let me be the fire that sets your heart ablaze

ch45 denial

time pass

at the butterfly estate

********
after they came back from visiting tanjiro, sen had suddenly collapsed one day, kyoujurou brought her to kanao and aoi to check if everything is alright.

kyoujurou:" aoi is sen alright?"

aoi:" to be frank we dont quite know what is happening to her, she isnt ill but her body is incredibly weak"

kyoujurou:" what? but she seemed fine just a few days ago"

kyoujurou exclaimed with worried eyes as he tried to get an answer from aoi.

aoi:" at first we thought it was simply because its her first time giving birth but instead of getting better its the opposite, we are already investigating her symptoms we'll tell you once we are sure but for now take care of her"

aoi walked away leaving kyoujurou alone with him and his thoughts, he walked back to sen who was asleep in her bed. he grabbed her hands that had turned cold and put it to his forehead.

kyoujurou:" please sen wake up"

he said trembling, reminding him of his mother dying and how hopeless he was. he eventually fell asleep worrying and from sleep deprivation.

seb woke up to a familiar ceiling, she realized she was back at the butterfly estate and couldn't feel any strength in her body as if she had returned to her demon slayer days. "i didnt expect it to progress so fast" she thought with a sorrowful frown on her face. sen had already known about her condition since the beginning, her body started degrading ever since the fight with muzan ended. knowing that there is no cure she held her tears back and smiled in attempt to hide it. but ever since tanjiro found out it has been increasingly harder to bear. she looked to side to see kyoujurou lying beside her with dark eye bags under those eyes if his that she loved, sen rubbed his face. she noticed he had been holding her hand she tried to take her hand away but with no success making him groan and not letting go. she chuckled at his cuteness. kanao walked by their room when she caught a glance of sen awake making her gasp in shock. sen smiled and waved at her before putting a finger to her lips and pointing at kyoujurou who was asleep. she quickly realized and quietly walked up to her.

kanao:" sen san what happened to you me and aoi has been frantically trying to look for a cure"

sen patted her head

sen:" sen there is no need, after all this isnt a illness right?"

kanao:" so you knew but you kept it a secret why?"

sen:" because i wanted you all to be happy i didnt want to spend my time while i was still relatively healthy watching you guys worry"

kanao:" does that mean you wont get better?"

sen closed eye smiled at her which gave kanao an answer.

kyoujurou woke up from the sound of them talking and groaned, he was still in a daise from sleeping for the first time in two days.

sen:" good morning kyoujurou"

kyoujurou's frowned and hugged her waist as if he was trying to catch her from flying away.

kyoujurou:" why did you suddenly collapse and not wake up"

he said in a muffled sound, sen ran her fingers through his golden locks with one hand and patted him with the other.

sen:" i guess i was just really tired"

kyoujurou knew that being tired wasn't the case and something was wrong with her health.

sen:" bye the way where is kyouka?"

kyoujurou:" i left her with senjuro and father"

kanao and sen both stared at him, kyoujurou just tilted his head in confusion.

sen:" kyoujurou dear, that is a horrible decision and you need to head back NOW"

kyoujurou then made a sudden realization, he remembered how terrible his father was with babies when senjuro was born. he hurriedly got up and rushed back. she sighed "what am i going to do with him". she took this chance to talk to kanao.

kyoujurou side

when he finally arrived back at the estate he slammed the door open and shouted "FATHER" while panting he ran to kyouka's room to see everything was a mess, and his father had one of the babies diaper on his head with senjuro trying to stop kyouka from crying.

senjuro:" nii-san! how's nee-san?"

kyoujurou:" ah she woke up today and so far she seems fine, sen was actually the one who told me to run back here"

shinjuro walked up to kyoujurou and tapped his shoulders

shinjuro:" dont tell her what happened she is just like your mother i will get stared down with that same menacing smile"

kyoujurou laughed and helped them with kyouka, he had gotten much better at taking care of her thanks to uzui's wives guidance.

sen side

sen:" im not sure how things will go but i want you to keep it from kyoujurou for the time being, if you and aoi fail break it to him nicely alright?"

kanao nodded and left the room, now that she was alone she coughed into her hand. when she looked at her palm there was specks of blood, she leaned her head back and clenched her hand, "haha... being a demon doesn't seem so bad right now". kyoujurou returned an hour later with kyouka on his back, kyoujurou handed her to sen before sitting down on a chair beside her.

sen:" so... how were things at home"

she coldly stared at kyoujurou making him sweat.

sen:" sigh i give up... kyoujurou lets go home"

kyoujurou:" but aoi is still treating you"

sen:" please? im alright now"

not being able to refuse he gave in and carried her home. sen wanted to spend every second of her time to the fullest while she could still move, instead of wasting it in a hospital bed knowing that soon enough she will have to leave everyone behind and join those who had already parted.