❛ :: BUTLER ⇐ {male!reader x kny} (currently under editing)

- - --- ꒰CHAPTER 8꒱

The Present: Shinobu is Disgusted

(Y/N) huffed as he was dragged by the cuff of his uniform and out of the infirmary doorway. He stuck his tongue out to Sumi who retorted by intensifying her glare towards the boy. Shinobu smiled at them, strangely menacing.

"Both of you" she said, after dropping the two on the floor of the hallway "such a fight in the midst of patients will not be tolerated. No one wants to hear little children bicker as they are sick in bed, do they?"

Two voices lathered in shame answered the inquiry, "... Our apologies."

The Pillar grit her teeth through her pleasant demeanor. This was why she hated children. How the hell did Kanae think that such underdeveloped brains could serve such serious matters? Shinobu would never understand.

But perhaps Kanae hadn't been moved by the usefulness of these children at all. Perhaps she just had too much pity in her heart by their desolate, orphaned state...

... Then again, (Y/N) was the product of Giyu's pity. Which had, in all honesty, surprised Shinobu. Before (Y/N), she had never thought Giyu to have a morsel pity in his cold, stony self.

With these thoughts in mind, Shinobu's tense smile prevailed, "I hope that your training was not in vain." she scolded.

"Yes... "

The Past And A Deeper Look into
(Y/N)'s Training:
Hardships

"No calling my friend weak...okay?"

That's what Naho had said. It certainly didn't make (Y/N) feel any better.

Aoi's shrill voice was hammered into his brain as (Y/N) swung his legs in an exasperated manner. They sat on the front porch of the Butterfly Mansion- they had meant to endorse in pleasant training time midst the fresh air, but the weather had been hotter than (Y/N) had expected.

You must never drop your formalities when speaking to a guest. You must never drop your formalities when speaking to a guest. You must never drop your formalities when speaking to a guest. You must never drop your formalities when speaking to a guest. You must never....

She's talking in circles! (Y/N) thought- although in reality, she wasn't. It was the heat and the discomfort tricking him.

A trickle of sweat dripped down his back and his head started to throb. He wanted rain...rain...

"(Y/N)! Are you listening?" asked Aoi irritably.

(Y/N) blinked slowly and rolled his neck to the side. He felt too dazed to speak.

"(Y/N)!!"

"(Y/N)!!!"

Auntie Mitsuri's shredded ice desserts...

There was a soft thump as (Y/N)'s small body hit the wooden porch floor. In the heat, he'd fainted.

The older girl heaved a sigh. She scooped (Y/N) up on a piggyback ride and marveled at his light weight. "Seriously, someone needs to feed this kid more food. And here I was thinking that Mitsuri-sama did the job."

Aoi carried the sickly boy on her back and made her way to the infirmary, then laid him gently on a bed. She got herself a cool cloth to put on his forehead.

.

.

.

(Y/N) was sad to hear that Uncle Sanemi was on a misson.

Naho sat by his side to entertain him with a game of cat's cradle.

Kanao visited the infirmary a few times after her training was over, and during one of her visits, (Y/N) asked the question. The question he'd asked everyone. Everyone who was stronger than him, at the least.

A beautiful sunset illuminated the window in bright orange. (Y/N) and Kanao turned into dark silluettes against it.

"What does it take to kill demons?" he asked timidly.

He heard the flip of a coin, then a voice just as timid as his.

"Master's orders." she said, and stood up to take her leave.

.

.

.

Everyone was gone. The sun had completely set and the infirmary was dark. (Y/N) wondered how weak he was, if he couldn't complete training to become a mere maid-boy without ending up in the infirmary.

He tried to muffle his sobs as tears fell down his adolescent face.

It wasn't fair.

The Past And A Deeper Look into
(Y/N)'s Training: Uncle Sanemi

(Y/N) stood in front of the mirror to examine himself and concluded that the butler uniform was far too big for his thin frame. The sleeves hung at a considerable length around his wrist, and the collar drooped down to his chest. He frowned at his own reflection. He looked really dumb.

Just as he was about to report back to Aoi, the boy heard a familer voice.

"Ey! Tough Guy!"

"Uncle Sanemi! You're back!"

A wide, excited smile replaced his frown as he bound towards Sanemi at full speed, only to trip over the oversized pants of his uniform and perform a magnificent face-plant into the grass.

Before the Wind Pillar could react, however, (Y/N) lifted his head from the ground to give a bright thumbs up. He pulled himself to his feet and ran towards Sanemi once more, his (E/C) eyes sparkling. The child threw himself into the arms of the older.

The man lifted (Y/N) into the air and said fondly, "That didn't do anythin' to you, did it?"

"Nah! I'm all okay now!"

Sanemi put (Y/N) back on the ground, looked up the sky, and suddenly inquired, "How's Giyu?"

"He's on a mission now" (Y/N) answered, "But..." here the boy looked at Sanemi coyly.

Sending eachother teasing looks, they both said in unison:

"...his hugs are still weird."