𝙸𝚝 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝙴𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝙷𝚎𝚛𝚎 (𝔾𝕚𝕪𝕦𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕠) {𝓚𝓝Ⴘ}
𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 19: 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝓶𝓮 '𝓽𝓲𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓮.𝓷.𝓭
Author POV:
"Shinobu-chan sure is late," Mitsuri sighed, "And Tomioka-san. We've been waiting for them for ages. Seriously, at this rate, we're gonna get half an hour behind schedule. I planned tons of party games!!"
"Sounds stupid." Sanemi grunted. "This whole thing is pointless. Can't I spend my New Years in peace?"
"It really doesn't feel like New Years," Tengen sighed, "This year went by way too fast."
"A year...," Muichiro said, almost wistfully, his head in the clouds. "How long.. is that again?"
"365 days, 52 weeks, 8760 hours, 525600 minutes."
The reply rang out from behind the dazed mist pillar. He turned around in suprise, as did the others, to see none other than the insect Hashira strolling casually towards them.
"Hey, guys," Shinobu smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Shinobu-chan! You're finally here!" Mitsuri ran up and hugged her best friend. "What took you so long?"
Shinobu's dress was just slightly crinkled, and her newly applied mascara was a little bit smudged, but otherwise she looked fine. Nobody could tell that she had just broken up with a boyfriend whom was cheating on her.
"Oh, I was a little caught up getting Shigeru," Shinobu smiled with her usual brightness, "He won't be able to make it today. Tomioka won't be here as well."
Shinobu decided not to tell everyone about his state. It would only worry them, and she didn't want other people getting in the way. Visits to the patients at the Butterfly Mansion always made the place busier by a huge amount and I didn't have the time or patience for them right now.
My heart still felt heavy. A tense numbness instituted my mind until I would have the chance to let it out. Right now, I had to put on a nice appearance and make sure nobody finds out until I wanted them to.
"You okay, Shinobu?" Mitsuri asked, worried. "You look tense."
"Oh, no. I'm fine. Just a little worried. Shigeru's sick, and it seems pretty bad...," I laughed nervously.
"Aww. I hope he gets better soon! But you're the best doctor I know, so you can fix him up, right?" Mitsuri beamed.
"Yeah, but I have to strictly stay on my patients at the mansion, I can't have complaints that I'm using my medical knowledge for personal use... I don't want to be selfish, right?" Shinobu smiled.
"You're so humble, Shinobu-chan," Mitsuri smiled back. "Well, I guess we can start the party now!"
It started off small, with only little pockets of conversation, mainly with Tengen's wives, whom we hadn't all met before. But then Mitsuri dove for the food and we began having morning tea, which consisted of pastries, treats, homemade pie, milkshakes, and fruit salads.
"Aoi is literally the best cook I have ever met!" Mitsuri squealed. "Her apple pie is just the best!!"
"She works herself to death though," Shinobu sighed, "I wish I could give her a break once in a while. Things are busy in the holiday season."
Hinatsuru placed a platter of cookies on the picnic table. "I made some butter cookies," Hinatsuru smiled shyly, "I like to cook myself too."
"Hinatsuru's food is to die for," Tengen announced proudly.
"Gahh, I love butter cookies!!" Mitsuri quickly took one and ate it in one bite.
"Is it good?" Shinobu asked, reaching for one as well.
"Very!!" Mitsuri sighed happily. "They just melt in your mouth!"
It was true. And as the soft butter dissolved in her mouth, Shinobu tried to forget, even for just a moment, what had happened.
Giyu POV:
Once the Kazukis finally left, leaving me to peace, I was able to process what had just happened.
They had left my house squeaky-clean, not a speck of dust or blood on the floor. They'd switched every light on so the house was maddingly bright, and they had restocked my fridge with plently of food and water that I didn't need. They'd even put a vase of flowers on the kitchen bench and tidied up my room.
It all felt unnesscary. I felt like a king, with servants and a palace. They were only doing this because Shinobu had ordered them to, but they probably also felt bad for me, a grown man living in this state.
The Kazukis made me change into casual clothing so they could fix up my uniform. They patched up all the holes, sewed up any rips, and washed it clean. They replaced some old buttons on my uniform and got me a new belt, but otherwise I didn't require another set.
A bunch of the medically equiped Kazukis gave me a full-body checkup. When they saw my scars and wounds, their eyes bugged out and they started whimpering like dogs. I requested them not to give Shinobu a report on me.
I knew the party was probably happening now. Everyone was dancing, laughing, chatting the day away, while I was just me. Stuck inside myself, and my dull world.
Now that the Kazukis had left, there was once again nothing to do. Everything was so bright in my new estate, and it felt like I was in someone else's home. My small house had lost it's coziness and the darkness that I longed to be in.
Still, I knew I had to keep everything like this. There was no doubt someone would be by again, maybe even the Kazukis. As much as I hated Shinobu's passive agressive smile as she judged y life, I hated more the idea of her forcing me to go to the Butterfly Mansion.
With nothing to do, I went upstairs and took a shower in my re-vamped bathroom. The Kazukis had put detergent, fragance and flowers in it so that my old, bloody bathroom now looked like something from a house sale.
The cold water issue with the shower had gotten fixed and instead of dousing myself in ice-cold drops, I instead felt a warm ripple of water cascade down.
It all felt so nice.
It all felt like a normal life.
This was how people were supposed to live, this was the life the pillars lived to protect.
It was a life I would never have.
A/N: Sorry again for the slow update 〈◞‸◟'〉 Thank you so much for 35 followers!! I appreciate it <3333 I would love it if you would join my Discord server if you would like more of my work!!
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