𝐆𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 (𝐊𝐍𝐘 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟷𝟿 - 𝚂𝚘𝚏𝚝

“AMANE!” She cried out, her voice desperate, cracking slightly as she called down the hall. “AMANE, HELP!” She noticed his curse had spread. His usually soft and warm hands were covered with peeling skin as veins popped out all around his arms. She looked at his face, her heart shattering as she saw the curse marks had spread all down his nose, his lips the only thing untouched by its cruel grasp.

Stumbling to take her haori off, she gritted her teeth, finally tearing it away from her body and hastily attempting to fold it. The fold was messy, parts of its edges sticking out, the material crumpled, and the layers uneven. But it was the best she could do for now.

She hastily lifted his head, her touch gentle, before she lowered the folded haori under his head, hopefully managing to let him breathe a little easier. “AMANE, PLEASE!” All she could think to do was grip his hand, cradling it to her chest, her eyes wide with panic and her teeth grit with annoyance that she didn’t know what to do.

She hadn’t been told anything on how to help him, only the basics of the curse. She knew Amane was the one to take care of him, and in case of emergencies, she was to call her name and keep him comfortable…but she was told no more. No more ways to help him, no more ideas that could help her be more prepared…she could only know to stay by his side.

“AMANE..please..!” Her voice slowly fell apart, no longer able to cry out to the woman. She was hurt. She didn’t know what she was doing and the man who gave her a second chance, the one who allowed her to change for the better..the man who was able to give her smile back..he was hurting, hardly able to breathe, bleeding from his lips, his curse burning at his skin…

And she could only sit there.

"What's the matter-" a voice- Amane's voice suddenly called, the halfling snapping her head back to stare at the woman with helplessness and panic. Amane didn't seem to understand the panic, but froze as soon as she saw the small pool of blood beside the halflings feet.

"Please- help him…!" (Y/N) gritted out, her voice almost a whisper, her chest feeling as though it was closing in on itself through every second that passed and Amane remained frozen at the door.

Amane snapped out of her daze, her eyes widening before she rushed towards the duo and fell to her knees beside the woman, her usually emotionless features morphed into panic. "Get a wet towel- now!" Amane huffed out, her hands moving around the man's covers, moving some out of the way, moving others to provide more comfort.

"Ofcourse!" The halfling spoke, standing to her feet and rushing out the door, her eyes giving the scene one last glance before she grit her teeth and made her way down the hall in a hurry, only a single goal on her mind…

Keep this man alive.

༶•┈┈⛧┈♛ ♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

"Oyakata-sama is very unwell."

The halfling's voice spoke out, the woman leaning against the grave of the former flame hashira, her forearms resting on her propped up knees, her head hung low, and her spear resting against the stone of his grave.

It had been a few hours after the incident and she had been kicked out of the ubuyashiki estate by Amane and some of the doctors on site. In the end, they had to call over five kakushi, and even Sanemi, who was on his way to speak with Kagaya, to get her out of  the estate by force, not wanting to leave her friend behind in such a state.

She felt useless, unable to do anything good when it came to things like this. She wasn't able to help him through the curse, and she didn't know a single thing about medical care since she had never had to apply it to herself, she was able to heal after all…