Hello there! Here's a short one-shot about one of my favourite pairs in KNY, Zenitsu/Nezuko.

(!) Please Read: There is mentions of blood and descriptions of big injuries on a character's body.

Also, the one-shot takes place at the Butterfly Estate, after defeating Rui.

Thanks, and I hope you enjoy!

"N-Nezuko-chan…" The slayer uttered weakly, his voice trembling from the rush of adrenaline. He held her pale little body tightly in his fractured arms, tears overflowing his eyes. She was terribly wounded—the cut on her waist sliced all the way to her spine, causing blood and chunks to ooze out like a waterfall.

There was simply no way anyone could survive such an injury. And yet...

"Nezuko-chan, please… please wake up…"

The golden boy sobbed softly as he clutched her frail body closer to his, biting his lower lip with remorse. He knew awfully well it was too late for her, that he couldn't save her—but his grazed, quivering fingers still desperately continued holding onto her. Bitter anguish grasped at his heart as his hazel eyes reflected her painfully disheveled appearance; most of her kimono had been ripped apart, exposing her mutilated flesh and her crimson tainted skin. Tangled strands of her charcoal hair wrapped themselves around her limbs and his own, as if mocking the scarlet string of fate.

And yet she uttered no scream of pain, not a single flutter of an eyelid. Her delicate features were carefully carved with innocence and beauty, without displaying a hint of discomfort. How could a demon possess such a tender expression? No… That's wrong. Nezuko was never a demon—but an angel whose wings were forcefully plucked, feather by feather.

Feather by feather...

"Nezuko…"

All his muscles tensed as the recognizable smell of ash began lingering in the air. Fear engulfed his mind as he tightened his embrace around Nezuko, eyes shut firmly.

Please God, I beg you… Make this stop.

In a sudden, swift movement, Zenitsu's eyes shot wide open in shock as his lungs gasped for air. Blood rushed to his head and fingertips, beads of sweat slowly trickling down his forehead.

What... Just happened? A dream?

Darkness completely filled his vision, as if everything around him had been painted in thick, black ink. All he knew was that he wasn't in bed, but on the cold wooden floor—perhaps in the middle of a hallway.

Did I sleepwalk or something? My head hurts…

Zenitsu gently touched his aching temple, pulling a grimace at the stinging pain. The golden boy concluded he must have slept-walked during that vivid, torturous dream, and somehow fell over in an empty hallway. He was surprised he hadn't awaken anyone, especially Aoi who's constantly on her toes when Kochou isn't here.

After a few calming breaths, the slayer finally felt able to stand, legs still a little wobbly. This, by far, was the worst nightmare Zenitsu had ever experienced. His hand clutched at his stomach from simply recalling it—blood and tears were blurring his vision, and a deeply injured Nezuko lied in his arms.

Nezuko-chan… I want to see her, the slayer quietly thought to himself. He wants to make sure she's safe, that all of her terrible wounds were truly just a dream. He wants to see her eyes look back at him, to feel the warmth of her body against his...

Unconsciously, Zenitsu quickened his footsteps as impatience filled his mind to the brim. It wasn't a matter of desire anymore, but of a craving need that had to be fulfilled. And now that his eyes fully adapted to the darkness, the slayer had no trouble finding the way to his destination.

But as he arrived before Nezuko's bedroom door, his body paused. Each of his movements seemed to slow down, yet his heart pounded recklessly inside his chest. Zenitsu bit his lip in anticipation as he carefully opened the door with a creak—and his hazel eyes widened bigger than ever at the sight in front of him.

Nezuko stood at the center of the moon-kissed room, trails of glistening tears running down her reddened cheeks. Unable to express a single word, the two exchanged a gaze that seemed to get across a message much louder than that. It was as if their feelings and thoughts had suddenly intertwined.

Nezuko-chan? Did she… Did she also have a nightmare? She's crying...

Hesitantly, Zenitsu slowly began approaching her, but as soon as she started doing the same, he ran to tenderly pull her into his arms.

"N-Nezuko-chan…" Zenitsu uttered shyly, his hold around her tightening. She's right here, safe and sound—not a trace of an injury on her delicate skin. She's beaming with warmth, and her hair felt as soft as silk between his fingers. The reassuring sensation of having her in his arms seemed surreal. Truthfully, Zenitsu was half-expecting Nezuko to push him away.

But she didn't.

Instead, her gentle hands grabbed onto the fabric of his shirt, timidly returning his embrace. The single touch of her fingertips made Zenitsu's heart throb with happiness, a cherry coloured blush decorating his cheeks. It was only then Zenitsu realised how deprived of human-contact he really was—and the fact Nezuko was the one in his arms in this very instant, made it all the more fulfilling.

Please God, I beg you… Make this last forever.

Thanks for reading!