Help arrived shortly after dawn, separating Kyojuro and your sleeping figure despite his refusal. He wanted to stay with you for longer, why couldn't anyone respect that? Was it because of the fever? Because of his own injuries? He had so many questions, so maybe... 'Maybe this is for the best.' He thought to himself trying to understand something he knew he wouldn't be able to without more information.
With much reluctance, he finally stopped fighting, and let them take care of you. They took all of you back to the butterfly mansion to get treated, most of everyone being injured in some way. It could have ended much worse, with casualties, however it didn't end that way. It ended with Kyojuro being the most physically injured, having lost his left eye along with several broken ribs. Tanjiro helped in saving himself by stopping the bleeding, while Zenitsu and Inosuke had minor to no injuries. You, on the other hand, suffered no wounds, only a high fever that could, however, prove fatal.
Mentally speaking, the others could tell just by your delusional whispers you were the most distressed. The encounter broke you, it seemed, and even seemed to disturb yourself that you became that monster. You were breathing abnormally, with a pained expression plastered on your face, seemingly permanently. And after days of healing, Shinobu finally allowed Kyojuro and the others to visit you. Your fever had more or less stayed the same without much change. The news of your current state, and the survival of both parties in the encounter spread like wildfire.
As you huffed to get the oxygen you needed, your pained expression morphed to one of confusion mixed with strain and agony. "K-Kyo... Kyo-san...?" you whispered hoping he was the one beside you. Sure enough, you felt two gentle and cold hands touch your cheek, soothingly.
"I'm here, so don't worry. You helped protect our juniors, and somehow came back from the dead! Surely a fever couldn't end your resistance to death!"
"...Dead...? But I... was never dead... ju-just... trapped in that... that dream." He could tell you tried to sneer, but relaxed knowing it wouldn't help.
With a sigh, Kyojuro came to a conclusion. That dream was what changed you, whatever you saw and whatever happened was the reason. "Would you mind telling me the dream you had? You kept referring to it as a hell or hellhole." His tone was as gentle and calming as his hands.
It was then you peaked your eyes open for the first time in days. The first thing you noticed was how close you and he were, but then the bandages wrapped around his eye and ribs. It was enough, enough for the dam to break again, but this time it was really him to speak with you. Slowly, you sat up and wrapped your arms around him while being careful so you didn't hurt him further. "It... was a nightmare for sure... I remembered things... I didn't remember before... I now know things... I never knew... I can recall each interaction... I had with people... clearly now at least,... and I know everything I've done in my past... I can remember training... fighting... the final selection... I can remember you..." Kyojuro tensed for a moment with wide eyes at what you had just said. He couldn't believe it. After years of not knowing, you finally remembered. He didn't know if it was a good thing or not, though, seeing how much it seemed to pain you mentally. He tilted his head and placed the side of his face against your head as one hand wrapped around your waist and the other stroked your hair lightly. He could tell you had more to say, but didn't want to force you to speak. He didn't have to, though, you did it willingly. "I... understand clearly... what happened... the night my family was attacked... I noticed things I didn't notice before..." you paused for a moment, burying your face deeper into his chest. "I wasn't the only one to survive in my family..."
He felt the weight on him, and noticed those were the last words for now. You had fallen asleep in his arms, and it only seemed to comfort both of you. He didn't want to leave you, or move from where he sat, but he also didn't want you to be uncomfy. He decided it would probably be best if he just sat in the chair and laid you back down, but as he went to slide away from you, your hand tightly gripped the robe he wore. "Please stay..." you whispered in a fragile and tender tone. With a sigh, he climbed back onto the bed and snuggled closer to you with a small kiss on the forehead.
"I'm not going anywhere. Not yet, at least." You were extremely warm, but the coolness that radiated off of Kyojuro seemed to relax you as your breathing became more even and less labored. Kyojuro's lips twitched upwards at the small gesture of trust you put in him. The words you spoke in your angered state weren't false, and he knew that. But he also knew you trusted and felt safe around him, that was enough for Kyojuro. He knew that without you, he probably wouldn't be laying there, but instead, he'd be with his mother. In the land of Yomi. Dead.
Sabito heard the news, and immediately headed straight for the butterfly estate. He didn't know what had happened, only that you had fallen ill while Kyojuro and Tanjiro along with his friends survived a meeting with Upper Moon 3 without a single casualty. He hadn't connected the dots yet, and wouldn't until he saw with his own eyes that you were okay. It was rare for you to get sick, in fact, he hadn't ever seen you with even a stuffy nose before. So why so suddenly?
He entered the building and followed the hallways Aoi walked down. When they reached the room, Sabito sighed in relief, but then stiffened. "Rengoku-san! You might catch her fever! You're hurt enough as it is!-" Aoi didn't get the chance to finish before Kyojuro lifted his finger to his lips. His smile was unforgettable. It was softer than anyone thought was possible as he gazed down at you.
"You'll wake her. I just got her to sleep, her breathing seems to be getting better as well!" His eyes parted from your rythematic back movement and saw Sabito.
Aoi glanced between the two nervously, then huffed loudly, "You know her fever hasn't gotten better for days. If you catch it, how do you know you'll have the fight left to get better? After the fight you, her, and the boys had... you've all gotta be worn out by now. Why not you try to get some rest as well?"
"She asked me to stay. I couldn't deny an ill person's request, especially not when it's my fault she's in this condition."
"That's not true! You had nothing to do with it!"
Kyojuro hummed, "I may not have directly caused it... but I didn't finish the demon who placed her in the hell of a dream. Not fast enough." He paused, "I speculate... the demon managed to end her life for a brief moment, but because she's strong and pursues life with everything, she managed to reverse the damage he had done somehow, causing this fever." He explained his theory to the duo with his signature smile. It was bright despite the grim circumstances.
"What... on earth happened?" Sabito didn't understand.
You slowly opened your eyes, and came face to face with Kyojuro's bandaged chest. He seemed to have noticed you had woken up since his face immediately fell to gaze at yours. Weakly, you managed a smile. It made you happy he was still there at your side like you asked him. He began softly stroking your head again and whispered, "Sleep some more, you need it..." both Sabito and Aoi noticed the affectionate nature of his actions and watched silently.
"Who... were you talking... to?" you asked with the same meek and fragile voice you had earlier. It wasn't anything like your normal sounding tone. It was completely foreign to everyone except Kyojuro who heard it earlier.
"Aoi tried to convince me to rest up, but I refused." He softly answered.
You hummed in understanding, "Why did you refuse? Was it me keeping you awake?"
Kyojuro chuckled softly and shook his head. "I'm simply not tired."
You sighed and closed your eyes with a nod, "Sabito's here as well, right?" Kyojuro gave a nod and waved the older man towards him. He looked worried, and you could see it in his eyes as you turned your head to look at him.
"(Y-Y/N)-chan..." he seemed to whimper as he knelt beside you.
Softly, you smiled brightly, "Sorry for worrying you... and I never told you this... but thanks." Kyojuro placed his hand on your forehead and sighed.
"Your fever is spiking, Snowball..."
Sabito didn't understand. What exactly happened? Why was she thanking him? What did he do? "I-I don't understand-..."
Kyojuro went to get up and tried to remove his hand from your face, but your tender touch kept him from lifting it. His hands were cold, they felt good to your overheating face. "Sabito, thank you... for helping me understand people aren't always as weak... as I may believe. Watching you risk you life for me... someone... who was obviously more matured in skill at the time... it opened my eyes. Remembering that day,... it still scares me. That week in general... but thank you... You may have saved my life that night..." He knew what she was talking about, but it was the other way around. She was the one who saved him.
"Snowball, take it easy, you're going to get worse if you continue to stress yourself like this."
His words didn't reach you as you stared at Sabito with gentle eyes. The eyes of the girl he used to know, the one he had meet on the mountain. "You've... got it wrong..." he bowed his head in shame. "If I hadn't been there... you wouldn't have gotten that hurt... you wouldn't have lost your memories...-"
"Sabito. I told you once,... but I'll say it again." Your voice was firm this time, "You were the one who saved my life a few nights ago... If not for the lesson... you taught me while fighting that horrid hand demon,... I wouldn't have been able to fight death... You taught me my friends matter to me,... but... they aren't weak. They aren't weak, I can rely on them when I need to- but... that means they... can rely on me as well. In that hell,... that was the one thing that helped me out." You closed your eyes with a wide smile and a chuckle, "Kyojuro, Giyu, you... You all are the reason... I'm here still... Thank you."
"(Y/N). I'm being serious, be cautious. This fever you have is proving quite difficult. If you strain yourself any more, it could be fatal by tenfold." Kyojuro stood his ground with both his hands now on your face.
You opened your eyes only slightly, "Have I told you... how much I love your smile before... Kyo-san?" Your question caught him off guard, "Remember when my scars... reopened after the pillar meeting?" Kyojuro only nodded in response. "While I was laying on the floor..., before you came shouting down the hall... I saw your smile... I heard the laugh of when... we were younger and goofed off..." you smiled and raised your hand weakly, placing it on his cheek, "That smile has matured, yes... but it still belongs to you... don't let anything take your smile away, okay?... it really is radiant and bright... like the sun."
"(Y/N)... why are you telling me this?" He was prepared to hear the worst.
When he heard your small chuckle mixed with your wide smile and closed eyes, he knew he was worried for nothing. "Well, I just thought you should know... that I really love seeing you smile!" When your eyes opened, you realized just how exhausted Kyojuro looked and that Sabito was beside you with tears streaming down his face. 'Did I... did I say something wrong?' You questioned yourself.
"Sabito-san, let's go. Rengoku-san, I won't make you leave, but I will ask you think my words over carefully." Aoi said and left the room with Sabito following closely behind.
After their foot steps disappeared, Kyojuro sighed at your slightly hurt expression. "You look tired, Kyo-san. Why not lie down for a bit?" You coerced him the best you could.
"On one condition." His smile filled your eyes as they widened with surprise, "I want you to tell me why you said what you did to Akaza."
"Eh? That's all you want to know?" He nodded as your gaze left his. "Well, I remembered something about the attack on my family. It was... something no one knew, not even myself..." you started, but shifted your eyes back to his, "When we were attacked... when I left that night... father wasn't there..." Kyojuro narrowed his eyes not understanding the point you were trying to make. With a sigh knowing that wasn't enough to satisfy his curiosity, you continued, "At the final selection, a demon and I... had a sweet and sour conversation before I killed him." You hesitated for a moment. "He warned me... that Muzan Kibutsuji wants me dead or alive. But that wasn't what was alarming."
"I still don't understand-"
You cut him off with a blank face, one he hadn't seen in a long time, "He told me the ancestors of my mother were connected to the only man who ever came close to killing Muzan Kibutsuji." Kyojuro's eyes widened, finally understanding. "My father... betrayed us... he had my family... his wife and children... killed mercilessly by that demon. I don't know if Muzan let him live, but if he is still alive... I want to be the one to do it. To grant him... what he granted my family. He sided with the demons selfishly... so now, I'll be selfish."
"But now Muzan probably knows you're alive!"
The cold look in your eyes stopped him from continuing. "I won't let a demon dictate my actions, nor will I take precautions to secure my safety. The risk is why I'm willing to go so far. To such heights. That demon, I remember his words very clearly. He told me..." Kyojuro's eyes widened the more you spoke. "...that my family had a hidden and rare talent. I believe I know what that is now. It could be one of two things, either the ability to resist death more that normal humans, or..."
A/N: I did not proof read so sorry for any grammatical mistakes that I made on accident! Hope you enjoyed!