Every god damn time!
Reader's POV
Staring at the scene in front of me in awe, I began to think back to the time Rei figured out that I wasn't from 'this time'
Can he hear my thoughts? does he also know I'm not?
"what do you think you're doing?!" snapping out of my thoughts I looked at Tanjiro's agitated form, holding out his sword in front of him ready to strike Sabito if he needed too,
"trying to figure out what YOU'RE doing" flinching at his hard tone I kept silent, not wanting to break any significant plot lines that would help Tanjiro grow,
"what do you mean? I'm training" Tanjiro exclaimed,
"How long do you plan to keep sitting on you butt, take a stance" getting up from the ground, Tanjiro looked at Sabito with irritation and determination,
"come on then, give me your best shot" Sabito said, doing the 'come at me' gesture,
"but your swords made out of wood, I could hurt you" Tanjiro said, faltering his fighting stance and looking worriedly now at Sabito, cringing my face into a grimace, I shook my head in disappointment know what's coming next, seeing Sabito's left hand go slack and dropping to his side, he slumped forward, laughing lightly, before bellowing into full-blown hysterical laughter, bent back he then faced Tanjiro and spoke, still sounding so amused
beast mode! oh shi-
"how thoughtful of you, I greatly appreciate your concern, but you honestly think you are capable of giving me a scratch-!?" suddenly bolting to Tanjiro he raised his bokken up high and gave a strong hit to Tanjiro only for it to be blocked last second,
"reassured there's nothing to worry about! I'm far more powerful than you! I've already cut through my boulder!" jumping away from him he landed behind him on a tree, then kicking off straight back to Tanjiro, blocking his hits just a few seconds too close to actually hit him,
Sabito the fucking pink hedgehog!-
zooming around Tanjiro disorienting him, he then flashed beside him, Tanjiro noticing a tad bit too late, was not able to block the incoming hit that was aimed at his neck, he collapsed, flinching and not getting up to help him, I clutched my neck instead, feeling an ache as if I was the one who was hit.
"you obviously haven't learned anything, you haven't mastered any of your training, especially total concentration breathing, didn't Urokodaki teach you?"
"all you've done is memorize the information, your body still has no idea what it needs to do! what the hell have you been up to these past year and a half!?"
going to strike Tanjiro's neck again only to be blocked he spoke,
"all of this has to be hammered into your flesh!"
continuing his relentless barrage of attacks,
"more."
"more!"
"MORE!"
"you have to make sure you never forget the secrets Urokodaki thought you!" Pushing back Tanjiro from the force of his hit, he never faltered even once,
"down! to the marrow of your bones!"
"I'm trying! I'm giving it all I've got! everyday! except I don't think I'm going anywhere! I don't think I can do it!"
"You can! man up! Don't you want to become a demon slayer!? there's no where else to go but forward!"
"show me what you are capable of!" getting hit under the chin by the tip of Sabito's bokken, Tanjiro then fell down onto the floor on his back, knocked out from the hit, and blood dripping out of the side of his mouth,
I'm gonna sound so cliché but wtf they were so fast I'm surprised that Tanjiro can even keep up with Sabito.
"I'll leave everything up to you" turning around from Tanjiro's fallen form, he then looked at me,
when did she get here?! he noticed me?!
"now as for you-" tensing up I quickly got off the ground and away from my boulder, sweat slowly falling down the side of my face, I gripped my sword tighter,
I thought he didn't even notice me!
"come take a fighting stance."
thwack-!
"Ack-!"
thud-
~ Midnight ~
"Are you alright?"
why do I keep getting knocked out?
"please tell me you saw that !? "
groaning out loud I slowly pushed myself up, gripping the left side of my neck, I looked to my left to see Makomo squatting next to Tanjiro's still fallen form, talking to each other, completely ignoring me,
"hm?"
"the way that guy hit me! his swing didn't lose an ounce of power! it was just beautiful! I want to be able to do that! what do you think? is that possible?" looking at her eagerly his eyes sparkled as he gazed at her expectantly, she only smile and hummed, responding sounding distant,
"I'm positive it is, because I will be there to look out for both of you." my left eyebrow twitch when I saw him blush, shaking my head disappointingly as I saw him turn red,
Mother fucking simp
sighing I stood up from my position on the floor , wincing when my head pounded from the hit that Sabito landed on me, walking back home seeing no use in grabbing Tanjiro's attention cause he was being a simp,
Reader's journal
- it's been a few months Makomo has been training us, well mostly Tanjiro, but if I'm being honest, Tanjiro has been very distant lately, and I've been spending more time with Sabito, most of the time he would be the one training me, sure he's ruthless but right after training, he would sit beside my exhausted form leaning on the boulder with me, I would sing or hum any song that would come into my head that always used to be stuck in my head when I was in the present world, and when I do, I would catch Sabito lightly bobbing his head to the song or tapping his fingers, not once did he complain to me about singing, sometimes he would ask me what the song I was singing about and I would always say that it was something from my "hometown" and for him to nod and go back to silently listening to me, but. . . tonight he wanted to talk,
~ flashback ~
Reader's POV
humming to myself, looking up at the sky, my head was leaning on Sabito's relaxed shoulders, it had been months that we had been spending our time together like this, after every training session separate from Tanjiro's, we got comfortable with each other after some heart to heart and tough talk,
"do you miss home?"
stopping myself from humming, I pushed my self away from his shoulder and looked at him, only to see that he too, was looking directly at me too, searching his eyes, I slowly broke into a sad smile and gave a silent laugh, leaning back on his shoulder, looking back up at the stars, I sighed,
"so you know too, huh?"
feeling him nod, I slowly nodded too, feeling him shift only to stop, as if he was hesitating to say something,
"yeah, I do."
I said thinking of the things I was able to do before coming here, hearing Sabito take a breath in, he exhaled slowly,
"tell me about it."
smiling I then spoke about my life and all the shitty job I had to work along with the online schooling I had to go through, stopping when I felt him lean his head on mine, and continued to answer his questions when he nodded or asked about something that I had tried to explain, laughing when he made remarks that he was glad that he "wasn't born" in my "time", for a little bit, I didn't feel alone, and for once, Sabito's hands were warm,
Reader's POV ~ 5 months later ~
Waking up earlier than usual, I was up Before Tanjiro, outside where my boulder was facing, I gripped my sword tighter, even if my hands hurt from the ripped skin on my fingers and palms, I continued to train,
It's been 2 months since Sabito has accepted Tanjiro's challenges to spar, It means, he's very close to slicing his boulder in half, and i-i'm falling behind,
I gripped my blade tighter and lifted my sword as high as my body could and strike the boulder over and over,
I'm not going anywhere aren't I?! I'm not advancing ! I'm falling behind! I don't want to be left behind! how am I supposed to protect Tanjiro and everyone else I'm going to meet if I'm watching them walk away onto their future, when I'm stuck here in the Past!
Raising my blade one more time I took a deep breath and released it striking down again,
I refuse to be left behind!
My eyes widened when I had successfully sliced the boulder in half, body going slack I dropped my nichirin sword to the ground and fell beside it, letting out a cry of shock,
I. . . I did it! I-I split the boulder first, I did it!
"so you finally did it"
looking behind me to see Sabito leaning on Tanjiro's boulder, he walked towards me and sat down beside me, and wrapped my hands, leading me back to the direction of Urokodaki's house, stopping at the edge of the forests entrance and he hugged me tightly,
" and you didn't even need my help."
pushing me away his mask was off and he smiled at me, his eyes looked sad, but filled with pride, he said to me,
"I'm proud of you, now go and rest, you need it."
nodding at him and grabbing my nichirin blade from him I hugged him one last time, and walked towards Urokodaki's house, looking back one more time only to see him gone,
You did help me, just not the way you wanted me too.
when I woke up it was dark and I was alone at home, with the exception of Nezuko being asleep beside me, I stood up and walked towards the Living room of the house, lighting up a fire and sitting beside it as it was freezing inside the house, looking out of the covered window, I saw that it was snowing really hard, frowning as I thought,
So Urokodaki's out there doing whatever, and Tanjiro is out training with Makomo in the harsh snow, hm. . . seems legit, but not good if you ask me. . .
sighing and looking back at the fire, I stood up and looked around for the ceramic pot Urokodaki used to make soup,
might as well make this fir useful, where's the damn po- aha! now lets see what can we make. . . Lugao would be good for this weather right? I guess its settled then,
scooping up four cups of pre-washed rice into the pot I put it on top of the fire where the hook was, and poured four and a half coups of water inside, letting it cook, I covered it, chopping the needed ingredients, humming "island on the sun",
~ 1 and a half hours later ~
after scooping myself my own share of the rice porridge I made, I sprinkled some green onion's on top and ate, just realizing how. . . lonely I really am here,
even if I do meet and save everyone here, life would go on like it should in the manga, everyone has their end goal, and I will be left behind. . . but that's how it's supposed to be, always. . .
finishing my own soup, I didn't notice as soon as I put my bowl down a hand was placed on my shoulder,
"are. . . are you alright (f/n)-chan? you're crying. . ."
quickly looking to my side I saw Tanjiro, kneeling behind me, covered in melted snow and soot I only shook my yes slowly, looking back down at the fire place only to see it was put out, I lifted my right hand to my cheek only to indeed feel I was crying,
would you look at that, I am crying, it's not new anyways. . .
"are you su-"
quickly wiping away my tears, I looked back to him and smiled, nodding more enthusiastically,
"I'm fine! you know, you should eat before the food gets cold, I'll just get ready for bed."
before he could speak I quickly got up, shoved a spare bowl in his right hand and walked to the back of the house, and put my used up bowl into the sink, wiping my face again, slowly breaking into quite sobs,
I really am alone where ever I am. . . aren't I ?
slowly quieting down, I began to wash my bowl and got ready for bed.
Tanjiro's POV
staring at the door (f/n) left open, my left hand slowly falling down back to my side, at a loss of words, I gripped the ceramic bowl tightly, looking down into it, a deep frown on my face,
she smelt. . . so lonely, so . . . hurt, but when she spoke to me, it was gone and it smelt like doubt and anger. . . is she mad at me? did I do something wrong?
when I heard her walking back out, I looked up and saw her, she smiled and said goodnight and quickly walked into the room, not even giving me time to talk to her.
seeing no use in trying to catch her attention, I sighed deeply, slowly moving and scooping myself my share of the food she had made.
I'll try to talk to her tomorrow . . .
~ 1 month later ~
I had been spending most of my time away from Tanjiro and been training and mastering my own moves with Sabito, but I've been counting the days that has passed by and I knew that today, was the day that Sabito and Tanjiro spar, and Tanjiro gets to slice the boulder in half, and we go to final selection,
" It took you sic months, but you finally have the look of a man." unsheathing his sword, Sabito took his fighting stance at Tanjiro,
"This is the day I win." Tanjiro said, hair untied and covered in soot,
I was leaning on a tree the opposite side of Makomo, taking in the scene before me, Sabito on my left and Tanjiro on my right, staying still and observing the scene, ignoring Makomo's peering eyes, Tanjiro closed his eyes and took a long and deep breath, then they both disappeared, closing on each other, it was just like Tanjiro thought,
It was all over in an instant. . .
shink!
"gasp-!"
Tanjiro gasped, shocked that he actually landed a hit on Sabito, despite slicing his mask, Sabito smiled at Tanjiro, his eyes looking proud but sad,
"Tanjiro, you did just great, never forget about this, keep wining for me Tanjiro, the next one too" disappearing onto the mist, Tanjiro looked back at the boulder shocked, that Sabito was gone, and in his place was the boulder sliced perfectly in half, nodding my head, I heard Urokodaki's footstep, I turned around and started to walk away, away from Tanjiro and Urokodaki and deeper into the forest. . .
Sitting on top of the roof of Urokodaki's house, hugging my knees to my chest,
" it started out as a feeling. . . which then grew into a hope. . . which then turned into a quite thought, which then turned into a quite word. . ." feeling cloth be draped over my head and someone sit beside me I continued to sing, even if it sounded broken,
" and then that word grew louder and louder, 'til it was a battle cry, I'll come back, when you call me. . . no need to say goodbye. . . " slowly breaking into a few broken sobs, I covered my face, not wanting whoever to see me like this, feeling someone grab my right hand,
"you know I'm always here for you, right. . ?" gasping in shock I looked up only to see Sabito was the one sitting beside me, holding my hand, he smiled and squeezed my hand, then wrapping his arm around me giving a side hug,
"your going to leave eventually, you know that. . . right?" squeezing me tighter in his hug he sighs, and leans his head on top of mine, nodding his head,
" but it doesn't mean that you're alone, I'm always here for you even if you don't see me, by your side, just like this." Sabito said facing my face towards him, smiling sadly, he the wiped the tears that streaked my face,
"how . . ?"
"you'll know." he pressed a gentle kiss on my forehead and leaned on me, squeezing me reassuringly, after a few moments silence he then spoke,
"what's the song your singing about?" humming in thought, I answered silently, leaning onto him,
"it's about never forgetting about someone no matter how long its been, and no matter where you are. . . you will always come back. . . "
"how about we make a deal, when you sing that song, you'll know I'm here, 'kay?" he smiling at me and squeezing my shoulder comfortingly, slowly nodding to him I sighed and leaned on him again,
"now how about you finish that song, yeah?"
Third Person
~ midnight ~
silently walking into the room Tanjiro and Nezuko was sleeping in, Sabito closed the shoji door behind him with his foot silently, he laid her down gently on her own futon on Nezuko's right side, then put his plain white haori on top of her blanket to keep her extra warm, as he stood up and was about to walk out the door, he stopped at the sound of Tanjiro's voice,
"thank you. . . for bringing her back safely." looking back he saw Tanjiro sitting up and looking at him with his hands gripping his own blanket and haori so tight that his hands were pale white, he only nodded and said,
"YOU better keep her safe, she needs you now, more than ever." with that, Sabito closed the door.
"I will, I promise."
Reader's POV
waking up early was never new to me anymore, so I made myself busy with making breakfast, cooking fish and egg fried rice, as I served rice in the 3 separate bowls equally and make fresh tea, Urokodaki walked in and put a bag of whatever in the corner of the room, then sitting on my right side, waiting patiently if it was alright to eat, as I was about to re-assure him that it was okay, Tanjiro opened the shoji door, yawning and rubbing his right eye,
"good morning you two, it's alright to eat if you want, the food will get cold soon too." Tanjiro nodded his head and sat down on my left side, grabbing the ceramic bowl that was in front of him, we ate in comfortable silence.
after waiting for them to finish eating, I collected their bowls and chopsticks, putting them inside the empty pot, I was about to walk out the back, only to be stopped by Urokodaki,
"I'll do the washing for today, you both deserve a break, it's the best I can do for now." before I could even protest to him, he grabbed the dishes from my hands and walked to the wash room, gaping like a fish I nodded,
"a-alright, thank you. . ." as I was about to walk into the room to get ready and go out and "hang out" with Sabito, Tanjiro grabbed the sleeve of my haori,
"a-ah wait! w-would it be alright if you can help me cut my hair today? I-I really wouldn't be able to see the back of my head and cut it evenly so, c-could you h-help me?" In shock, never hearing Tanjiro stutter before, even in the anime it was only because he was mad or sad, so I smiled and nodded, gently prying his hands away from my haori, and gently placing it on his head,
"sure." his eyes brightened up, and he smiled wide, blinding really,
"thank you!" with that he scrambled away to get ready fir his haircut.
it's been a while since I last spent time with him, hasn't it?
~ chapter end~