Set Your Heart Ablaze

Chapter 27

"How are you feeling?" Shinobu asked as she examined Kyojuro's healing injuries. The male smiled, having remained positive since he woke up. Despite losing both an arm and an eye, he didn't let it bring him down. He was a bit upset that he would have to retire from his position as a Hashira, but he knew that in his condition, that he wouldn't be able to fight. It would be hard for him to adjust, but he would figure it out eventually.

"I'm fee-" suddenly, Kyojuro was cut off by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching the room.

"Lady Shinobu!" A panicked voice suddenly called out. Hearing this, the Insect Hashira stood up from her seat, only glancing at the Flame Pillar for a short moment.

"I'll be right back" she told him, a serious expression on her face. However, Kyojuro stood up and followed after her, curious to see what was going on. Shinobu opened the door that led out into the hallway, eyes going wide when she saw what was causing such a panic, well, more like who. (Y/N) was being carried by three Kakushi, there were cuts all over her body and dried blood stained most of her skin. Her uniform was in tatters, but what was more alarming was her missing leg which had been hurriedly wrapped in bandages in an attempt to stop the bleeding. There was also a large gash across her chest that was bleeding through the bandages that had been placed there as well. She was unconscious, but it was hard to tell whether or not she was still breathing. The sight made Shinobu and Kyojuro freeze. The Insect Hashira quickly snapped out of it though.

"Bring her in here" she quickly ordered. The injured woman was brought inside and placed on an empty bed, some of the blood staining the white sheets. Though Shinobu paid no mind to that. She ran to the side of the bed, asking one of the butterfly girls to grab her supplies. The woman was shaking, right after Kyojuro had survived his near death experience, another one of her comrades was possibly going to die. Kyojuro was no better, when he woke up, he expected to see (Y/N) to walk through the door and yell at him for scaring her. He would have preferred that rather than seeing her in the same position she had been. It made him feel ill, like he was going to vomit right then and there. The world around him seemed to stop, he knew Shinobu was talking, but he couldn't hear any sounds. All Kyojuro could focus on was (Y/N)'s unconscious form laying on the bed. The fear that she wouldn't be as lucky as he was crept up in the back of his mind.

"Kyojuro" Aoi was the one to snap him out of his thoughts. She looked up at him with a sympathetic expression on his face.

"You should lay down" she suggested, he didn't protest, he simply made his way to another bed and tried to relax, though the thought of what could happen to (Y/N) still kept him on edge.

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Shinobu felt relief wash over her as she finally finished tending to (Y/N)'s injuries. She had bandaged up what was left of the young woman's legs and stitched up the scratches. To her relief, (Y/N) was still alive. Though, she wasn't sure how long it would take her to wake up, or if she would wake up. The uncertainty made her worry more, she made her way over to where Kyojuro was resting. Noticing he had fallen asleep, she decided not to disturb him and left the room.

As she did, she took one last look at (Y/N), silently hoping she would be ok.