The Blacksmith's daugther was a witch (Tomioka Giyuu x reader)

Chapter 21: Crashing tides

Previously:

"He didn't move at all just to avoid injuring me..? To think I hurt him so much... Why didn't he say something?" sniffled Zenitsu.

Tanjiro looked down at his lap sadly and sighed. It was so sad, maybe if he did say something, the boy would have stopped sooner.

"You see, Zenitsu... He couldn't tell you..."

"Why not?"

"Ren-san, he... He cannot tell anyone anything. He's mute after all."

At that moment Zenitsu felt like the worst person alive.

Hakumei Ren was strange in more ways than one but when Shinobu heard about him getting brutally beaten by an ill boy AND without resisting, it was the strangest fact about him yet. Aoi explained to her that he claimed not wanting to harm Zenitsu but she still couldn't wrap her head around it. Just pushing his assailand off wouldn't hurt him that much, right? It would definitely cause less damage than a possibly cracked skull and ribs followed by damaged internal organs. The Insect pillar almost couldn't believe that someone as ill as the boy could be so dangerous, but that's what adrenaline does to you.

Because of all of that, she was now speedwalking in the direction of the boys' room, where she expected to see the Demon Hunter sprawled on the floor, finally passed out after his own adrenaline ran out. What she wasn't ready to see was the man, seemingly absolutely fine and healthy, helping the estate staff clean up the bloodstain on the floor.

His face was wrapped in fresh white bandages, which made him resemble Obanai more than ever before, and his hair was damp but clean. It was unusual to see the (h/c) tresses be let free without being tied in any way. He must have put himself together before Aoi even reached her office. But no matter how chipper he was, Shinobu had to make sure he was alright. And to be honest, she highly doubted it. No one just coughs up blood and then walks away like it was nothing, that's not how the human body works.

"Hakumei-dono, I told you countless times, you don't have to help us..." sighed one of the girls scrubbing the floor.

"It's no use, he's convinced it's his responsibility since it's his blood." answered the other one.

"But that doesn't make sense, if he's that injured, he should be resting!"

"I know but he insisted on the fact that it was him who made the mess so he should also clean it up. Apparently he could have stopped it but since he was scared of harming Zenitsu-san, he didn't make a move to get rid of him, which resulted in him 'bleeding all over the floor' as he said..."

Well, that was straight up stupid. Hakumei seemed to lack some basic knowlege of human interaction, did he grow up under a rock or something? How in the hell is bleeding because someone attacked him his fault? Well, nevermind that, she had to check how bad the damage was.

"Hakumei-san?" she called and he immediately lifted his head.

His eyes met hers as hair fell into his face. He seemed quite suprised to see her there but he nodded at her to show he was listening.

"I was notified that you recieved some nasty injuries. Do you mind if I check them over?"

He started shaking his head but she wouldn't have any of that and was already behind him, pulling his hair apart to look for the wound. She expected to see at least some sort of a gash but... there was nothing. The skin under his hair was clear of any scabs or scratches... actually it was clear of any imperfections in general. No scars, no nothing. His skin was like porcelain, pure and pale. Just what was going on?