We ran into the Rehab Rooms. Mitsuri took the box off. I set Kyojuro down gently on one of the beds. He groaned.
Shinbou: "Damn, he's a lot worse than I thought.."
Mitsuri: "You can still heal him right?"
Shinobu: "Yeah. The crow said he was poisoned by cobra demons. I remembered that a few months ago, some cobra demons came and stole some of my wisteria poison. I remember Aoi was poisoned by one of the cobras and I had developed a cure to save her. I'm glad you messaged me in advance, because it actually takes a long time to make the cure, but I remembered I had kept some leftover in storage. So I searched for it and found some cups."
She held out some light orange colored paste in 2 wooden cups.
Shinobu: "Hopefully this will be enough. His condition is a lot worse than when Aoi was poisoned."
Mitsuri: "So how does it work?"
Shinobu walked over to his arm.
Shinbou: "First, we gotta take his haori and top off and then move him on his side. We have to rub the paste all over the infection and let it sit for a while. It has to soak into his skin."
Mitsuri: "Alright."
I looked down at Kyojuro.
Shinobu: "Hey, demon."
Akaza: "Huh?"
Shinobu: "Help me lift him up. We have to take his shirt off."
Akaza: "Y-yeah okay."
I lifted Kyojuro up and took his haori off. Mitsuri put his sword next to the box. Shinobu swiftly unbuttoned his shirt. Mitsuri pulled his sleeves off and untied the ribbon.
Shinobu: "Put some paste on the infection."
Mitsuri put some of the paste on his shoulder and rubbed it in. He groaned.
Akaza: "Is there any way to ease the pain?"
Shinobu: "Yeah, in the top drawer next to you, there's a vial with purple medicine in it. It'll ease the pain."
I opened the drawer and took the medicine out. I took the top off of it. I put it up to his mouth. He wouldn't take it. it just dripped off to the side.
Akaza: "He's not taking it."
Shinobu: "Well then make him take it."
Shinobu spread the paste onto his wrist. I looked at him. How do I make him take the medicine?- Oh wait. I have an idea. I looked at the medicine and then I looked at him again.
Akaza: "By any chance is there wisteria in this medicine?"
Shinobu: "No, why?"
Akaza: "I'm sorry about this Kyojuro, but I don't want you to be in pain so-"
I took a swig off the medicine and french kissed him. I forced the medicine down his throat with my tongue. Mitsuri made a loud flustered squeal.
Mitsuri: "HE KISSED HIM!"
Shinobu: "I didn't mean that but alright."
I pulled away after I made him swallow all of the medicine in my mouth. Then I realized what I had just done and immediately started blushing really hard. I kissed him. It wasn't an official kiss since he's unconscious and probably won't remember anything but, I still kissed him. I looked at Mitsuri and she had her hands on her bright pink cheeks. She was biting her lip and gave me a smug look.
Mitsuri: "Nice kiss."
Of course, that made me blush even harder.
Shinobu: "Oh my god you two did you forget we're saving a man's life right now? You can ramble over this later when he's well and resting."
Akaza: "Y-yes Ma'am."
I took some of the medicine and rubbed it on his chest. Thats when I also fucking realized, he was ripped. I tried not to stare at his abs while I was rubbing the medicine on him. A few minutes later, we were done with his front side.
Shinobu: "Hey demon, I forgot your name."
Akaza: "It's Akaza."
Shinobu: "Alright. Akaza, help me put him on his side."
I gently pulled Kyojuro onto his side. We started rubbing the paste onto the back of his arm. Some of the poison had started to spread into his back as well, so I rubbed the medicine on the upper right of his back. Finally, we had completely covered the infection with the medicinal paste. His breathing had gone back to normal and he wasn't groaning in pain anymore. He was just resting and snoring softly.
Mitsuri: "Phew, he's alright.."
Akaza: "Yeah.."
I pulled a chair next to his cot and sat down. I felt because I wasn't by his side to prevent him from being poisoned, I should at least be by his side when he wakes up. I sat there and looked up at Shinobu, who was washing her hands.
Akaza: "Thank you so much Shinobu for saving him."
She scoffed and chuckled.
Shinobu: "It's what I do."
Shinobu and Mitsuri walked out of the room. I stayed sitting there and looked at Kyojuro's sleeping face.
Akaza, whispering: "You're so beautiful.."
I twirled a strand of his hair and let it drop. I looked out the window at the garden. The rain had stopped and it was just cloudy out. I could tell night was approaching.
3rd Person:
Mitsuri: "When do you think he'll wake up?"
Shinobu: "He'll be out for at least the entire night. He'll probably wake up tomorrow morning like normal."
Mitsuri glanced into the rehab room. She smiled at the boys.
Mitsuri: "Honestly, they're so cute together."
Shinobu scoffed.
Shinobu: "Alright, Love Hashira. That's enough shipping for you today."
Mitsuri pouted. Her stomach grumbled.
Shinobu: "You should go get something to eat."
Mitsuri: "I know."
Mitsuri peeked her head into the rehab room.
Mitsuri: "Akaza if you get hungry your last marechi pouch is in the box."
Akaza looked over at the box, and then Mitsuri.
Akaza: "Thanks."
Mitsuri walked down the hallway and back onto the path. She headed to her estate. Shinobu watched Akaza. She saw how he looked at Kyojuro. His demonic eyes were filled with love and adoration for her fellow Flame Hashira.
Shinobu, thinking: "Maybe he isn't so bad.."
She walked down the hall.
...
Akaza's POV:
Midnight had come around and I started getting hungry again. I got up and walked over to the box. I opened it up and took the last pouch of blood out. I sat back down on my chair. I took the top off the pouch and took a sip. I looked out the window. The clouds had cleared away and the moon was a small crescent. The wisteria trees glowed in the light of the moon and stars. I sighed and gazed at the beauty of the stars.
I finished the pouch. I yawned a little. I looked down at Kyojuro one more time. I smiled softly at him. I bent down and was about to kiss his head when he started to stirr, which spooked me. I backed away and scoffed.
Akaza, whispering: "I want to kiss you again.."
I sat up and looked out the window till I fell asleep.
...
Kyojuro's POV:
I woke up with a small back ache, but at least my arm wasn't hurting anymore. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I opened them and looked around the room. I assume Akaza and Mitsuri got to the Butterfly Mansion just in time to save me. I looked at my arm. I was still a little bit purple but it wasn't in pain. I yawned. Suddenly, Shinobu walked in.
Shinobu: "Ah, good morning, Rengoku."
Kyojuro: "Morning Shinobu."
Shinobu: "How'd you sleep?"
Kyojuro: "Like a rock."
Shinobu: "That's good."
Kyojuro: "Where's Akaza?"
She pointed behind me. I turned my head to my left and saw him sitting on a chair. He was leaning on the window and sleeping. I smiled a little at the sight. I'm glad the sun rises on the other side of the mansion, or he'd be a pile of dust right now.
Shinobu: "He's been there all night. Hasn't moved an inch out of this room."
I looked at her.
Kyojuro: "Really?"
Shinobu: "Mhm. I tasked some of the Kakushi crewmembers to glance in here every 30 minutes. They told me he's been there by your side all night."
I looked back at Akaza.
Shinobu: "Anyways, we should get you wrapped up a little."
She walked over with bandages. I sat up and sat on the edge of the bed. She wrapped my arm up.
Shinobu: "I soaked these in the liquid form of the cure for the cobra poison, so keep them on as long as you can."
She finished wrapping my arm up. I put only my left sleeve on, keeping my right sleeve off. I put my haori on and put my sword in my belt. Suddenly, one of the vials of poison dropped out of my pocket and fell on the floor. Thank god it didn't break. I picked it up.
Shinobu: "Eh? What's that?"
Kyojuro: "Oh! I needed to give this to you. It's a very strong poison. Not the cobra poison but a lot worse, yet also beneficial."
Shinobu: "What do you mean?"
Kyojuro: "It's a serum strong enough to burn away at a demon and slow down the regeneration process, including an Upper Moon. Akaza saved me from getting hit by this, but in the process, it burned away at his chest and he couldn't regenerate for 15 minutes.
Shinobu: "Holy shit."
She took the vial from me.
Shinobu: "By any chance do you know what it's made of?"
Kyojuro: "The Cobra Leader who made it, her name was Kessei, said it's made from cobra venom, sunflower oil, wisteria poison and melted nichirin ore."
Shinobu: "Those cobra demons who broke in that night, they we're planning on creating this with the wisteria poison?"
Kyojuro: "Yep."
Shinobu: "And melted nichirin ore. You can only get that from the Swordsmith's village."
Kyojuro: "That's what they did. They stole ore, nichirin blades and melted them."
Shinobu: "Damn, they're brave to mess with those blacksmiths."
She took the two other vials and put them in a drawer.
Shinobu: "I'll inspect these later."
She walked towards the door.
Shinobu: "By the way, all of the other hashira came back to officially meet Akaza. They'll be at the dining hall at headquarters, which I'm heading there now."
Shinobu walked out of the room.
Kyojuro: "Alright then, Breakfast time."
I walked over to Akaza and patted his leg. He stirred and woke up.
Akaza: "Eh wha- KYOJURO YOU'RE AWAKE!"
He jumped up and hugged me. I went wide eyed and blushed a little.
Akaza: "Thank Muzan you're okay!"
He hugged me a bit tighter, which stung my arm a little because it still wasn't fully healed.
Kyojuro: "Ow."
Akaza let go of me.
Akaza: "Oh, sorry. I forgot you're still healing."
Kyojuro: "Shinobu told me you stayed by my side all night. Is that true?"
Akaza looked at the chair.
Akaza: "Yeah, I wanted to be here when you woke up, but it seems you woke up before me."
I chuckled.
Kyojuro: "Anyways, get in your box. We're walking to headquarters because the rest of the Hashira want to meet you."
Akaza: "Alright, but what about your arm? You can't carry me on your back.."
Kyojuro: "Watch this."
He pulled at the top of the box and a small handle came out.
Kyojuro: "It has a handle on top of it as well."
Akaza sighed.
Akaza: "You never cease to amaze me."
He shrunk and walked into the box. He closed the door. I picked up the box by the handle and walked out the rehab room. I walked down the hallway and out into the garden. Today was a nice day, compared to yesterday. There weren't any clouds and the wisteria was blowing in the wind. I walked past the small grove and back onto the path to HQ.
I walked for a minute till I reached the front entrance. I walked through the zen garden and into the mansion. I set the box down.
Kyojuro: "You can come out, we're inside."
Akaza: "Alright."
He crawled out, and got bigger. Akaza followed me down the hallway. I turned into the dining hall. All of the hashira were gathered there, even Muichiro. They all looked up at me.
Giyuu: "Welcome back, Pyro-freak."