Am I Home? (Demon Slayer x Fem!Reader)

Chapter 11: First Patient

What was only a few days, felt like months as you went over every single jar, bowl and bag of medicine that was present in the medicine cabinet along with many different first aid procedures.

Aoi was a very strict teacher, but was very patient with you. As you had to take some time to grasp the Japanese names of each medicine and their uses. Some were familiar to you as she explained their properties, while some left you completely confused and awed.

You mumbled along with her, a book and brush in hand as you wrote notes at a desk in a room across from the medicine cabinet. You had asked Aoi for some, as it would be a lot easier for you to memorize it all if you wrote it down a few times. She obliged as long as it worked for you.

There were times when Aoi would stop talking and take a look over your shoulder at your notes, and it was safe to say she had absolutely no idea what it was that you were writing. As it was, you had zero clue on how to write or read hiragana, katakana or kanji. The only knowledge you had was how it could be written from top to bottom, right to left. Since this notebook was to be just for your own use, to make it easier for yourself you wrote in the style that you knew, top to bottom, left to right, and all in English.

At times, Aoi would spot you trying to write out certain names in it's original hiragana, katakana or kanji. Without the knowledge of the brush strokes, she would panic and guide you the right way of how to write each character.

Glancing up to whatever she had in hand and back down to your notes, you were happy to say that this was going a lot smoother than you thought it would. With your notes in hand, you could say that it would only take you a few more days to fully memorize all the notes.

By no means did you let your study of medicine stop you from the training regime you had taken on from Uzui. Every morning you were up just before sunrise, running laps around the estate and doing your best to follow the same exercises you had done at his estate. Albeit with different objects acting as weights, as the Butterfly Estate did not have anything like what you used at Uzui's.

True to his words, Uzui had stopped by on more than one occasion to have a spar with you. The first day, he had brought a real Yoroi-doshi and Wakizash. You had refused to use them that day, taking some spare wooden versions of the blades from Kocho's weapon rack (with her permission of course.)

It was around the third or fourth time (Uzui visited you so often that you couldn't really keep track of all those times) when the two of you had finally forgone the wooden weapons and to the real blades.

Tsuyuri was only there to oversee the fight as Kocho-sensei was sent out on another mission.

"Alright little sister, let's see how you fair now!" It was also clear to you that Uzui had refused to call you anything other than little sister now. Hearing those words from him never failed to warm your heart. "Bring it on brother!" As much as it made you want to hide your face in a pillow and scream, calling him brother made the days that you saw him brighter than the ones when you don't.

Despite your words, you could feel your sweaty palms fumble with your blades as you tired to secure your grip. The sheer sight of the metal glinting from the sun made your breath hitch.

No, I can do this. I'm not fighting with a demon or any other enemy. It's just the usual training with brother.

Before that small pep talk you gave yourself could wear off, Uzui lunged. On instinct, you sprung backwards to avoid his swings. The metal sung in the air as he came at you with his usual speed. You dodged left and right, your eyes skirted around to find an opening.

"Be more flamboyant little sister! Stop dodging and fight back!" He came at you once more, his swing going wide. That was it! Uzui was in the air, arms above his head as he swung down with both arms. 

Quickly, you dropped your stance and slid under him. Taking the chance, you spun as you rose, taking the longer blade in your right hand and slashing across his back.

Your eyes widened at the sight of the blood that began to seep out. Dropping your weapons, you scramble around Uzui only to see a grin on his face. "That was fantastic!" You disregarded his words as you grabbed him by the arm and dragged him inside, passing Kanao who had stood there in shocked from your move.

Tears were already forming in your eyes as you led Uzui to one of the recovery rooms. The guilt in you at hurting him squeezing your heart as you sat him down at one of the beds.

Uzui was silent at the sight of the unshed tears. Watching as you moved behind him and raised his shirt. He was compliant, letting you take his shirt off to allow you to see the wound more clearly. 

After a few sniffles from you, you began the first aid treatment, cleaning the injury and making sure that he was wrapped up after applying some ointment. The tears your eyes held never fell as the cut you had made was very shallow and it should heal within the week. Once you finished wrapping the last bit of fabric around his torso, you tied it into place and made your way back to face him.

Before he could get a word out you bowed deeply. "I'm so sorry brother!" You could hear the fear and guilt in your voice as you spoke.

A hand was placed on your head, giving you a reassuring pat. You mustered up the courage to look back up only to see him smiling at you. "(Y/N)..." You sniffled again. Uzui's smile was warm, much like the look he had given you when you had first called him brother. "There's nothing more flamboyant than watching you grow. Being able to see you improve in our spars enough to put a scratch on my back makes me proud."

The tears decided to come back at full force at Uzui's words. "See, you were even able to treat me and clean the same wound you inflicted!" Those were not the right words for him to say, as that only made you cry harder at his ridiculousness of the situation. By no means was he wrong. You were able to best Uzui, albeit it was a one in a hundredth chance, and even put the first aid knowledge that Aoi had taught you to use.

It was the fact that you have never hurt someone in that way before in you life. The sight of the blood staining his shirt heavily reminded you of the blood from your fall, and how much that had hurt you. The fact that it was you who was the one to injure him made it that much worse. You used all of what you had known of medicine in this era as a way to make up for it.

He was more forgiving to you than you had thought. So forgiving in fact, that you were shocked to have received such a gentle hug from him. 

Uzui's frame clearly covered all of you. His arms embracing you in such a warm and forgiving way that made you sob hard into his chest. He patted your back and patiently waited until you had finished crying.

Your eyes were red by the time you were out of his hug. "Sorry..." "No need to be sorry! This shows me that I can let go a bit more during our spars! It'll be flamboyant!" You didn't have any more energy to complain or fret over the fact that Uzui wanted to increase the difficulty of your training.

There was a knock at the door and the both of you looked over to see Kocho standing here. "Oh my, I came to see what Kanao was talking about but I can see that (Y/N) has already treated you" She continued her way into the room, looking over the work you had done. "My, this was well done. I see that learning under Aoi has helped you a lot. Congratulations on successfully treating your first patient (Y/N)." Your mind was a bit blank at her words for a moment before the fully processed.

That's right, Uzui was the first person you had treated since you got here. You looked back at Uzui as he was putting his shirt back on. There was still a tear in the back from your cut, but beneath it was the white of the bandages you had applied. You could only let out a relieved sigh. Being praised by the both of them for all the hard work you had put in since the day you got here was satisfying.

"Thank you for your kind words Kocho-sensei." You gave her a bow and turned to do the same to Uzui. "And thank you brother for all the training you've given me." Rising from your bow, you gave them a tired, yet bright smile. "It means a lot to me that you've both helped me so much."

"I'll be sure to make you even more proud!"