𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑻𝑺𝑼𝑮𝑰

四

【A/N; Idk if anyone ever wondered what Sumiko and Mafuyu looked like but I left you a small drawing of how I imagined them. Love y'all!!】

"Why am I supposed to hide, it's just Shinobu!"

Aoi widened his eyes and stared at you as if you just grew another head. "Just?! Just Shinobu?!" He tugged on his ponytail and sighed. "Stick to the plan, if you wish to live to see tomorrow's sunrise. Kanao, find a way to distract Shinobu, I'll help her in from the other door." Kanao nodded and Aoi dragged you from your arm.

"Wait!" Kanao quietly called out. "I'll do it, but I have a condition to ask." Aoi furrowed his brows and groaned. "What is it?"

"You'll excuse me from helping you train the boys for at least three days." Kanao smiled gently. "You know I can't do anything about that, you'd have to ask Shinobu" Aoi ran a hand down his face in exasperation.

"Who said she has to know?" With an innocent demeanor he titled his head and closed his eyes. His smile always present. When did Kanao become so rebellious was a mystery to Aoi as well. You wondered what Tanjiro actually told him this once...

"Deal." They shook hands and nodded.

Kanao ran all the way back to the gate and you allowed Aoi to drag you inside. It was like a little spy game. Or ninja game. Well both have to be sneaky so it doesn't really matter.

The only source of light came from outside. The moon shone on the corridors of the mansion. Your steps almost silent as you walked around on your tip toes. No words were exchanged just occasional taps on your shoulders to indicate each others the safest way.

Luckily you reached your door soon enough and quietly entered afraid of waking up Rengoku. You grabbed a candle from the little tray near the door and lit it up.

You turned around with a smile ready to thank Aoi for being considerate and helping you escape Shinobu's rage. To your dismay he was no longer there.

"Where were you?" You froze on your spot and gulped loudly. Almost comically you turned around and faced whoever sat on your bed with their arms crossed. You almost didn't want to believe it but it was indeed her. Shinobu sat on your bed with her arms crossed and a light frown on her face.

Kokushibo was also in the room seated on the floor with his back against the mattress.

"I-In the rest-" You began to say only to be interrupted. "I've emptied every single corner of this estate, don't fool me. Where were you? I'm not mad." She walked closer to you with a strained smile and an irk mark really evident on her forehead.

"I'll tell you where I was, just stay right where you are!" You pointed your finger towards the bed and cowered away from her. "Why don't you want me next to you? I won't do anything." Her smile widened a little bit. "I mean it."

"I was at the Master's mansion" Shinobu hummed and cupped her chin with her thumb and index finger. "I see...but I don't exactly get why. You're clearly still injured, last thing you should do is going around running to random places." She sat back on the bed a bit calmer. She exhaled through her mouth and leaned back supporting her body with her arms.

"I had a topic to discuss with him."

"That could've waited. I'm sure the Master didn't call for you and that you left on your own record." She really didn't want to pry on the matter, but she had to know what was more important than your health. Maybe another time.

"I'm sorry if I scared you." She sighed and stood up from your bed. "Rest well I'll see you in the morning." She walked past you and you decided to stop her. "Where is Rengoku?"

She glanced back at his bed with a saddened expression. Their conversation earlier still lingering in her head. Her brows furrowed once again. "He went back to his household, he asked for you to reach out as soon as you feel better. Says he has something to tell you apparently" She shrugged.

"Good night." She turned off the candle and slid the door closed leaving you in complete darkness if it wasn't for the little light that the moon offered. Kokushibo got up from the floor and guided you to your bed. He tucked you in and sat on the chair next to you.

"Were you ever gonna tell me...?"

Shinobu walked the corridors while playing with the hair tie around her wrist. It helped her to distract herself while she passed in front of the room that once belonged to him.

She missed him greatly, but she knew it the day she took him in. He would've died of course, because that is what happens to every demon slayer eventually. It would be like that until all of them were dead. Until they succeeded with their mission.

She knew one day she would go too, and so would you. Death impacts everyone whether we like it or not. It's a part of the cycle of life. She didn't like to think about it but it was the way it was. A smile was brought on her face as she recalled their cherished moments together, but was soon replaced by a frown when she remembered Genya's apologetic look as he gave her the news.

Genya still blames himself for her loss although she assured him many times that his job was to slay demons and could easily protect himself. If he died there is no one to blame but his strength. He drove himself towards death. No one else.

The hair tie snapped as soon as she walked in front of his room. She lowered her gaze and walked on the opposite side of the corridor away from that door.

'What if it was a sign? Oh come on Shinobu wake the fuck up. This isn't a movie' She shook her head and walked back to her office.

She sat at her desk with her head in her hands as she stared at the humongous amount of paper sheets on it. Most of them contained different kinds of poison. Other contained information regarding demons she studied in the past. One singular sheet exposed the analysis of Kokushibo's blood.

Other had information regarding her patients. You included. The moonlight shone on your paper causing her eyes to fall on your ID.

It looked slightly different. She didn't change anything she was sure. She read through the information over and over again, finding nothing out of the ordinary. Your picture was different but she couldn't quite put a finger on it tho.

She brought it closer to her face to examine it further. Right under your chin there was a small stain. She tried to smudge it with her finger but it wouldn't come off. It was definitely just ink that ended up on the paper somehow.

She'll ask to take another one in the morning. For now she cleaned her desk and grabbed her candle leaving the room and heading out to a mission.

While the 'ink mark' on the paper kept on expanding.