stolen time

Ch110 yours again rr

3rd person POV

Instead of the usual, kyojuro was woken up by the sudden tickle of something against his cheek. His eyes slowly opened alluringly to the blurry sight of black strings flowing in the air.

His narrowed gaze turned to the side, with his sight following up those strands. Blinking a few times his vision cleared up to realize it was ayame's hair, his eyes grew round in shock at the realization, his heart rate increasing  by the second as he continued to peer upwards.

Finally his eyes met with an unbelievable view of ayame staring off into the distance with tears cascading her vermillion eyes. She took notice of his stares, turning her gaze down towards him she had a placid smile upon her once sleeping face.

"Aya...me?"

"Sorry did I wake you?"

Hearing her soft voice kyojuro realized he was seeing things and quickly sprang up engulfing ayame into a tight hug.

"AYA YOURE FINALLY AWAKE! DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED I WAS? I was so scared you were going to leave me..."

"I'm sorry kyojuro I'm sorry"

She repeated feeling his grasp tighten at the fabric on her back, unwilling to let go anytime soon as he trembled in the comfort of her arms. All the hardships and fatigue of the past year instantly washed away, making it all worth it now that she was his again.

"No...I should be the one apologizing for failing to protect you even though I promised, and because of it you had to experience such torture, I don't expect you to forgive me but please don't forfeit your life"

"Kyojuro..."

She took the palms of her hands off of Kyojuro's wide back, placing them on his cheeks she cupped them to make him face her. His eyes and nose were bright red with droplets of tears still forming, brushing her thumb across the bottom of his eye ayame wiped his tears away with an affectionate smile.

"It isn't your fault and I don't blame you for it, so don't feel guilty alright?"

"But..."

"No but's or I'll get made and run away"

pulling against his cheeks, she threatened with a frown.

"Then I'll have to chase after you again"

Kyojuro declared with loving eyes that bore into hers. Soon after the news spread, Shinobu, Tamayo, and yushiro quickly appeared. When ayame first saw tamayo step through the shoji, her eyes rounded so wide that being shocked would be an understatement.

tightly wrapping her arms around ayame's neck Tamayo welcomed her back with a hug, it had been so long since they last saw each other and in a sense it felt like a family reunion.

"I'm so glad you're awake ayame, and I'm sorry for leaving you behind that day"

Ayame reciprocated her hug after she processed what was happening, smiling a close eye smile she patted her gently on the back.

"My my, I'm getting a lot of apologies today even though I'm the one that should be saying sorry for all the trouble I caused"

"It's only natural for us to help out our allies so don't worry about it too much, and besides it helped us make progress in developing poisons"

"I see that's wonderful"

Ayame replied with a relieved smile. They began by giving ayame a diagnosis of her current state, followed by a recap of important events and information she had missed prior to her return.

"I see, well this is still a much better outcome than what I had expected"

She said with a sigh, looking down into the palm of her hand in a melancholic gaze.

"Even though I put you all through so much I'm disappointed to say there isn't anything I can tell you about him, I'm sorry I couldn't do more while I was there"

"No don't be, we're glad that you were able to come back alive, that's more than enough"

Shinobu responded towards her depressed tone. Looking past both tamayo and shinobu, ayame noticed a unfamiliar figure sitting quietly behind. It was a young demon boy with bright turquoise and black hair, she was reminded of an existence tanjiro had mentioned to her before.

"Are you perhaps Yushiro? Tanjiro mentioned you before in one of our conversations, thank you for supporting tamayo I hope you continue to do so in the future"

Ayame flashed a closed eye smile at yushiro, full of gratitude for the boy she had never met. His lips parted with a bashful expression, he didn't know how to respond so in a sarcastic tone he turned his face away with crossed arms.

"O-of course! It's only natural I will be with tamayo sama"

Everyone chuckled, and once night fell everyone except kyojuro left to give ayame some space. With a long deep sigh she was still in disbelief of her survival after hearing of the effects of the drug, even though she was a sinner it was almost as if kamisama was trying to keep her alive, despite being so unlucky she was also lucky at the same time.

"How ironic" she thought in her mind. She felt a warm grasp tightly clench onto her right hand, looking towards her right was kyojuro silently staring at her with downturned brows. His eyes were filled with worry, enough so to make ayame to feel it as well. Breaking a smile she extended an arm out towards him, gesturing a hug as kyojuro leaned in.

With his arms wrapped tightly around her, and his head layed comfortably on her chest, ayame gently patted him with her cheek pressed against his head. She didn't know what to say, as she couldn't tell him that everything will be alright, because it would be a lie and a promise she wouldn't be able to keep.

"Aya"

"Hmm?"

"Let's get through this together alright?"

Kyojuro muttered with closing eyes.

"Yes, for Better, for worse"

"To have and to hold"

"Till death do us part"

They chanted in unison, with the bands of their rings against each other within their knitted together fingers.