stolen time

Ch86 dr

Kyojuro backed up after a few sensible seconds and immediately bombarded ayame with a hoard of questions.

"Where were you all this time? How are your wounds? Are yo-"

"Stop stop! one at a time"

She sighed before starting to explain the situation.

"The demon I previously lived with Douma found me luckily before sun rise and helped to treat my wounds, I've healed enough to move but I still need time for them to completely heal"

"I see, it's a relief that you're alive, everyone has been so worried, I'll report this to oyakata sama and take you to the butterfly estate immediately"

He said turning around in preparation to go write a report.

"It's alright I can go myself or wait until tomorrow morning"

"I cannot agree to that! And if it makes it easier i need to get mine checked as well!"

She could no longer refuse after kyojuro said that and also because he was already walking away, ayame looked down to Senjuro who was still holding her tight around the waist she knelt down to face his tears eyes.

"I'm sorry Senjuro for worrying you, but I'm back now so don't cry alright?"

Wiping his teary eyes ayame held his small hand rubbing his knuckles with a thumb comforting him.

"Hai, welcoming back nee-san"

He greeted with a smile while kyojuro approached from behind tapping Senjuro on the head.

"You should go to sleep now Senjuro, you'll have plenty of time to talk with ayame tomorrow"

Senjuro nodded waving them off by the door. On the way to the estate kyojuro explained what had happen after she went missing, kakushi's had been sent to search around the area along with kasugai crows for the past few days. Because they had not found any signs of her being dead they had hope, especially tanjiro who was the one that encouraged everyone and kept their hopes up.

The moment they entered the estate shinobu hurriedly bolted out of room and tackled ayame into a hug.

"Akami san thank goodness you're alive, I was starting to loose hope after not hearing a word about you for days, now quickly let me check your wounds I remember them being quite severe"

"Thank you shinobu and sorry for worrying you"

She said while being dragged away by shinobu by the hand towards her office.

The days past quickly and the news of ayame's return had reached everyone, some people didn't have much of an reaction and those who were close to her hurriedly came to visit her the moment they could. Two days before mitsuri came to visit with obanai who was forcefully brought along, and today tengen and his wives payed a visit.

"Ayame chan!!!"

Suma yelled running towards her with her arms wide open, they greeted each other with a hug while the rest approached.

"Suma san it's nice to see you again, same to you makio san hinatsuru san"

She said smiling.

"Oi what about me? Aren't you grateful to see someone as flamboyant as yours truly again?"

Tengen boasted with a hand on his hip, ayame stared at him with a blank and unexpressive face.

"Ah tengen san you're here as well I didn't notice you"

An irk mark appeared on his head with his eye twitching.

"Why yo-"

"Never mind him, ayame san we brought you some gifts"

Makio said shoving tengen to the side as they left him in the dust while walking away arm in arm with Ayame.

1 month later

All of ayame's wounds had healed along with kyojuro, and without wasting anytime they were thrown back into their vigorous training sessions to gain back their strength they had lost while bedridden. their wooden swords sung a song Clashing against each other in the hot summer day, with a face full of sweat kyojuro was brightly grinning as he prepared for his next move.

"Ani-ue you should take a break and cool down, you might get sick at this rate"

Senjuro said at the entrance of the dojo holding a tray of cold towels he had prepared.

"I'm perfectly fine! But thank you anyway Senjuro"

He said walking over to receive the towel from Senjuro whom was staring with worried eyes, ayame sighed chuckling walking up to them both.

"Let's stop for today, it's getting late"

"Hmu, good idea! Oh right ayame will you be heading out tonight?"

Kyojuro asked wiping his face with the cold towel.

"Hmm... maybe is something the matter?"

She answered

"Yes! There has been a report that muzan may be in shinjuku, i wanted to warn you in case you decided to go somewhere near there"

"I see... thank you for telling me I'll keep it in mind when I go out"

Smiling she left to her room to retire for the day. The house soon became quiet in the dead of night ayame sat upon the engawa looking up towards the night sky, being alone in the silence had used to be something she preferred but after bathing in the company of so many new people it was no longer something she enjoyed.

Laying on the engawa alone a second felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours, ayame closed her eyes in attempt to fall asleep but no matter how much time passes she couldn't feel the heavy drowsiness wash over her.

Ayame suddenly realized that there was a simple solution to help pass the long night and that was to find herself some company, she was reminded that it had been a month since she last visited Douma, and being the clingy demon he is she needed to keep her promise of visiting him and tonight was great timing to do so.

Making up her mind she sat up and left.