Demonslayer X Male Reader Oneshots Rengoku x Reader

The scent of blood was thick and putrid but I didn’t falter in my precise movements.  Haori flying and mind focused, my eyes didn’t stray from my target even as the nearby sounds of clashing threatened to divide my attention. 
    
The demon assigned for my care was quick but I was quicker.  Darting to the side, I narrowly avoided being skewered by its knife-like claws that struck out with a vengeance.  My katana raised up to deflect another hit that sent a violent shudder throughout my body.  There was one thing that this demon had an advantage of and that was sheer strength.  No doubt that my own muscles were indeed strong but it was nowhere near this demon’s level. 
    
Another blow made me hiss at the pain that wound up my arms.  It wouldn’t be long until I became weak enough to catch.  Kicking my foot out, I attempted to sweep my leg under the demon but they merely jumped over my attack.  It was a shame that this one happened to be pretty smart as well. 
    
A small groan behind me pulled my attention away from my target.  It was only a second of divided focus but long enough for the demon to lunge towards me with claws outstretched.  The cut was clean and quick but sent a horrible pain blazing across my shoulder.  I didn’t even need to glance down to know that it was already gushing with blood.  I could feel the warm liquid dripping down my uniform as I began to breathe deeply and center myself.  But the groan from behind me didn’t sound good. 
    
The mission had seemed easy.  There was suspicion of a low level demon in the area that needed to be executed quickly and my partner and I happened to be close by to make a quick stop.  Neither of us had been anticipating, not only twins, but high level as well.  Splitting into two separate battles was his idea and I was beginning to regret going along with it.  All I could worry about now was whether he was doing alright or not.  It wasn’t doubt of his skills but the reality of the situation we now found ourselves in. 
    
After being struck, I was nearly guaranteed to get caught even sooner and who knew how my partner was doing.  Trying to keep a level head, I continued to focus on my breathing as the pain subsided the smallest bit.  The demon didn’t wait as it struck like a bull, headfirst and with tons of strength.  My sword came up quickly to meet the outstretched arm that was closing in on me. 
    
Something warm and wet splattered across my face as my ears filled with the sound of howling.  Squinting through the crimson, I could make out the shape of an arm lying upon the ground in a puddle of blood.  The demon itself was gently cradling its wound with small whimpers and many curses. 
    
Using the opportunity while the demon was distracted, I charged forward to strike with my blade.  The satisfying feeling of the hit along with the piercing scream of the demon alerted me to my successful attack.  My katana was slicing across the demon’s torso, leaving behind a crimson line as I dug the blade in deeper.  There was a pain filled shout from behind me that drove me to finish the job faster and so taking the sword out of the fresh wound, I drove it back into the demon’s neck with a clean slice that severed its head. 
    
By the time the body fell to the ground, I was already spinning around to check on my partner.  It was hard to tell whose blood was whose with both the demon and the hashira covered in it.  There were oozing cuts everywhere as well as deep bruises.  The demon struck with precision and strength and I could tell it took everything in my partner to deflect the blow.  Rengoku was the strongest person I knew so if he was having a hard time then that was an incredibly strong demon. 
    
Pure adrenaline led me towards the fight with my sword raising again.  I tried to stay focused on the target but the sudden panic in Rengoku’s eyes made me falter.  It had taken me a moment to realize but my usual fiery partner had dropped his constant smile.  This was serious and by the look he sent me, I was not wanted in this battle. 
    
It was a shame then when I still pushed forward despite his silent plea to swing at the demon.  It dodged quickly, even faster than I was, to take another hit at Rengoku.  Blood flew through the air as I shouted in shock.  A new gash split across his pale skin from his shoulder and across his chest.  The fiery hashira only grimaced with a small frown before stabbing the demon through its middle. 
    
Shaking off my shock, I darted to the howling demon and used the distraction as I swung hard.  My katana cut quickly through the demon’s neck, its head falling into my lap while succeeding to further bloody my haori.  The body hit the ground with a victorious thump as I was suddenly pulled into a weak embrace. 
    
Burying my face into Rengoku’s hair, I let my deep breathing collapse to quick pants.  The adrenaline was fading from my body to leave behind an assortment of pain that made me light headed.  I could tell by the slump in Rengoku’s shoulders that he wasn’t feeling too great either. 
    
“Let’s get you to sit so I can patch you up a bit,” I whispered carefully against his shoulder.  He didn’t say a word which was starting to concern me as he nearly toppled to the ground.  My arms wrapped under his shoulders to gently lower him with my remaining strength. 
    
Sheathing his katana, my hands went to remove his haori.  Rengoku didn’t so much as flinch as I stripped off his uniform top.  His eyes were downcast, focused lazily on the ground beneath my knees.  It was hard to ignore this side of him but his wounds were a more prominent issue I had to deal with first. 
    
Scavenging inside my haori, my hands gripped on the small aid kit I carried around on my belt loop for moments just like this.  I didn’t have much but bandaging him up would have to do for now. 
    
Rengoku’s bare chest was littered with a variety of gashes and bruises that sent a sickly feeling to my stomach.  Without anything to properly clean the wounds out, I set on wrapping him up to at least slow the bleeding. 
    
“Alright, just hang in there,” I warned him before beginning to drape the thin cloth around his chest.  Every time my fingers brushed against his pale skin, he shivered with his eyes closed.  I began to tighten the fabric bit by bit as I tried to ignore the small grunts of pain that resonated in the silence around us. 
    
Tying off the bandage, I had managed to cover the worst of it but he still had many cuts that refused to scab up quick enough.  My hand gently cupped Rengoku’s face, his eyes opening slightly to gaze at me.  He looked extra pale with a glazed stare that made me worry about the intensity of his wounds. 
    
“You didn’t have to interfere.  I’m here to protect you,” his voice rasped out in a whisper.  It was the only time that he didn’t speak in his usual loud, prideful tone.  Nonetheless it was still a ridiculous assumption to think that I would stand by while he did all the protecting. 
    
“Rengoku, if this is ever supposed to work between us you have to realize that the protection goes both ways,” I chided quietly, rubbing my thumb under his eye to wipe away a speck of demon blood.  He frowned at me but leaned into my touch.  I leaned in to place a kiss upon his forehead, careful to avoid any scratches. 
    
“Can you do me a favor?  It might be selfish to ask but can you give me a smile?”  His eyes began to brighten to their usual shine as he softly beamed at me.  He raised his arms to wrap them around my back and pull me onto his lap. 
    
Carefully distributing my weight to where I wasn’t hurting him, I pulled him in for a gentle kiss.  He hummed in satisfaction while tightening his hold on me.  Being held against his bare torso caused my own body to warm and my pain to ease.  I would do whatever it took to keep Rengoku by my side like this.  I would fight any demon to protect him even if it meant death.  No one could take away my flame.