Chapter 22: Evolution of Bonds

Your lips continue tingling long after you return to a seated position. Shinobu turns and reaches for something on the gleaming, metal tray on the tea table off to the side, and you stare absentmindedly at the prominent blush staining her cheeks.

Huh. You... you're the one who put it there. That marvellous tinge of colour.

It's an affirmation your words have reached her. You feel drunk, intoxicated by a feeling you can't name. This is your first time experiencing an emotion your voluminous vocabulary is unable to describe.

You give your head a shake to clear it. Shinobu is rewriting everything you thought you knew about yourself. Your reach up to brush your forehead, the area where you had daringly pressed to hers. You recall the brush of her skin, smooth and unfathomably soft. You forcefully swallow the lump in your throat. Surreal. Everything is so surreal, from the weight of her hand in yours to the warmth lingering on your forehead.

"Don't stare so much. You're making me embarrassed," Shinobu says. Your vision refocuses. She is smiling at you, a roll of soft gauze clutched in one hand. "But if gazing at me so passionately is part of your strategy, then by all means, please continue."

You duck your head. Heat rushes to your head when you hear her giggle, the note of sound like echoes in your ears. You will yourself to stay calm, but it's hard when you're keyed in to her every movement; the rise of her knee, the half-roll of her shoulder, the shift of her haori. Shame tickles the back of your mind. The way you're acting would be beyond forgiveness if Shinobu did not return your feelings. Some of your mortification recedes at the thought, but still... the way you're acting is seriously lame.

You resist the impulse to pull the futon covers over your head and disappear under the thick cotton. Her agreeing to let you court her as a legitimate suitor has probably knocked something out of place in your head.

"Where did your earlier eloquence go?" Shinobu questions, a clear cheekiness in her tone. From how the corners of her mouth curve upwards, you can tell she's barely suppressing her smirk.

What's left of your pride flares to life. Your manhood is at stake here. You need to prove your worth as a man and deliver a swift counterattack. You scrape through the well of confidence you'd exhausted during your earlier confession, and find a sliver of it.

You sit straighter. You can feel a smile playing on your lips when you say, "The purpose of my staring was to admire your beauty. You can't expect me not to look at the woman I adore, especially when she's sitting right here." Shinobu's cheeks flare deep red. The steadiness of your voice surpasses your expectations, and you drink in her embarrassment with delight. This is a small revenge for her constant teasing. "Opportunities like this don't come often, so I need to grasp them tightly when they do."

"That tongue of yours is truly aggravating." Shinobu scowls. You reflexively squeeze her hand. "Is this your true nature? I feel slightly cheated after spending the past three months thinking you were a polite, somewhat shy, gentleman. I wasn't aware you were actually such a scoundrel..."

You let go of her hand to wave your arms placatingly. "There's no need to go that far, Shinobu. It was a joke. Not all of it, I mean, because I really was admiring you. But maybe I could have worded it better." You lower your hands to peek at her.

Catching your eye, Shinobu's expression smooths over. Her scowl is immediately replaced by her usual demure smile. "Is that so? You should work on how you communicate, dear. Learn from my example and you'll have a way with words in no time."

You don't bother to mask your groan. You've waltzed right into her trap. Your fear of ripping the stretch of white gauze covering the area between neck and shoulder is what prevents you from throwing your head back. "Forget it, I'm going back to sleep. Wake me up when you've dug a deep hole for me to crawl into."

Shinobu catches your wrist before you can flop dramatically onto your pillow. "My, my. You could at least spare me time to check on your injuries before you go into hiding. That's the main reason I came. Did you forget what I told you when I treated you in the infirmary?"

"You said my shoulder would get infected if I didn't clean it regularly."

Shinobu tuts. "Don't think I didn't notice your rib fractures. The bones might have been set, but push yourself too much and they won't heal as well as you'd like. You need to ample rest over the next month or so if you want a full recovery."

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind," you say.

Shinobu jabs her finger in your chest. "You've also forgot my instructions. Weren't you supposed to sleep on your front last night? The wound on your back is no joking matter, and you've probably made it worse!"

You turn away guiltily. You hadn't gotten a real rest in ages. Trading minor pain for great sleep was honestly more attractive than following the doctor's orders. You won't voice that, of course. "I know, I know. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be done about it now." Shinobu shakes her head. She picks up a glazed medicine pot with her other hand and says, "Take off your robes and turn around, Ryuu."

"I'll do as you say, Sensei." Shinobu rolls her eyes. You turn to have your back face her, then grasp the flaps of the patient's robes you worn to bed last night. You carefully peel them back, keeping your arms in the sleeves while letting the rest of the robe pool at your waist. "How's that? Can you see the wound?"

"I see it." At her acknowledgement, you let your arms rest on the twin peaks of your folded legs. "As I thought. It's inflamed." There is a sound of scraping wood before a familiar and bitter scent drills into your nose. "But at least it's improved from when I first saw it."

You scrunch your nose at her admonishing tone. Or is it because of stink of the salve? "I'm happy to hear that, but you should have brought a candle. Would have helped with the smell."

"Hush," You jump when Shinobu's finger glides across your back.

"Cold!" you yelp. Her icy touch pauses at your exclamation. It resumes its wandering moments later, and you suck a number of deep breaths to keep from shivering. "I thought you saw it?"

"Hm?"

"My wound. I thought you already saw it, so why are you– AH!" It's like a slab of ice is pressed directly into your flesh. You can't stop your shivers this time, and your body trembles uncontrollably as Shinobu applies the salve onto the affected area. "What are you doing?!"8

"I'm setting the mood," Shinobu says. You look over your shoulder. She's staring straight at you, her coy expression at odds with the nervousness she's giving off. Somehow, seeing her like this really makes you want to kiss her.

You whip your head back to stare at the wall in front of you. No, no. You shouldn't go too far, not when you both have no idea how to proceed. You need to take this nice and slow. That's the idea, but... what does that even mean?!

Your clear your throat. "You said it was inflamed. Can you describe it? I can't see the wound, but I'd like to know how bad it looks, since I'm stuck with it."

You can almost hear Shinobu thinking as she continues applying the salve. Without anyone speaking, the gentle stroke of her fingers a sleepy lull. Your eyelids nearly flutter shut, but they snap open when her words spill into the lukewarm air, painting a picture of what she currently sees.

"Aside from the redness and slight scabbing," Shinobu says. "Your stitches remind me of embroidery, the kind found on clothes. The junction where your flesh split apart is neatly sutured, almost as if two centipedes have overlapped in the middle. And looking closer..." Her puffing breaths warm the area chilled by the salve. "This thread might seem delicate at a glance, but knowing what you must have put your body through, it's shocking that it has yet to fray. I wonder what this is made of."

When you no longer feel her breaths on your back, you release the vice grip on your knee. "Well..." you reply hoarsely. "I've definitely got a better idea of what it looks like. Thank you, Shinobu." You inject some humour into the strange atmosphere that's fallen over the room, saying, "From your descriptions, it doesn't sound as bad as I thought. Better to resemble needlework than a gross mess."

"Take care of it properly and it won't scar badly. As for the one on your shoulder... all I can say is that time will eventually heal the worst of it." You can't help but groan. You saw how it looked when Shinobu applied the gauze. "Be thankful you still have your shoulder, Ryuu. The demon responsible for it was likely of lesser or equal strength, or you'd have lost your shoulder entirely."

That reminds you... when you're allowed to pick up your sword again, you need to plan a training regimen. This time, you'll practice swordplay under the influence of drugs. It would be good practice if something similar happens again. Next time, you might not be so lucky.

Recalling what Shinobu told you in the infirmary, you add, "When you have time to spare, I'll tell you about my mission. I'd warn in advance that it's not very interesting outside of the part where I put one foot in the grave."

Shinobu gives you a pat, and you pull up your robes to redress yourself. When you turn back to face her, she's touching her cheek with a thoughtful expression. "The doctor who did helped you. Going by the words exchanged between you and Fuji-sama, that person wasn't registered under the Wisteria Family, correct?"

You hadn't talked about that particular matter yet, but it had to come up sometime. Steeling yourself, you say, "Yes, it was the town doctor who treated me. He did his best, but due to several complications, someone else ended up having to step in. I was told they did the bulk of the work, including stitching the wound on my back. They were apparently strangers who'd taken shelter for the night, so I'm unaware of their identities."

"Two different doctors? I see." Shinobu knits her brows. "But for Fuji-sama to deny you treatment, he is certainly brave. I have never heard of another slayer sabotaging their comrades with such malicious intent." Her words are underscored by steel, alerting you in an instant that she's stepped into the role of a Pillar. "If your injuries hadn't been treated in time, you would have–" she purses lips in a thin line. "You would have died."

You feel 5anxiety radiating off her and can't help bending forward, wanting to sweep her into your arms. You abort the movement when she flinches and clasp her shoulders instead. Shinobu goes rigid at your touch, but relaxes a beat later. It seems she isn't a fan of someone initiating contact. You make note of this and tuck it in the corner of your mind, suddenly glad you didn't try to kiss her earlier.

"Part of the blame falls on me," you tell her. "I purposely provoked Fuji-sama on his previous visit. I declared I wouldn't accept his help no matter what... and this is the result. I know it doesn't absolve him of his actions, but I just wanted you to know the fault doesn't fall squarely on him."

"And because you believe you had a hand in it, you plan on dealing with the matter yourself." Shinobu pins you with an exasperated glare. "You men and your prides."

The corner of your mouth quirks. "Thank you."

"I disagree you should be held accountable for nearly dying, but since I'm not involved, I'll leave it in your hands." You make doubly sure your expressions does not change. If Shinobu knew this affair spawned from his declaration to marry her... Fuji wouldn't have a body left to bury. "But to think I'd been planning to return the teacup he gifted. It turns out I was far too polite. What I should have done was smash it and gift him with the shards."

The shock on Fuji's face would have been priceless. For a second, you almost wish she'd done it instead of dousing him with tea.

"You couldn't have known," you chuckle, "It's funny, though. If he hadn't insisted I join both of you, you wouldn't have found out about any of this." Thinking of that now, you're unsure why he'd forced you participate. You glance at Shinobu, wondering if asking her about it would overstep any invisible boundaries. Thankfully, she offers up the information without the need for prodding.

"I agreed to meet him because I'd planned to put a permanent end to his advances," Shinobu says. "I shouldn't have let his delusion carry on as long as I had, though part of the reason was simply that I found it too troublesome to dissuade him."

You choke at her bluntness. Fuji would probably eviscerate himself on the spot if he heard it. Shinobu continues, "It seems unwise now, but I didn't see harm in letting him do as he pleased. He's the successor those of the Wisteria family have selected, and for hundreds of years, we of the Demon Slayer Corps placed trust in their judgement. This time, I believe they chose wrong."

Your attitude towards Fuji dipped into the negative when he almost got you killed, but Shinobu's scathing observation makes you wince. "What he did to me puts him in a terrible light. I'm not denying that, but..." You find yourself swallowing the rest of your words at the look Shinobu gives you.

"To speak frankly, Ryuu, if you didn't wish to settle the matter yourself, I would have already reported it to Oyakata-sama. Fuji-sama's attitude is unforgivable precisely because of his position. How would Slayers react when they learn their biggest allies in the war might abandon them for the smallest greviance?" Shinobu's shoulders are tauter than concrete beams, tension running throughout her small frame. "There is no doubt each and every Pillar would have supported you, and we would have battled to remove Fuji-sama as the successor. No matter how difficult things turned out, it would be justisfied."

You've never seen her this serious before and its clear Fuji's actions have struck a nerve with the Insect Pillar. When she finishes speaking, you step in to reassure her, "I can't speak about the rate of my success, but I promise to do everything in my power to settle the matter peacefully with Fuji-sama. I'll have no objections if we bring it up with Oyakata-sama when the time comes."

You let go of her shoulders after giving her a final, comforting squeeze. Shinobu sighs, one of her hands playing with the sleeve of her haori. "Let's hope you succeed. I worry if the Corps will be affected if the Wisteria family has to face an internal struggle for a new successor." Setting down the medicine pot, she glances directly at your other injury. "We've talked so much I completely forgot. I haven't changed the dressing for your shoulder."

Shinobu has seen it before, but the thought of her poking and prodding at that absolute eyesore of a wound again prompts you into saying, "I can try doing it myself. It shouldn't be hard." When your words don't settle her, you follow up with, "I think I've kept you for too long. You probably have important things to take care of that don't include assisting able-bodied slayers."

As if the heavens hear your call, there comes a piercing voice outside the room, yelling, "Kocho-sama! Kocho-sama, where are you?"

Shinobu looks past you to the window directly above the futon. You realize she's discerning the position of the sun when she turns to asses the dresser facing you. Framed by shafts of light, the length of its shadows give voice to your assumptions. Shinobu has spent maybe an hour or more accompanying you from the time you woke up, and knowing the type of schedule she has, her lengthy disappearance has definitely caught someone's attention.

"I'll leave the dressing to you, then. I have to get going, but when I bring you dinner, I will asses how good of a job you did." Shinobu is springs to her feet and grabs the metal tray in one hand. "If it's unsatisfactory, I'll make you practice."

You absolutely cannot tell if she is joking or flirting. You need to learn how to dechiper it, and soon, or you have a feeling you'd be teased endlessly for being dense. "Understood, Shinobu-sensei." Giving you a teasing pat on the cheek, she exits the room without fanfare.

You look at the table, a roll of gauze and bandages left on atop its lacquered surface. You smile. You'd have to live up to her expectations, then.

There is a rustle of feathered wings followed by a loud, "RYUU!" that makes you turn. Your kasugai crow alights on the windowsill, dust particles leaping off the bird's splendidly dark wings. "LAST NIGHT'S RE-TURN NOTICE. RETURN NO-TI-CE SENT!"

"Good to see you're back to your usual spirited self." Y5ou cock your head. "And what you mean, return notice?"

Your crow shoots you a look so dry you imagine yourself a piece of fish left to salt under the sun. "Oyakata-sama," it caws. "Ryuu's return, Ryuu's return notice has been re-cei-ved!"

"Oh. Right. The letter I made you send to headquarters last night..." You had forgotten all about that. You meet your crow's annoyed gaze and wince. "I'm... sorry?"

Your final thought before a crazed bundle of black attacks you is that you need to find some food, stat.