Kibutsuji's influence. It may be that on an instinctual level all demons fear death due to Muzan's curse. There is also the possibility that demons are simply scared to face the one thing they've avoided for countless years. Neither theory mattered to the Temari Demon, she was going to die, and that fact scared. Even though Susamaru was at peace, thanks to the slayer, only one thought persisted as her vision began to fade.
'I don't want to die…'
Tanjiro felt every muscle, particularly his lungs, ache after his battle against the two demons, he had to fight to his fullest plus needed some help from Nezuko and Yushiro. They made a deadly pair with her temaris bouncing across the battlefield and his arrows guiding them to their target. Thankfully Yushiro provided him with the means to be able to see the Arrow Demon's attacks, allowing for Tanjiro to eventually land the killing blow. Unfortunately, the demon tried to take the young slayer down with him. He unleashed wave after wave of attacks, causing Tanjiro to have to use his forms a lot more often. Though he was able to outlast the dying demon, Tanjiro found himself barely able to lift his sword after using so many breathing techniques.
If it wasn't for Yushiro and Nezuko holding the other demon off plus Lady Tamayo's quick thinking, Tanjiro doubted that they would all still be alive at the moment. Even though Tanjiro was happy that they all made it out alive, he still felt a deep sorrow at seeing the Temari Demon being torn apart. The hands that sprouted from her body were relentless, destroying every fiber of the demon's body and taking their time doing it. Tanjiro felt his anger toward Muzan grow even more at the sight before him. How could someone inflict such torture on another for saying their name, on their subordinate no less? It was despicable, whether someone is human or a demon, no one deserved such a fate.
Unfortunately, Tanjiro couldn't find the strength to give the demon girl a merciful death, the sun was also barely visible. Meaning the demon would be suffering for a good while before the sun eventually turned her to ash. This didn't sit well with the demon slayer, if he was in her position he'd want someone to do anything to help make the pain recede, if only slightly. Still panting on the ground, Tanjiro racked his brain for any way that he could help the dying demon. His eyes scanned the clearing before locking onto a brightly colored object not too far away. It was one of her temaris, it surprisingly hadn't disappeared and not a single drop of blood was on the toy. With his legs shaking from the effort, Tanjiro slowly but steadily made his way over to the ball, he picked it up with his left hand being careful not to damage the toy.
When he reached the decapitated head of the demon, Tanjiro could hear her softly calling out for someone to play with her. The young slayer felt an arrow pierce through his heart, it was difficult having to witness such a sad sight. His chest only tightened further when the girl looked at him with nothing but fear in her eyes. It was to be expected, she probably thought he was going to add onto her torture, maybe taunt her as she laid there suffering. Determined to make her last moments as painless as possible Tanjiro placed the temari next to the girl. He could smell how her terror gave way to confusion before the scent of gratefulness was the only thing left.
Tanjiro was a bit surprised that she thanked him, though it was quickly replaced by solemn happiness. He was thankful that he could provide her with some form of relief, the scent of pain and fear had retreated quite a bit. The slayer decided that he would remain by her side in her final moments, no one should ever have to die alone. He nearly fell over in shock when he heard her say that she was sorry, and it actually sounded genuine. Her scent wasn't lying either, there was nothing but regret and remorse coming from her. Any other slayer in his position would probably laugh right in her face and call her pathetic, cruelly taunting her while she was still suffering.
Tanjiro however, felt his heart soar at the simple phrase, his smile becoming far wider than before, he was so elated he could kiss the demon in front of him right now. He always believed that demons more often than not were tricked into being as evil as they were. Nearly all of the demons he had killed up to this point had some scent of remorse before they turned to ash. A small peek of their humanity breaking through before they are laid to rest. Meeting Lady Tamayo and Yushiro only reinforced Tanjiro's belief that demons are capable of being just as human as anyone else. If those two demons were capable of surviving off of small amounts of blood alone, then it was possible that other demons could be employing similar tactics around Japan.
In Tanjiro's eyes it would be beyond disrespectful to shrug off her apology, not only because that would be rude but also due to how much emotion was behind it. Even without his heightened sense of smell, Tanjiro felt how genuine the demon was being. Based off his very brief interaction with her prior, he would guess that she likely never apologized to anyone, whether they be demon or human. The fact that she decided out of everyone, a demon slayer such as himself her mortal enemy, was more deserving of an apology was heartwarming. Tanjiro tentatively reached his hand out, careful not to startle the girl, and gently patted her head. How could he not forgive her, especially considering that these were her last moments. He told her as such a moment later, much to her apparent shock, though he could also smell an undertone of relief.
The demon slayer felt his heart clench when the stench of fear returned, she must have realized she was about to die. No matter how many times Tanjiro had to witness the sight, it was always hard seeing them pass on. He'll make sure that she feels at least somewhat at peace before she is burned away in the sun. Interestingly enough the feeling of acceptance was there, however it morphed into something else entirely. It was as though a part of her was ok with her death, yet another part wanted to continue on, wanted to keep living. The young slayer couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor girl, coming to terms with one's own death is never easy. Hopefully it wasn't too much longer till the sun came up, he wanted her suffering to end as quickly as possible.
"I don't want to die…"
The words themselves didn't surprise Tanjiro considering anyone would react the same way, though it didn't make it any easier watching the girl perish in front of him. However, what did baffle Tanjiro was the fact the demon in front of him began to regenerate. It started small at first with the cuts and bruises on her face beginning to disappear. Her damaged and bloody eye had repaired itself, even though it was closed Tanjiro could tell the eyes had come back. Though the most astonishing aspect was how her decapitated head started to regrow its body. It was slow, but the young slayer could see the beginning of the neck and collar bone starting to form.
In Tanjiro's eyes the feat seemed nigh impossible, no demon should be capable of that level of regeneration. Maybe an Upper Moon or Muzan himself could pull off such a thing, but a demon that wasn't even ranked? If Tanjiro wasn't looking at it with his own two eyes, he'd be skeptical of such a thing. The demon slayer's eyes widened when he felt the familiar warm rays of the sun begin to touch his back.
'Oh no, I forgot about the sun!' Tanjiro worriedly looked down at the sleeping demon before him, she must have used all her strength to survive from Muzan's curse. Reaching out with his other hand, Tanjiro carefully pulled the head into his lap, making sure the sun's rays would miss the demon. 'Ok, if I can get her to Lady Tamayo's house then I can…can…'
'Save her.' It went unspoken, yet the phrase repeated endlessly inside of Tanjiro's head, he was about to save a demon. Sure, it wouldn't be the first time he's done so, but Nezuko was a specific case, she had protected him and hadn't consumed any blood or flesh in her entire time as a demon. The demon currently in his lap definitely has consumed more than a few people, her demeanor and attitude basically gave this fact away. For the first time since meeting Urokodaki Tanjiro hesitated, he honestly didn't know what to do. He made a promise to never falter, to be ready to take a life even if he was sympathetic towards a demon. Despite that, he could not ignore the factors surrounding this demon either. Not only was she remorseful for her actions against him, but also apologized for them as well. But was that enough for her to be able to live, after all she's done?
Any slayer would say absolutely not, no matter the demon they all deserved to be put down, they were nothing but monsters who were only capable of hurting others. Tanjiro was not like most slayers though, he could understand how a demon came to be, how a lot of them were merely victims of circumstances or were manipulated by Muzan. If a demon was capable of feeling things such as sadness, guilt, and remorse then surely, they are more human than they appear to be. Surely there was a chance that a demon could better themselves, maybe even redeem themselves for their past actions. With a resolute nod to himself, Tanjiro took off his corps jacket, making a protective cover from the sun. As quickly as his body would let him, he began making his way toward the shade of Tamayo's house, being extra careful with the head he was currently cradling.
"Don't worry, I'll protect!" Tanjiro briefly glanced down at the sleeping demon, his resolve strengthening when he saw how peaceful she slept. 'You deserve a second chance just like everyone else! Who cares if you're a demon?! If you're capable of feeling remorse and guilt, then you deserve to have a chance at redemption!'
Once he reached the protective shade of the house, Tanjiro lent against the wall, trying to soothe his aching breath and muscles. Nezuko came rushing over a moment later, frantically waving her arms to express her concern. With a small laugh and head pat Tanjiro managed to calm his worried sister down, though she curiously tugged at his arm to see what he was holding. Lady Tamayo and Yushiro came over a moment later, the former looking at him with questioning yet curious eyes. The latter wore his trademark scowl and narrowed eyes, his gaze never leaving the young slayer's lap. Making sure to not disturb the resting demon, he carefully lifted his arm to show off the head to the others.
"Mm?" Despite battling the demon moments ago, Nezuko only looked at the head. Her eyes glanced up to meet her brother's, tilting her head curiously.
"What is she doing here?!" Yushiro screamed while pointing at the head, his eyes alight with fury. Tamayo didn't say anything, she looked between the head and the slayer, her raised brow saying more than any words could.
"I couldn't just let her die; you should have seen her…" Tanjiro looked down at the demon with a deep frown. "She looked scared and helpless, like any other person would be. It would be shameful if I didn't do anything to help even though I could have!"
"Do you hear yourself right now?! You're talking about saving a demon that just tried to kill all of us not five minutes ago!" Yushiro glared hatefully down at the Temari Demon. "We should throw her head right back out into the sun!"
"No! I won't let you!" Tanjiro protectively wrapped his arms around the demon. "When I was over there, she told me how sorry she was for what she did. I could smell how genuine and remorseful she felt, so I know she wasn't lying either!"
"Who cares if she was lying or not?! She deserves to die for trying to take Lady Tamayo's life!" The demon sneered down at the head.
"What she deserves is a second chance!" The slayer's words caused Yushiro to pause, Tamayo looked intrigued by the words. "I won't try and excuse what she's done against both of you, but I think you should at least consider what I'm about to say." Taking in a deep breath, Tanjiro stared back at the two demons with determined eyes. "The fact that she felt remorse for her actions means that there is a chance she'll want to make up for what she did. If humans are capable of redeeming themselves why can't demons do it too?"
"I-" Yushiro began before a raised hand from Tamayo caused him to close his mouth.
"Please, I want to hear more." Tamayo softly urged.
"Thank you." Tanjiro nodded in appreciation before continuing. "You two are living proof that demons are capable of rising above Kibutsuji's influence. You broke past every stereotype that every slayer would think of a demon. You are kind, not cruel, selfless, not self-centered, you heal others whether they are human or demon, you don't hurt them. If you two are capable of these things, why can't she?"
The gentle breeze flowed aimlessly in the dead silence between the group, the sun now completely covering the damaged field. Tanjiro held the Temari Demon's head protectively, staring up at the other demons with determined eyes. Yushiro looked caught between ready to burst a blood vessel and seemingly agreeing with the slayer's point. Tamayo had a contemplative gaze, silently mulling overing the Demon Slayer's words. Nezuko didn't seem to care for the conversation, sitting idly by while kicking her feet aimlessly.
"Well…I suppose that settles it." Tamayo gave a small smile, she gestured for the slayer to follow her. "Come along now, I'll prepare a separate room for her. She'll need plenty of blood and rest in order to recover her strength."
"Lady Tamayo, how can you agree to this!? She did just try to kill you not five minutes ago!" Yushiro exclaimed, frantically waving his arms.
"I believe Tanjiro here has made quite a few good points that I can't help but find myself agreeing with. If it turns out that he is right, then there is a chance that more demons can end up breaking free from Kibutsuji's curse. Perhaps we could even…." The female demon trailed off before shaking her head. Continuing her walk toward her home she explained gently. "Plus I am a doctor, it would be disgraceful if I were to refuse a patient in need."
"Of course Lady Tamayo!" Yushiro agreed a moment later, his eyes sparkling in admiration. 'Your kindness is only outshined by your beauty!'
"Thank you!" Tanjiro stood up and bowed toward the two demons, careful not to drop the Temari Demon's head. He gave a bright and grateful smile towards the pair. "I'll make sure you won't regret this decision."
"Mm!" Despite having no idea what was going on Nezuko decided to cheer with her brother. The siblings began following the demon duo, ready to face whatever may come at them.
Two Days Later
'Ugh…everything hurts…' Susamaru sat up from her bed while rubbing her head, groaning as she did so.
Blinking her eyes to clear her hazy vision, the demon took in her surroundings which were rather different than what she expected. She was in a rather plain looking room; the walls were unpainted and only a few pictures were hung up. There was a cabinet in the left corner, a small table with various medical equipment and a few blood bags was next to it. A desk and a chair sat on her right side of the bed, the desk itself had nothing on it. The Temari Demon herself was currently laying in a hospital bed, complete with plain white sheets, pillow, and a blanket. Glancing down Susamaru could see that her left arm was hooked up to an IV tube. Turning her head to the left the demon could see that the tube was connected to a blood bag.
'Where am I?' The Temari Demon thought to herself. 'Last thing I remember was that slayer and-!' Susamaru's eyes widened, her slouched form now rigid despite her body's protest at the sudden movement. 'I was dying, the sun was about to come up and turn me to ash…but…why am I here then?'
No matter how hard she tried, the Temari Demon couldn't think of a logical explanation for how she was still alive. Her first thought was that she did indeed die and was now in her own personal hell. Though that was quickly debunked by how absurd it sounded, why would her hell be in a hospital bed, one that seemed to be meant to take care of her too? Her thoughts soon transferred over to the red-haired slayer and his strange attitude. He was the last person she saw, and he was the closest one to her. She quickly dismissed such an idea; it was impossible for such a thing to ever happen.
'Ha! like a demon slayer would ever save a demon.' Despite scoffing at the idea, a part of Susamaru felt hurt knowing she was right. 'He's probably already gone by now, which means those other two demons were taking care of me. But why?'
The Temari Demon's thoughts were disrupted when the sound of the sliding door opened on the other side of the room. Her eyes widened once more once she saw who it was staring back at her. Instead of the pale green haired demon or the traitor the one looking at her with concern was none other than the demon slayer himself. He was wearing the usual corps uniform with his green checkered haori, his sword was surprisingly absent from his belt. He wore a look of concern, but it quickly morphed into one of relief.
"You're awake! How are you feeling?!" He quickly walked over to her, closing the door behind him, subtly letting the demon know they'd be alone. The slayer stood on the right side of the bed, his hands twitched as if wanting to physically check himself, but they remained by his side.
"...what?" Susamaru could only stare in confusion, her mind trying to piece together the scene in front of her. The likelihood that this slayer was the one to save her just increased exponentially, he looked far more concerned than he should have been. It awoke a strange emotion inside of the demon, she couldn't exactly place why his worry made her happy.
"Oh no, is something wrong?" The slayer gained a worried frown, probably from her lack of response. "Do you need me to get you anything? Or I can get Lady Tamayo if it's outside my area of expertise."
"Why?" She softly whispered, her voice quivering from feeling she desperately wanted to hold back.
"Huh?" He tilted his head slightly in confusion.
"Why…am I here and not ashes on the ground outside?" Susamaru clenched the bed sheets, she could feel her voice cracking with every word. No matter how hard she fought her control was slowly beginning to become undone. "Why did you save me?"
"Oh that…" A look of realization appeared on the slayer's face before it was replaced by a warm smile. "I couldn't just let you die, I heard you saying you wanted to live and then you started to regenerate. It would be despicable of me to leave you out there like that, demon or not you deserve to live just like everyone else."
"B-but but I tried to kill you…I tried to kill all of you!" The Temari Demon subconsciously began to raise her voice. She was looking for any justification that the slayer might have to end her life, even if a part of her told her to accept the slayer's kindness for what it was. "How can you say that about someone who just tried to kill you?!"
"Because you said you were sorry." He answered simply as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Wha-but-that's all?!" Susamaru stared wide eyed with her mouth hanging open in shock. Her cheeks turned a slight pink at being reminded of it. "So what if I said I was sorry, shouldn't you still hate me?!"
"Why would I hate you?" The slayer had grabbed the chair from the desk and sat down, his smile never leaving his face.
"B-wha-what kind of stupid question is that?!" Susamaru shouted, a small little tick mark appearing on her forehead. She gestured to herself then back to the slayer. "I'm a demon, you're a demon slayer. We're supposed to be mortal enemies that will forever despise each other."
"Heh, I will admit I'm a bit different in how I see and interact with demons." The slayer embarrassedly laughed while scratching the back of his head. "I just don't see why I should hate you for simply being a demon. I mean other than needing to eat people and being allergic to sunlight, humans and demons are pretty much the same. So I don't see why I should treat either better than the other."
"I-wh-tha-that makes no sense!" She exclaimed.
"How so?" He replied back innocently.
"Because! Because-um…I-uh-it just doesn't, ok!" Susmaru huffed while crossing her arms. Turning her head, by extension her now red cheeks, as she did so.
"Ah I'm sorry I can't explain it better to you." He waved his hands, trying to calm her down after seeing her flustered state. "But I promise to still treat you with respect like any other person." He promised with a resolute nod.
"..." Susamaru stared with wide, unblinking eyes for a good twenty seconds after the slayer's promise. The emotions she so desperately tried to hold back were about the burst, so Susmaru did the only thing she could think of. She grabbed the pillow from behind her, put it over her face and screamed as loud as she could.
"Um, are you ok?" He asked hesitantly, still holding the same look of concern.
"...yep peachy." The Temari Demon dropped the pillow onto her lap, now sporting a deadpan expression. "So let me get this straight…Ahem, you saved me because I said I was sorry even though I tried to kill you. And you don't hate me because you think humans and demons are alike so you're going to treat me no different than anyone else."
"Yep, that's right!" He gave a closed eye smile.
"*Very deep inhale* ok then…" Susamaru wanted to keep fighting the slayer's viewpoint, but the voice in her head finally managed to convince her to just accept his kindness.
"Oh excuse me for being rude, I never did get your name." The slayer suddenly brought up, he gave a slight bow while introducing himself. "I'm Tanjiro Kamado."
"...Susamaru." The Temari Demon replied.
"It's nice to meet you, Susmaru." Tanjiro smiled in return to the greeting. The look quickly changed to one of worry a moment later. "Sorry for asking this again, but how are you feeling? You never did tell me, and I would like to know if I can help."
"Every part of my body is in pain, and I feel weaker than even the lowliest of demons." Susamaru groaned while leaning back in her bed. "So it could be worse, I guess."
"I'm sorry, I'll be honest I'm not entirely sure what Lady Tamayo did when I brought you here." Tanjiro sheepishly answered. "She said something about applying some medicine that would cause changes to your body."
"Changes?...What kind of changes?" She hesitantly asked, her neutral facade was betrayed by the fearful look in her eyes.
"None that are detrimental to your health I assure you."
The two occupants of the two turned toward the sound of the voice, the demon tensed up while the slayer's posture relaxed. Standing in the open doorway was none other than Tamayo herself, surprisingly Yushiro was absent from his lady's side. She still wore the same kimono when Susamaru last saw her. In her hands was a wooden box that was quickly placed on the table with the other medical equipment.
"Tell me how are you feeling?" If the doctor demon was displeased by the sight of Susmaru she did a very good job at hiding it.
"...fine….just um…" Susamaru quietly answered after a moment. The Temari Demon was hesitant to reveal how she actually felt. Tanjiro was clearly an exception so Susamaru didn't know how Tamayo would treat her. She briefly glanced at said Demon Slayer who was smiling encouragingly at her, it surprisingly helped. "I-I feel weak, like even walking around would be too much. I also feel…less hungry, it's been days since I've last eaten anyone and yet I feel fine."
"Ah that is good to hear, that means the procedure was a success." Tamayo turned around and opened the box, taking out a syringe with an orange substance inside. She walked over to the IV Susamaru was hooked up too and injected the liquid into the bag.
"Procedure?" Susamaru questioned, watching the strange substance with wariness.
"Yes, after you were able to regenerate from his curse, I conducted a procedure that has changed your demonic physiology." Tamayo's neutral face broke momentarily when Muzan, albeit indirectly came up. Her eyes flashed with unyielding anger before it was dissipated and returned back to their calm state. "You are now able to survive only off a small amount of blood from now on, eating humans is no longer required to grow your strength. Naturally such a big change in your diet comes with some side effects, the biggest one is your lack of strength currently.
"Does this mean I'll stay this weak forever?" The Temari Demon nervously shifted in her bed.
"No, within a few more days you should feel your strength returning to what it once was." Tamayo explained with ease, placing the empty syringe back into the box. "Though keep in mind your blood demon art may be slightly altered given the new changes in your body."
"Why?" Susamaru winced at the sound of her trembling voice.
"Hm, what do you mean 'why'?" The demon asked while turning around to face Susamaru.
"Why did you heal me?" The Temari Demon stared back with cautious eyes.
"Well other than the fact I am a doctor, and I took an oath to heal those in need, the main reason is sitting right beside you." Tamayo gestured to the slayer who was looking away with a slight blush on his cheeks. "Tanjiro here made quite a few good arguments that I couldn't help but agree with despite how idealistic they sounded. I didn't think it was possible for a loyal demon to escape Kibutsuji's influence, yet…you regenerating from his curse has proved that theory incorrect."
"Escape his influence?! But that's impossible! He wouldn't let one of the Twelve Kizuki go so easily…even if I did activate the curse." Susamaru involuntarily shuddered at the memory, her hands trembling as she recalled how painful it felt. She never wanted to ever feel that type of pain again, she'd do anything to avoid it.
"Hey, it's ok." Tanjiro placed his own steady hand over her shaking one once he noticed how distressed she became. The act managed to calm down the demon slightly, not that she would admit it of course. "You don't need to be afraid of him ever again, his curse will never hurt you again."
"W-what…what do you mean?" Susamaru stuttered out.
"You aren't the first I've seen survive Kibutsuji's curse, though the list isn't long in itself." Tamayo added cryptically. "In the past hundred years I have encountered only two other demons that managed to survive the curse. From what I gathered when I spoke to them, it appears to be a battle of wills that determines whether or not one would survive the breakdown."
"Battle of wills?" The Temari Demon inquired with a look of confusion.
"Yes, or another way of looking at it is a strong attachment to something or someone." The doctor calmly explained. "For example the first demon I encountered explained to me he wanted to see his wife again, so he fought against Kitbutsuji's influence. The other wished to return home once more once she regained her human memories. She too did the seemingly impossible and lived through the damage from the curse."
Tamayo gave a contemplative hum as she passively gazed at the other demon. "Hmm, I wonder what your reason was?"
"..." Susamaru silently shrunk in on herself, clearly not wanting to answer the question.
"That's ok, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to." Tanjiro, sensing the demon's uncomfortableness, gave a light squeeze to her hand in reassurance. "Either way you don't have to be afraid of him anymore."
"But I'm still one of the Twelve Kizuki…won't he come looking for me?" Susamaru reminded the other two.
An uncomfortable silence took hold of the room after the Temari Demon's statement. Tanjiro and Tamayo exchanged uncertain looks between one another. Susmaru looked between the two with confused eyes, her confidence beginning to waver. Was there something that they knew that she didn't? Is it related to her place among the Kizuki? Why did they look so hesitant to say anything to her?
"Susamaru…you aren't one of the Twelve Kizuki." Tanjiro slowly and carefully answered.
"Hehe what do you mean…of course I am. He told me I was." Susamaru nervously laughed, the Temari Demon didn't like how their sorrowful looks deepened.
"I am truly sorry to tell you this, but you have been lied to." Tamayo's clinical facade broke with an understanding and sympathetic expression. "The Twelve Kizuki all have their ranks imprinted into their eyes. Your eyes do not contain a rank nor an 'X' to signify that you were one of the twelve."
"B-but he said I was-he promised me I was…"
The Temari Demon felt her as though her entire world was crumbling around her. Time and time again Kibutsuji had told her that she was one his most trusted amongst the Kizuki. Before her latest mission he even promised that her success would lead her to becoming an upper rank. Susamaru followed his every order to the letter, so why would he lie to her? The demon tried to find any justifiable reason that would explain why her master would betray her trust. Unfortunately, the only explanation that Susamaru could think was that Kibutsuji had thought her nothing more than an easy to manipulate pawn. Nothing more than an expendable life that once she's served her purpose would be cast aside as though she was useless.
Her body shook as she attempted to hold back the flood of tears at this revelation, but it was already too late. The demon began sobbing uncontrollably, her tears rapidly dripping down her face onto the blanket. Her hands quickly covered her face, she didn't want to show her vulnerability to either occupant in the room. For the first time in her demonic life Susamaru didn't know what to do. Her master, 'former master' she bitterly thought, had not only lied to, and manipulated her, but abandoned her as well. She had no friends to rely on, no family to go back too, and no one to play temari games with her. Susamaru had nothing but herself and her temaris, the realization only caused her to cry louder.
Vaguely, the Temari Demon could make out hushed whispers between the demon slayer and the doctor. A moment later the sound of the door quietly opening, and closing was barely heard by Susmaru. 'They left me too…can't really blame them either.' She thought with sadness, the demon secretly wanted some type of comfort. 'I probably look pretty pathetic right now.'
The right side of her bed became slightly heavier, the wood creaking with the extra weight. Susamaru didn't have any time to think about who was sitting beside her before she was pulled into a side hug. The Temari Demon's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden embrace, her gaze landed on none other than the demon slayer himself. Susamaru should've known by now that it was unlikely, he'd leave her alone, but it still came as a shock nonetheless. What was more surprising was that the Temari Demon found herself enjoying the embrace. She subconsciously leaned into the hug, her head now resting against his shoulder. Susamaru felt the slayer tighten his hold around her, the act managed to calm her sobs into light sniffling. It was light to let her let go if she wanted, but also was tight to let her know that he was willing to stay with her.
"I can see it in your eyes, you think that you lost everything that you have no one left to care for you." Tanjiro softly began, he wore a somber yet understanding smile. "The day I came home I found my family dead and I felt like my entire world had been destroyed. But it wasn't…" The Demon Slayer smile brightened. "I had my little sister Nezuko and everyday I'm thankful that she's still with me."
"...how does this relate to me?" Susamaru quietly asked, wiping away the lingering tears in her eyes.
"Because you may think you are alone, but you're not." The slayer leaned against the demon, careful not to invade her personal space. "You still have me and Nezuko, we'd be more than happy to have you come along with us."
"What b-but why? Why are you inviting me to join you? Won't I just be a hindrance to you and what about your fellow slayers?" Susamaru dejectedly replied.
"No, you'll never be a hindrance, don't ever say that about yourself." Tanjiro gave her a light squeeze of reassurance. "And I don't care if they're slayers or not if anyone tries to hurt you Nezuko and I will protect you. As for why I want you to join me, that's easy…" The Demon Slayer turned his body so that he was facing the demon. He held her shoulders with a firm grip while staring at Susamaru with fiery determination. "I promised I would play with you; how can I do that if we aren't together. I think friends should always stick together, they're like a second family."
"F-friends…y-you want to be m-my friend?" The Temari Demon could feel the tears threaten to leave again, although this time it wouldn't be out of sadness.
"Yes, I want to be friends with you Susamaru." Tanjiro took his hands away from her shoulders, not noticing how she slightly frowned at the absence of his touch. A moment later the Temari Demon slightly blushed when he clasped his hands around her own. "So what do you say, do you want to be friends?"
"...yes…yes, I do."
Unlike last time Susamaru didn't bother trying to hide her tears, she allowed them to flow down her face. Leaning forward the Temari Demon wrapped her arms the Demon Slayer's shoulders and pulled him into another hug. Everything Susamaru had ever wanted had come from the most unlikely person. She would have never expected a demon slayer to give her the one thing she always desired, a friend to play temari with. Resting her chin on Tanjiro's shoulder, a small smile spread across Susamaru's face.
'Maybe things won't turn out so bad afterall.' Susamaru thought with a renewed sense of optimism.
Three Days Later
"Ugh~ how are you so good at this?" Susamaru groaned, throwing up her arms in frustration.
"Well I did use to play with Urokodaki-sensei whenever I had some down time. He said it would help my tactics in combat against demons." Tanjiro sheepishly replied while capturing the Temari Demon's last piece.
The two had been playing shogi for the past hour, mostly because Susamaru was bored and couldn't sit still for more than five minutes. The Temari Demon wanted to go outside and play with her temaris again, but a stern look from Tanjiro kept the hyperactive demon in bed. Even though she said she was at full strength again, the slayer wanted Tamayo to give her the clear first. Which led the Susamaru begging Tanjiro to do something with her to stave off her boredom, he suggested they play shogi to pass the time. What Susamaru didn't expect was for the red-haired slayer to beat her at pretty much every game. The current score was Tanjiro at six wins and Susamaru at two wins, not that she was counting of course.
"Hmph, if we were outside playing a temari game I'd kick your butt easily." Susamaru crossed her arms with a huff.
"I'm sure you would, facing your temaris was really difficult even when I could see where they were going." Tanjiro admitted easily, unaware that his compliments were affecting the Temari Demon.
"Ha, good to know you recognize how awesome I really am!" Susamaru puffed out her chest in pride, a cocky smirk on her face.
"That's true, I do think you are pretty amazing." The slayer said without an ounce of hesitance. It was obvious he wasn't teasing with how serious he said it.
"I-uh-um-y-yeah…y-you better!" Not use to the praise Susamaru's confident demeanor suddenly became a lot more bashful. Her eyes looking anywhere but Tanjiro's and her cheeks were tinted a light pink, thankfully Tanjiro was too busy cleaning up their pieces to notice.
"Heh, I'm sure if I did you would make it your personal mission to remind me." He jokingly replied.
"You're damn right I would." The demon agreed with a toothy grin.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." The voice of Tamayo broke the two friends from their banter. The doctor had a slight smile on her face as she closed the door behind her.
"Not at all we just finished playing shogi." Tanjiro waved off and gestured to the board for emphasis.
"It's been quite a while since I've played a match myself. Perhaps the next time we see each other we could play a round or two." Tamayo replied while walking over to Susamaru's bed side. She began doing her daily check-up on the bedridden demon; checking her vitals, making sure the IV was transporting blood, all the 'boring doctor things' as Susamaru put it.
"I'm more of an outdoor and physical type of gal, so I'll leave the strategy games to Tanjiro here." Susamaru shrugged lightly, being careful not to impede Tamayo's work.
"I can't say I've ever been a fan of outdoor games, but I suppose I can extend out of my comfort zone a little." The room settled into a comfortable silence while Tamayo continued her routine. "Any pain, nausea, or hunger problems within the last few hours?"
"None of the above." She answered easily, trying to refrain from bouncing in place.
"If that is the case then I'm happy to finally discharge you and clear you for physical activity." Tamayo reached out and unhooked the IV from Susamaru's arm, much to the Temari Demon's delight.
"Finally!" The Temari Demon cheered, getting up from her prison, ahem bed immediately.
"Ah slow down! You may have been cleared but you should still take it easy." Tanjiro waved his hands in a worried fashion.
"Oh relax, I'm a demon, remember. Even if my body is different, I still heal fast." Susamaru shrugged off the concern, to punctuate her point she summoned one of her temaris and spun it on her index finger. "See, right as rain."
"Please do be cautious when using your blood demon art." The doctor chided gently. "Remember the procedure may have altered it in some way."
"Yeah-yeah, I know, now can we goooo?" The Temari Demon whined. "I've been cooped up in this room for nearly a week."
"Very well, please follow me."
The trio made their way out of the room and into a small and narrow hallway, the only source of illumination were the lanterns hung along the walls. As they walked down the corridor, they passed a few other doors along the way. Some were open showcasing the unoccupied room while others were closed, giving privacy to those on the other side. A few moments later the demons and demon slayer stopped walking once they reached the end of the hallway. The corridor split into two paths: a staircase and another hallway. The stairs were lit with lanterns that led upward and the hallway split off into two paths.
"Please wait here for a moment, I shall collect your belongings. I also have something I wish to give you, Tanjiro." Tamayo made her way down the hall and took a left, disappearing from view.
"...so what kind of present you think she'll give you?" Susamaru asked after a few moments of silence between the two.
"I think it may have something to do with helping me in my mission." Tanjiro replied.
"Still can't believe you're trying to find a cure for demons." Susamaru said, swaying on her feet in boredom. "I mean getting blood from an Upper Moon sounds hard enough, but his as well. I admire your persistence; I'll say that much."
"There's no other way, it is the only option I have to turn Nezuko back to normal." Tanjiro resolutely stated, his eyes hardening in determination. "I'll do whatever I can to make things right once more."
"Alright relax with the big hero talk, it's just us two." The Temari Demon teased with a grin.
"Ah-sorry, sometimes I get carried away, hehe." Tanjiro sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, his cheeks tinted a light red.
"Heh, messing with you is going to be fun." Susamaru smirked evilly.
"Ha, not too often I hope." The slayer nervously laughed when he saw the look his companion was wearing.
"We'll see about that-oof!" Before the demon could continue messing with her friend, a sudden weight on her back nearly threw her to the ground. Turning her head to see her assailant Susamaru felt a tick mark appear on her forehead. "Will you knock that off?!"
"Mm!" Nezuko nuzzled deeper into the taller demon's back, keeping her arms wrapped around Susamaru's midsection in a hug.
During the Temari Demon's recovery, there were a few times that Tanjiro brought his sister over so that the two could get to know each other. It started off really awkward considering Susamaru nearly tore her to pieces. Surprisingly, Nezuko didn't seem to care about their previous battle, for some reason the smaller demon took a liking to Susamaru. When they were together, she would constantly crawl into the Temari Demon's lap and demand head pats from the older girl. Susamaru didn't mind Nezuko's presence, nor sudden hugs despite what she may say. The older demon could almost see the muzzled girl as a little sister of her own. Unfortunately, this gave Tanjiro some teasing ammunition against her, the worst part was he never did it on purpose either.
"I'm happy to see that she likes you so much." Tanjiro smiled brightly at the pair, causing the Temari Demon to look away embarrassed.
"Ugh~ whatever…" Susamaru huffed, she'd be lying if she said she didn't like the hugs the younger demon gave.
"Yes-yes, it is a very lovely sight. Now let's move on so we can all be on our way." Yushiro and Tamayo had appeared around the corner, walking toward the trio. The former was carrying Nezuko's box, but the size was a bit larger than usual. The latter was carrying two small wooden cases in each of her hands.
"Yushiro please be polite." Tamayo lightly sighed.
"Of course Lady Tamayo!" Yushiro straightened up, bowing towards his master.
'This guy definitely doesn't talk to a lot of girls.' Susamaru thought with amusement.
"I've redesigned your box so that it can now fit both your sister and…companion into it. I added a divider between the two, so they won't fight for space. Though the weight might be too much for you." Yushiro briefly glared at the Temari Demon before turning back to Tanjiro.
'Probably the best response I could hope for.' Susamaru ducked her head in shame, she'd been dreading having to face the demon apprentice again.
"That's ok, a little extra weight won't be a problem for me." Tanjiro confidently asserted, without looking he grasped Susamaru's hand with his own. He gave a light squeeze to reassure his friend that he's still with her. The slayer grabbed the box from the apprentice, placing it against the wall.
"Yes, I'm sure it wouldn't." Yushiro dryly remarked.
"Tanjiro, Susamaru, these are for you." Tamayo held out a box to both the slayer and the demon. Letting go of each other's hands, they took their respective box with curious expressions. "In your case Tanjiro I have given you the tools to be able to extract blood samples from demons."
"These syringes will extract the blood from any demon you happen to inject. The process is automatic, so you only have to impale them." Opening the box, the slayer could see that there were a few syringes that were neatly stacked against one another. The tips of each were far sharper, similar to a knife's blade than the usual pointed needles.
"As for yours Susamaru, inside there are numerous vials containing blood for consumption." The Temari Demon opened her own box to reveal several rows of red vials, all about two inches in length. By Susamaru's count there were at least forty vials, twenty on both the top and bottom.
"Should you two every need a refill or need to deliver your blood sample simply call for Chachamaru." A soft purr resounded next to Tamayo, a white and black cat with brown spots appeared next to the doctor. It wore a brown collar with one of Yushiro's paper talisman at the end of the collar and a small box wrapped around its torso. "If you call her for a refill, please give me at least two days to deliver your refilled vials."
"Thank you, Lady Tamayo!" Tanjiro tucked the box into one of the pouches on his belt. He bowed in gratefulness to the demon.
"Yeah, uh thanks." Susamaru gave a nod of her head, too prideful to bow like her human friend.
"Well, this is where we part ways. Yushiro and I will likely relocate, Kibutsuji is bound to send more demons." Tamayo explained, a tinge of sadness in her eyes. "A shame too, we were making such good progress."
"That means only bother us if it's absolutely necessary or better yet don't." Yushiro sarcastically added behind his master.
"Yushiro." Tamayo calmly warned.
"My apologies, Lady Tamayo!" Yushiro immediately backpedaled.
"Before you go, are you certain you do not wish to leave Nezuko with us?" Tamayo began, glancing between her and Susamaru. "Her being with us would guarantee her safety, the same goes for you as well, Susamaru."
"Mm!" Nezuko grabbed Tanjiro's hand, staring determinately at the doctor.
"I think she's made up her mind." The demon slayer smiled, patting his sister's head, eliciting a happy hum from the girl.
"Going to have to agree with the little tyke here." Susamaru added her own hand to Nezuko's head, said demon eyes practically sparkled from the extra head pat. "Plus, I'm an outside girl, I don't think I'd last two months cooped up in here."
"Hmm, very well then." Tamayo softly smiled at the sight of the trio. "It was a pleasure to have you with u-huh?!" Tamayo's eyes widened when the muzzled demon came over and wrapped her arms around the older demon.
"What are you-unhand her this instant!" Yushiro exclaimed, a multitude of tick marks appearing on his face. Not noticing how his master had a small smile on her face and returned the hug.
"Mm." Nezuko reached over and patted the demon boy's head, much to his chagrin.
"Quit it!" Despite his protest the demon made no move to stop the smaller demon. After a few moments the muzzled demon let go and returned back to her brother's side.
"Hey um-" Susamaru stepped forward, awkwardly rubbing the back of her head and looking anywhere but the two demons. "I know this probably means very little to you but uh…I'm really sorry for attacking and nearly killing you two. If I could take it back I would…but I can't so the best I can do is offer my sincerest apologies…I understand if you don't forgive me, but thank you for hearing me out." The Temari Demon bowed toward the two, her eyes remained planted at the floor even after she stood up.
"Your apology is accepted."
"?!" Susamaru lifted her surprised face to meet the somber yet understanding eyes of Tamayo.
"You are not the only one who Kibutsuji has manipulated." The older demon walked forward and embraced the Temari Demon. "He doesn't control you anymore, you are free. Live the life you want because you wanted it, not because he said so."
"...thank you, I will." Susamaru returned the hug, a few tears threatened to leak through, but she managed to hold them in.
"Ahem." Yushiro interrupted, he had his arms crossed and was looking away from the two. "If Lady Tamayo can find it in her heart to forgive you…*sigh* then I suppose I can too."
"Uh-thanks, I appreciate it." The Temari Demon said, unable to hide the surprise in her tone.
"We better get going, I'm sure my next assignment is already ready." Tanjiro gave a tired sigh, remembering how persistent his crow can be. Pulling away from the hug Susamaru made her way back to her new friends.
"Tanjiro." Yushiro called out.
"Hm?" The slayer turned to face the demon after putting the box on his back.
"Your sister really is a beauty." The apprentice admitted, in turn making the slayer smile brightly at him.
"Thank you!"
With that the trio began making their way up the stairs, reaching the first floor of Tamayo's destroyed home after a few moments. After making sure the next room was devoid of sunlight the slayer gestured to the two demons to follow him. Placing the box on the ground at the center of the room, the Demon Slayer opened the trunk. A wooden divider split the box into two sections, allowing for both demons to fit inside. Though there was only just enough space for both demons to fit if they shrunk their sizes down.
"Mm." Used to it by now, Nezuko changed to her child form, crawling into the left side with ease.
"...ugh do I seriously have to do this?" Susamaru whined. The hyperactive demon dreaded having to sit still for so many hours.
"If we want to cover more ground than sadly yes, heh sorry." Tanjiro awkwardly laughed. He really didn't want to force the girl if she didn't want to do it.
"Fineeee…better not say a word." The Temari Demon felt herself grow smaller as she changed her appearance to match Nezuko's. Her kimono became slightly big on her, the sleeves covering her hands and feet completely. Her body and head had also shrunk a bit, though her eyes remained rather large, giving her a doe-y eyed look.
"You look so cute." Tanjiro cooed, reaching out and patting the demon's head.
"Shut it!" Matching her childlike appearance the demon's voice had become an octave higher, much to Tanjiro's delight who found it adorable.
"Ha ok-ok come on, let's go." Tanjiro ushered the demon into her side of the box, who was grumbling under her breath the entire time.
After closing the hatch and making sure it was locked, the slayer lifted the box onto his shoulders, tightening the straps as he did so. Tanjiro noted with some surprise that the weight didn't feel all that different from before, not that he was going to complain. Taking one last look around the slayer began making his way out into the sun once more. Not a moment later did his crow land on his shoulder, cawing out his next objective. With determined eyes the demon slayer and his companions began making their way toward the mountains. He will protect those closest to him with everything he has, no one was going to hurt his sister nor his friend.
Seriously go read The Swordsman and the Asura, I highly recommend it. Also I can tell I'm gonna have a lot of fun writing interactions between Susamaru and Tanjrio.
Otherwise thanks for stopping by, I'll see ya in the next one :)