stolen time

Ch87 rr edit

moving out of Kyojuro's grasp as a slightly disappointed tone appeared on his eyes. Sitting down between the two she tapped at her side for Senjuro to take a seat.

"Ah! Why don't we take a trip to a nearby lake then? I'm sure the cold water will help"

Ayame suggested. Tapping a fist in her palm.

"That's a great idea! We can even catch some fish for dinner!"

Kyojuro heartily laughed before remembering a crucial factor.

"But Aya wouldn't carrying a wagasa that large be a hassle?"

"It's fine, besides I'm sure there will be some shade around"

Ayame replied, leaning back as she stretched her arms up. Kyojuro looked towards Senjuro as his gaze gave him an answer before looking back at ayame's smiling visage.

"Alright then! Let's grab some items and head out!"

He decided with ayame and Senjuro chuckling to each other in delight.

******

They hiked through hills and bushes, eventually making it near their destination by early afternoon. But the moment they made through the last if the bushes towards the lake, they were greeted by an unexpected figure.

"Himejima!"

Kyojuro shouted in surprise, watching as gyomei trained under the heavy crash of the water fall. It was also quite an unexpected surprise for ayame as well, watching the resilient man oozing with an impenetrable aura.

"Nee-san, is he someone from the corps? It seems you and ani-ue are acquainted with him"

Senjuro asked, leaning up to whisper in ayame's ear while they both looked towards the front. Himejima took notice of their presence with water draining down his face and white eyes, unknowing whether they were tears or from the waterfall.

"Ah...Rengoku, and this presence, I assume the demon woman Akami is with you as well"

He emerged from under the falls and straightening up to his full height, with all their gazes slowly tilting up each second he did.

"I hope we aren't disturbing you"

Ayame spoke up, affirming his question with one of her own. Gyomei kept his expression firm, all while he continuously approached them with each step moving waves through the running lake.

"It is not a problem, I could never hope to claim this place for my own and prevent others visits. That being said, it is quite a shock to see you out in daylight"

Gyomei remarked as Ayame stood slightly stunned at his willingness to hold a conversation with her.

"Well I suppose it is quite unusual, sometimes even I forget which side I'm on"

Ayame replied with a soft smile as she studied the mans stoic expression. He bent towards his belongings sitting by the edge of the lake preparing to depart, when Kyojuro's voice suddenly interrupted him.

"Himejima are you leaving? You should stay with us for some lunch! My younger brother's cooking is quite spectacular!"

Himejima turned to face kyojuro with his belongings in hand.

"That is quite alright, I appreciate the kind gesture but I had plans to train somewhere else prior to your arrival, perhaps some other time"

He answered, striding off deeper into the woods and making his presence scarce.

"How unfortunate, I would've liked to talk to him more outside of meetings! Let's settle down shall we?"

Kyojuro gleefully said, raising up the large picnic basket calling over senjuro and ayame. She sat at the very edge of the glistening lake, carrying a huge wagasa that leaned on her shoulder with so much ease it seemed no heavier than a toothpick. All whilst she watched the brother's bathing in the blinding sun with sleeves and pants tucked up high, as they attempted to catch dinner.

Ayame's smile deepened with each passing moment, feeling the chilling current rush barely below her ankles.

"Ani-ue!! There's a big one over there!"

"Really?"

Kyojuro excitedly questioned looking over his shoulder towards the spot Senjuro pointed at. His eyes lit up like a torch, with a gaze so heavily focused on his prey not even ayame's chuckles could distract him.

"You have to slowly catch it off guard from behind"

Ayame yelled with a hand cupped to her cheek.

"Got it!!... catch it from behind...catch it from behind..."

Kyojuro repeated, closing in on the fish as Senjuro silently cheered him in the distance, and within a few moments of silence he sprung into action claiming his first win of the day.

"You're amazing Aya!"

Kyojuro complimented, holding the squirming fish between his arms.

"You must be quite experienced in this"

Kyojuro followed up with Ayame's eyes responding with slight shock and a shudder, before softening into an awkward smile.

"I suppose that's true"

Ayame said while kyojuro stomped back over to the lakeside. Despite wanting to deny that fact, she couldn't ignore all the times she forcibly dragged muzan out. And even though the person mentioned was a painful thought, she couldn't say the same for the memories itself.

"Would you like to take a break?"

Ayame asked, with her eyes focused on kyojuro as he slowly laid his head on her lap.

"That's a good idea! The water is colder than I had expected, if I stayed any longer my feet would've went numb"

He chuckled, staring up towards ayame as she looked at him.

"Senjuro, you should rest a bit as well, you two can continue after eating something"

Ayame shouted, gaining the attention of Senjuro as he happily hummed in agreement.

*******

Through the chatters of the brothers, ayame's ears twitched at the sound of another within the forest.

"I'll be back in a moment, I'm going to go take a look around"

Ayame said in a cheerful tone, standing up as she warranted the attention of the brothers.

"Ah! Then We'll go with you!"

"It's fine, you guys continue to eat. I won't take very long"

Ayame smiled, traversing carefully through the rough mountain steps towards the sound. It didn't take long to reach the origin of the noise, making it out of the tightly packed greenery she found herself in an open space with none other than himejima.

"Oh? I was wondering what I heard, I thought you had left himejima san"

Watching the man who sat under the bright rays of sunshine beaming like a spotlight down on him as he prayed. He remained unmoved from ayame's unexpected visit.

"I didn't think you would approach me on your own, are you not afraid that I would take your life?"

Himejima remarked, rubbing his hands together as his prayer beads clacked within the silence.

"Compared to being afraid, you could say I'm used to it"

"Used to it?"

Himejima replied in a deep yet confused tone.