Fleeting Shadows (KNY x OC)

-23

"Hello. Have Takashi-san and Kanroji-san awaken?" Asks a certain flame-haired teen as he patiently stands with a basket, containing two bento boxes, in hand at the doorstep of the Butterfly mansion.

Despite being tuckered out from the day's activities, Aoi is kind enough to entertain young Senjuro who has decided to stop by and deliver some homemade food for Sayomi and Mitsuri...in the dead of night.

"Senjuro-kun, right? What brings you late into the evening?" Aoi steps aside to let him in and he bows in gratitude.

"Well, I wanted to deliver these to Takashi-san and Kanroji-san earlier but I got caught up in some trouble while cooking and so here I am now."

"I see," she yawns briefly, setting aside any questions, and beckons him down the corridor where the aforementioned girls are resting, to which Senjuro thanks her softly for. "Kanroji-san hasn't woken up yet. On the other hand, Takashi-san seems to be doing better. Although I'm not sure she's still up in this hour."

Senjuro nods slowly, taking a quick glimpse of the basket in his grip. He was suprised to find Sayomi's crow at the doorstep of their home with the news of the battle, and taking into consideration having not seen her in months, he decided to bring her and Mitsuri a little something.

Aoi carefully slides the door open and pokes her head in, the sight of an empty bed where Sayomi is supposed to be draining her face of color.

"Oh no," Senjuro shoots a puzzling look at Aoi as she quickly scampers into the room towards Sayomi's bed. He follows her in and gauges at the two other occupants of the room, being Tanjiro and Mitsuri.

His eyes widen upon seeing Tanjiro in the same condition as his seniors, unaware that he had fought an Upper Moon as well. Had he known that he has also been injured to this degree, he would have brought him a box too.

But, alas. Senjuro sets the basket on the bedside table and turns to an antsy Aoi standing next to the empty bed.

"I mean, I heard that she wanted to leave earlier than Kocho-san estimated, but I didn't think this early," she taps her foot restlessly and brings her hands up to her face, "where could she be? Kocho-san is on patrol duty!"

Senjuro presses his mouth into a hard line– wishing he could say something to alleviate Aoi's worry– and upon turning his head to a nearby drawer as something catches his eye, he finally does.

"Isn't that Takashi-san's haori?" He points at the drawer and Aoi follows suit, approaching it and holding the piece of clothing out to ensure that it is.

She exhales in relief and folds it under her arm. "She hasn't left yet then. She might just be around the mansion somewhere."

Senjuro volunteers to stay put and watch over Mitsuri and Tanjiro while she searches the mansion for Sayomi, to which Aoi responds with a quick pat on his back.

Once Sayomi had secured her opening with the gradual inactivity in the mansion for the evening, she quickly snuck out to scout the rooms for her jacket, hoping that it has not been thoroughly looked at yet.

Although, she has chosen to leave the day after tomorrow to ease anyone's concern.

Having already checked the rooms upstairs with no luck, Sayomi quietly stalks her way down the stairs and pokes her head out vigilantly at the space before her, ensuring that the coast is clear.

She takes the last step down and prolonged breath of relief tumbles out of her mouth. Unfortunately, she draws in the air she just blew out as a silhouette closes in from the hallway on her right. She swiftly takes cover in the shadows behind the staircase, hoping that the spot is dark enough to mask her.