boketto || t. kamado

twelve

[GIF wasn't working today:,) I'll try again later]

It was something quite special, that feeling: an oppressive, hideous constraint as if I were sitting with the small ghost of somebody I had just killed.

Vladimir Nabokov

[Trigger/Content warning: Verbal/Slight-physical sexual harassment - not assault. Nothing descript in any way and doesn't exceed words and a single grab (of nowhere inappropriate). Blood as well, but it's a demon slayer fic - this is to be expected.]

[A/N: This chapter is hella long. Like over 6000 words. I couldn't find a point to split it. So enjoy

Thank you for 1k reads ^^]

My feet padded against the ground, quick and fast, following close on Tanjiro's heel. Kazumi was following behind, I heard, but we were significantly quicker than him. My friend dashed to the side before leaping off the ground and onto the roof of a building. After just a quick moment, I followed, sending Kazumi a quick glance over my shoulder. He was panting, struggling to keep up with us but following nonetheless.

So, I turned and dashed off, following Tanjiro as he tracked the scent. He leaped off the roof suddenly, into a more desolate street. I skid to a stop on the roof, hand on my sword as Tanjiro drew his own and studied his surroundings. The town was quiet and my friend wandered a few steps forward. He held his sword straight up and down with the blade pointed straight down.

For a few seconds, he waited, before thrusting the end of his sword into the ground. The point of impact exploded in a flurry of a black, ink-like substance, blocking my view of what was occurring. But hardly a second later, Tanjiro leaped backward with an unconscious girl in a green kimono in his arms.

I hopped from the roof, landing on the ground between tanjiro and an arm that was emerged from the pool of ink. The grey, clawed hand held a piece of the kimono within its grasp, seeming to have ripped it off of the girl.

Unsheathing my sword, I took a ready stance for any move the demon might make. Especially since Tanjiro literally had his arms full at the moment.

"Where are those girls you kidnapped?!" Tanjiro demanded. The demon, who had now emerged the top half of its torso from the pool looked beyond upset. There were three horns protruding from its head, veins popping from its forehead, and pure red eyes staring harshly. As if looking into two pools of blood.

The demon's frown shifted before he began grating his teeth together unlike any human ever could. It sounded like nails on a chalkboard, harsh and almost seeming to make my own teeth ache at the thought of it.

Despite it, Tanjiro persevered, "I've got two more questions for you!"

But before he could ask, the enraged demon sunk into the ground, taking any sign of the ink along with it. Its aura dispersed as well, making me frown. I guess I'd be unable to track it since It would just disappear into wherever it went.

Kazumi appeared, making me pivot on my heel as he mumbled, "Who was that?"

"Kazumi," Tanjiro quickly instructed, "Please take her and stay close to one of us. As long as you stay within our reach, we can protect you!"

The man had no hesitation in listening, taking the girl into his own arms. Tanjiro and I separated onto either side, swords at the ready as we searched for any sign of the demon. The road was quiet once again. Eerily so, as we sat in wait for any movement.

Suddenly, the hairs on my arms stood up, eyes widening before I quickly spun on my heel and swiped my sword through the air. The demon - or one of them, it seemed, as three more were currently on Tanjiro. I sensed it at the last moment but had enough time to sent my sword into its shoulder.