Chapter Text
Zenitsu's POV
The painful burn of a parched throat, and the ragged breaths that made there way in and out of my lungs begin to painful weigh on my chest as I weave my way through the markets crowd.
Tightening my grip around the smooth glass brushing comfortingly against my hand the rough fabric of my cloak rubs against my fingers as I slip the vile into one of its many pockets.
The booming sound of heartbeats invading my ears makes the ache in my throat almost unbearable. The undeniable urge to turn back plagues my senses as I harshly bite down on my lip feeling the familiar trickle of blood soaking onto my bandaged chin. I quickly round the corner narrowly escaping the watchful rays of the sun and slipping back into the darkness the long alleyways grant me.
Listening to the pitter patter of the morning rain against the cobblestone ground I let even the loudest of whispers to fade into the background until it turns into nothing but a hum in the back of my mind.
In my panic I wasn't able to feed properly.
“Well shit.”
Collapsing onto the cold corner of the city street I take in a deep breath soon turing into two and then three, adjusting my cloak until satisfied with the shade it provides me I tighten the bandages around my hands and face for more protection against the still rising sun.
I feel my stomach grumble in retaliation to my movements. To be honest I’m not sure that jumping peoples fences to steal their livestock is a good solution to my predicament, given that tonight I happened to be a bit too loud when sneaking through the coop. How was I supposed to know that that chicken was gonna wake up when I grabbed it. I got beat with a broom too this time and fucked up my ankle on the way out. Seriously this sucks.
Alls well that ends well I guess, the people of the town are none the wiser, they believe they’re fending off a feral animal I get their chickens, most of the time anyway..
A distant squeak rings softly in my ears followed by tiny scampering against the wet stone ground. With a swift movement I grab the small animal smoothing its grey fur down in my tight grasp.
Gripping the rodent firmly in my palms I finish it with a quick snap. Indulging in it's sour taste I suppress the bile threatening to tear up my throat swallowing the liquid down with a loud gulp.
‘I'm sorry little one it wasn't my wish to cause you suffering.’
Wiping my mouth from the red liquid that dared to taint my clothes I feel the tingling of my already healing wounds as my clearly sprained foot snaps back into its proper position within seconds. Whispering a short prayer for the rat I dispose of it in the nearest garbage can. I still can't seem to get used to this whole ordeal, if that's even what I should call it.
Shakily standing I begin the trek towards the orchard not bothering to spare a glance at the road behind me. I felt a gaze a familiar one, one old but kind, understanding. I recognize it somehow but at the moment I was to tired to bother. Looking back I should've, even a glance towards her would have sufficed. But nevertheless I walked home the burn of the sun grazing my back as if to mock my very existence.
Practically throwing myself down onto my futon I let the dreams once again overtake me, no matter whether I wanted them there or not.
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All I remember is red.
Screams pierced my sensitive ears and I couldn't even tell if they were mine anymore. I dragged myself along the hardwood floor using all the strength I had left.
Gramps...where are you?
Blood soaked through my clothes, the red streaks shone brightly on the walls, floor, and in a pitiful trail from my bedroom. I was plagued by the color red. My fingernails scraped against the floor trying to grip onto anything to pull myself forward, my old blisters reopening as I went.
It hurt so goddamn much.
I could feel my broken ribs brushing against my insides as I resisted the urge to throw up.
All I have to do is get help, I can make it outside. My arms scream in exhaustion as my fingers, torn from the broken floorboards begin bleeding onto it's dark panels. I finally reach the door crying in relief. Hesitantly lifting a hand to the wooden frame it falls open letting in a cool breeze of winter air.
Outside.
I'm so close.
I crawl shakily onto the porch the splintered wood digging into my bruised knees. I just need.
to get help...
The snow bites at my hands and bare skin as I try to continue moving.
My body feels heavier by the second as the snow begins soaking through my clothes letting the chilling breeze nip at my back. As if crawling across a thousand needles, pins prick my body followed by a warmth that unnervingly pools in my abdomen. As my arms give out beneath me I fight to remain conscious, the nausea and fatigue paying their dues.
My vision begins to fade dark swirls dancing through the snow and orchard my eyelids feeling droopier by the second. A strange dark figure blocks the moonlit sky, their voice falling on deaf ears blown away in whispers by the wind.
I try to stand, to do anything but I don't have the strength to lift my head anymore. I clench my fist but resist the urge to cry out as the sting returns leaving me helplessly splayed out across the ground.
I feel so cold, my arms and feet begin losing feeling as my blood seems to travel out of my core. It's so cold, yet strangely warm, peaceful, quiet.
Suppressing a choked laugh I watch the branches sway softly in midnight breeze. Is this what it feels like to die? It's a lot more painful then I thought.
I can't die!
ķ̷̧̛̙̙̗͚͕̹̳̘͙̤̻͍̬̰̭̙̟͖̦̹̦̌̈́̅̉̂̑̋̿͌̽͒̎͋͊̆̀̓͂̄̕͝͠ȁ̵̡̡̧̧̖̺͎̯͓̻͈͈͔͇̱͕̻͚̥̰͍̟͂̈́̄̂̔́͐͋͛͛͂̋͑̐̑̾̃̄͜i̵͕̝̣̹̻͇͖̖͙̮̭͍͚̰͈̗͗̓̀̎̚͝͝͝͝g̵̡̛̛̲͖͙̰̤̮͍̜͚͓̖͕͚͕̝̘̒̒̊͂̇̍̏͋̽̄͑̽̑͌̈̌̕͝͠͝ẳ̴͔͚͔̘̮͍̯̤̥͔͔͎͕͎̩̩̲̈͐́͑̌͒̾͛͘͜ḱ̸̡̨͓͚̼̣̺͇͓͇̣̘͎̰̘̤̭͓̤̺̦̻̦̊͋̽̊̓̔̈́̑͂̓ü̶̧͇̯͚̖͗̎̈́͛̐̒͆̎͒̓̇͑͆͛̕ ̷̡̧̳̱̺̜̟̰̫̣̣̯̱̼͎̫͊͛̈̈̒̅̀̊͛͆͑̈̓̒́̌̓͒̄̚͘͜͝͠w̵̡̬̹͈̩͓̠̥͈͖̗͈͉̳̺̹̠͔̣̗̃̂̈͂̉͌͐̕h̸̨̛̟̲͎͈̙̹̹̹̬̜̥̲̹̯͉̫̗͎͚̼̣̒͗̌͑̉̒̇̍́̏̂̑͂̊͊̑͜͝͝y̴̢̧̢̡͓̖̘̭̙̟͍̲͈͍̣̋̓͆̉͑͗͒̒́̊̀̓̌̋͑͛̈́̂̈̕̕ͅ ̴̢̧̧̧̨̰̙̰͓̜͔͙̯͓͍͖̲̟͈̺̗̻͕͛̔̋̓̽̎̉̅͐̕d̷̢̛̫̦͇̗̾̈̈́̑̅̔̐͂̄̌̅̏̃̈̊̌́͘̚i̷̡̧̨̬͔̤̫̟̝͎̤̘͈͔̳͔̟̮̊̑̄̋̓̉͆̏͂̌͌͘̚͝ḓ̸̛̈́͌͆̋͛͂̊̾̕͜͝ ̵̨̗͍̘̣̦̫̻̼̪̮̮͔̦̺̖̮͑̆̃̿̒̿̐̅̕y̸̩̞̣͑o̵̗͎̘̹̭̲̣͛͑͛̈́͌̀͌̈́̏̒͘̚u̷̧͔̗̤̥̙͎̙̲̽̐ ̴̢̛̠̜̼͓͈̮̓̀͐̊͊͐͑̿̈́̇͂̆̒̃̒̆̄͒̕l̸̢̛̦̣͔̣͓̮̜̖̾̓͂̈͂͂͛̃̑͐͂̃̿͊̚͝͠e̵̦̬͙̩͆͂̈́̔̅̃̋́̅̒͂̋̅̆͆̐̉͗̚̚͝a̷̛͔̞̣͙̺̙̝̭͉̰͖̻̯̣͚̹̜̖̳͉̺̠͒̌͗̏̀̄̈͒̚͝v̴̨̪̟͓͚͇͙̬̺͕͍͚͆͗̽ẹ̴̢̢̝͖͈̫̠̙͚̄́͑̈͋̑̇͊̿͊̆͘͘ ̷̞̗̟͍̙̞̭͌̈̊̈́͐́̂̓͛̈́͂̾̌̓̉̽͌̕͜͠ư̴̧̧̮͉͔̥̻̝̫̦͇̼̻̺̟̜̩̫͔͆̿̎̇̂̂̎͒̔̓̈̔̇̉̕͝ͅṣ̶̢̧̬̱̫̠̤͉̮͍͕͌̐̒̋̎̐͜
Wake up, I need to wake up! I can't fall asleep I need to help Gramps, I need to stand....
Spitting out what I can only assume to be more blood I feel my heart bang against my chest blood slowly turning the snow a vibrant crimson. I hear a soft voice calling out to me but no matter how hard I try to listen it's as if my ears are stuffed with cotton and my body filled with lead.
The swirls grow stronger now as if everything is right there yet so far away, fading into the distance, disappearing. Like drowning, suffocating.
I̷̡͚̐ͅͅ ̶͍̘͙͉̪̲̙̖̈̇̊̾͘͘͜ģ̶͓̮̽̏ȃ̷̮̅͋̿͒͌̍s̸̟̗̕p̵̥̞͋͐ ̷̹̖̝̳͙̪̝̥́̈͌̈́̊̅͝͠f̵̥̥̙̼̗̮̓̊̄̽͘ͅo̷̧̡̟̊͜r̴̨͚̬͙̞̐̄͗̆͐̇ ̴̡̰̘̦̊͜ă̵̖̭͊̑̽̽͆̂ï̴̪̤̤̩̲͍͇̟̲̖r̵̝͖̈́̅̓̈̋ ̶̠͔̙̹͔̥̍̈̉b̷̨̝̠̰̃ü̶̟̦͕͇̟̠̱͗͛̽͜t̶̪͙̳̤̗̭̘̪͎͊̈ ̷̡̨̼̙̠̣͙̈́̔͜m̴̤̩̔y̴̢̛̮̘͎̮̤̼͖͔͑̋̓͛ͅ ̶̟͔͕̙͑h̶̢̨̛͇͚̦̟́́͋̄̍̉͊̒̎ę̶̧̟͇̯̰̻̱̎͒͗̅̿̇̉ȧ̶͓̩̥̜̝̱̹͐̋̓̐̈͝d̷͕̞̣̜̼̼͉̲̞̳͊͑̓͊ ̵̯̒̑̈́͐̄̚̚͝i̷͙̝͖͛̏̔ͅs̵͎̟̹͈͕͓̤̿͌̏̊͝ ̶̝͑͆̑͗̆́͗͒p̵͖̻̟͕̬̜͍͓̖̫̒̂̅ṳ̷̡̩͇̕s̸͚̫͔̗̰̺̻̄̋͒̐̎͆̕ͅḧ̷̛̫́̆̀̀͝͠͠ë̷̛̫͙̦̮̦̻̞́͒̅́͠d̶̢̧̦͈̝̰̼͍̦͓͛̉͂͋ ̴̧̛̻̾̃̏͗͐̋̈̌͘i̶̥̤̩̙̘͕̎͐̅̕̚ņ̶̡͙̱̞͕͐̋̄͗̂̎̇̄̒͛ ̴̧̤͛̎̊̎̆̐ţ̴̹̦̟̰͍̫̳͗̇͐̃͊͂̌̕̕h̴̘͓͙̃̉ę̷̧͔͓͖̞̘̞̥̆͌̄͘͜ ̸̢̺̹̬͍͕̜̱͋̇̓̊͑́̎͌̕s̸̨̛͍͙̠͕̦̿̓̈́͋͘͝͠n̴̛̖̣̄̏͝ͅͅo̵̰̣͈͉͚̟̜̭̜̭̍̇̚͠ẁ̷̢̙̩̅̈̒̑̕͘̕.̸̹̈
I gasp for air but my head simply won't rise.
'Gramps...I'm so sorry'
'I really am a useless coward.'
I say as my vision fades into a deep red.
{5 Months Later}
Tanjiro's POV
I watch my sister happily sprint into town down the rocky path that seemed to stretch on for miles. As I rush to keep up with her I can't help but wince at the soreness of my feet. I guess Nezuko was right I really am out of practice.
"For being the 'Water Hashira' you've gotten slow big brother~" I hear her softly chuckling the smell of amusement radiating off her as she dances towards the town square. Picking up the pace only for her to run faster ahead the cycle was endless an unfair game with her always emerging as the victor-but she wasn't wrong. As a Hashira I have to be vigilant and careful. I really have been getting out of practice.
"Hey I'm getting old over here! Hurry up Tanjiro!!"
I was assigned another mission with my sister, not my idea of course but it had to be done. After a little bit of surveillance the town grew quiet the bustling of carts and animals came to a stop. From what I could gather 2 people had gone missing from this close knit village. A father and son.
Not long after this tragedy many farmhouse animals like chickens, pigs even dogs have started mysteriously disappearing without a trace. People have even done stakeouts to catch the 'wild animal' in their midst but with no success.
The rat population in this area has also gone down significantly.
Nezuko and I questioned some older and more native villagers. Some claimed to hear strange noises coming from the peach orchard on top of the hill, others believed that a strange presence has surrounded that house for a long time, saying that the owners are practically never there and if it weren't for the towns market they would've presumed them dead long ago.
The most popular thing in this village happened to be a night market that brought in many types of people keeping the town alive and functioning. With the red light district nearby the market place here was especially successful in bringing many talented people and performers. They sold things that ranged from herbal remedies to food and alcohol to clothing.
The reason we are even here in the first place was because my family and Nezuko alike both agreed that I was getting too stressed being all cooped up in the house.
Mother started becoming more sick with age, so as the oldest son it was my job to attend to her and take on all her chores and daily tasks. With house sitting, daily chores, meals, attending to my mother and entertaining the children even I could admit I was a little exhausted. My mother insisted I go on this 'easy' mission to loosen up a little.
I wasn't to sure about the whole ordeal one way or another. It just seemed so odd. Could this really be the work of demons, what happened to the people, where did they go, will we ever find them? And how could all of this be tied to the market place here, there are thousands of people rushing through the streets daily, are we sure it's not just some rookie kidnappers? Then again if the people on the orchard are only out to attend the night market what could they be hiding?
As the sun begins to set, disappearing behind the distant hilltops a quiet yet chilling breeze fills the air. Tamayo had requested while we were here to pick up a few things, but I can't help but feel guilty leaving my mother in her care. I should be there right now taking care of my family. As the oldest son I-
I'm snapped out of my thoughts to a comforting pat on my shoulder.
"Big brother, stay on task here."
I straighten myself out and brush off the imaginary dust from my clothing, glancing at Nezuko’s soft smile I can’t help but feel a little more reassured.
"Well it's not going to get any brighter out, so it should be about time to head over, don't you think?"
I finally say giving a weak smile. With a newfound enthusiasm Nezuko grabs my hand and drags me towards the town square. I really can't help it but I have an overwhelmingly strange feeling about this, and I can't seem to understand why.