Caught By Flames (Kyojuro Rengoku x Reader)

15 : Special Attention

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.