Growth and Malady

18 - Kokushibo

I... figured out the ending to Growth and Malady... ☹️ and I don't know how I feel about it...

The next morning, Muzan and I potted the two lilies and watered them, placing them in his window. We'd agreed that with two slayers in the house, it wasn't the best time for him to take the 'medicine', so we needed to keep the lilies healthy until they were gone.

Not only were the young slayers getting in the way, they were also terribly frustrating to deal with. The boar head was getting anxious about Tanjiro's absence in his own strange way, and became even more obnoxious for it. Zenitsu did his best to reign in Inosuke's wild side, but his efforts were all in vain. So when Muzan informed me that Tanjiro was pulling out of his current assignment and coming back, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Holding a hand to my head, I pinched the bridge of my nose in thought. I still had to talk to Douma and Akaza about Rui; I wasn't going to make the young demon explain himself to his parents after having done so for five people already, including myself.

Betted to do it now than later. I forced myself to my feet, ignoring the looks from Inosuke and Zenitsu.

"I'm going out."

Muzan nodded, turning back to his book.

Zenitsu jumped up. "Wait! When will you be-"

I shut the door, walking brusquely down the street towards the pair's house. The people I passed didn't give me a second glance, unless they noticed the flame-like marks on the side of my face and neck. My mark was a growing concern for me, for as we knew, any previous diseases and conditions reactivated when a demon became a human. I was much older than 25, raising the question: was my mark still active? And if so, when would it kill me?

I already knew that if that time came, I would let it happen. Seeing as I was completely unwilling to use a demon's immortality as an escape, there was no other way to cheat such a definite death.

Having reached the house of Douma and Akaza, I knocked lightly on the door.

"Hold- just one second!" I heard Akaza yell. And a bit quieter, "Douma! Get! Off! I need to go to the door!"

"Fineeeeee..."

Akaza appeared in the doorway a moment later, holding the door open with his foot planted in the threshold. "Kokushibo." He examined my serious expression. "Is something wrong?"

"Depends on how you see it." I guess we're going to ignore whatever you two were just up to... "May I come inside? This will take a bit of explaining."

"Oh, sure." Akaza stepped out of the way, closing the door behind me as I entered and scanned the room. Douma peered over at me with his characteristic beaming smile, greeting me warmly.

I sat down in front of the two, waiting for them to settle.

"So what's this about?" Douma asked.

"Rui."

"What about him? Is he okay? Did something happen?" His rainbow eyes showed concern for his adopted son.

"Yes, something did happen to Rui, but don't worry- he's not hurt."

Akaza rest a hand on Douma's leg, telling him silently to calm down. Turning his head, he addressed me. "Tell us what happened."

Taking a deep breath, I told them in the least amount of words possible how Rui had decided to return to being a demon, found and eaten a blue spider lily, and was otherwise completely normal.

The pair thought for a minute, processing the information I had thrown onto them.

"Tanjiro hasn't hurt him?"

I shook my head. "No, he recognized that Rui hasn't hurt anyone this time."

Douma nodded slowly. Ever so quietly, he muttered "How did it happen?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said Rui took a medicine of sorts. Where did he get that?"

Akaza furrowed his brow, pondering the question as I tried to figure out how to answer. In an epiphany moment, his eyes widened and his gaze shot to me for confirmation.

A long sigh escaped me, and I let my eyes close for a moment before I opened them and stared into the faces of the former Uppermoons 2 and 3.

"Alright. You two deserve to know."

Get it over with.

"Muzan gave it to him."

"What!?" They exclaimed in unison.

"Before you go about your murderous thoughts, know that he hasn't done anything wrong. He has no control or leverage over Rui."

"But the cells-"

"The medicine was originally made by humans, before demons existed. None of Muzan's blood was in the mixture."

"Okay, okay. If Kibutsuji gave Rui a human-to-demon serum, then he could have some too, right?" Akaza questioned.

I stiffened, loyalty to the man I liked was holding me back from telling the truth.

Ugh- how childish.

"Yes... that's possible. I'll- I'll make sure he doesn't have any." I took a moment then added, "I think that's all I have at the moment." Standing up, I bowed by head respectfully as I went to leave.

"I'll walk you out!" Douma jumped up as well, and followed me to the door. As soon as we were out the door, he hummed softly to get my attention.

"Yes, Douma?"

"You seemed unsure when we suggested that Kibutsuji could turn himself into a demon." He cocked his head to one side. "Why?"

"It's really none of your business. Muzan is my responsibility, not yours."

"That too, you're only calling him by his first name. How close have you two gotten?" Righting himself, he elaborated quickly. "Not in a nosy way, I'm no gossiping teenager like Daki was, but if you can't keep him in line, we're all in danger."

"He'll behave as long as I'm around." Leaving Douma with that answer, I walked away.

When I turned around, I saw a crow perched on the roof of the building next to me. We stared at each other for a few seconds, unsure of what to do. It ruffled its feathers, spreading its wings slightly while maintaining eye contact.

This is no regular crow. And it heard every word we just said.

"Don't you dare..." I warned it.

In a flurry of feathers and wingbeats, the corvid took off, shooting into the distance like a bullet. Probably to find the nearest demon slayer.

"Winged rat," I growled, continuing home.

Filler chapter with a bit of plot development? Yes!
Mira trying not to die as she gets closer to the ending... also yes.