𝕋𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕣'𝕤 𝕡𝕖𝕥 // Tengen Uzui x reader (+18)

Chapter 42 | Drugs

A body appears between the big trees which leaves built a green shield from the sun.
This forest bears special trees. Trees that don't loose their leaves during winter. Leaves that don't turn orange but stay green. A plant that now saves the life of a living being because of what it is.
A male person in a attacking posture stands in front of you. His face is pale and surrounded by silver, short hair. The fear in his red eyes changes to hope. He slowly lowers his hands, getting into a more relaxed position. The poisonous attack he was about to get off the leash crawls back under his skin. His mouth closes and hides his pointed, bared teeth. As his face relaxes the black stripe from the middle of his forehead down to the tip of his nose gets straight. It starts again at his chin were it flows down his throat and gets covered by his purple kimono.
He's got those stripes all over his body. They're not necessarily straight. Some of them are curved. It was the most obvious thing that changed after he turned into a demon. Together with his hair that turned silver like the full moon. You sometimes still forget about it.

"Shin", you sob and a relieving smile dances across your face.

Oh god. You thought you would be too late.

You look at his face - your face - that you've missed so much. It's now that you realize how long you've been separated. How long you were too scared to meet up with him because you thought that Tengen-sama would catch you. Tears form in your eyes.

"Shin, I am so sorry", you whisper and despite yourself, throw your arms around a demon.
You inhale his scent. Lavender and wood. Exactly what you expected of a demon loving flowers. One of the few things that didn't change.

Shin puts his arms around you and softly laughs.
"I am glad to see you one last time", he muffles into your hair with a raspy voice. As if he didn't drink for a very long time.

You immediately pull back. Shocked.
"Why would you say that? I'm here now."

A weak smile appears on his lips. They are light pink, slowly coming back to life.
"What about the hashira? I am not innocent, you know. There's no reason for them to keep me alive."
His tone nearly breaks your heart. He sounds like he already has given up with his life.

You can feel the hashiras getting closer but they slowed down. As if they knew what awaited them.
"I can compete with them", you inform him.
Shin's eyes widen.

"I will protect you."
A promise.

Shin seems to struggle if he should believe you or not.
"Y/n, I killed your friend" he reminds you.

The image of Hachiko's wounds flashes through your mind. How she had been smiling the one moment and had been dead the other.

You hesitate. Your hands remain on Shin's shoulders.
"Explain."

Shin's eyes jump into every direction, making sure no one will attack him. Or listen.

"You remember the drug I was creating?", Shin begins.

Of course you do. He's been trying to craft it ever since he understood the venom inside his demon body. The purpose was to get past the physical limits of his body for a short period of time so he could flee from enemies or be strong enough to kill them.

"Last summer I eventually got the right composition and dosis for me. The drug wouldn't get dissolved by my venom anymore and I finally could be strong enough to defend myself."

That's why he didn't ask you for help anymore. Pride glows in your eyes.

"I realized how helpful it would be for you too. To possess such strength. That's why I needed a human guinea pig. I found out where you lived and hoped that I would stumble across someone on my way to you so I could test it and give you the right dosis right afterwards."
Shin's voice lowers in shame.

You already know where this is going bit keep listening.
The speed of the wind rises and the first rain drops begin to fall. The shield of leaves is so dense that you didn't see the dark clouds above you.

"I didn't know she was your friend, y/n. I just- I saw a demon slayer and I obviously don't like them. I fear them. So why wouldn't I test it on one?", he explains himself making a plea for mercy.

With a nod you agree.

He sighs.
"I didn't inject the right dosis. It was too much and before she could be super powerful the venom started to eat up her guts. It reacted like acid in her body and I couldn't bear her suffer. I killed her a minute after I injected the drug" he explains with a flat voice.

Your lips are thin and closed. There's nothing to say. You remember the smell of the toxin in Hachiko's dead body. The drug must be a mixture of Shin's poison and something else.

"Seconds before her heart stopped beating she said to me that I looked familiar. That I would move like you and would have the same facial features and expressions like you. Only then I learned that you knew each other pretty well. I was scared and ran away but I knew that you would realize that it was me who killed her."
His explanation ends. Pain and guilt flickers in his eyes. He narrows them and waits for you to yell at him.

You don't have the time to think about a perfect answer.
"I understand. Indeed you couldn't have known that she was my friend. And it's fair to use your enemies as guinea pigs. I appreciate that you wanted to support me" you answer and ruffle his hair.

"Y/n, you don't have to-"

"Do you have the drug for me now anyways?", you interrupt him, listening to the approaching footsteps.

"Sure!", he responds ans pulls a medical syringe out of his kimono.
You shudder from the sight of the covered needle.

"I might need it", you claim and put it into your pockets. Luckily this kimono has some.

Fear crawls over Shin's face. He clearly doesn't believe that you can handle two hashiras. And not only that. He knows that one wrong step could burn him.

"Why are you even in public during daylight?", you ask while you draw your weapons.

It's like an injured rabbit going into a lion's cage.

"Because I couldn't sleep. I wanted to see you... The nightmares got worse...", he says.

You nod. Your chest tightens. Guilt spreads in you like ivy and wraps around your heart.

Shin goes back into his fighting posture too. The plants beneath his feet begin to sizzle and die. The air around him burns in your nose but you won't take a step aside. Tori croaks up high in the trees - a warning for you.

You would rather kill Hachiko yourself than have this confrontation now.

The bushes in front of you rustle. A heartbeat later a silver haired tall man and a black haired smaller man step out.
You sent a prayer to god.