Butterflies? Or something telling me to run away? || GiyuShino

Chapter 9 | Change

She would wake up with him on her mind.

Her day would be that much brighter when she saw him.

Was he slowly becoming a bigger part of her life? She wondered to herself.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Kocho" Tomioka turned and looked at the female next to him "I thought you said you can cook".

"......" She didn't reply.

"So, what's this?" He pointed to what appeared to be burnt eggs, along with the various burnt items on his plate and raised his eyebrow.

"Well" Kocho looked over to the sad meal, "turns out I was wrong, I guess."

"To be honest, I've never cooked before" she shrugged.

"Yeah, I can tell" Tomioka retorted but he took up his chopsticks and took a bite anyway.

Kocho frowned "You don't have to eat it you know, I can just go out and buy something actually edible."

Tomioka glanced at her, continuing to eat "I've had worse food, don't worry"

The two sat together in silence comfortably as he ate, deep in their own thoughts.

"Thank you for the meal" Tomioka placed his chopsticks down, thanking Kocho for the burnt meal.

She couldn't believe he actually finished everything, "I'll take it down for you, in the meantime take some of this medicine and rest." She handed him a small white sachet.

He looked at it suspiciously "it's not poisonous right"

"It's edible if that's what you mean" Kocho smilied as she said that, but Tomioka knew that smile would indicate a certain death if he kept pushing it.

Satisfied with his response - or lack thereof, she left to take the dishes back downstairs.

❀❀❀

Two weeks passed since then.

Kocho would go and check on Tomioka every day, saying it was to make sure his arm was healing fine, but secretly she just wanted to see him. She didn't know why, she just knew that Tomioka was slowly becoming a bigger part of her life with each passing day. She would often wake up with him in mind, and her day would just be a little brighter when she saw him.

As if knowing that she was busy nursing Tomioka back to health, Kocho did not receive any missions from headquarters for these two weeks. She spent majority of her time in the laboratory, either studying and carrying out experiments or making new poisons. In the meantime, if any of the other Pillars had any injuries from their missions, they would also go find her in the laboratory to get it treated.

"Kocho, did something good happen?" Rengoku asked her one day while he was being treated.

"Hm? No, not really?" Kocho looked up at the Flame Pillar who smiled energetically at her despite his injuries.

"You seem a bit different nowadays is all!" He laughed, which was soon followed by a big coughing fit "My, Rengoku-san please be careful, you're still injured" Kocho handed him a glass of water.

But she couldn't help but be curious about what he meant, "in what way do I seem different?"

He thought about it for a second, "I'm not sure, I think you've become more approachable I guess?" He tilted his head thinking hard.

"Is that so?" Shinazugawa's voice rang up by the doorway.

"Sanemi! Welcome back!" Rengoku was visibly excited by his colleague's safe arrival home, which Kocho found quite endearing.

Shinazugawa smirked, but Kocho could tell that he was happy to see Rengoku as well. She thought that it was amazing Rengoku could manage to win the hearts of even the toughest of the slayers.

"Well, Rengoku isn't wrong you know" he took a look at Kocho "you definitely look like you care about life more"

"Hey now, what is that supposed to mean" Kocho laughed lightly "I always took life seriously"

"When I first saw you, all I saw was a girl trying to be her sister"

Although her smile never left her face, Shinazugawa's words made her pause her actions of treatment and look up at him, to which he looked back fearlessly. The rest of the treatment session was awkwardly quiet.

"Ahem, thank you Kocho! We'll be on our way then" Rengoku broke the silence and stood up to bow at Kocho after she had wrapped up.

"Wait, I haven't gotten treatment for my injuries-" Ignoring Shinazugawa's complaints, he turned around and dragged him out of the laboratory.

Kocho could hear their arguments fade as they walked further away.

She knew that Shinazugawa's words were true, but she didn't expect him to be so straightforward with it like that.

Packing some of her things up, she would go find Tomioka now to see if he was physically well enough to continue work.

❀❀❀

She didn't even bother knocking as she reached Tomioka's place anymore, he would be expecting her at around this time anyway and leave the door unlocked for her to enter anytime.

"Tomioka where are you? We'll see today if you're fit enough to continue work" She walked into his place like it was her own and set her things down on his desk. He really should get some more chairs and stuff, there was barely any furniture in his room. Maybe she'll mention it to him next time they head out.

Tomioka poked his head out of his bedroom door "Kocho, don't just let yourself in" he said without really meaning it.

"Then lock your door" She said back to him, not really caring while taking out some equipment she'll use to check his recovery.

"Come sit down now" indicating at the chair in front of her, she watched Tomioka quietly do as he was told.

*several tests later*

"Mm! You pass" Kocho's laugh had a lively ring to it, Tomioka was relieved to hear that he was well enough to get back to slaying those demons after two whole weeks of being cooped up in bed.

Almost like it had been planned out, the two heard a knocking on Tomioka's balcony door. Smiling, Kocho went to open the door to let the two crows in.

"Both of you head north early next morning! Demon slayers have been disappearing in that area!" Kocho's crow screeched, Tomioka's crow looked... out of it. It did nod in agreement though, which was something.

"Well Tomioka" Kocho playfully poked at him again "I look forward to working with you for real this time", moving away from Kocho's poke attack, he nodded in agreement "Likewise".

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A/N: 2 uploads today! Things are probably going to get a lot more into the core of the story from here on out. I was wondering if I should include Kanao in the story, but I'm probably just gonna let her appear somewhere towards the end haha.

Things between the two of them are moving along nicely, albeit a bit slow. Be patient guys :D

Also just a special thanks to those who've voted or left a comment on my previous chapters - recently I've been super stressed and although writing this fic is pretty much my biggest stress relief atm, you guys have given me extra reason to continue writing and persevering.
Thank you, you know who you are 💕

This is the end of the chapter.
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