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You leaned on Shinobu’s shoulder, the shorter girl wrapping an arm around your back to help you walk in a straight line. Your wounds weren’t fatal, but there were a lot of medium cuts across your body. Your uniform was shredded along with your skin, the material soaking in the blood. You walked with a limp from a sprained ankle. Despite your insistence that you could walk on your own, Shinobu was a stubborn woman and had refused to let you.
She guided you quietly through the halls of the Butterfly Estate. Almost everyone was asleep. It was still very early in the morning. Around four, you estimated. She ushered you into a private onsen. Setting you down, Shinobu turned around and closed the door before reaching up into the cabinets. She dug around as you sat on a wooden stool. Your wounds stung, exhaustion hung off your limbs like vines. It was hard to keep your eyes open.
“Your crow stopped by when you were returning.” Shinobu commented. It snapped your attention towards her, waking you up. She was warming the water, already have gotten spare clothes, towels, and bandage wraps. When had she done that? “That’s where it went?” You remarked.
“It pulled on my haori, kept cawing about your wounds.”
“So that’s why you were already at the door?”
She smiled - a bit wider than her normal face - and turned her back to you.
“Do you need help getting into the onsen? You mentioned your ankle was hurting, and you limped the entire way here.”
“I can do it.”
You tugged your uniform off and grappled onto the wall for support. You would’ve been lying if you said you hadn’t tripped at least once before stepping into the bath. An exhausted sigh escape you as you sunk into the hot water and felt the exhaustion grow. Your wounds stung hard, the water gaining a slight pink tint. The waters had medicine in it, Shinobu insisting that it would speed up the healing process.
You heard her footsteps behind you as she shuffled to sit on her knees. She dipped a small cloth in the water, gently lifting your arm up and examining the cuts. “Do you want to talk about your mission?” She hummed. You thought about it. Eventually you decided to talk, it would keep away the exhaustion, and earn you a few peaceful minutes with Shinobu alone.
“It was lowermoon three. The people in the town I went to said that younger women and men had gone missing. Teenagers.” You flinched in slight pain as she cleaned a deeper wound nearing your shoulder. “It wasn’t that hard to kill. I got it before morning, it was just… annoying. It felt like we were playing a game instead of fighting. Attacks so light that I didn’t even acknowledge them until after it was dead.” She acknowledged your words with a soft hum as she cleaned the dirt from your back.
“Don’t put your arm back in the water.” She instructed. You obliged, looking over at the now bandaged wounds. After she had cleaned the wounds scattering your shoulders, she allowed you to lean back. The back of your head rested on her lap and you closed your eyes. Just for a second, to allow yourself to gain the energy to walk back to your own estate, which wasn’t located far.
* * *
You opened your eyes, wincing at the aching around your body. Your eyes had to adjust to the light before the realization sunk in. You were in a bed. The few seconds had turned into a few hours. You cursed at yourself as you sat up. You weren’t in a normal recovery room, though. The bed was large, a closet located on the other side with hashira uniforms, a vanity next to candlelight. The curtains were closed with a small gap between them, letting sunlight hit the floor. You were in Shinobu’s room.
Bringing a hand up to your head to try and stop the dull ache, you looked around. To your side was a bento box and letter attached to it. You took it carefully, setting it in your lap and picking up the note. Shinobu’s handwriting.
Your uniform and haori are on the vanity.
Do not go walking long distances until I come back.
Aoi will check your bandages.
Love you.
You smiled softly as you put the note down and opened the bento box. Your favorite arrangement of foods were in it, alongside some chopsticks that had butterfly engravings on them. Shinobu wasn’t good at voicing her love, but you knew this is how she showed it. And you loved her for that.
You picked up the chopsticks and began eating, careful to not spill anything and dirty her bed. The room smelled like her. It was comforting. Comforting enough to make you tired again. Or was that just from the fact you only slept a few hours? You shook it off. Aoi would be coming to check on you, and you’d stay up until then, waiting for your girlfriend’s return with open arms.