Caught By Flames (Kyojuro Rengoku x Reader)

38 : The Beginning of the End (2)

A/N: This chapter will be in 3rd person... hope you enjoy!!

When Tanjiro came to, he was surrounded by Aoi and the girls who looked quite worried.

"Tanjiro's awake! Tanjiro's awake!" The girls chanted once they saw his eyes opened. Tanjiro looked around, in a daze of some sort still trying to remember what happened. Kyojuro then walked into the room with a bright smile, and it hit the boy like a train. Sudden realization filling his eyes.

"Kamado, my boy! Would you mind telling us why you decided to take a nap outside?" His voice boomed.

Without hesitation, Tanjiro jumped out of the bed and grabbed his sword that was leaned against the wall, rushing towards (Y/N)'s room. Kyojuro followed him, wondering why the boy was so worked up. As they neared the room, Tanjiro couldn't smell her, worrying him even more, causing him to slam the door open to reveal empty and neatly made beds. It caused Tanjiro's breathing to hasten as sweat formed along his hairline.

"Where's (Y/N)-san??" He turned to Kyojuro who raised a questioning brow.

Skeptically, he replied, "Last time I saw her, she was in the garden with her father. Is something wrong?"

Tanjiro shook his head in disbelief, beginning to worry Kyojuro. His eyes darted around, landing on the door leading towards the gates and beckoning him towards it. Kyojuro still followed him, wanting an answer from the anxious boy.

Kyojuro grabbed his shoulder, holding him still with his tight grip, and spun him around so that they were facing each other. "Tell me what's wrong. Why were you outside, and why are you frantically looking for (Y/N)?" Kyojuro suddenly commanded answers from the boy, no longer feeling like waiting.

Tanjiro immediately began to speak, "I walked into the garden earlier and saw her father holding her in his arms, and when I asked him what happened and if something was wrong, he told me she had fallen asleep! So I offered to walk them to her room, but when we got to the gate-... e-everything went black..." He spoke fast, almost so fast Kyojuro didn't catch it, but his expression shattered after finally processing the stressing news. Tanjiro could smell the sadness and guilt that washed over him within that second of time. "I'm sorry... I should have done something, he was obviously acting strange..."

"Do not blame yourself, Kamado. I shouldn't have left her alone with him. Stay here, I'll be back and we'll go look for her. You can still smell her around the gate, right?" Tanjiro gave a nod as Kyojuro smiled widely and ran back into the interconnected building.

Quickly, he got dressed in his uniform, placing his haori on his shoulders and the sword on his hip. Pulling half his hair up, he walked out of the room only to be stopped by Tengen who was accompanied by Shinjuro.

"Why are you dressed so formally? Did something happen?" Tengen inquisitively asked, wanting an update on the situation.

Kyojuro fixed his eye patch and focused on the two before continuing to walk, "(Y/N) is gone. Tanjiro last saw her unconscious in her father's arms. He was knocked unconscious, and now neither (L/N)'s are anywhere to be found. I'm going to get her back with the boy's sense of smell." He explained without skipping a beat.

Shinjuro cracked his knuckles, "That man is going to get quite the beating-"

"No. He isn't the focus right now, if we don't hurry and find her, there might not be much of her to find."

Tengen was confused as to why he was so serious sounding, usually he was optimistic and happy. Hopeful... but not now. He was being dead serious, "What do you mean by that?"

Kyojuro glanced back at the former pillar and shook his head. "It doesn't matter. The only thing that does is that we find her. And quickly." And with that, he ran out and found Tanjiro who pointed in the direction he smelled her scent.