Chapter Text
Sweet and floral; it was the first thing you noticed as you took a breath in, starting to wake up. Slowly, you opened your eyes, vision blurry as you blinked slowly to try and clear your eyes. An attempt was made to try and rub your eyes of the sand that crusted over them but even with the simple movement, your limbs felt heavy, as if a weight was keeping your body trapped against the bed.
Getting your bearings, it seemed you were at the Butterfly Estate. Though the room was dark and shadowy upon first glance, the moonlight shining through helped illuminate the familiar plain recovery room. A sigh left your lips, surprising you as you didn’t realize you were holding your breath. It was odd, being on the other side of your job duties. Usually you were the one who attended to those brave souls who risked life and limb to destroy any demon that crossed their path and save their fellow man. You enjoyed the work and fully embraced it; building moral, cooking, cleaning, training, attending to wounds, administering medication, and so much more! So why were you here instead of fulfilling your duties? You had a job to do!
Mustering what little strength you had, you manage to shuffle yourself into an elevated position, getting you a better look around though that would have to wait as your eyes adjusted to the darkness along with the pounding in your head at the sudden change in position. Focusing on your breathing to attempt to relax, the earthy smell of Wisteria filled your lungs. It wasn’t unexpected, the Butterfly Estate being home to the Insect Hashira Shinobu. Though your interactions were usually brief and professional, the young woman carried herself with an air of grace and poise. You couldn’t help but feel a little lighter than air yourself when being around her. You heard rumors she could be rather cruel with her words and that her light smile was merely a facade to her true feelings but whenever you talked to her and helped her out, she was always kind and gentle. Perhaps she was like the wisteria herself, beautiful and light but hiding a poison underneath.
As your body began to settle, your mind started to piece together your memories of before you ended up here. You were working on prepping meals and medication for the latest group of slayers admitted to the estate, the incident at Mount Natagumo leading to many injuries and deaths for the Demon Slayer corp. Many had broken bones, crushed organs, missing limbs, acid burns, and bodies morphing and disfiguring into spider like monstrosities. With the amount of people needing care, you worked tirelessly to meet all their needs, working around the clock to help on their recovery or at least ease their pain until something more effective could be done…
Your fingers dug into the blanket, sweat forming on your brow as you tried to will yourself to get up, to get back to work but you paused. The blankets never felt this light and the material was different, almost delicate under your touch. Looked down, you noticed what you were tucked in with wasn’t a blanket but instead a rather familiar haori, the membranous design of a butterfly spread across your lap. It seemed the garment was perfumed with the demon poison though it would make sense, Shinobu using the flower’s strength as her own in battle.
Maybe she left it here on accident? No, she wore that haori like to was own skin and flesh. Then she left it with you on purpose, but why?
“It seems you recovered much faster than I expected,” a calm voice, seemingly out of thin air sent a chill down your spine as your turned towards the owner of said voice, your dull eyes meeting with a gradient sea of purple. The closeness is something not unfamiliar coming from her but it causes a bloom of pink to spread over your face nonetheless.
“Recovered? What are-“ you tried to get up, ready for duty but a soft hand prevented you, causing you to freeze in place.
“It’s best not to move too much,” Shinobu warned you, her voice like honey, “You need your rest.”
You reluctantly laid back, shuffling your shoulders to sink back into the cot. “What’s happened?”
“Aoi found you passed out in the kitchen,” she mused, recalling the panic on Aoi’s face when she asked for help getting you shuffled into a bed to rest, “She said you’ve been working day and night to help the new patients.”
“I- I guess I didn’t realize,” you mumbled as looking back at it, you were so focused on helping others, you forgot to focus on yourself, “But I can go back to work now!”
“You need to rest, for my sake if not your own, then you can work when I deem you fit,” Shinobu asked though it sounded more like a demand. In that demand though, there was something else you couldn’t quite pinpoint. Was it worry? You’ve never known her to do that except for her tsugoku and the closer attendants such as Aoi. Maybe you hit your head during your fall but maybe… maybe she thought higher of you than a simple worker?
“Yes-s, Lady Kocho,” you nodded shyly, tucking in, the butterfly haori still on your lap, “I’ll take it easy.”
“Sleep well,” Shinobu hummed, watching you slowly close your eyes and drift off for some well deserved rest, making sure to tug the garment over your chest once you fell asleep.
OMAKE
Aoi walked towards your room, breakfast in hand. Hopefully you were awake now, the young lady more than willing to serve a side of scolding with your food. You can’t run yourself ragged on her watch! Shinobu was so upset when she heard you were working yourself practically to death! She said she would talk to you in order to not let it happen again. You were one of their best workers, after all!
With an exacerbated sigh, Aoi opened the door and stilled herself. From her angle, Shinobu was leaned down by your face but what she did, Aoi wasn’t sure but it didn’t seem to matter as the haori was pulled off your body. With a twirl, the garment returned to its rightful place, flowing from the hashira’s petite frame before she locked eyes with Aoi.
A simple finger over the lips was more than enough to silence any thought Aoi had before Shinobu passed her, ready to start on her duties for the day.