The Hamon Breather

Rest

Shinobu's estate was not too far from where the Hashira Meeting took place. It was maybe a two to three-hour walk, for me at least. Tanjiro was carried by a Kakushi all of the way. True to the name estate, the place was quite massive. Dwarfing even my childhood home. Shinobu quickly parted from us as she had business to attend to. I'd imagine she is quite busy most of the time, she is a Hashira, after all. It doesn't help her schedule when the Butterfly Estate, which is what the place is referred to as, is considered to be the best hospital for the corps. 

"Your sister has been placed into a separate room, you can go visit her later." Aoi, one of Shinobu's assistants, guides us in her boss's place. "For now..." The black-haired and blue-eyed girl sizes the two of us up. "You two need some serious rest! I honestly can't believe they had you attending a meeting like this!"

"Huh?" I instinctively say aloud. "I feel okay though?"

"Are you kidding me?! You've got minor lacerations riddled across your body! And your legs need some proper attention! I can't tell much without looking closer, but it could be seriously injured!" Is it really that bad? I had to go fight that boulder demon with arguably worse though...

"And you!" She looks at Tanjiro. "You're in the same boat as him! But you've got a broken jaw! You two aren't doing anything for at least a week looking like you are now!"

"Alright..." I figure arguing with a healer about being hurt would be a futile action. It's nice to know she's pretty serious about her job at least.

"Tanjiro! Keijo! You're here!" Zenitsu's whiny voice comes out full throttle as we approach the hospital wing. "Some stinky spider stung me on the mountain and now I have to drink this yucky medicine! It tastes so bad!"

"Zenitsu! It's good to see that you're okay." Tanjiro, the ever-patient one, looks at his friend with a grateful expression.

"I haven't seen you in a day and your complaining already? It's just medicine. Haven't you heard of the saying 'the worse it tastes the better it is'?" I, however, am not amused in the slightest.

"That's so mean! It's horrible! I mean it's seriously awful!" Zenitsu cries.

"Where's Inosuke? I haven't seen him yet." Tanjiro asks.

"Oh! He's right here. Apparently, his throat got crushed while fighting some big scary guy, and he screamed really loudly afterward so his throat is all messed up. It's kind of funny seeing him like this actually." Zenitsu tries to hide a devious smirk from showing.

"Hi," Inosuke responds listlessly.

"I think I prefer the normal Inosuke, surprisingly," I say as I look at my friend in pity.

"Enough pleasantries! You three injured people need to get some serious rest! And you!" Aoi points at Zenitsu. "You better drink your medicine or it'll take even longer for you to go back to normal!"

"Can't argue with the doctor's orders." I shrug and slide into one of the clean beds. Tanjiro was placed next to the one I was in.

"That's right! if you just listen you'll be out of here quicker!" She was glaring at a certain blonde as she said that.

"Why'd you look at me when you said that?!" Zenitsu, of course, complains about it.

"You fully know the reason! Don't even try to disagree!" Aoi shuts him up in moments. The room quiets down once Aoi deems us well-behaved enough to leave. All jokes and bits aside, I'm glad everyone's, for better or worse, safe. Even though I may not show it.

---

It's good to know that, even through sickness and health, some things never change. The reason I'm saying this is because even with a messed-up throat Inosuke still insists on cramming food down his gullet. I know his manners, er well, lack of manners, is due to his upbringing, but I really should ask him about it sometime.