boketto || t. kamado

thirty-five

"Ready," Aoi started, her first word hanging in the air over myself, the cups of tea, and Kanao Tsuyuri on the other side. She still had the carefully kept tiny smile on an otherwise lax face. 

We waited tensely. Finally, Aoi said, "Go!"

Our hands flew in unison. One on one, two hands each, flying to grab a cup of tea before their foe pushed it back down. We went back and forth constantly. I'd stop her cup, and she'd return the favor. The only sound was Sumi, Kiyo, and Naho clearing for both of us and the bottom of cups being slammed back into the table. Even Tanjiro was watching anxiously by Aoi. 

I could feel my muscles working feverishly at my every command, stopping cup after cup of medicinal water from making me need a bath, while also simultaneously attempting to beat my foe. She was quick. Very quick, and clearly having been training for nearly the same amount of time as myself, if not more. 

Tsuyuri was faster than I was - but I had better endurance. With our strengths and weaknesses, we were on equal grounds. 

Her hand went right, I watched, but became acutely aware of her fake-out as she moved it beneath me and reached for the same cup I had been trying to get. She was quicker - and reached it before me, making my palm slap onto the table as she swept it from beneath me. The only issue -

I grabbed the cup just to the side. Within the same moment, both of our arms reached forward with cups and the warm water was splashed into the face of the one in front of us. 

We both paused. Gross-smelling water dripped off my bangs and from her chin. The onlookers around us quieted. 

"A... tie?" Aoi mumbled, brow furrowed. 

Kanao stood suddenly, still having that small smile. Her aura was unlike any I'd ever seen. Grey, but not the same way that demons would be. It was grey out of compressed emotions. As if they were put in jail. Unreachable. She must've been through quite a bit, and this was her reaction to such. 

She gave me a bow. I stood up myself before she could leave, and returned the gesture in kind. It didn't cause any waver or affect her aura in any way. But she just turned and left the room. 

"Nice try, Lady Y/n!" Sumi smiled, as the three girls rushed up to me and Naho held up a towel. I grabbed it and rubbed at the liquid on my face. 

One day, maybe. 

I spent the rest of my day in the yard, going through exercises on my lonesome until Inosuke and Tanjiro joined me partway through. They were working on total concentration breathing - which I myself had gotten back into the habit of and was maintaining currently. The boys had been startled to realize I already knew it, but it'd also encouraged them to follow in my footsteps and how I went about my routine. The company was welcome. 

The boys trailed behind as I continued my typical run, breathing carefully with each step along the fence. Balance and stamina - a lovely combo. Eventually, Zenitsu joined us as well and it looked like I had a trail of ducklings behind me, based on their line and occasional arguing. I was relatively inattentive to them, though. 

Eventually, Inosuke veered off at the smell of food, leaving, Tanjiro, and Zenitsu. We went through some flexibility and agility drills and I was surprised to see Zenitsu ace them rather well. Maybe it was because Aoi and the three girls were watching. I wasn't sure. Either way, he stopped complaining during them and that's always a delight for me. 

But he eventually also left, as the sun began to set and he wanted tea. Tanjiro stayed - something that did not surprise me. I'd left the ground of the Butterfly mansion for a last, long run, and he followed without a word. This had been going on for several days now.