𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 | 𝐆𝐢𝐲𝐮𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐨

Chapter 9 | Visiting Hours

The next few mornings were crazy hectic. Since Shinobu was still in a weak state herself, she wasn't able to help any of the other demon slayers who had been wounded severely.

"Shinobu-sama," Naho, Suki and Kiyo said, "here's your medication!"

All the girls in the estate had been so busy lately, especially with Shinobu in recovery and she couldn't help but feel guilty for it, once again.

Soon after, everyone else walked out of her room and it was Shinobu left alone again. She let out a heavy sigh and tried to get up, she wanted to be back up and fighting as soon as possible.

"Kocho," Tomioka's voice murmured from behind the door, "Stop trying so hard, you're still recovering and you don't need to stress yourself out."

"Morning Tomioka!" She smiled back a genuine smile, she was actually happy that Tomioka was visiting her.

"Kocho, if you're not going to get better, it's going to be because you aren't resting."

Shinobu turned to protest against Tomioka but once she processed his concerned face, she stopped herself.

Walking closer to Shinobu, Tomioka grabbed the spare blanket and covered her with it.

"You're going to catch a cold if you keep at it like this," he muttered, sitting down next to her.

"Tomioka-san, you just missed that cup by half a millimetre, maybe you should start watching where you're going before you start attempting to babysit me," Shinobu teased back, watching Tomioka almost crash into a table.

"Says the girl who got attacked by a demon and needed someone else to carry her."

"Hey! I never asked you t-"

She paused. Feeling Tomioka's gentle hand touch her waist. 

"Does it hurt?"

She stayed frozen for a solid minute before answering his question with a soft, 'it's not that bad anymore'. Her heart was beating uncontrollably out of her chest and she was probably blushing red, no, she was sure she was blushing red.

His cold fingers paralyzed her on the spot and as he removed his fingers from her bandaged waist, she was sure that he had noticed her red face.

"Did I hurt you?"

Shinobu quickly reminded herself to breathe again and her head turned around to lock eyes with Tomioka. His eyes were a beautiful ultramarine blue colour, they were especially beautiful when they were relaxed, and looking straight into hers.

"Tomioka, why did you save me?" She asked, coming to the realisation that neither she nor Tomioka had mentioned it in the previous weeks.

He stared at her with a puzzled expression on his face, his eyes narrowed and his mouth slightly opened.

It was true though. Neither of them had even thought about mentioning it. They had almost just moved on, forgotten about it.

"Tomioka, you had been badly injured too" she continued, in a guilty and gentle tone, "you had multiple cuts all over your body, and you still carried me all that way."

Tomioka didn't let go of his stare, he sat there in silence for another few minutes, glaring into Shinobu's eyes before finally letting out a quiet chuckle.

"Tomioka!" Shinobu cried, "it's not funny, your wounds could've gotten really badly infected if you weren't this lucky, you idiot!" 

He chuckled again, "Kocho, is this how you thank someone for saving your life?"

Shinobu was sitting upright at this point, there was a lot of pressure on her waist but she didn't mind it anymore.

She pouted at his untimely remark and turned the other way.

Tomioka couldn't help but wonder, since when did she become this timid? He didn't mind it though, he found it much more human-like and less intimidating compared to her overly optimistic usual self, maybe he even liked it.

"I saved you from a demon, is it really that big of a deal?" he added, trying to lighten the mood.

"I don't want you to die for me."

"I don't want anyone else to be taken from me."

She looked down and her bandaged waist, letting go of the intense staring between the two.

"But, thank you," she continued, returning her usual smile to her pale little face, "thank you for that, you might've just saved my life."

Tomioka looked at her face, half of it was covered by her silky black hair but he could still see the smile on her face, it reminded him of his sister's smile, the smile she always put on her face to stop him from worrying.

"Of course," he replied with his weird 'personal smile' once again.

"Now, take your medication and stop sitting upright, it'll force too much pressure on your wound."

He's so protective now, Shinobu thought to herself. But she didn't mind it, for some reason, she didn't mind at all, she even thought it was cute of Tomioka to care so much. In a way, she found herself wanting to spend more and more time with Tomioka, she always felt so happy whenever he visited her, but she definitely didn't feel anything more than friendship, they were just becoming really close friends. Plus, although he was good company, Shinobu could never be with a guy who was so distant and cold half the time, he just wasn't her type, right?