stolen time

Ch61 hello and goodbye rr

"So what did you dream of ayame? You seemed pretty mad after you woke up"

Kyojuro asked looking down into his haori with his wide smile, looking up at his face it reminded her of a single sentence "good morning my sweet flame" ayame recalled the events of what happened inside the illusion. her face burned red, as steam burst out her head she buried her face in her small palms.

"I don't want to talk about it"

Kyojuro chuckled seeing her flustered, he looked back up taking in the fresh air.

The kakushi's arrived an hour later to help with the injured passengers, as well as help carry kyojuro and tanjiro whom were the most severely injured back to the butterfly estate for treatment.

The kakushis supported kyojuro inside the estate where senjuro waited, he was so anxious for their return his face was pale to the point he could've fainted by the slightest scare. When he heard the front door slide open his head snapped towards it with an amazing speed, tears cascaded his eyes as he ran over to kyojuro who had one arm around the kakushi's neck and an arm around his broken ribs.

"Ani-ue!"

Senjuro yelled reaching out to him but not daring to touch him, due to the state he was in scared he would hurt him more.

"Senjuro I'm fine! I look worse than I am"

Kyojuro said with a reassuring smile patting his head, Senjuro' eyes drooped along with his shoulders relieved that his brother was ok.

"Thank goodness, where's ayame nee-san? Is she alright she joined you on your mission right? I heard there was an upper kizuki and I don't see her anywhere"

Senjuro asked looking up as his worry started to build up within him again.

"I'm in here, i promised I would come back with kyojuro remember"

A muffled voice sounded behind kyojuro where another kakushi stood, Senjuro tilted his head to the side with a raised brow confused at where the voice came from. Kyojuro and the kakushi supporting him moved over as the one stood behind them turned around and knelt down revealing the box that ayame was in cased inside.

The door slowly creaked open pushed open by a small hand buried within a sleeve.

"Nee-san?!?"

Senjuro called with a surprised face approaching her, ayame shuffled out reverting into her full size she stretched up her arms up from being cramped inside the box for so long.

"Now then kyojuro you should go on ahead and get yourself treated along with tanjiro, my blood isn't a miracle worker it may be able to help relieve its severity slightly but it isn't strong enough to keep someone out of critical condition for long, I'll visit with senjuro tomorrow so get some rest"

"Yes thank you ayame!"

He smiled before getting dragged away by the kakushi as Senjuro waved him goodbye.

******

Once nighttime came and Senjuro had gone back to rest ayame payed a visit to the patients room to made sure kyojuro and tanjiro were in a stable condition, quietly entering their room ayame stood besides their hospital bed as they slept like a log from all the fatigue. Looking out the glass window her eyes shined in the cool moonlight.

It reminded her the days she used to watch it outside her room at the temple reminding her that her demon art is about to expire, she decided to pay a quick visit to douma back at the temple since her execution.

looking down towards kyojuro with his hair prickling his face she chuckled while brushing it aside. "Maybe I wouldn't mind if that dream became a reality" she whispered.

Her fingers flinched eyes widening, "what am I thinking, that's never going to happen i dont even think of him that way" she screamed in her head with ears burning red she hurriedly left. unknowing that kyojuro who awoke from her touch heard.

Landing in her room which was still the same since she last saw it as if it was frozen in time she let out a small sigh.

"It's been a long time since I was here" she whispered, as loud thudding quickly approached behind her with a loud slam that washed a harsh wind blowing her hair to the front of her body.

"Ayame chan?"

She looked back to see douma standing there with hand on the side of the nearly broken shoji which he had just slammed open with a look of disbelief.

"Ara that was fast"

Ayame responded blinking turning her body towards him, his expression brightened into a smile as he ran towards her with arms open attempting to embrace her in a a hug.

"Ayame chaaan~"

He said jumping towards her only to miss as Ayame dodged stepping to the side he fell to the ground face first.

"That's mean Ayame chan, I was so lonely with you gone"

He whined with fake tears in his eye sitting up.

"Why are you here ayame chan? Did something happen? Did those pesky slayers bully you? I'll eat the women and throw the corps of the men to the demons if they did"

"It's not that douma relax, I came here for two reasons, first is to renew my demon art since it will be expiring soon as well as a favour I need you to do for me"

"And what would that be ayame chan~"

He grinned with closed eyes fanning himself with his golden fans.

"I was discovered by akaza yesterday"

She said making douma freeze up,

"Oh my that's not good"

shutting his fan with an awkward smile.

"Ah I know! would you like me to seal him away in ice for you? That way he won't be able to expose ayame chan!"

He said clapping his hands together with a proud beaming smile.

"That won't be necessary, he already agreed on keeping his mouth shut which is why I'm here to ask you to keep an eye on him discreetly in case he tells muzan"

His hand fell onto his ankles while his sat cross legged.

"I mean that's easy ayame chan but are you sure that's safe?"

"Yes it's better than him suddenly disappearing because you sealed him causing muzan to be suspicious, that's the last thing I want happening, now give me your fan so I can renew the spell"

She said face palming.

"Hai ayame chan~"

He jumped up taking a few steps towards her he handed her his closed fan, she took it in her hands giving her finger a prick at the same time she waited for a droplet to fall on the fan.

"That should last for awhile, now that I'm done with I came here to do I'll be leaving"

Ayame looked up to douma with her usual stoic expression.

"Alright ayame chan~ bye bye for now"

A smile turned up her lips as her lower body slowly disappeared.