Hobby Artist

When I opened my eyes, I was blinded by how bright the room was. Summer mornings always were the most beautiful things, if you ignored the brightness it brought upon arrival. When I sat up, something hit my lap, falling from my stomach. Startled, a mute gasp left my lips; It took me a few seconds to understand it was an arm that was attached to the person I seemed to have huddled close to, during the night. When I tried to speak, my voice got caught in my throat and only a sound escaped my lips.

Rubbing my eyes, I then looked over my shoulder. It was a relief to see the Fire Pillar had not ended up sleeping on his stomach, and from the drool on the corner of his mouth he seemed to have slept just fine. Looking a bit longer, I could see his kimono had slipped off his shoulder but also he was not wearing his haori. I was still surprised he managed to sleep in this attire, at all, but I was getting used to the surprises this man brought. His hair had left the braid during the night and seemed even messier than it usually was; Looking outside, I thought it may have been because of the mist that had set outside.

A faint drizzle had set on the land and seemed to have made the air more breathable, but with it came this feeling of stickiness the humidity brought. My eyes trailed back to the spread out form by my side, his free hand was resting on his stomach as the hair that had freed itself from the braid stuck to his face. Cute, I thought as I leaned in to brush the hair out of his face. When I did, his eyes suddenly opened wide, as they focused on my face, a smile spread on his lips. It took him half a second, if not less, to recognize it was me and to bring such a warm feeling in my chest from just a smile.

“Good morning,” When he spoke, it dawned on me that I had never really heard his drowsy voice; it lacked clarity from his usual loudness but perhaps was it because he was still laying down. “You’re looking,” he whispered, as if telling me a secret, chuckling shortly after. “I was not, your hair… I was going to get it out of your face, you are sweating quite a lot,” I laughed, pulling my hand back. Kyojuro was not having it and held my hand, bringing it back to his face, “Suit yourself, I am not about to refuse your hands on me,”

I could refuse, there was that possibility because I knew he was not going to get mad, there was no reason to, after all. Instead, I turned around fully, facing him, chuckling with a smile that turned into a confused expression when something fell from my shoulders. “What is-“ “My haori, it seems like this time you were the one who slithered out of your futon, I did not want you to catch a cold,” he explained, his large hand settling on my lower back as he pressed me closer. I stiffened at the sudden touch, and he stopped, instead brushing his thumb gently, whispering the tiniest “Sorry,” matching his tone, I whispered back “Just surprised, that is all…”

Reaching for his face, I avoided meeting his gaze and focused on the strands of hair. “It was not smart to sleep in your kimono, jinbeis are made for this,” I stated, brushing his hair back with my hand when he had let go. “Well, yes, but I couldn’t quite have covered you during the night if I had a jinbei now, could I?”

“You did not predict this, do not kid yourself,” I paused, also pausing my action as I looked at him, my head above his only slightly, “And I am sure you would have found a way, you are the Fire Pillar, after all, your body is hot all the time,” I joked, not moving. The longer this courting was going on, the more prone I was to get in situations where if I leaned in even just a bit, I could get a taste of his lips. And for a second, when his hands cradled my face, I thought I was.

With a smug smile on his lips, the golden man asked, “Are you saying I am hot?” His eyes darted to my lips, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed, I was quick to look back up instead of letting my eyes wander off. “I meant, warm,” I breathed out, I did not realize how I sounded until I spoke. It was not as clearly spoken as it should have been, I was barely focused on his words. My mind was on the feeling of his hands against my skin, along the lingering feeling of when it touched my lower back. How long should courting be for it to be appropriate for me to cave in? This was too soon, surely… but his entire being was so enticing…

“Are you saying I’m not hot, then?” He asked jokingly, a thick brow risen on his beautiful face. My face flushed, of course I had not said that, how could he insinuate such things when all I have been thinking of is to push him on the ground and kiss him like there was no tomorrow? I did not want to wipe that smile off his face, I wanted to see it all of the time, every day, in the morning, in the afternoon, before going to sleep. But I couldn’t cave in. “No, I did not say that,” I chuckled.

Rengoku was startled when I placed both of my hands on either side of his head, it was a physical boundary to myself to not let myself lean in. His eyes glanced at my arms a moment, then a nervous chuckle escaped his lips, “I do enjoy where this is going, the closer you are to me, the happier it makes me,” I had to blink slowly to take in what he had said, my cheeks flaring up upon understanding. My mind was too clouded to be thinking anything at this moment; His hand sliding to the side of my neck, with his fingers behind my ear as his thumb brushed over my cheekbone, I felt him pulling me in gently.

My arm did not hold long, I leaned in gladly. How strong is a body with a weak mind? I thought, berating myself a moment for the little will I had. My heart was hammering against my chest, like a woodpecker. I would have swooned if I were not already kneeling when the man under me licked his lips, instead I felt a huge disappointment when instead of letting our lips meet, he turned only slightly so that his lips were right next to my ear, his breath caressing the shell of my ear, “I have yet to buy you flowers,” a surprised sound left my lips, I would even go as far as to say a whine but admitting so would be too shameful.

Rengoku then pressed his forehead against mine and smiled, almost painfully, “Proper courting takes time, we wouldn’t want to rush this,” I absolutely would, I thought, surprising myself. “And you are deserving of every second of it,” But what if we take too long and it’s too late, I asked to myself, not daring voicing my thoughts.

“Delaying what we both want gives me sights as this very one,” He chuckled, his thumbs brushing over my cheeks, one hand sliding down my jaw to touch my lips slowly. “And I dare say, I relish in seeing you looking at me like this,” His gentle smile turned into a smug one as he looked up, meeting my gaze once more, “Is my songbird mute?”

Getting a hold of myself after what almost happened, I leaned back and quickly turned around, ready to get my morning started. Ignoring his question, I found comfort in having my back facing him and asked, “Are you certain we have time?” I heard him laugh to himself. The rustle of fabrics followed as he sat up, then his hand was resting on my shoulder. I leaned my head forward, looking at my hands, “Good things come to those who wait, is it not how the proverb goes?” Kyojuro asked, the smile on his face could be heard in the way he spoke.

“Time is a hard concept to grasp in times like these, I do not want to regret anything,” A kiss was placed on the nape of my neck, I tensed up in surprised before relaxing when Rengoku rested his chin on my shoulder, “Until the festival,” It was almost pleading, but I heard it as a suggestion. “Let’s make it special. By then I will be in perfect shape to show you the best spots, and give you the tightest hugs, and so much more,” I couldn’t help but laugh softly upon hearing those words. He was planning on giving this courtship his everything, and while my biggest fear was rushing this, I also wanted to do so. I wanted him.

It felt like a dance, we were waltzing around each other, making the other want more. We both played the game and knew what we wanted but to each thing in life, there were rules. Taking time in a situation such as ours was one of those rules. “Very well, what is two more days? There is satisfaction in seeing your face every day, for now it will have to do,” I paused when he kissed my cheek happily, then stood up, carefully helping Rengoku’s chin off my shoulder and making my way to the door, “I will see you later, pretty boy,” I gave him a smile and saw his face lit up, mirroring me. His smile broadened, while mine turned into a short laugh when he said, “I’m a pretty boy?”

I did not have time to answer when the door I was about to open slid open. I was quick to turn around and face the person who had done just that, only to be met with the loudest of all the Pillars. It was hard to admit he was louder than Rengoku, but it was true. While the Fire Pillar was confident and kind, his loudness only shared positive emotions; However, the sound Pillar was loud for no reason, it was a lot about him and showing off. I got along a lot better with Gyomei than Uzui, but the latter was the one standing in front of me with a huge bag on his back. “You!” He said, grinning.

Then he squinted his eyes, “Wait, you? Innit Ren’s room?” his tone was confused; His eyes darted behind me and probably caught a glimpse of the disheveled look of the lion-like man. I thought so from the knowing smile that started spreading on his lips, “Oh I see what’s going on, that’s interesting… That’s,” He paused. Perhaps I should have felt intimidated by his towering figure, but I could not care less at this moment, the feeling of embarrassment was stronger than the one of intimidation. “A very, hot night, I see,'' the grey-haired man said. When I was about to deny it, Rengoku spoke.

“It was! I am very glad for the rain, come in, come in,” He added that I was about to leave and gestured for the Sound Pillar to get inside. He did not care much and pushed me aside without much force, his bag hitting the back of my head as he stepped inside the room. “You better tell me everything buddy, because that is a full-blown surprise- I mean sort of, I suppose we all had an idea…” His words faded away as I walked out and closed the door, as much as I was curious of what he was going to say, I also respected their privacy.

More and more Pillars were arriving at the mansion, which showed the importance of the fight to come. It was still a month away, if not more, but they were all coming back. Master Ubuyashiki must have had something in mind, but I was not aware of his plans. Bringing his strongest pawns in one place was a bold move, even if no one knew where they were. The advantage resided in our hiding place, we had yet to be found which I was not asking for, but if one information was leaked we could be undergoing an attack at any given time.

Trying to stop thinking about the worse outcome, I looked around, observing. Everyone acted their usual self, as if unaware of what was coming but we knew better, if you looked a bit longer, their gaze would sometimes focus on something. And they’d stare too long, thinking, considering, but they’d get a hold of themselves pretty quick, the mask coming right back. As I walked around the mansion, I heard commotion coming from the training room and sauntered closer. A loud conversation was happening inside, I heard the mention of the entertainment district where I knew Uzui’s wives were.

Thinking it was odd to talk about it to the recruits, I listened in, too curious this time to leave. Sending them undercover? I commented in my head, is this not too much for them? A hand on my shoulder made me move from the wall in surprise, I was caught red-handed. The humiliation did not stop there when I saw the two men I had just left alone, standing in front of me. “A curious cat, I see,” Uzui said from behind Kyojuro who had slid his hand over my arm but held me there, “You know, curiosity killed the cat- You shouldn’t listen in on conversations of others,” He added.

Clearing my throat, I was going to walk past them, my composure only faltered slightly but I still looked at him without fear, “They are still young, why are they going undercover in a district where we already have people? One of them barely realizes his breathing technique exists, they shouldn’t go there alone,” I was not deterred, neither was he. Rengoku let go of my hand, knowing this was not a moment for this. Uzui laughed, busting his chest as if to show off somehow. He looked at me with a smirk, “I am not the one making the calls,” He almost spat, “If you want to start a fight with someone, start it with Master Ubuyashiki, but I don’t have time to waste with you,”

Huffing a laugh, I stood aside, “A fight? I do not wish to waste my energy on you, either,” Before he could step inside, I added, “But if anything goes wrong, their lives will be on you,” I regretted saying so, he only huffed in response before interrupting the discussion going on inside. Rengoku closed the door and stood in front of me, frowning, “It is not his choice, blaming him will not help,” He said, his voice was strong but kind too, he was not berating him but I still felt bad for saying it to the Sound Pillar.

“I know…” I sighed. Looking at him, I noticed he was in his Pillar outfit, not his regular jinbei or kimono. “Why are you dressed like that? Are you perhaps joining the recruits at the entertainment district?” As much as I tried to hide the worry from my voice, I was certain he had heard it from how fast I had spurred those words. My pulse sped up at the thought of him back on the field; He was not ready to go back yet, he needed to rest more, to get back in shape. Some rehabilitation even, would be interesting- or maybe I was finding excuses, maybe I was trying to cover my fear with logical thoughts…

The man in front of me laughed loudly, his hands holding mine gently as he said in a jolly voice, “Well, I am convinced I could pull one of those very fancy attire they wear in pleasure houses.” He brought one of my hands to the back of his neck, I tangled my fingers through his hair as he pulled me closer, “What do you think?” The mood had drastically changed once I was against his chest. He then placed my other hand on his shoulder and rested both of his hands on my hips, “Do you think it would suit me?” His tone had dropped a few octaves.

This was a reoccurrence of this morning, but this time, while I would have loved to keep the conversation going, I met his gorgeous eyes and smirked. My hands both traveled to rest on his biceps as I looked at him with a certain pride, “Flowers. Bring me flowers, then we will have that conversation again. I do have a lot to say on the topic,” I added the latter part jokingly, even though I knew full well I would not be able to resist this man in whatever clothing he would wear.

His cheeks flushed pink before a nervous laugh reached my ears, then a clearing of a throat, “I will be bringing you flowers and much more,” He paused, looking behind me a moment then back at me, smiling, “Will you be joining me this afternoon? For training… I have not been very useful yesterday and apologize for it, but I will gladly offer my help once more today. Will you accept?” I had to hold back from enthusiastically agreeing, there was no way I would refuse spending time with him and it made my heart flutter that he still asked if it bothered me.

Smiling mischievously, I reached out to shake his hand, “I accept your offer,” quirking a brow I added, “I hope the rain does not bother you, the weather will not stop me from training outside,” I stated. It was his time to smirk as he pulled me closer by our clasped hands, his lips hovered next to my ear as he whispered, “I am sure you have seen me train through storms and heat, a weather such as this one will not be a problem,” he quickly pulled away, pressing a kiss on my cheek before grinning, “I will see you then,” This time he caressed my cheek on the way out as he said Uzui’s name, gesturing for him to follow him.

Knowing another Pillar was around, I straightened my back and acted as if nothing happened. I was fully aware Rengoku was past the point of caring if everyone in the mansion knew, which I believe they did. He was growing bold, as if he had not been until now, I thought with a huff. But this kind of boldness meant displaying more affection in public, his determination turned more daring. I would not call it cocky, it did not suit the man, but he was sure satisfied to turn me into a puddle with the littlest show of affection.

The two men walked away, and I could hear Uzui comment on what happened, taunting as he suggested “At this point you should send a letter to everyone, you two are so obvious- wait is it even allowed? What did the Master say about it?” Rengoku seemed almost thrilled by the idea when he said it sounded great, then he laughed, “I have nothing to hide, why would I not show off…” Then the distance between us was too great, I could not hear anything else. It gave me time to compose myself.

Before leaving to see if anyone else had arrived at the mansion, I dusted nothing from my outfit. If I looked proper on the outside, they would not realize my mind was plagued with indecent thoughts and longing for Kyojuro. Since the man was not keen on intimacy, I could at least find comfort in the privacy of my mind; Although I felt the need to talk about the situation with someone, as much as I hated admitting it, I needed guidance. The festival was getting close, and I was still not sure I could promise I would not be biased once on the field if his life were on the line. I was aware I had to make my mind up by then, but I could not get one clear thought with how much the Fire Pillar’s smile was on my mind.

Sighing, I heard Sumi urgently talking to someone and hurried to her side in case she needed help only to find her with a hand on the Stone Pillar’s shoulder. I had to hold back a laugh as she tried to get him to stop crying, speaking reassuring words but not getting a response for the man. His hands were clasped in front of his face, his beads around his fingers like a vine, he was praying.

Calling the little girl’s name, she was startled to see me and walked up to me, a worried expression on her face. “I do not know what is wrong with him, I have never talked to this Pillar and- I said hi to him, and he started crying, did I do something wrong?” It was hard not to laugh at her distress, I supposed it was a weird predicament when you had never talked with him. Instead, I smiled as I placed a hand on her head, whispering back, “He is a very kind man, a very sensitive one too. I think he felt immense joy from seeing such a nice girl welcoming him, that is all. But you did nothing wrong, you can go, I have it from here,”

Sumi nodded and hurried off, telling me she’ll be bringing tea, almost tripping on the tatami on her way out. Once the door was closed, I walked to the center of the room where Gyomei was sitting and knelt in front of him, bringing my hands to clasp around his as I closed my eyes. Sharing his faith or not did not matter, he was always grateful when someone joined him in doing such things. We stood like this until he was done, we did not unclasp our hands, we both enjoyed the familiarity and found serenity when in one another’s company. The man smiled kindly, breathing out my name softly, “You are here too, it has been such a long time my friend,”

“It has indeed, how have you been?” I chuckled when he squeezed my hand reassuringly, “It is good to be back, I do not know for how long, but it brings back memories,” He hummed, his head dipping slightly as if deep in thought, then tears started streaming down his face again. His thunder-like voice resonated once more as he let go of my hands and was suddenly holding me with his hands on my biceps, “You are troubled, would you like to share what is weighing on your poor soul? I can sense it wavering, hesitation filling your being, you are doubtful,”

A nervous laugh escaped my lips as I helped his hands off me and placed them back on his lap, taking one of his in my hand. “I have barely spoken, and you already know, it is truly frightening how good you are at reading people,” the smallest chuckle escaped his lips, he did not say anything else and waited for me to explain what was going on. His thumb pressed gently on my wrist, he could not see me fidget or my expression’s change, but he could feel my pulse speed up. Normal people would have a hard time, but as a Pillar he everything was enhanced for him, I could never take any of them down.

“I have been courting Rengoku Kyojuro,” I stated. A faint smile made its way on the Stone Pillar, tears of joy coursing down his cheeks. “That is good, is it not? You do not have to feel embarrassed; I believe we have all been awaiting this,” he said, gently patting my thigh with his free hand, in a calming manner. For a second I wondered how long they had all been watching the Fire Pillar and I waltz around one another. None of them had ever said anything about it, at least not to me. “What is the problem, do you not love Rengoku?” That question struck a chord. Love was a big word, with a deep meaning to it. I had only been admiring the man from afar, most of the time, until recently. There was a better word to describe how I felt for the man,

“Longing,” I breathed, “I long for him, I wish to be with him. I do, but times are dire. What if something goes bad? I was told to put my slayer duty first, but…” I paused for a moment, thinking I might have been overthinking it. Gyomei is not one to judge, I reminded myself then continued without much hesitation, “If I see him fall during the battle… Gyomei, I do not know how I would react. I would like to think I will stay composed but-“ There was a knot in my throat, I had never voiced those insecurities out loud, with anyone, and it felt as relieving as it felt stressful. “He is like the sun, and I do not wish to spend the rest of my life in the darkness he’ll leave behind if he dies-“ I swore under my breath, taking a deep breath.

Exhaling slowly, I cleared my throat and got a hold of myself, “To avoid that, I should simply not keep this up. I should distance myself, I should stop everything, I should…” I whispered the last part, trying to convince myself. “But it feels so right to be around him,” I finally breathed, I was done ranting. The strong man in front of me scooted closer and wrapped his arms around me, my heart clenching at the warmth I felt in his caring embrace. “Your mind and your heart are in a disagreement,” He stated, his hand rubbing my back gently, comforting me in a brotherly way.

I let out a soft laugh, humming in agreement while tears of content rolled down my cheeks as the stress left my body. I hadn’t realized I had been thinking about it that much until I uncapped the lid, meaning until I talked about it. Spending days after days with the man was counterproductive to the idea I had of stepping away from him, because every minute spent with him made me like him even more. It made the decision harder to make, but Gyomei was a wise man, and I was sure he would help me clear my thoughts.

“Whatever happens out there, during the fight, you will make the decision you believe is just,” He started, his voice steady and strong. “But, uncertain times do not mean we should stop living, nor should we stop loving,” He continued, holding me tight, his huge hands never stopping rubbing my back. After a moment he pushed me away gently, holding my forearm to face me, “Because where there is love, there is peace. And the war that is raging in your heart can only be quelled by his devotion,” He reached out for my face, I helped his hand on my cheek where he wiped the tears away, a soft smile on his lips as tears streamed down his cheeks. “You are unsure if it will last, if you will both survive, and I am here to tell you that it does not matter. You must enjoy happiness as much as you can while you have it and remember that nothing is impossible for a willing heart.”

It took some time to take in his words, it was beautifully worded and made my heart soar, as I thanked him, we both stood up. I could not ignore the logical part of me that still thought it would be a good idea to leave everything and act as if nothing happened. There was no way I could ignore it, but my friend was right, and I had the right to be happy, no matter how short or long that happiness would last. If one of us died, we could describe our love as ephemeral and poets liked that.

After a few moments, we had both composed ourselves. I was the only one who laughed nervously as I stood up and extended a hand his way, “I probably look like a mess,” It was a rhetorical question, but as serious as Gyomei seemed, he had the soul of a jokester. “I would not know,” He replied, making me laugh as I helped him up, not that he needed it. “I missed you my friend, would you like to train with me? I would gladly welcome some distraction and practice,” I suggested happily.

His answer surprised me as he said, “We should practice your breathing, I sensed you before you even opened the door,” He said seriously, opening the door and leading the way to the dojo. Following his large steps, I put a hand on his shoulder, not to guide him but to keep up with his pace. “Why has no one ever mentioned it to me?” I asked in awe, “It has only recently come to my attention that I was bad at it, and it seems everyone knew!” I said, confused, questioning everything.

“We did not have time to spare, and you managed very well. However, we are going to face a greater enemy. Fixing your stealth should help you become a greater fighter,” I rolled my eyes playfully, “Know that I rolled my eyes, I am already a great fighter,” I said in a light tone. He huffed a laugh, agreeing. He added that I still lacked a lot of training and while he had the time, he would be helping me the best I can.

Tapping his arm with my finger, I said, “Do tell me, what else does everyone know that I am unaware of?” “If it is regarding the Fire Pillar-“ I cut him off, my cheeks heating up, “Not everything I talk about is about this man, my friend. Have some faith,” A semblant of composure dripped off my tongue, but he was right. I was curious about what they all saw that I did not. “You attract one another like a moth to the light, while you only talked about him off-handedly to keep it to yourself, he would often mention you. Yet, he would refuse our advice and do as he pleased, a lot of the other Pillars found it painful to see,” His explanation made me want to hide away in embarrassment. It was one thing to be oblivious to one’s actions and feelings, but it was something completely other when everyone else knew.

“I will admit it is embarrassing,” I said with a huff as we entered the dojo. Considering my attire, I went to the cabinet in the corner of the room and grabbed a jinbei. There was no need to be careful as I changed around the blind man, but I still warned him, “I am going to get changed, it will be impossible to do anything in a full kimono,” I stated. He still turned around, his back facing me.

As I got changed, I asked, “What do you think of the situation? Not as a monk, not as someone to give me guidance, but as a friend,” He hummed in response, dropping his haori on the ground and wrapping his beads around his neck to not lose them, “Seeing how your aura becomes erratic when you are in one another’s vicinity, I would say it is time you make a move,” Signaling him I was done, he turned around, we both walked to the center of the room.

“A move has been made, do not fret. We have even spent a few nights together,” While I paused, I saw Gyomei raise a brow, making me defend myself, “We slept, we simply slept,” no matter how much I wanted for more, I thought to myself. I surprised myself when the thought crossed my mind but ignored it as I continued, “We are also going to the festival in a few days, you are welcome, along with the others, if you’d like. I am sure it would be fun,” His expression turned wary for a second before turning down my offer, saying he had to stay at the mansion to train the recruits. Telling him it sounded fun, we then started what we had come here to do and started working on my weakness.

It was fair to say that Gyomei had better teaching skills than the Fire Pillar, perhaps I was also to blame. When training with Rengoku, I would only be half-focused from how my mind would start thinking about him and his touches, while when with Gyomei I would be fully focused on his words and instructions. I would dare say that I had made great improvement after the first hour, enough that he suggested we put it in practice.

Soon enough, it turned into a hide and seek. Doing it in the mansion would have been too risky, since there was a difference from any normal hide and seek. If he found me, I would have to avoid the hits of his weapon. If I could not avoid it, fight in return or run fast enough to find a new hiding spot, if one could call it as such. So, we moved to the forest nearby. This exercise made me work on keeping my breathing steady enough to hide my presence, but also fight. It is true that, when I woke up in the morning, I did not think I would be training so intensively; I did not mind, however. On the contrary, it was an opportunity to get better, and I was going to use it to the best of my ability.

We kept this up for a few hours, the only words exchanged was feedback, if one could call them that. Such things as, “Too slow,” or “You are not hiding,” or directions, he knew exactly where I was. But around the end of our training, while I was very fatigued and Gyomei seemed perfectly fine, I finally got a hang of the technique. My heart swelled with pride when I heard the Stone Pillar drop his weapon on the ground with a thud, “Either you have passed out, or you have mastered the breathing,” He called from the center of the forest.

We were both drenched from the rain that had not stopped, it was helpful too with the sound of the rain to hide my movement. Perhaps was I too cocky when I acted and jumped from my spot to get a hit at the Pillar. In one swift movement, he turned around and placed his hand on my back, pushing me to the ground. It reminded me of when he had trained me when I had just joined the corps, it felt nostalgic and painful at the same time. I did not have much time to reminisce about the old times that the tall man helped me to my feet, “You must keep the breathing when you are attacking by surprise, or you will get caught,” He said sternly.

With a breathy voice, I huffed, “Excitement got the best of me,” I then waited for him to get his weapon from the ground before adding, “I would not have minded if you had gone a bit gentler on this last lesson. I still have to train with Kyojuro,” Just like with the Insect Pillar, I received a short chuckle upon calling him with such familiarity. In response, I nudged the strong man playfully, “I also call you by your first name, there is no need to mock me,” when I said so, I felt a bit dizzy but got hold of myself. It came with accidentally skipping breakfast, and I was going to fix that once back home.

“My friend, have you not realized he has been there the entire time? We have gotten carried away and have been training for a few hours now. I must praise your stamina, but comment on your lack of time perspective,” A mix of laughter and surprise escaped my lips, it was in no way close to charming. It took me some time to take in what he had said and looked at him in confusion, “Where is he? I do not see him anywhere-“ “On your left, in the trees,”

Following his directions, I only caught a glimpse of his golden mane before it disappeared. I kept walking, looking up in the trees to find him again and was startled when I heard his voice right next to me, his hand on my shoulder, “You have improved greatly, it was very captivating to observe!” He told me in his joyous tone. Not nearly as captivating as you are, I thought. At this very moment with his hair soaked, it was not defying gravity, it was different than usual, but it suited him oh so well. I was brought to reality by Gyomei’s voice telling me I was daydreaming. My reaction was to give him a half-joking look, saying I was not, before looking back at the Fire Pillar.

“Gyomei is a great teacher, indeed. I apologize for not seeing time fly. I do not know what time it is, but we could still-“ “No need! You are exhausted, you should rest, and you could also use a bath,” He teased, making my cheeks burn up in embarrassment. Furrowing my brows, I countered, “So could you, you smell like a wet dog,” His eyes widened, then the smile on his face did so too. “Then we should bathe together-“ Before he could finish his sentence, Gyomei pulled him towards him and said that I deserved to bathe and relax alone after all the efforts I put into training. He even added that they’d bathe together instead and have a talk.

As they started chatting, I bid them goodbye and told them I would go ahead. But before leaving, I glanced at Rengoku, “Shall we dine together tonight?” I did not miss the dip of my friend’s head as he smiled to himself, tears streaming down his face alongside the rain. Oh, he was filled with joy in seeing what was happening before his eyes, I could see it. “If you’d allow it, I would like to dine with you every night! Tonight, tomorrow, and every day to come,” He replied with determination, his eyes bright and full of sincerity. I was overwhelmed by how sweet it was. I could only nod in response.

“I will see you tonight,” Glancing at Gyomei, I asked if he would like to join us only to have him turn down the offer, but thanking me, nonetheless. With a curt bow, I bid them goodbye once again and hurried inside. It was easy to ignore the rain when I was on the move, careful not to slip with adrenaline running through my body. But once I stood put, the coldness seeped into my bones, the wind could be felt, and my damp clothes stuck to my body like a second skin. It felt uncomfortable with each step I took. I was very glad to get rid of all my clothes once I arrived at the bathroom and slid behind the wooden screen.

Naho told me she had left everything I needed on the stool, then bowed and left. I barely had time to thank her that she had slid the door shut and disappeared. With a content sigh, I let myself enjoy the warm feeling of the condensation that filled the room and wrapped around my form, effectively warming up my body. I did not waste time in slithering inside the burning water, it felt scorching hot on my feet, but I bore through the pain and let myself be submerged so that only my head was out of the water.

The comforting feeling of the water surrounding my body made my already fatigued body even more so; I could feel my head fall back against the bath, and as hard as I tried to keep it up, I let it rest against the edge and dozed off. Dreaming did not happen, no. I was deep in thought, thinking of what to do next with the Fire Pillar. My decision was made, I was not going to back down from whatever we had going on, and while I still had doubts concerning the long-term of what we had started, I wanted him. In my mind, I could imagine us, together, closer than what we have been until now. The tension of courtship is gone, and we are sitting next to one another, holding hands. Maybe he is telling me more about his brother, maybe he’s considering introducing me to his father.

It brought a smile to my face, albeit a sleepy one. I was too tired to feel embarrassed at liking the idea of being introduced to his family. After all, if we both survive, it is bound to happen… If we both survive that is. I shook my head and started thinking about completely different things to avoid the gloomy feeling that was settling in my heart.

I do not know how long I stayed there, half-conscious and sore, but I know that upon waking up in startlement, I had dozed off too long. “Is everything alright?” I heard Aoi’s voice behind the shoji door. “Everything is good, would you mind giving me a few minutes to get dressed?” She told me to take my time, her shadow escaping as she left. My face was burning, and I could not handle it any longer, I had to get out. It required a lot of motivation, but I was quick to get cleaned up and to get out.

With how cold it had gotten outside, I kept my towel wrapped around my form while I got dressed and exhaled loudly when I felt the comfortable fabric of the kimono against my skin. While I did miss my close friend, someone I could almost call a brother, I did notmiss how exhausted I felt after any training session done with him. Gyomei was a great teacher, a great instructor, and did not plan on going easy on anyone when getting them to improve. I was reminded of that when I opened the door and felt my back hurt as I raised my arm. Slipping on my geta, I put the cleaning necessities back where they belonged and made my way to my room.

I kept walking but had to correct my own thought, it was not my room. By far. It belonged to someone else, I had my own. Still, I did enjoy sharing it with him, it was more reassuring to sleep by his side. To wake up by it, too. I longed for a morning where I would linger in his embrace and would not feel the need to pull away in fear of getting caught too close to him, where I would huddle closer to his warmth and let my hand wander to his and hold it, our fingers intertwined. I had to force the smile off my face to compose myself as I entered his room, forgetting to knock.

What welcomed me was a sneeze and a scarred bare back as the man was getting dressed. I quickly averted my gaze and said, “You are a fool for getting a cold at a time like this,” I heard him hum curiously, his weight making the tatami creak as he moved, “You should not have gone under the rain,” I continued, my hand still covering my eyes. Secretly, I was still grateful Gyomei had not told me Rengoku was there until the end of training, I knew I would have been thrown off and for some reason I would have tried to impress him. I was also happy he had joined, but I was annoyed he did not stay inside, “Do not come to me, complaining when you will be bed-ridden again for having caught a simple cold,”

A silent gasp escaped my lips when a warm hand moved mine from my face, uncovering my eyes and allowing me to meet those bright fiery orbs that looked at me, unblinking and bright. “I am not sick, it was dust,” He stated with a huge smile as he led me to the food, his hand holding mine tight. Huffing, a small smile adorning my face, I said, “What I have said still stands, you have to be careful. How is your wound?” When I reached to touch his stomach, stopped myself and apologized, it made him chuckle softly.

“It is alright, it’s not pretty but Shinobu said I could take off the bandage to let it breathe. It will leave an ugly scar, too,” He explained with a small smile as we sat down, his red kimono made him look even more handsome than usual. I only now noticed his hair was still wet from his bath, and found some appeal in seeing him like this, kimono half open and hair loose. “A scar is not ugly; It is just healed skin. It shows you have survived something great, if anything it makes you more unique. But never ugly,” I told him seriously before wincing as I sat down in front of him.

When I did not receive an answer from the man, I looked up and saw an expression I had never seen on his face yet. Something close to fascination and awe, mixed with such a loving gaze I felt my heart sped up, “What is on your mind?” I asked with a nervous chuckle, “You. Just you, you are so beautiful, so kind-“ “I was only stating a fact, do not flatter yourself,” I paused, seeing his taken aback expression, and with flaming cheeks, I continued. I do not know what pushed me to say those things, but I did, “If I wanted to flatter you, I would have said that nothing could make you ugly,” I met his gaze and let a smile make its way to my lips, curling into a smug expression,

“I would have said that you looked sinful like this, your hair down and loose in the warm candlelight make you look almost God-like,” I paused again, taking a calm breath to keep my tone even, “A God I would fight for, a God I would kneel for… A God I would worship,” There was a silence once I finished, the expression on Kyojuro’s face was unreadable. The air was heavy from the incoming storm, but I would also put the blame on the words I had spoken; The mood had turned someway, that I could only gauge once the golden-haired man had spoken. “That is what I would have said, if I wanted to flatter you,” I took a portion of food and added, “Which I did not,”

A hand placed itself on my knee, holding me gently. “You have a way with words, I am almost tempted to cut the wait short,” He started, his tone low and almost sultry. Then his face lit up as he sat back, a hand on his knee and the other holding the chopsticks, “But I still have to bring you flowers, or else, I would have failed this courtship,” He chuckled and while his tone was as light as his words too, his gaze was nothing near those things. His half-lidded gaze was watchful and never leaving my form, even as he brought the food to his mouth.

“I am very fond of lavender,” I stated between bites, with an energetic nod, the man said, “Duly noted! Are you knowledgeable in the language of flowers?” He asked with a sweet smile, there was a rice grain on his lips as he spoke. It made me want to lean in and kiss him gently, he licked it clean before I could even entertain the thought. Getting myself together, I shook my head. With a joking tone, I said, “I did not think flowers could speak, tell me more about it,”

The Fire Pillar burst out laughing, almost falling back. I had to grab his hand to keep him balanced, feeling the soreness in my back when I did so and hissing as I pulled him back up. His attitude changed fast as he put his bowl down and held my hand with knotted brows, “Are you alright, songbird? I did not think myself that heavy,” He joked, earning a soft chuckle from me. Shaking my head, I told him I was alright, “I learned the rough way to not let pride take the better of me in a fight,” When the lion-like man looked at me in confusion, I cleared things up, “I took a hit while training, nothing grave,”

Placing his chopsticks down, he moved to sit next to me and asked me where the injury was. I gave him a short laugh, “It is on my back, it will get better in a few days. Need I remind you that you are the one wounded, here?” I breathed jokingly. The beautiful man went to grab something from his cabinet and knelt behind me, “The difference being that I take care of myself, and you do not, but it’s okay! I will take care of you,” He said with assurance as he set his hands on my shoulders before leaning in close to my ear and asking, “Can I? I can also call someone else to do it, but you do not even know if what you have is grave or not, I think it is wise to take a look,”

Why would I refuse? The man had trusted me enough to take care of him and to treat him, never had he done anything to lose my trust, which made me nod in response. “Very well, let me,” I undid my kimono so that it fell enough to give him access to my back and leaned forward to hide the rest of myself. “Is it here?” He asked as he pressed a delicate finger in the center of my back, making me wince slightly as I told him yes.

“You have a huge bruise, and a few scratches,” His fingers grazed over my shoulder blades before trailing down my back and stopping. I held my breath, shivers running down my spine alongside his fingers, he paused again. “If it is just a bruise, there is nothing that needs to be done,” I said, wanting to get dressed again. I knew that if he continued his gentle caresses over my back, I would either fall asleep or do something we both wanted but kept delaying. “I can do two things,” He said in a joyous tone. “One,” he said before pressing a kiss on my bruise. His damp, cold, hair fell to my back for an instant, making me tense up in surprise.

Thinking he had done something wrong, Kyojuro apologized. “Your hair, it’s frozen… Your lips are not, I did not mind the lips,” I mumbled in the crook of my elbow, glad that he was not in front of me, glad that I could not see his pretty smile that turned me into a puddle. I heard him breathe happily, “I see,” before telling me in more of a warning tone, “Two, careful because this one is cold,” He then started spreading an ointment on my back, I hissed at how cold it was once more but stilled when his free hand held me in place by holding my hip, not saying anything.

I was aware he was taking longer than needed, he was being purposely slow, but I did not want to complain, I felt comfortable with his hand holding me while the other gently brushed over my back. I did not realize he had finished until he leaned over my shoulder as he draped my kimono back over my form and let his lips brush over the shell of my eear ever so lightly, “I am done. You see, I like to take good care of my followers… Keep them in shape,” I quickly straightened my back, wrapping my attire properly as I gave him a half-surprised, half-satisfied expression. “I would not want them to fall to their knees during battle, no,” He paused and went back to his spot in front of me before smiling, “Never during a battle,”

With how he was acting, I was not sure he meant what I thought he did. Is he implying it would be okay to kneel… here? I asked myself without hoping for an answer. We then both hummed at the same time to defuse the tension lightly, laughing at the odds of doing so. With a more bashful attitude, the blond gestured for us to finish eating, which we did without any mention of what had happened. No mention of the innuendos, nor the touches, nor the growing want that was doing everything but waning. Only normal and enjoyable conversation.

We slid to our futons right before the storm started, “Can I pull your futon closer?” He quickly corrected himself, “No, let me rephrase that… Can you come closer to me? If you would allow it, we could-“ His voice faltered when lightning struck outside. His sheepishness could be heard even with his voice clear and loud as he spoke, “I do not do well with thunderstorms and would be grateful if you could sing for me,”

Already half-asleep, I hummed thoughtfully before lifting myself on an elbow and looking at him tiredly. “I am exhausted, Kyo, but-“ I reached out for his futon and slid it closer to mine, earning a surprised gasp from the man. When he was in my reach, I smiled, “There,” Then I intertwined my fingers with his and brought his knuckles to my lips, placing a tender kiss on it before resting our hands on my chest. “Good night,” I mumbled.

Still slightly conscious, I felt him huddle closer as he rested his head next to my shoulder, wishing me sweet dreams.

so when he gets that same gross feeling when he sees you talking casually to sanemi after a pillar meeting - sanemi, of all pillars - he does his very best to ignore it because he’s not jealous and he’s truly glad for you two! he just maybe, sorta wishes he were a part of the conversation, too. you, him, and sanemi. 

without the sanemi part, preferably.

then sanemi wraps an arm around your neck and scrubs his knuckles against your head, making you squirm and sputter out protests through your giggles, and. okay.

maybe he’s a little jealous.

sanemi spots kyojuro over your head, and he must say something about it because when he lets you go you turn around and see him, too. you smile, raising a hand to wave, and he returns the gesture with more enthusiasm than necessary. then you wave for him to come closer, and, well, it’s not like he can not listen to you, so he hurries over and keeps the smile plastered on his face.

“fancy seeing you two here!” he says, staring directly at sanemi. “i wasn’t aware you talked!” 

“well, yeah, we do missions together,” you say. kyojuro raises his brows, still not looking at you. 

“really!” he exclaims. “i didn’t know this!” sanemi’s eyes narrow as he shifts into a slightly defensive stance, refusing to break the staring contest kyojuro seems to have drawn him into. normally, the flame pillar is much more adverse to eye contact, and the sudden intensity unnerves him. especially paired with that big, blank grin that feels like a threat.

“our regions are right next to each other,” he explains tersely, trying to figure out why kyojuro seems to be so off. “our missions overlap a lot, so we help each other out sometimes.”

“really!” kyojuro says again, louder than before. “how very interesting!” you can believe he sounds sincere, but sanemi has known him longer, knows better, and he scoffs as he folds his arms.

“what’s your damn problem?” he demands, stepping into kyojuro’s space. kyojuro blinks up at him, not moving away even when their noses nearly touch.

“problem? what problem? i don’t have one!” and it would be convincing, too, if he hadn’t glanced over at you, only to realize you were staring at him with open concern. his attention snapped back quick, his cheeks turning pink.

say what you’d like about his temper, but sanemi shinazugawa is not stupid.

“yeah, sure you don’t,” he growls, but he can hardly bring himself to really be annoyed. 

“i don’t!” rengoku insists with a wide, bright smile. sanemi gives kyojuro’s shoulder a punch that’s a touch too aggressive to be friendly, then gives you a much more civil nod as kyojuro rubs his arm. 

“i’ve got things to do, anyway, so i’ll see you bastards later.”

“aw,” you say with a pout. “see you later, sanemi! stay safe!” he pats you on the head as you walk past, making you smile and playfully shove his hand away. you don’t notice how kyojuro watches your interaction with sharp eyes, pressing his lips into a thin line. he’s jealous, alright.

and you’re not stupid, either.

“alright,” you say once sanemi is out of sight, “what was that about?”

“what was what about?” kyojuro looks in your general direction, eyes big and innocent. you sigh, propping a hand on your hip and frowning at him. 

“that. between you and sanemi. i thought you were actually gonna throw down for a second there. so, what happened? did you two have a fight?” he’s nervous, now, gaze skittering all around your face but never settling.

“of course we didn’t,” he says. “if he’s upset with me, he attacks me until he gets bored and goes home!” which is true. you know it’s true because you’ve seen it happen. you’ve even stepped between them on occasion when you think it might be going too far.

“okay,” you say slowly. “so if you didn’t fight, what was it? i was sensing a lot of tension there.”

“i couldn’t tell you!” kyojuro crosses his arms. you continue to stare at him without a word, replaying the situation over in your head while he sweats. and before long, it hits you.

“you were jealous.” the way his eyes snap to yours far too quickly tells you everything you need to know. his mouth opens. then it closes again, and you raise an eyebrow, more amused than anything else. kyojuro never struck you as a jealous friend, but after practically chasing sanemi away from you, he proved that assumption wrong. honestly? it’s cute, if a little inconvenient to your social life.

“i... may have thought that i wanted to be talking to you instead,” kyojuro admits, very slowly, like the words cause him physical pain. “and maybe i was thinking that i want to make you laugh the way uzui can, or the way sanemi does. maybe i just want your attention sometimes, but you’re talking to someone else and i don’t want to interrupt. maybe i...” he looks down, his face flushing, and his voice gets so soft you have to lean closer. “...maybe i like you very, very much, and i want you to like me, too.”

your heart leaps.

“of course, i understand if you don’t feel the same!” he says loudly as he lifts his head again, throwing on false confidence the same way he throws on his haori every day. “the other pillars are all very amazing and likeable in their own ways, and i wouldn’t blame you if you happened to be interested in any of them instead! i only hope we can still be friends, and that you-!”

“you’re so stupid,” you interrupt, and he doesn’t have time to be offended before you move in and press your lips against his. 

it visibly takes him a moment to process, standing stiff and unresponsive, before he’s forcefully kissing you back, his hands rising to grip your forearms. you only pull back once your breath starts to run out, but he chases you, making you laugh as you turn your face away.

“kyo, come on, i need to breathe,” you say, and he retreats enough to give you the biggest, warmest grin in his arsenal, outshining even the sun. you breathlessly smile back, more than relieved that your feelings are mutual. you’re not sure how he didn’t notice you crushing on him pretty much since day one, but you’re here now, so you don’t particularly care anymore.

“you don’t need to make me laugh,” you tell him once you catch your breath, and his grin falters. “you don’t need to be like uzui or sanemi or shinobu or giyuu or anyone else. you don’t need to tell me weird stories or help me out on missions or hug me all the time to make me like you.”

“who hugs you all the time?”

“the point,” you emphasize, putting your hands on his cheeks and pulling him closer until your foreheads touch, “is that i like you the way you are. you’re sweet, you’re passionate, and you’re always so happy to see me that it makes my day. you’re likeable in your own way, kyojuro. and i just happen to like you more than everyone else.” his golden-red eyes are wide, so wide and shiny that you’re afraid he might cry. his hands come up to cover yours, gently holding them against his face. he whispers your name, and you kiss him one more time.

“so no more of this jealous stuff, okay?” you say, and he laughs, hiccuping and wet.

You had an irksomely long day and each footstep to your house seemed like an eternity. Lazily opening the front door, upon entering you see a familiar face, one you couldn’t wait to see all day. With a cup of tea in his hands he stood up to give you the warmest of hugs. Kyojuro’s face was as bright as ever despite experiencing a tiresome day himself, almost as if he could never run out of enthusiasm. How does he do it, you often wondered to yourself, thinking about every time he lightened up the mood on a rainy day, or made something delightful even brighter. Nuzzling your face into his strong chest, you let out a satisfied sigh.

“How was your day dear?” he spoke quietly, contrasting his natural loud volume before planting a few soft kisses on your head.

Much to his surprise he didn’t hear a response, and as his crimson eyes trailed to you he had noticed you were already dozing off. Letting out a small chuckle as to not disturb you, he carefully lifted you closer to him.

“Ah, so that’s how it was.”

Your eyes fluttered upon the slight movement and before grasping the fact you were being carried, a soft pillow found its way beneath your head. Feeling a shift beside you on the bed you were gently placed on, your eyes sluggishly opened only to see Kyojuro’s warm-hearted expression.

“I was waiting for you so we could nap together, and by the looks of it you could really use one,” he spoke softly with a gentle smile formed on his lips.

this is due to kyojurou skimming through each and every isle with a fine tooth comb.

“WE CAN’T RISK MISSING SOMETHING WE DON’T HAVE AT HOME!” is his excuse.

but his s/o has the list of things they need in their hands so there are no excuses.

will grab random things off the shelf that neither of them have ever even heard off; his s/o has to secretly put things back at times.

if his s/o doesn’t drag him away quickly enough, the blonde will spend a full hour in the yam section, making sure each and everyone he gets is completely ripe.

or he’s just filling the cart, either or.

kyojurou also gets stuck at the bakery section, mainly the part with the free samples.

the main part that slows them down is the fact that he will savior the small amount of food, spending a whole 15 minutes eating one small sample with a toothpick.

“UMAI!”

he gets 20 of whatever he just tried, throughly overflowing the cart.

if his s/o dares to glance at something on the shelves for just a smidge longer than a second, he immediately puts it into the cart.

he’s just being a sweetheart and getting his s/o whatever he assumes their heart desires.

even if it’s a plunger with flying pig designs on it; they glanced at it therefore it must mean they want it. he won’t judge nor ask questions!

is the type of person to eat what is in their cart as they shop then pay for the empty wrapper later.

if prompted, he will climb into the cart and loudly exclaim where to go, looking to be a man on a mission as his s/o calmly pushes the cart.

bonus points if he gets to sit in the carts that look like cars with the steering wheels.

ah yes, nothing like a full grown 20 year old man in a seat way too small for him, making loud “vroom” sounds as he steers to which way to go.

totally normal, I assure you.

if his s/o got into the cart, kyojurou would be one of those people who would put one foot onto the bottom of the cart and push with the other food; speeding down the aisles with a hearty laugh as his poor s/o warns people to move out of the way.

they’re lucky if they don’t run into anything or break something.

they’re even luckier if they aren’t kicked out.

by the time his s/o and him are finished, they’d make their way out of the store with 2+ carts, praying to any and all gods above that everything would fit.

spoiler alert: it doesn’t.

You looked to the mirror in front of you, fixing a few out of place strands of hair then reaching down to brush the few small wrinkles out of your outfit.

Tonight was the premiere The Demon Slayer movie. The Mugen train! And kyojuro was co-staring in the movie. You were more excited then you could explain. Your husband! In a movie! You were so proud of him and you knew he was extremely proud of this film as well.

Kyojuro is a passionate man, so when he told you that he would be co-staring in a movie that was part of the tv series he had been working on, you were so happy for him. And finally, after years in the making, the movie was complete.

You examined yourself one more time in the mirror and smiled as you turned to grab your purse. As you looked through the bag to make sure you had everything you heard footsteps approaching the room.

“Honey? The car is here..” Kyojuros voice faded as quickly as it broke through the silence of the room. You turned to face the doorway, a little concerned at kyojuros abrupt cutoff.

Once you faced him you were met with a very flustered Kyojuro who stood stiff as a board in the doorway. You raised your eyebrow and gently waved at him to see if that would earn a reaction.

“Kyo, Honey? You ok?” You asked after no response fell from the blondes lips. He continued to stare at you, still standing still in the doorway. You could partially see the cogwheels turning in his head, he was looking for something to say.

After a few more seconds of silence his lips parted and he examined you.

“TASTY- Wait... BEAUTIFUL! That’s what I meant!” He blurted out his lips quivering as he did, immediately you broke out in laughter and smiled brightly at your husbands antics. He shook his head gently then looked back to you.

“You look beautiful, stunning, gorgeous, pretty..ethereal! Whats another word for beautiful?!” Kyojuro made his way over to you and his hands found their way to your waist.

“Thank you Kyojuro...” you said as your laughter died down, you rested your hands on his chest and smiled at your still blushing husband.

“I am so in love with you.....” he mumbled as he continued to examine you, a blush quickly spread across your face.

“Five years of being married and you still manage to reduce me to a blushing mess.” You remarked while placing one of your hands on his cheek.

“And I shall continue to do so for forever.” Kyojuro smiled as he brought his hand up to yours and placed his atop of yours. After a moment, he turned his head and placed a kiss on the palm of your hand while not breaking eye contact with you. The action had your blush deepening. It that was even possible.

“Come on sappy...you’ve got a movie premiere to get too!” You said as he took your hand off his cheek and held it in his.

“You mean we’ve got a movie premiere to get to.” He corrected while accentuating the “we’ve”.

“Yes. And that means we have to go!!” You chided, Kyojuro nodded briefly.

Right Here: Kyojuro Rengoku x Fem!Reader

wc: 1.2k

tw: fluff

masterlist

“Lady Rengoku,” you hear at the door of your studio, and you turn back to face the attendant, mid-brushstroke.

“Yes?” you breathe, wondering what news she brings so early in the morning.

“Master Kyojuro has returned,” she replies, and you dunk your brush in the water pail.

“Is he well?” you wonder, wiping your fingers on your towel. When the woman doesn’t answer, you eye her carefully.

“Miss, he--” You march out of your studio quickly, dropping the towel and running as fast as you can. You dash past Inosuke, Tanjiro, the yellow-haired boy, and Nezuko, panting as you make it to the Butterfly Mansion’s infirmary.

“Tengen,” you wheeze as you stop. “Where is--”

“Inside.” He thumbs past the doors, and you walk inside, where you see Rengoku on a bed covered in blood.

“Kyo,” you whisper, squatting next to his bed. He groans, opening one eye slowly before looking over you. “Kyo, speak to me.”

“You’ve been painting,” he murmurs, trying to smile. He fails and grunts softly, bringing his hand up to his ribs.

“Don’t… don’t…” you whisper, tears rolling down your face.

“I’m okay,” he finally replies, wincing. “Young Kamado and his friends brought me here just in time.” He begins to cough, spitting up blood in his hand, and you rush to grab a towel to wipe his face. As you tenderly pat his skin, Kyojuro hums softly, closing his eyes. “You’re so sweet to me, my love.”

“Hey,” you begin. “You need to keep your eyes open. Just a little longer for me. Okay, Kyo?” Kyojuro nods in response, fluttering his golden eyes back open and reaching up to touch the hand resting on his face.

“I must be blessed beyond measure to have an angel like you attending to me.” You laugh in response, his words harkening back to the day you two first met. “We have to stop meeting like this…” He tries to laugh, but he groans instead, holding his ribs again. An attendant comes by with something for him to drink, and you prop more pillows under his head before holding the cup to his lips.

“It’s a little warm,” you warn, but he chugs it down anyway.

“Three broken ribs, a slightly punctured lung, a bruised collarbone, some internal bleeding, and various cuts all over,” the attendant informs you, and you nod, turning back to Kyojuro.

“Now what trouble did you get into this time?” you ask, tilting your head, but he just wheezes out a laugh, trying again for a smile. “We will talk once you get some rest,” you urge him, pulling the covers around his figure. You place a kiss on his lips and he kisses you back, reaching up a hand to stroke your hair.

“Will you remain here, yn/?” he asks as you pull away. You nod, resting a hand on his.

“I’ll be here until you’re well again.”

_____________________________________________________________ The coughing fits begin in the middle of the night.

In an instant, you’re up, holding a fresh towel beneath his mouth to catch the blood, stroking his back as he attempts to catch his breath, eyes wide with panic and something you haven’t seen in a long time: fear.

“Just keep breathing. In and out. You’re doing great,” you whisper as he struggles, but when he falls asleep again, you sigh, watching his chest rise and fall slowly. You didn’t sleep again until the sun rose and an attendant could take over while you climbed into bed and got some rest.

And most days were like that: wake up, tend to Kyojuro until he fell asleep, fall asleep a little, help him with his breathing, keep watch, then rest again when the attendant comes. Sometimes Tanjiro and his friends would come by to see about him and lift his spirits, and other times, Tengen and various other Hashira would come by with stories about demons they encountered, much to your disapproval. You know he wants to get better so he can rejoin them, and after they leave, he lapses into silence, staring at his hands as if doing so would make him heal faster.

But when the day comes for him to finally be released, you ease him back to the estate, looping your arm around his.

“Your bed’s been waiting for you,” you tease, and Kyo laughs with joy.

“It’s been waiting for you, too.” When you ease him onto the bed, he sighs, looking around him at the familiar red and brown hues of the master bedroom.

“Lady Kocho said to take it easy for the next few days,” you remind him as he swings his legs onto the bed.

“Take it easy?” Kyojuro laughs, putting his hands under his fiery hair.

“Kyo,” you warn, and he holds his hands up in surrender, the devilish grin returning to his features.

“Okay, okay.”

“If you’re good, I’ll make sure to go get sweet potatoes for dinner nex--”

“I’ll be the best patient you’ve ever had, my love,” Kyojuro rushes out, and you turn to him, raising a brow.

“That means minimal physical activity.” The Flame Hashira’s mouth goes slack, and you turn back to the dresser, removing your skirt. “And no forgetting.” The groan elicited from his mouth sounds more painful than when he was actually injured, you notice.

_____________________________________________________________

Blood stains your hands and arms as you’re hovering over Kyojuro, his eyes staring at the sky as you press on his chest - one, two, three, four, five, six --

“Y/n, he’s gone,” Tengen whispers over your shoulder.

“No, no, he’s right here,” you cry, tears falling onto your hands as you pump his chest three more times and then blow air into his mouth. “Stay with me, Kyo, stay with me.”

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight--

“Stop!” Tengen hollers, pushing you off of your dead lover. Before he can scoop up his friend, you shield him with your body, weeping profusely.

“Stay away from him!” you scream, the sun beating down on your exposed neck. “Leave him alone, you--”

A deep inhale brings you back into consciousness, and you sit up abruptly, your heart still stuttering furiously. You don’t even realize you’ve been crying when Kyo grunts and sits up, turning on a light.

“You alright?” he asks before turning around and seeing your tears. “Oh, no…” Kyojuro’s eyes soften as you collapse in his arms, his lips pressing against your forehead tenderly. “Look at me, y/n.” Kyojuro’s fingers tilt your chin up, and he whispers, “Just look at me. Forget everything else; it was just a bad dream. I promise you, I’m not going anywhere.”

“I’m always too late,” you hiccup. “I’m always one step behind.”