Defective people - [A Kimetsu No Yaiba Story] - {HIATUS}

Chapter 4

   Just like a flash during a storm, Zenitsu appeared as quickly as he disappeared.

   Was it because he did something wrong ? Because there was too much light ? Because of the fact that Nezuko was there ?

   He turned towards the girl. No, she wasn't a girl anymore : the longing look in her eyes proved it very well ; Tanjiro wasn't ready to accept it just yet. Her fingers were playing, twisting the sleeve of her pink kimono, underneath the nurse apron. She was troubled, he could tell. He tried to call her, but his voice broke. He cleared his throat to try again, yet this caught her attention. In mere seconds, she was by his side, waiting impatiently for any of his order.

   For a minute, an imperceptible, vague moment, he saw her as a demon again. Mouth slightly agape, showing pointed canines, big doe eyes looking up at him, awaiting an injunction, an indication. She wasn't hiding from any light, her angelic voice was back, she had nothing to do with a demon. He encountered so many in his past, he wasn't afraid of them, no more.

   The door swung open, startling them both, and the nurse entered. She was pushing a medical cart, and so many bottles, vials, with product of so many different colors in them ; blue, brown, yellow, translucent, transparent.

   Tanjiro was kind of anguished, feeling his heart pounding hard, and hurting him. Putting a hand on his chest was even worse, and he hissed as a result.

   "Be careful, you idiot !" shrieked the nurse, worry clearly overflowing in her hoarse voice.

   While they always had known her shrieking tone, yelling at them with a piercing voice, the latter had changed. It became deeper, dry, whistling. He wondered if it was because Kanzaki-san cried. Because she lost her mentor, and the pillars, and so many more friends that she knew throughout the years. He wondered if the mask Kanzaki-san wore was to hide her cries, hide her lies, her tiredness.

   She sighed, and muttered angrily under her breath. That made him want to laugh. However, the air pushed by his diaphragm caused another stinging pain.

   As the nurse took out liquids and syringes, making them tinkle against one another, just like a sweet melody, albeit cacophonic, Tanjiro turned towards his sister once again, who was somewhat disturbing the other girl where she sat.

 "Nezuko, tell me..."

 - Your arm." Came a direct order.

   He held his right arm out, clenching his fist tightly, feeling his nails scrape his skin. Tanjiro was most definitely surprised as he felt something weird, neither warm or cold, neither soft or rough help him out. He frowned quickly catching a glance of gloves. Things had, beyond any doubt, changed. And he needed to know. He didn't mind Kanzaki-san intruding this conversation.

 "Nezuko, what happened ?"

   She cocked her head cutely on the side.

 "What happened after I lost consciousness ? Why haven't I seen, been visited by anyone yet ? Why has Zenistu left so quickly ?" He paused. "Nezuko, don't tell me everything changed beyond repair." His eyes pricked. "Don't tell me... I don't think I could handle it..." His voice died in his throat.

   Her long white arms trapped him in a comforting hug. He wanted to cry, and he did, a few stray tears rolling on his cheeks, as the final injection was done, leaving a ghostly pain on the cubital fossa. He wanted to raise his unoccupied hand to run it through her locks. But nothing happened, nothing came, and he felt it.

   Pulling himself off of her, he stared down, met with nothing underneath the empty sleeve.

 "What the..."

   Tanjiro tried to lift it again, to catch it, but nothing.

 "What ?!"

   Panic took him over. He tried to feel it, find it but nothing. Yet, it was there, right ? How would he feel the constant and maddening pain otherwise ? He tried again until he was met by his shoulder. And nothing next.

   His breath and heartbeat were picking up, thoughts clouded his minds as they were running in circles.

 "Wh-What the-" His words were inarticulate.

 - Ok, calm down." Ordered the nurse, walking around the bed.

   He couldn't, he couldn't. How could it feel how much it was hurting if it wasn't there ? And didn't it grew back ? Didn't- ?

 "Tan...jiro." Tried his sister, through her slurred speech.

   And, of course, he noticed how she had trouble to speak, how it hadn't evolved, got any better. Of course he noticed how much she rubbed her eyes, always making sure she was close enough to the second bed in his room, who wasn't even supposed to be there, given how small, skimpy the place was. Of course he noticed how a part of his vision was terrible, blurry, how difficult it was to look at anything because it was so distracting. Of course he noticed, he wasn't dumb, he just wished they were after effects of his comatose state, and nothing more.

   And now he grew worried. How were they all ? Did Zenitsu run out of his own will, as he clung with all his might to that damn handle, threatening to collapse, not even able to look at them in the eyes, to even react, flinch, to their words ? Were even his other friends fine ? Did they die, leave without a goodbye ? Or were they scarred forever ? No, that couldn't be true. Why the hell was he the only one who always survived ? Why couldn't he die with them ? Leave ?

   He threw his head back on the pillow, stopping struggling. It was no use after all. His head rolled towards the antiseptic girl, with a pained face. He asked questions through his weak red eyes. She inhaled as she caught sight of it.

 "I don't think I should be the one telling you about the others. They'll come when they'll feel like it."

   Her voice grew quieter, more difficult to catch. She lifted absent-mindedly a hand to her face, stopping inches before it, as if she was realizing the presence of the mask. She clenched her fist tightly, and sat.

 "You suffered many... injuries." Kanzaki-san continued, her stare following every scar, every visible defects. "Your right eye has been damaged ; I couldn't do much without you being conscious. We should inspect that as soon as possible. And for... your arm." Her blue eyes asked for permission to continue. "Your arm grew back. At first, you would have been able to feel it until your elbow." Her gloved fingers touched the fabric, the place where it should have been. "I became aware of the infection too late. We- I had to amputate. I asked for your sister's advice ; it was either this, or you dying."

   His crimson orbs turned to gaze at Nezuko's weeping face. He was guilty of the feeling of betrayal he felt. He understood, yet he felt abandoned.

 "I am sorry, Tanjiro. You should know it wasn't her fault. I should have been more careful." He could feel the sadness the room was plunged in, and his intemperate anger.

   They left in silence, Kanzaki-san brushing lightly Nezuko's back as a caress, whilst she bawled her eyes out.

   The place was noiseless. Rolling over the burden his body was, it took him too long for his taste to sit up, for his feet to unsteadily touch the cold ground, before he broke down.