As Things Should Be

-17- Determination

It was... intriguing.

Kokushibo studied the remnants of the battle, running his fingers over frosty walls and recognizing Doma's blood demon art. The disgraced Upper Moon had fought here... demon slayers based on the residue of wisteria in the air.

Kokushibo didn't pursue the scent of the demon slayers or the residue of Doma. He was not too eager to draw attention to himself when Muzan had so explicitly told him to stay discreet.

He wasn't to engage Doma, just observe his movements. It was more salt in Kokushibo's very open wound.

Muzan didn't trust him to do his duty well enough. Muzan didn't believe Kokushibo would be able to take on both Doma and Akaza (and perhaps Six if the rumors were true). All these years, all this time, and Kokushibo was still pitifully weak.

Surely Yoriichi was laughing at him for his failures... for his shortcomings...

Kokushibo shook his head and slipped back into the infinity fortress closing the door behind him and locking out the cold demon-touched wisteria air. He was getting distracted.

Focus. On ex-Upper Two. On the demon slayers. On his duty to Kibutsuji.

If Doma was fighting demon slayers, then they weren't working together. That bode well for Muzan and demonkind. If Yoriichi's students refused to recognize their greatest salvation, that was their greatest loss. Perhaps it would be the demon slayer's hatred of demons that would snatch their hope away from them. The thought quelled some of the anger in Kokushibo's chest.

Demon slayers working with demons? Never. The slayer's ego and beliefs would never allow it, and that would let Kokushibo rest easier.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

Damn demons.

Damn demon slayers.

Damn wounds. Damn weaklings. Damn medicine.

"DAMMIT!" Inosuke roared. The girl wrapping his arm jumped away for a moment as he flailed and cursed some more.

"Inosuke! Calm down!" Damn Tanbachiro - or whatever his name was. Always making rules or making Inosuke feel all fluffy and warm. Damn him too!

"I am perfectly calm!" Inosuke growled as he crossed his arms and tried not to wince as the movement pressed on his wrapped broken ribs.

"Yeah. Sure," stupid Zenbitu rolled his eyes and Inosuke could've punched him if he wasn't bed-ridden. The big-ol' spider demon had done him in well and he could almost hear Akaza's roaring laugh in the back of his head.

"Beaten by a weakling like that! Pathetic!"

"Hashibira, we need to finish wrapping the wounds in your arms," the little girl at his side pleaded as she held up her gauze. She made her eyes as big as she could - like Miku would and it took all Inosuke had to not groan and whine as he held out his arm and huffed.

They finished wrapping his wounds - tightly, showing no mercy whatsoever. Inosuke growled and ripped his arm away once they were done, glaring at the foot of his cot as the girl left him.

"Don't be so angry, we all survived," Tanbuko... Tinjoru? Tanjourno? Tanjiro, there it was, Tanjiro was lecturing Inosuke and he dramatically rolled his eyes.

"How am I supposed to kill the king of all demons when I'm taken out by a lowly low-life demon like that?" he retorted as he glared Tanjiro down.