The One We Couldn't Save

.+* Chapter 3 ~ Yushiro *+.

PoV: Kanao

Kanao awoke, rubbing her sleep filled eyes. She sat up, stretching and yawning, and blinked awake as sunlight filtered through her curtains, casting a thin golden line on her face.

It felt nice, warming her up, even if she couldn't see it, she could tell summer was coming. "Well you sure took a while to wake." A male voice came from one of the dark corners of her room.

Kanoa reached for where her katana lay beside her, and heard a scoff. "I'm surprised you didn't immediately recognise me, you know, being a Hashira and all that." Came the voice again, he was tapping his foot on the mahogany floor boards impatiently.

"Yushiro?" Kanao questioned, "Ding ding ding, you got it right." He responded sarcastically. "Then how didn't I immediately sense your presence..?" Kanoa asked him, climbing out of her futon.

"Possibly because I had no murderous intentions, unlike the majority of demons," He replied stiffly, "Now come on, we have much work to do." Kanao heard his soft footsteps leaving the room, followed by another, smaller set of footsteps, with the jingle of a small bell.

She walked over to where her uniform lay hung over a chair, and quickly dressed herself, opened the silky curtains, and fed the goldfish, before exiting her bedroom.

She walked down the corridor a few paces, before knocking on a door and opening it. "Aoi, Yushiro is here." She said quietly, hearing the rustling of her sister waking up.

"Already?" She groaned, getting up, "I'll make some food I suppose, and some for that cat of his as well." Kanao nodded in response, smiled, and closed the door leaving Aoi to her own business.

She continued walking until she reached a more isolated door, which she had kept locked up for so, so long... Until yesterday that is. "Well, open it, we don't have all day." Came Yushiro's impatient snap from beside her.

Kanao hesitantly unlocked the heavy door and stepped inside, sneezing as a cloud of dust rose into the air. She heard the click of a light switch, and the gentle humming of the electricity.

"You haven't been in here since... That... Have you?" Asked the male demon beside her, his usual snarkiness replaced with heavy grief. Kanao didn't respond and simply yurned away from the demon.

"There's a fresh set of footprints." Yushiro said suspiciously, Kanao could practically feel him glaring around the room, or at her. "I thought you said no one else has been in here?" He hissed at her, audibly very annoyed. "Are you lying?"

"Oh, I was in here, I found master's old diary and notes." Kanao said quickly. "Ah, apologies then." He replied, and his cat also meowed what could have been an apology of sorts. "I have Lady Tamayo's notes here, I haven't looked at them in a while..."

Rapid footsteps were heard a few feet down the hallway, and someone entered the room, "Is that Yushiro I hear?" Came the voice of the demon from the previous day at Zenitsu's estate.

"Akito?" Yushiro asked, surprised to see them here. "Yes it's me, been a while since we last spoke in person hasn't it?" They said with a grin, before hugging the male.

"I thank you Kanao for allowing me to help you with this project." Akito said, turning to Kanao with a small bow, "Oh, it's not a bother I suppose, any help is appreciated."

A rattling noise was heard approaching, before Aoi poked her head into the room. "I made some red bean buns." She added to the conversation, setting the tray down. "And some fish for your cat." She handed a small plate of fish to Yushiro.

His cat mewoed, scrambling to get out of his grip towards the plate. "Now now, Chachamaru, what did we say about manners?" Yushiro asked sternly, with a slight glare. Chachamaru responded with an annoyed growl, and smacking Yushiro in the face with their tail.

Chachamaru leapt out of Yushiro's grip and onto the wooden desk and sat down, meowing impatiently for food. Yushiro sighed, and placed the fish down infront of the feline, who quickly devoured it in mere moments.

"Thank you Aoi." Yushiro said, nodding his head. "Yeah yeah, cooking is my job." She responded, with a hint of banter. "Shall we get to work now?" Akito asked through a mouthful of red beans. "Yes, let us begin." Kanao responded, opening up the diary she had kept hidden away for so many years now.