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(Artist: ??) (🎉REQUESTS ARE OPEN🎉)
The next morning, you woke in the infirmary at the Butterfly Mansion. Your crow perched on the windowsill, watching you with a scratchy call that made you groan. "Dumb bird..." "Hey." A deep, cool voice startled you. "Lord Tomioka?" You jumped slightly at his sudden appearance. Your crow cawed at your red face and flew out the window.
Giyuu entered the room, his eyes scanning the space before settling on your bed. He walked over and stood beside you, his gaze shifting from your face to your bandaged injury. "You slept a long time." You frowned. "I'm sorry," you muttered. Giyuu's expression stayed stoic, his face unreadable as he gave a slight shake of his head. "Don't apologize. Your body needed the rest to heal. It's not a crime to recover after an injury." You nodded. "Thank you for seeing me. I appreciate it." Giyuu grunted, his gaze drifting back to your injury. The kakushi had done a thorough job wrapping the wound, but it was still in the process of healing. He was silent for a moment before speaking again.
"Kocho said you should stay for a few days under observation. You lost a lot of blood, and your body needs time to recover." You nodded in understanding, though you struggled to mask the disappointment on your face. You had hoped to leave soon, but if that was the doctor's recommendation, there was little you could do. Instead, you focused on feeling grateful that Giyuu hadn't dismissed you outright.
"Thank you for telling me, Tomioka-san. I'll stay as long as needed and do my best not to be a bother." Giyuu nodded, his gaze still averted. You shifted your eyes elsewhere, feeling uneasy in the silence. Truthfully, you couldn't get a clear read on him. "I'll be going now." Giyuu stood and made his way toward the doorway. You watched him curiously, wondering why he was leaving so soon and why he'd barely said anything at all. As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the quiet room, you shifted in your bed, feeling the ache of your still-healing wounds.
A gentle knock echoed from the door, and without waiting for an answer, Shinobu Kocho stepped inside, her usual calm smile on her face. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly, her eyes scanning the room before settling on you. You gave a small shrug, wincing slightly at the movement. "Better, I think. The pain isn't as bad as before." Shinobu walked over to your bedside, checking the bandages carefully. Her hands were light and precise, moving with a practiced ease. "That's a good sign. But you still need time to heal properly," she said, her tone light but firm.
You sighed, glancing at the window where the last rays of daylight were fading. "I just don't like sitting here doing nothing. I feel... useless. Shinobu chuckled softly, her gaze never leaving your bandages. "Healing is far from doing nothing. Your body is working harder than you realize." She paused, then added in a quieter tone, "And you're not alone in this. Everyone is rooting for your recovery."
Her words were reassuring, but you couldn't shake the restlessness growing inside you. You nodded, trying to focus on the gratitude you felt instead of the frustration. "Thank you, Kocho-san. I appreciate it." Shinobu straightened up, her expression softening. "Get some rest. You'll need your strength for when you're ready to get back on your feet." With that, she turned to leave, but not before giving you one last, encouraging smile.
~🌊~
The sound of rain pattered gently against the windows as you sat by the fire, the flickering flames casting a soft glow across the room. You absentmindedly traced the edges of the blanket draped over your lap, your thoughts wandering. It had been a quiet day, the kind where the silence felt heavy, almost suffocating. A soft knock at the door caught your attention. Before you could respond, Giyuu stepped inside, his usual stoic expression in place, though his eyes flickered briefly toward you. He closed the door behind him, the subtle rustle of his haori the only sound in the room now besides the rain.
"You're still awake," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper as he approached. He stood by the window, staring out at the falling rain as if it held answers he couldn't find. You nodded, shifting slightly in your seat. "Couldn't sleep. The rain... it's calming, but my mind won't rest." He remained silent for a moment, his gaze still focused outside. You wondered what was on his mind—he always seemed distant, as if his thoughts were a million miles away. Finally, he spoke again, his voice low. "Rest is important. But I know... it's not always easy."
You looked at him, surprised by the quiet understanding in his words. He rarely spoke about anything personal, and you found yourself curious. "Do you ever struggle with that?" you asked, not expecting a real answer. Tomioka's eyes shifted from the rain to meet yours, a brief flicker of something unreadable crossing his face before his usual mask of calm returned. "Sometimes," he admitted, his voice even quieter than before. "There are nights when sleep feels... far away." The vulnerability in his words took you by surprise, and for a moment, the silence between you wasn't uncomfortable. It was shared, mutual. You both understood what it meant to carry the weight of things unsaid.
"Thank you," you said softly, unsure of what else to say. "For staying. It helps." Tomioka didn't reply, but he gave a small nod before turning back to the rain. Even without words, you knew that, in his way, he was telling you that you weren't alone.
