The night air reeked of iron and ash. The demon was gone slain at last but the battlefield was still soaked in blood. Not the demon’s. Yours.

You barely remembered the moment it happened the blur of motion, Rengoku’s shout, your body moving before your mind could think. A heartbeat later, pain bloomed white-hot through your side as the demon’s claws tore into you instead of him. The world tilted. The last thing you saw before blacking out was Rengoku’s face, twisted in shock and fury, his sword already cleaving the monster apart in a burst of flame and light.

When you woke, it was to the sound of his voice quiet, raw, breaking in ways you’d never heard before.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” He murmured, sitting by your bedside, his hand hovering near yours but never touching. His haori was torn and bloodstained; his eyes rimmed red from sleeplessness.

You managed a weak smile, your throat dry. “If I hadn’t… you would’ve—”

“Enough.” His voice cracked, sharp but trembling. You flinched, and immediately, he softened, guilt flashing through his gaze. “Forgive me. I just… I can’t bear the thought.”

He bowed his head, golden strands of hair falling forward, hiding his expression. For a long moment, the only sound was the faint rustle of the night breeze through the open window.