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In Caring Arms

Chapter I: Will you play with me?

Susamaru could feel it.

Blood. This man's blood, coursing through human veins, through mortal arteries and capillaries—raging, powerful, and brimming with life. In the dark of night, his flesh called to her, beckoned to her, and it was a sweet aroma that made her mouth water and her legs quiver.

Deep within the forest, a blond man stood alone.

He leaned against a tree with a sober expression, gazing at the glimmering stars above. Even beneath a suit and tie, his frame was strong, athletic, sculpted through years of physical activity. He was a bit above average height: just under six feet. His visage was young, barely that of a twenty-year-old. His cheeks were whiskered, birthmarks etched across his comely features.

It almost pained her to think that she would soon end this young man's life.

Almost.

She smiled hungrily, eager to tear him apart.

A bag was at his side, stuffed to the brim with various plants and herbs. In his hand was a thick book. After a moment of looking up, he swiftly took a pen and began to sketch.

Susamaru, the spectator, the hunter, stalked her blond-haired, blue-eyed prey. The blood that this man possessed was different. It felt different. It sounded different from any other person she had ever devoured. For several minutes, the demon had slowly followed him. She had trailed the blond until they were in a secluded area, where she could take her time with him.

She was quaking with bloodlust. And now, it was time to act.

Normally, she would use her temari balls to end her foes, turning them into chunks of meat. But not this one. She wanted to keep him intact, wanted to hear his pained screams as she devoured him bit by painful bit. Oh, how she could not wait to taste his blood—the very blood that had called to her the moment she laid eyes on him.

Susamaru's hands shook, then clenched into fists. Her claws lengthened, sharped. Her menacing fangs burst forward; and somehow, she knew this would be her finest meal yet.

But before she could make a move, the blond man suddenly stirred.

He stopped sketching.

"You know, you're not as quiet as you think you are."

Susamaru froze, a sudden chill running down her spin.

Had she been spotted? She remained still for time, wondering if he had truly seen her slinking through the forest. A wall of green separated them, hiding her entire body from sight.

"Demon, I'm talking to you," the blond repeated, turning to her exact location. "Come on, no need to hide. Let's get this over with."

She snarled with prideful anger, emerging from behind a tree. She said no words to him. She moved with purpose in her steps, walking, then running, then sprinting, thundering toward this calm human. She closed the distance between them in an instant, claws outstretched, jaws exposing brutal fangs.

She hoped to see horror in the blond's eyes.

But instead, she saw… nothing.

No fear.

Not even surprise.

And then, a fist plowed into her face.

She was halted mid-sprint. A sickening crunch echoed through the forest as her nose and teeth were shattered. Another fist drove into her stomach, and she retched, falling to her knees. Another strike landed, a vicious kick. She felt her ribs snap beneath the force of his leg. And the final blow to the sternum sent her flying twenty meters backwards; she rolled against the dirt, stopping only as her back struck a nearby tree.

Susamaru could taste blood in her mouth.

Not the blood of her foe, but her own. She shuddered, clutching her ribs tightly. Pain swam down her body. The demon whimpered as she slowly sat up. She could not move her arm. Her jaw and nose had been broken. Her ribs most likely shattered to pieces.

By a mere human.

The blond man observed her for a moment, then he drew closer, taking deliberate steps. It was then that Susamaru looked into his eyes, a vibrant blue that mirrored the sea. There was no hesitation, no tentativeness in gaze.

Suddenly, she was afraid.

This being wasn't human. He couldn't be. Yet, vibrant blood still coursed through his veins. His flesh and organs called to her, begging to be devoured. He didn't have Kibutsuji's aura, so he couldn't have been a demon.

A Demon Slayer, perhaps?

No, couldn't be. He hadn't used a Nichirin sword. Only brute strength.

Susamaru shrunk back as the blond stood before her.

He leaned forward.

"You're not the first one, you know." He sighed, staring down at her. He looked tired, weary. And sad.

She could feel her wounds healing. "What… what are you talking about?"

The young man scratched his whiskered cheeks. "They always come. Your kind. They're drawn to me. Like moths to a flame."

"Just who are you?!" Susamaru probed, buying time, waiting for her body to recover.

"A shinobi, an artist, and believe it or not, I'm also a doctor." The blond listed. He counted on his fingers with a pleasant smile.

"Shi… shinobi?" she panted. Her ribs began to mend themselves. It was a swift, yet painful process. "What the fuck is that?"

"You don't know? I could have sworn there were shinobi in this world." He chuckled, then crossed his arms. "But you know, it's very annoying."

His expensive suit was ruined, stained with blood. Her blood.

"When you demons attack me, I really, really don't like it." The blond sighed again. "Some have even tried it in broad daylight, only for them to burn alive."

"Probably young, inexperienced demons. Recently turned, by the sound of it." She laughed humorlessly, wheezing in agony.

"With a group as old as yours, you'd think the older demons would take better care of the young."

Fully recovered, Susamaru snarled. "Guess it's not in our nature!"

She lunged forward, aiming for the man's skull. Meal be damned! She threw two temari balls, hoping to turn his head into chunks of meat. But he deflected them with the ease of swatting a fly.

And Terror befell her.

She felt a hand wrap around her neck, slamming her against a tree so harshly that wood splintered and cracked against her spine. The lumbering trunk groaned, snapping. It soon gave way, falling to the forest floor with a mighty thud. She cried out in pain as she was lifted by the throat, legs dangling like a doll. This time, he had broken her lower spine, rendering her limbs useless. And her ribs, once again shattered, pierced her lungs from within.

"You're not a monster, you know," the blond whispered, powerful hands clenched around the demon's throat. "I can see it in your eyes. You think you are, but you're not."

He pulled out a strange knife, twirling it with a finger. An ethereal glow surrounded his weapon, distorting the very space around it. It wasn't a nichirin blade, but she just knew it had the power to kill her. Or at least, do some permeant damage.

She trashed against his hold, completely overcome by fear—something she hadn't felt in a long time. She wondered; would this man decapitate her, or wait for the sun, finally ending her eternal life?

She stopped struggling, gasping out. "I am a monster," she said pitifully.

The blond's grip loosened, and Susamaru fell to the forest floor. She didn't try to escape. She couldn't.

He took a knee. "I haven't been alive for as long as you have, but trust me, I've seen real monsters. The kind of monsters with the power to kill untold thousands of people at once. But you? You kill to satisfy a hunger you cannot control."

From the ground, Susamaru grit her teeth. Tears burned at her eyes. She was angry, humiliated, frustrated, and afraid. So very afraid. Because she was going to die. A fact at this point. Outmatched, outclassed. She was at this man's mercy.

And in the face of death, something peculiar began to take place.

She slowly remembered her former life.

It was almost as though a veil had been lifted, and the memories came flowing in.

She remembered her family, long since dead. Her older sister, who had always played ball with her, when she'd been a child. She remembered all the people that had died because of her, including her father, mother, and sisters. Their screams, their cries. And she remembered the day she had been turned into a demon—against her will.

"You don't understand… anything," she said, tears staining her pale face, a sob on her lips. The image of her family was clear as day, and she hated herself more than ever.

"I do understand," the blond spoke softly. "More than you know."

"Y-you're going to kill me…" Susamaru whispered, accepting her fate. She was a mess. A crying, sniveling mess. What a way to die, she thought. A predator at the feet of her former prey.

For a moment, it seemed like the blond considered letting her die. But he frowned, lost in a sea thought. Then he stood up, twirling his blade once more.

"You won't die. Not yet. Not until the sun rises," he spoke, grasping her chin between his fingers, so that she could look him in the eyes. His hold was so gently, so warm. When was the last time someone had touched her? "You might think you're a monster. Everyone might say that you are. But only you can decide what you are—who you want to be."

His words rang fiercely in ears, challenging all that she had believed since becoming a demon.

"What…" she began quietly. "W-what's your name?"

He smiled faintly. "Naruto."

"Na… ruto," she repeated.

"And yours?"

"S-Susamaru."

"Okay, Susamaru. Here's what will happen. I'm going to give you two choices," Naruto began, holding up one finger. "Choice one, give up on eating humans forever, protect them with your life, and live to atone for all the death you've caused." He held up another finger. "Or, choice two. Die with the rising sun." His words were piercing, sharper than any blade. "There's no shame in choosing death."

Susamaru shuddered at his words. Not much time remained. Dawn was approaching. She could feel it. She chanced another glimpse into his eyes, and they were cold and determined to do what he had said.

In the distance, her Temari balls laid in the grass. Her hands trembled, longing to hold them, longing for a chance to play with someone.

"I can see that you've remembered something important," he said, turning to what she was looking at. "Some demons, as they're dying, or just before dying, seem to regain some glimpses of their former human lives. It's very interesting, really."

She blinked, and Naruto retrieved her temari. He placed them in her hands, softly and tenderly.

"If… if I choose to live, w-will you play with me?"

Her voice was small, scared of his response. Despite her age, a tiny part of her mind, still childish, still immature, longed for him to say yes.

Naruto paused, somewhat surprised by her request. Then he chuckled softly.

"Of course I will."

In a moment of clarity, induced by the nearness of death, she chose to live. She did not know this man, nor was she completely certain that he would keep his promise. But when she looked at him, she couldn't help but take a gamble.

"I… I don't want to die," she whispered. "I'll do it. I'll… I'll do everything you said."

Naruto almost looked relived, for he could sense no malice, no negative emotions, no deceit. So, likely, she was being sincere.

"You won't regret this, Susamaru."

Naruto took that same knife. She flinched, almost expecting him to strike. But he wasn't aiming at her. Instead, he sliced his own palm. Crimson blood flowed from his injury, dripping to the soft earth.

Susamaru's mouth watered. He lifted her chin, and she parted her lips. It was only a few drops, but his blood was enough to satiate her hunger. She drank slowly, savoring a taste like no other. She felt warm; she felt wrapped in caring arms. Her body trembled, melted, tears streaming down her cheeks as the gluttonous desires of a demon began to wane.

She didn't wish to eat him.

Not anymore.

Because his blood was all she needed.

All that she desired.

End.

I must say, while the story of demon slayer is captivating and well-written, the thing that most drew me into the show was the animation quality. As a novice artist, I can only image the effort and talent it took to produce each episode, each frame, even. This show truly struck a chord with me though. The idea isn't necessarily new or innovative, but the characters are very interesting, and the villains, despite their egregious actions, can be sympathized with at a certain level.

Edited: 5/28/21

Will Naruto be nerfed?

Yes. If you don't like these types of stories, then I suggest you proceed no further. I've gotten too many complaints even though I made it clear he would be a bit weaker (for a specific reason) from the very beginning. So rather than messaging me and tell me to die because of a fanfiction story (yes, someone has told me this), please exit the story right now.

Anyway, why Susamaru?

She's a one-off character, someone "unimportant" in the grand scheme of things. But for some reason, as she died, the sight of her crying out for her Temari really hit me. We don't truly get a backstory for her, but I imagine she was turned when she was young, and though she is probably decades old, she never truly got to live a normal life and grow into a decent human being.

Thanks for reading.

Until next time.

Stay Safe.