stolen time

ch36 an offer edit

the three of them spent a leisurely time chatting about themselves, well mostly about Ayame after realizing despite knowing each other for so long, they were still mostly clueless about her.

"ayame san is from a family of priests?"

asked senjuro with sparkling eyes.

"that would make sense since you held a kagura dance nearly two years ago!"

"eh? ani-ue you've seen her perform?"

"yes! i was 18 years old at the time a little while before i became a hashira, it was the first time i met Ayame or saw at least"

he exclaimed as he reminisced about that lively night filled with the sound of her singing.

"i would've liked to see that"

senjuro said looking down feeling slightly disappointed.

"i could always hold a small one for you to watch if you wish, it'll be like a practice"

she patted senjuro on the back to comfort him but suddenly something pricked in her mind, "wait did he say 18? that means..." she thought.

"kyojuro you're 20?"

"yes! that is correct! is something wrong?"

ayame cupped her cheek with her right hand as she looked up thinking.

"no its just...if i remember correctly i was...18? or was it 19 i think i was 19 when i became a demon"

they both turned their gaze towards ayame with the same wide eyes and in sync they both shouted.

"HUUUHHH?!?"

"that means im older than you?!?"

kyojuro questioned in shock.

"yes"

ayame tilted her head taken back by his confusion.

"i had assumed you were older based on your demeanour, it didn't occur to me that you were younger "

Kyojuro exclaimed relaxing his shoulders as he dropped them down. to kyojuro ayame had always gave off a composed and mature vibe like someone in their mid 20s, and hearing she was actually 19 was quite a shock.

"hmm maybe that's because i had siblings"

she shrugged not knowing why he is so surprised.

"u-umm"

senjuro hummed at a loss as he raised a hand.

"wasnt ayame san born in the heian era? wouldn't she be older?"

kyojuro chuckled at senjuro's question before starting to explain.

"thats true she has lived much longer than us, but demons dont age once they become one so in a sense ayame is still 19"

senjuro's mouth formed an O as he learned something new about demons, he looked up towards ayame who was smiling a closed eyed smile at him with a tilted head.

"yes, and in a few years you'll also be older than me senjuro"

she giggled, just thinking about the person she saw as a younger brother will eventually become an older brother.

"though my physical body and mentality didnt change i cant say im exactly the same as i was before, maybe i suited my age much better in the past"

"ayame san you say that as if you had forgotten"

"that's because its true, most of my memories are gone i have only started remembering bits and pieces recently"

she said nonchalantly in her stoic voice, with not a single emotion of sadness displayed on her face, it was an expected reaction yet a pitiful one, but in truth what is there to be sad about if you don't even remember them?.

senjuro looked at her in concern followed by kyojuro as his hands formed into a fist, he felt a tug in his heart hearing at the fact she is unable to remember parts of her own identity.

"ayame..."

he said sullenly. the two brothers both leaned in and gave her a hug from each side, sandwiching her in between them making her blink blankly in response.

"eh?"

she patted them both on their back.

"enough about me tell me a bit about yourselves, you two look almost like an exact copy of each other"

they both released their embrace sitting back straight in their spots.

"we do look quite similar dont we"

giggled kyojuro as he formed his arms back into a cross.

"yes except im not as strong or talented as ani-ue"

"senjuro are you still worried about that?"

kyojuro said with downturn eyebrows, he always worried about senjuro feeling bad about himself for not becoming a swordsman and having to give up.

"sorry..."

"kyojuro what does he mean?"

ayame asked turning her gaze towards kyojuro with a concerned expression.

"a few years ago we got him a nichirin blade, and nichirin blades are also known to change color based on its bearer but senjuro's...didnt change so he gave up on swordsmanship soon after"

"is that all? Though I'm not sure how nichirin blades work exactly, but determining ones strength simply on such a factor is absurd, but in a way itself it's a good thing you gave up on learning, I'm not saying this to discourage you but slaying demons and protecting people may seem like a noble job and it is, but in reality its full of cruelty and chaos, and it isn't something I would encourage anyone to do"

"hmu ayame is right! i dont wish for you to put yourself in danger, but if you truly desire to fight ill support you, otherwise I want you to take a different path that you think is right, away from danger"

"I agree, I'm sure with some training and finding what breath style suits you the best, it will change colour eventually"

kyojuro encouraged him as he knelled on the ground under the engawa in front of senjuro holding his small hands that he hopes would never bear the same callouses as his.

senjuro began to sniffle as tears cascaded his eyes, they were not tears of sadness but ones of glee.

"thank you ayame san ani-ue"

*****

nighttime fell and senjuro had tired himself out from crying, kyojuro walked out of his room closing the shoji behind him after tucking senjuro in.

"thank you ayame for encouraging senjuro"

she shook her head fron side to side humming.

"its alright i just voiced what i thought, i doubt he will encounter demons again during the day but in case there is and my technique isnt active it is a good idea to learn even if he doesn't join the corps, considering the times we live in if he chooses to do so"

"true at least he'll be able to protect himself from low rank demons"

they walked down the hall back towards the engawa.

"well its time for me to leave"

she said facing kyojuro with her usual straight expression.

"ah wait there's something i need to ask you before you do"

"hmm? what is it"

ayame said gazing into his golden pupils that glowed under the cold light like a fire as she waited for what he would say.

"would you...join the demon slayer corps?"