To The Stars | Tokito Muichiro x OC

88 • To The Stars

Everyone was cheering and crying in relief, but Muichiro didn't care about that. They had already defeated Muzan, their celebration was none of his business. He just wanted to get to Inori.

Gritting his teeth, Muichiro dragged his body with his only remaining limb, uncaring of the trail of blood he left behind. He knew he wouldn't make it. Neither a miraculous medicine nor God could save him now.

If the situation was different, he would be laughing at the parallelism of the situation. He felt a bitter sense of déjà vu hit him. Memories of a familiar scene about him dragging his tired body to his dying brother just after killing a demon. He chuckled despite his situation, tears streaming down his eyes.

Muichiro didn't remember most of the process of him reaching Inori, only knowing that he, quite literally, dragged his body through the dirt to reach her. The girl had been blasted into an alleyway, still struggling to stand up despite drowning in a pool of her own blood.

"Inori." Muichiro dragged his body until he was sitting beside her. The girl was still writhing on the ground, and he immediately used whatever remained of his strength to pull her upwards, until she was somewhat sitting. He leaned down until his mouth was against her ear. "It's over...Muzan is dead. We won. You don't have to fight anymore."

"It's...over?" Inori finally slumped, leaning her entire weight on Muichiro, who in turn, leaned against the wall. "I...I couldn't hear..."

"Yeah, it's over." Muichiro cradled Inori, pressing her to his chest where she could hear his heartbeat, however erratic it was. His thumb brushed the bangs out of her face, cupping her cheek as she smiled up at him. "How...are you feeling?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore." Inori laced her fingers with whatever remained of his—oh, the ring...thank the stars it's still there. "It looks like I'm going to die soon, huh?"

"Don't worry, you won't be alone." Muichiro's tears fell to her cheeks, yet he still smiled. "I...I'm gonna die soon too."

"No, Mui...you can't." Despite her words, Inori knew there was little she could do. "Yuichiro will get mad if you die...I'm sorry...you protected me...all the time, and...and that's why..."

"It's fine." His thumb brushed against the broken stitches running from the corner of her mouth to her cheek. "I will never...let you shoulder everything alone...you can protect everyone...but I will protect you...though I guess...I failed to do that."

"No...don't say that...Mui." Inori shook her head, not that it seemed to move at all. "I'm sorry...I could've done more..."

"Inori, you did more than enough," he assured her. "You're the reason why we managed to kill Muzan...why we even stood a chance against him. I won't let anyone say otherwise." Even if he had to curse them from the other side or whatever, he would never let anyone belittle her efforts and achievements.

"Your medicine will surely save a lot of lives, but not mine. I already..." Muichiro knew everything inside and outside of him had been wounded beyond repair. "It's already too late for me."

Kanamaru and Ginko frantically flapped their wings as they landed beside the two pillars. They were about to cry out for help, but Muichiro stopped them.

"It's fine...please...let us be alone for now."

"Caw. Inori. Inori. I still have some medicine." Kanamaru nuzzled his head against her waist, tears streaming out of his beady eye. "You can still be saved. Please don't die."

"I'm sorry, Kanamaru." Inori didn't even have the strength to hug her crow anymore. She was sure the only reason she was still alive was due to her battle-polished survival instincts, or the thinning effect of what was left of her medicine. "There's a limit to how much injuries...a medicine can heal...even if it's...miraculous...I can't be saved."