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

Chapter 21: Enter the Slayer

The cute three little girls of the Butterfly Estate, Naho, Sumi and Kiyo, were horrified at the sight of you when you entered the front gate practically leaning all your weight on the Kakushi that held you.

Tears welded up in their eyes as they did their best not to swarm you.

You greeted them with as large of a smile that you could muster for them. They took it and responded with grins of their own as they made sure that you had a clear way into one of the wards.

The sound of multiple feet thudding along the floorboards brought you to lift your head, coming face to face with the snout of Inosuke's boar mask. Not even flinching at his close proximity, you lifted your hand to tap the cheek of it. "Hi Inosuke." Behind him you could make out a sobbing Zenitsu and a slightly frantic Tanjiro.

With half-lidded eyes, you waved at the three of them. Your energy was almost completely gone at that point. All the energy, stress, and tenseness of your body throughout the Final Selection had left you. Your limbs were practically jelly, and you were sure that the Kakushi wanted to just drop you off to rid them of your weight.

You opened your mouth for a moment, to greet the three boys, when you cut yourself off by slumping over and passing out right then and there.

There were shouts in the hallway from basically everyone, yet none of them woke you up from your sudden slumber.

They were loud, frantic, and worried about the state you had come back in. The boys were unaware of your participation in the Final Selection, as they were still healing up from the battle they took part in with Rengoku when you left.

Speaking of, there was a call of your name, and the boys stilled as Rengoku's suddenly intimidating aura approached them. He placed a hand on Tanjiro's shoulder while he gazed unblinkingly at your body. "Take her to one of the wards please." The Kakushi had picked you up onto their back as soon as you had passed out, making it easier on them to transport you.

Nodding, the Kakushi dodged passed those in the hallway, quickly following the three girls that had begun to prep one of the beds for you.

Rengoku then turned to the remaining three.

Inosuke was huffing behind his mask, angry at something. Zenitsu still had tears in his eyes, but was looking a lot more placated. Tanjiro, on the other hand, was looking past the retired Hashira and down the hallway where you had gone. The worry still clear in his expression as he finally turned his head and made eye contact with Rengoku.

"Will (Y/N) be alright? What happened? Were was she these past few days?"

Patting his shoulder a few times Rengoku finally smiled. "(Y/N) will recover in no time, this is a cause for celebration!"

To say that Tanjiro was confused was an understatement. Why would they be celebrating when you had come back after missing for days. Especially with how injured and tired you were. Inosuke was huffing and puffing even more so behind his mask before running off. There wasn't anything anyone could really do to stop him when he was in a weird mood like that. 

Zenitsu seemed to have a bit more of an understanding of the situation, as he shuffled up to them and tugged on Tanjiro's sleeve. "Let's go check up on her later when she's awake." Tanjiro could only nod in response. Eyes never leaving Rengoku as the retired Hashira moved down the hallway, presumably to which ever one of the two wards they had put you in.

~~~~~

Your body screamed in protest as you sprung up from visions of blood behind your closed eyelids. Sweat littered your body as you breathed heavily, wincing in pain with each inhale.