The Withering Flower {Rengoku Kyojuro X Reader}

CHAPTER 7

🌸🌸🌸

"Gah!" My back hits the dirt and small rocks beneath me as I am knocked over by Sanemi's attacks.

It has been about 3 months since I have started training with a wooden katana and Sanemi has taught me all the basics about how to hold it, how to stand, how to swing it and how to apply force to my swings. It was quite difficult at first because it never felt right in my tiny hands but I got the hang of it and learnt all the basics quickly, now we train together because I need to know how to attack an opponent and defend against one as well. Sanemi is a difficult one. He doesn't go easy and takes things a bit too far, but I guess it teaches me to hold out for as long as I can against a formidable opponent before losing or winning the fight.

Kyojuro often visited and observed but Sanemi always told him to leave and go away so I could concentrate on my training but he never distracted. No matter how hot he looked over on the engawa, I never let myself get distracted, I guess that adds onto my training as well.

I was often asked by Kyojuro to go places with him and I always said yes but Sanemi always came up with excuses for me not to go, be it because I need to train or rest or just because he didn't want me to, I had to stay. A couple times i snuck away and as i was returning home Sanemi caught me.

He made me run 500 laps of the training yard everytime he caught me.

Kyojuro would take me to little restaurants and we would talk about my training and his missions. I was so envious of him, I wanted to go out on missions, preferably with him but just missions. I could be free!

Final selection was 9 months away and I made a promise to myself, to be strong enough to go by the time it comes around, so I can do Sanemi proud, so I can make him feel proud of something he has done, and so I can buy him Ohagi on the way back.

I had caught him eating some a couple weeks ago and it clicked into my head, I remembered that in the manga he smelt like Ohagi to Tanjiro, Sanemi loves Ohagi, so I have to get him some.

"Oi, [name]! You're dozing off again!" Sanemi's yell snapped me right out of my thoughts, making me sit up from where I was on the ground.

"S-Sorry about that.." I quickly apologize, silently cursing at myself for dozing off for the 100th time in training today. He sighs as he puts away his sword and walks over to me, giving me a hand has he helped me stand up, only for me to wince as my leg started pounding.

"Uh, (name)-san.. Did I hurt your leg?!" I try reassuring him, but my leg kept on pounding, so I wasn't even able to process what was going on.

"I-It's alright, Sanemi-kun! L-Let's continue—" he interrupts me as he drops his wooden training katana and picked me up bridal style, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked down at me while he still held me in his arms.

"I'll take you to your room so that you can go ahead and take a bath. After all, you're all dirty and your leg's hurt, so you might as well take a break." he says simply, already inside his estate and dropping me gently on my good leg in my room, patting my head afterwards.

"You can relax for now, we'll train after you feel a bit more pumped and when you're all cleaned up." the wind Hashira calls as he walks down the hall, which eventually led to going outside. I blink, my lips parted as I tried saying anything - something - but no words came out. To say I was awestruck was an understatement, but I just ignored it and stepped into the bathroom, turning on the bath and shutting the door gently. 'Why was he so sweet just now?! Does he really care that much about me?!' I let my thoughts ponder as I undressed out of my uniform and under clothing, shoving it all to a corner. Then, I was met with my green eyes as I stared at my naked self in the mirror, not knowing what was so attractive about myself.