Chapter 38: The calm before the storm
Notes: An interlude between two arcs. Third update in a row again! Whoot!
Tanjirou practically flew to the Butterfly Estate – a thirty-minute long trip done in under twenty minutes.
"Hello!" he called at the door, noticing how he wasn't even slightly winded by his run.
"Ah! Tanjirou-sama!" Aoi-san came to greet him.
"Aoi-san! We've known each other long enough. Please, don't call me like that." Tanjirou asked sheepishly, "It feels a little weird."
"Get used to it, Tanjirou-sama."
Tanjirou sighed in defeat.
'There's no winning with the women of the Butterfly Estate, is there?' he thought.
"Is Shinobu-san here?" he asked, as he was allowed inside.
"In her study. Please make her take a break." Aoi-san asked, clearly worried, "Tamayo-san and Yushirou-san are demons, so they don't get tired, but Shinobu-sama…"
"I'll see what I can do." he promised.
He went to Shinobu's study and knocked on the door.
"Come in." Tamayo-san called softly.
Tanjirou poked his head inside, smiling.
"Hello, Tamayo-san." he greeted the doctor.
"Tanjirou-san. It's good to see you." she smiled back.
"Shinobu-san…?" he inquired, looking behind the demon doctor to the sleeping form of the Insect Pillar, "Thank you."
"I had to put a sleeping pill in her tea." Yushirou huffed, "She doesn't understand her limits."
Tanjirou went and picked her up gently.
"It's because she understands her limits better than anyone that she pushes herself so much, Yushirou." he said quietly, looking at his friend nestled in his arms, "How is the drug going along?"
"We finished. We only need to store it in Shinobu-san's scabbard's containers."
Tanjirou smiled.
"Thank you." he said again, "I'll take her to her room."
"Since we're done, me and Yushirou will return to your house." Tamayo-san said, "When the time comes, Oyakata-sama asked for Yushirou to join your ranks, to aid as a medical expert."
"I'll be glad to work with him during the fight as well." Tanjirou smiled.
He walked slowly, carefully, towards Shinobu's room. He laid her down in her futon, covered her and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"You did great, Shinobu." he whispered, "Now, it's my turn. I'll keep you safe, I promise. I won't fail you. Because I can't lose you; not now nor ever." he ran softly his fingers through her hair, "Sweet dreams."
And with that, he left her room.
"Tanjirou-san?"
"Ah, good evening, Kiyo-chan."
"Is Shinobu-sama resting?"
"Yeah, Tamayo-san made sure she would rest. I only brought her to her room. Is it okay if I staid the night here? I wanted to see Shinobu-san."
"Of course, Tanjirou-san! You are always welcome, you know."
"Thank you." he smiled kindly at the young aide, patting her head.
She led him to a private room, and wished him goodnight.
Tanjirou laid down and sighed.
'We're almost there, Kanae-nee. I'll keep Shinobu safe, no matter what. I'll help her with her revenge, but I won't let it kill her.' he promised, eyes closed.
He wakes to the feel of fingers in his hair and a dear scent filling the room.
"Good morning, Shinobu." he sighed, opening his eyes and smiling up at the Insect Pillar.
"You came to see me and I was out cold." she said, "I thought I should make up for it by waking you up." she smiled, "Good morning, Tanjirou."
Tanjirou smiled, reaching up to her, cupping her face, softly caressing her cheek.
He sighed, closed his eyes and let his hand fall.
"There is something I want to talk to you about, but it'll have to wait after we're done with Muzan and his demons." he said softly.
"You're that sure we'll survive this fight?"
"I'm not going to let you die, you know that. I made a promise. And what I have to tell you is very important, so I can't allow myself to die."
"Does it have to do with this little moment we just had? I was half expecting you to call me 'wife', Tanjirou." she teased him.
Tanjirou blushed and looked away.
"Shinobu shouldn't tease about that." he mumbled.
With a soft smile Shinobu cupped his face.
"I forgot to give you a birthday present, I think."
"Eh, it's fine. I was on a mission." he managed to stutter out.
Shinobu hummed.
"So you were. Still." Shinobu smiled, leaning closer.
Tanjirou gulped.
"How about I bring you breakfast in bed today, dear~?" she whispered in his ear.
Before he could react, Shinobu had left his bed and was almost out of the door, her soft laughter ringing in his ear and her playful scent lingering in his room.
Tanjirou covered his face with his hands.
He took another deep breath, chasing after her scent.
"That was a foul trick, Shinobu." he mumbled to himself, before he got off his bed.
He didn't put it past her to actually do bring him breakfast in bed, just to see him blush some more. This teasing attitude she had adopted since Kanae-nee was killed, that Tanjirou always believed was mostly hers, if their time together as they grew up was anything to go by, was going to be the reason of his death.
"Tanjirou." Shinobu called to him.
"Yes?" he looked up, coming out of his thoughts.
"I thought we agreed to me bringing you breakfast in bed today."
"Shouldn't be the other way around?" he wondered, "After all, Shinobu is working the hardest." he said, "And we didn't agree. Shinobu just loves teasing me." he smiled, taking the tray from her and making their way towards the engawa.
"You do make the cutest faces." she smiled at him, sitting beside him, "And besides, between the two of us, you're the one who made me blush first." she said softly, leaning close.
"Ah, so this is revenge?" he asked, leaning very slightly away, his cheeks heating.
Shinobu smiled and drew back.
"No, I just like seeing you blush."
Tanjirou sighed softly, but a small smile appeared on his lips.
"So long as you are happy…" he mumbled to himself.
He ate with Shinobu keeping him company, her telling him what she had been doing all this time, and him telling her about his Pillar Training.