A/N: Awkward Shinjuro made by :
@/ _trrino_ on Instagram
♪───Ｏ（≧∇≦）Ｏ────♪
You frantically shake off your backpack and drop the sword on the floor. You hurry to your feet and swing the door open, but it only led to the hallway of the Estate.
Your face scrunches up at the unknown yet awful feeling swelling in your chest. You slam the door closed and open it once again.
You pull your sleeve up again to check your arm, but the mark was still missing.
You shake your head and reach down to grab your sword. You march out of the room and start going down the halls.
"Kyojuro?!" You call loudly, "Senjuro?! Shin-Mr. Rengoku?!"
You're shaking so much right now. You're so fucking worried about Sekido being with that fucking lunatic.
You always knew (F/n) was a bit... possessive and obsessed with your friendship, but holy fuck you didn't think he was a fucking cliche Yandere bastard!
"Kyojuro!! Senjuro!! Where are you guys?! Mr. Rengo-"
"-Why are you yelling for-What are you wearing?" Shinjuro turns the corner to glare at you but his expression turns into confusion at your modern day attire, "You come back here and you're screaming first thing in-"
"-M-Mr. Rengoku, where's Kyojuro?" You tense up and instinctively hug your sword, "There's an emergency!"
Shinjuro's expression hardens, "What happened?"
"Um-So, I-I never told anyone this because i-it was just weird to-to talk about. But-um, when I-an old friend-he's not my friend anymore, but before I-I first arrived here, he almost got me killed when he tried kidnapping me!"
As you frantically speak, you're waving your hands in the air like you normally do for story telling. Shinjuro is just making sure the nirichin blade doesn't fly out of your hands.
"But Sekido managed to save me in time! B-But the thing is, (F/n) is-is psychopathic and-and obsessive and-and he's a danger to society! I-When Sekido and-and I were about to go-to go back, we saw someone had broken in-into my house!"
You start to feel light headed.
"And-And (F/n), I don't think he knew that-that Sekido was a-a demon! I-I think he was going to-to kill him! And when we went through the-the door, (F/n) tackled him! And-And Sekido told me to go through anyway and to close the door and-"
"-Hey! (L-L/n)! Calm down! You're speaking English, and I don't understand!" Shinjuro puts his hands gently on your shoulders and shakes you lightly back and forth, "Just breathe, okay? T-Try to mimic my breathing pattern."
You aggressively nod and try to focus on Shinjuro's breathing.
In for 5 seconds.
...
...
...
And slowly out for 5 seconds.
In for 5 seconds.
...
...
...
And slowly out for 5 seconds.
...
Okay.
"I think (F/n) was planning to kidnap me again, and when he saw Sekido, I think he wanted to kill him," You start to tear up, "And I Sekido told me to go through the tear without him. So I did. And..."
You pull your left sleeve back.
"The mark isn't here anymore and I'm really worried about Sekido."
Shinjuro frowns. It's... been a while since he has had a woman in his life. He's not exactly sure what he's supposed to do or say to comfort you. Shinjuro wasn't going to just tell you to suck it up or to tough it out.
He's been making the effort recently to be more kind, and you were a nice kid yourself who hasn't given him any reasons to be rude to begin with.
Plus, Shinjuro is sure Kyojuro would have his head if he was the reason for your crying.
"Isn't the mark's visibility determined on the physical distance between you two?" Shinjuro asks, "Maybe he's just far away."
You shake your head, "It's different this time. Before, I was just constantly aware that... that I wasn't alone. It's weird but before I was never that lonely. But now, I can't feel Sekido with me anymore."
Shinjuro thinks back to the first time Kyojuro had ever explained your situation to him.
Kyojuro had briefly mentioned a concern that it reminded him of Fairytale stories about Soulmate marks.
At the time, Shinjuro thought it was silly.
"Um..."
Shinjuro is not good with women; he awkwardly pats your head a few times.
"There, there."
You blink.
Oddly enough, it helped.
"Kyojuro left for a mission a few days ago, Senjuro is outside training," Shinjuro provides, "Your friends, Kamado and the others..."
"Kamado and Hashibira are in a coma. Agatsuma was well enough to go back into action about a week after that big mission they went on with Uzui."
You try to fight back tears but it was pointless.
"Are they at the Butterfly Estate?" You ask softly.
"Both Kamado's and Hashibira, yes. Agatsuma is on an assignment right now. As for Uzui..."
Shinjuro really didn't want to make you more upset than you were with everything going on, but it wouldn't be fair to lie to you.
"No one has seen or heard from him since. Not even from his wives, either. We don't know if they're alive, since Uzui was severely injured as well. At least from what I've heard."
You lower your head and hide your face in your elbow. You're trying your best to not make a sound, but it's not like crying into your sleeve would make you silent.
You know that Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Uzui would eventually be okay, but it's that nagging feeling in the back of your head.
What if they're never going to wake up? What if Uzui is dead? What if Sekido is dead?
Just the possibility that something is different and is going wrong, it's enough to make you emotional.
"I-I have to go find Sekido," You whimper, "I can't just-so much went wrong, I can't lose him too."
Shinjuro doesn't know what to say or do. All he can do right now is awkwardly pull you in for an awkward hug. Awkwardly patting your back like the awkward man he is.
"There, there."
"Oh, (Y/n)! You're... back..." Senjuro clutches the small towel in his hands and rushes down the hall, "Father, what happened?"
Shinjuro lightly pushes you away once Senjuro is right behind you. To which you immediately turn around to hug Senjuro instead.
"We'll discuss everything more once (L/n) can um... gather her thoughts," Shinjuro rubs his chin, "We'll send a letter to your brother in a bit too."
Senjuro was a bit flustered from being in close proximity with a female with boobs. And it gets worse when he is hugged to your boobie level too, but you needed the comfort so he really just had to man up.
——
"And that's the bitch," You mumble as you finish another sushi roll.
Senjuro was writing a letter with a solemn expression as you told them your sob story. Shinjuro was just awkwardly listening. President Obama was sitting on top of your head, keeping you somewhat sane.
The four of you were outside in the backyard, sitting on the engawa while you ate all the sushi rolls.
Apparently, they've heard about Gerik recently. So they were a bit put down from that as well.
"Sekido is quite strong, and he's been training with Kyojuro too," Senjuro adds, "We should have faith that he'll be okay."
"I guess..."
You hear a faint sound of flapping wings from ahead of you.
"Mi Cielito, hey g-GAH!"
Tu Cielito came at you full fucking speed and crashed into your chest.
You were about to push her off cause what the hell, but she kept rubbing into your chest, chirping and chirping and chirping.
Did she...
"Mi Cielito... did you miss me?"
Now that you think back, you didn't even tell President Obama or Tu Cielito where you were going. To them, you just vanished or died and no one around even gave a crap.
Your pet-your friend missed you.
You hug Tu Cielito tightly, but not too tight that you'll hurt her.
"I'm sorry, Mi Cielito! I-I was just out of the country visiting relatives!" You start to tear up when President Obama flies down to join the hug.
You are literally the scum of the Earth.
How could you have forgotten to tell your little animal friends?
"Tu Cielito has a message," Shinjuro mumbles.
He jumps when Tu Cielito turns her head to give him a death glare for interrupting the bonding moment.
Senjuro slowly removes the paper from Tu Cielito's claws, carefully unfolding it to read its content.
"...it says here you're to go on a mission with the Serpent Pillar, Iguro Obanai." Senjuro reads as he smiles, "He must be coming here to get you. I'm a little excited, I haven't seen him in a while."
Shinjuro grunts in acknowledgment.
"I mean, I just got back," You say quietly, "I'm sure he can wait a bit."
"No, I won't." A sudden yet familiar voice rings out from behind you, "Go change your clothes, we're leaving in 15 minutes-"
"-WAH!!"
"-WHAT THE FUCK!"
You and Senjuro were more verbal while Shinjuro just flinches very aggressively.
Bro he was just-
Bro he was just standing there-
"How-" You let go of President Obama and Tu Cielito, "-Did you just invite yourself in?"
"Yes. Now go change."
You groan in annoyance before standing up to go do just that.
No time to pity yourself it seems.
——
"I want you two to be on your best behavior!" You advise as Iguro forces you along by the elbow, "Don't have a party while I'm gone, I'll know!"
"Hurry up," Iguro says as he releases the fabric to your new haori, "We've already wasted time talking about your demon's situation."
"Chill. I'm coming, I'm coming," You scoff, "That's what she said, by the way."
Iguro refrains from sighing: "Stop talking."
"So, where are we going?"
"To my region."
"Oh... and how long will it take to get there?"
"3 days."
"What?!" You gawk at the Serpent Pillar, "What the hell are you doing all the way over here?!"
"Personal reasons."
"UGHHH MY GERSH!" You groan in annoyance and irritation, "But that's so farrrrr!!"
"Stop whining. We're going on this assignment to kill this demon whether you like it or not."
"Wanna play 21 questions?"
"No, stop talking."
"Wanna play I Spy?"
"No. Stop. Talking."
"Wanna play-"
"No. Stop. Talking."
"Wanna play Updog? Sugondeese? Ligma? Bofa?"
"N........What... are any of those things?"
Famous last words.
Iguro suddenly felt in danger.
And...
And was that Boss Music?