The World On His Shoulders | Demon slayer x Male reader

Chapter LVIII

3rd Person's POV.

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In the room, Y/N sat motionlessly, his gaze fixed on an indistinct point before him. The world around him felt distant, disconnected from his own reality. Thoughts and memories swirled in his mind like fragments of a broken mirror, each piece reflecting a moment of pain, confusion, or nothingness. The news of Kanae's encounter had shattered his world, leaving him lost.

Kanao entered the room tentatively, her eyes immediately landing on Y/N. "Nii-san?" she called out softly. She stood there for a moment.

She hesitated, then gently moved his arm, trying to elicit some sign of recognition or response. Kanao's own emotions were a mix of sadness and confusion. She couldn't understand why she couldn't cry, why her emotions were so muddled and restrained.

Aoi walked into the room, carrying a tray with a bowl of miso soup. She paused upon seeing Kanao and the state Y/N was in. "Still nothing?" she asked.

Kanao shook her head silently, her eyes not leaving Y/N.

Aoi approached, setting the tray down and offering the soup to Y/N. "Y/N-sama, I brought miso soup," she said, trying to sound cheerful.

Y/N's response was barely audible, his voice weak and distant. "I'm not hungry," he mumbled.

"Nii-san, today... today we learned a new kanji... Nee-san was there with us." She hoped the familiar topic might spark some recognition, some return to the present.

"And I helped treat a young slayer's injury today. I remembered what you taught me about bandaging." Aoi added.

Y/N's response was the same, his voice hollow and detached. "I'm not hungry," he repeated, his gaze never wavering, not even acknowledging the girls' presence or their words.

The two girls exchanged a helpless look. Their attempts to cheer him up, to bring some normalcy back into the room, seemed to dissolve. His repeated phrase, "I'm not hungry," felt like a barrier they couldn't cross, a symbol of his complete withdrawal from the world around him.

Kanao's mind struggled to comprehend the depth of Y/N's pain. Aoi was equally at a loss, her usual composure giving way to a feeling of helplessness.

Y/N remained still, his body present but his mind seemingly lost in a place far beyond their reach.

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Shinobu limped into the room. Her injury, though claimed to be minor, was evident in her walk. The sadness in her eyes was unmistakable as she approached Y/N, Aoi, and Kanao.

"Aoi, Kanao," she addressed them softly, then turned her attention to Y/N. "Y/N?" she called out, hoping for some sign of recognition.

Y/N's response was no different than before. He continued to stare blankly at his lap, his eye unblinking, utterly detached from his surroundings.

Shinobu decided it was best to move Y/N to the infirmary. "Y/N, there's someone in the infirmary who wants to see you," she said attempting to rouse him.

"I'm not hungry," came Y/N's mechanical reply, a phrase that seemed to have become his refuge from reality.

Shinobu sighed. "Girls, help me, please," she requested, looking to Aoi and Kanao for assistance.

Together, they tried to coax Y/N out of bed, but even their combined efforts did little to move him from his catatonic state.

Suddenly, Inosuke appeared hanging from the ceiling. "I will help! God of war, come on! Angry short lady is talking to you!" he exclaimed in his usual brash manner.