stolen time

Ch97 rr

3 months later

As the days gone by shinobu began to notice as wounds piled up on kyojuro, from small scrapes to deep wounds by demons. it's as if he was subconsciously punishing himself with recklessness.

Over and over the white cloth covered another inch of his skin, with a frown shinobu couldn't help but let out a sigh as she slowly watched his enthusiastic self slowly disappear.

"Rengoku san, I know you're worried but please take care of yourself, if you continue to be this reckless I'll have to ask oyakata sama to stop assigning you missions"

With a threatening smile from shinobu, kyojuro shivered from his toes and up.

"Y-yes!...."

He nervously answered with a slowly faltering smile, seeing his discouraged state and his dark eye circles that seem to had grown since the last time she met, she hesitated to speak.

"I not sure whether it's a good idea to tell you this but, there seems to be a case on a female demon being active these days, but I'm not sure if it has exactly anything to do with akami san, I'm sorry this isn't exactly encouraging news is it "

Tilting her head with a closed eye smile, shinobu fastened the end of the bandage.

"No! It at least means she is alive, and just knowing that is good enough for me"

"You're right"

Shinobu said in a soft comforting manner, agreeing as if she were reminiscing a memory.

"Well then I'll get going! Thank you kocho"

"Hai goodbye Rengoku san"

Standing and turning around in a swift manner his haori flickered in the air behind him, disappearing through the corner of the door along with kyojuro. Stepping foot out the estate, his lips quirked up into a sorrowful smile with his brows slanted down.

"I wonder, how you're doing out there Aya"

he whispered towards the dawning sky, wondering if she was peering up towards it too. He carefully and slowly slid the front shoji open in attempt to not wake up Senjuro and his father, because if Senjuro saw the state he was in only a morning of nagging awaited him.

But as expected, his attempt at being stealthy ultimately failed as he heard shuffling sounds approaching rapidly with each second, and soon enough he could expect the sound of his brothers voice call.

"Ani-ue you're back!"

He yelled with a small gasp at the end, noticing another bandage placed upon his body.

"I'm home Senjuro, it's still early in the morning aren't you supposed to be asleep?"

With one hand bent behind his back he slid the shoji shut, keeping out the cold autumn wind from entering.

"That's not important right now, you're injured again..."

With droplets of tears cascading in his eye, kyojuro knelt down on one knee while holding his hand to meet his gaze.

"I'm sorry that I worried you, today's mission was a little rough, but I'm fine it's just a small scratch it'll go away with some rest"

Raising his tired and groggy body up to its feet, he gave Senjuro's small shoulder a tap as he passed him.

"I'll get some sleep before my meeting later! You should head back to sleep too Senjuro"

Kyojuro said waving his hand in the air before he disappeared down the a hall, hoping Senjuro wouldn't call him out on his horrible lie, considering no one whom can sleep soundly would have eye bags as dark as his.

Leaning his heavy body on the wall of his room with a thud, he slowly slid down with a heavy sigh.

He was tired beyond relief but yet he couldn't stop, like an unknown force he felt a hand push him on the back to keep on trying, and trying, and trying. Not knowing when it's ok to stop, without a brake to stop his footsteps, he stared up to the wall of his room where a large map hanged with pins and markings.

Rising up to his feet once more, he slowly dragged his feet towards it picking up yet another pin to place upon the map. Putting his hand on top he leaned his head against the wall, " it seems you're not here either, I'll have to start at a different area soon" he whispered as the small dim light of a lantern extinguished.

*******

After getting roughly an hour or two of sleep he headed outside again for a hashira meeting well a hashira gathering to be exact, by the time he entered the meeting room he could already feel the irritation coming from some of the members.

"So has no one still been able to track her? Is she even alive at this point?"

Sanemi scoffed.

"I'm sure she's still alive!"

Kyojuro responded with his best smile.

"Well of course you are"

"Didn't that woman say something about a fortress?"

"Ah! Iguro san you're right! Akami san did say something about that when we asked where muzan was!"

Mitsuri exclaimed holding up a hand to her mouth as everyone realized as they looked towards her.

"But that also means finding her will be near impossible as well, it will also explain why we haven't found a single clue as of date"

Shinobu said with a frown.

"She's bound to come out at least once, and once she does I'll crush her to bits!"

Sanemi declared with a hand clenching into a fist, imagining as if it were her head in his palm. Kyojuro stood up from his spot, silently bowing towards the others while they stared at him, he bid them farewell.

"I'll be leaving first"

Turning at the ball of his feet he prepared to exit the room when a low threatening voice called to him.

"Oi Rengoku what do you think you're doing, don't tell me you actually believe that you ca-"

"Shinazugawa san!"

Kocho shouted silencing sanemi at what he was about to say, protecting Kyojuro's already damaged heart. She smiled up towards kyojuro, he bowed with a smile showing his appreciation before leaving.