Ch. 3 - Scintillation
SCINTILLATION: a flash or sparkle of light
We took a break after lunch, a well-earned one for sure. During that time I took the opportunity to nap only to wake up to an extremely sore body. Since Rengoku was to arrive soon, I decided to bathe and make myself a bit more presentable as a human compared to yesterday’s dinner and today’s training session.
I took the opportunity to wear a kimono instead of my regular uniform. It wasn’t often that we were able to wear something other than that damn black suit.
I, of course, started with my white Nagajubon, the kimono-shaped robe that goes underneath the kimono to reduce the need for it to be laundered. I wore this along with the Datejime, the sash that tied the Nagajuban in place. It was decorated in bright lavender stripes with tiny sakura petals strewn about. I had picked it out myself considering this part is hidden beneath the kimono anyway.
Next up was the Kimono itself. Since this was the only kimono I had which was leftover from my Coming of Age ceremony it was in Furisode style, long-sleeves. It, too, was lavender purple that was covered in periwinkle and pastel pink roses. The details of each petal were incredibly intricate. I truly was proud of myself for choosing such a beautiful piece.
I fastened my Kimono with my Obi, the wide, silk sash that goes around the waist. It was one of the most difficult parts considering it needed to be tied in such a way. I kept it simple and tied it in the Taiko Musubi style though it didn’t go along with the Furisode style. Unfortunately since I was tying the knot myself I didn’t have much of a choice.
Next was my Hakama which I chose to match the periwinkle flowers of my Kimono. From there I put on my tabi socks and tied the buckles tight, then I slid on my Zori sandals and called it done.
I took the time to put on some light make-up and tied my hair into a simple bun with two strands of hair at the sides of my face.
I suddenly heard the familiar knock on my door, loud as ever. This time I smiled to myself, actually being ready to accept his presence without looking like I just rolled out of bed.
“Wow,” Rengoku’s breath was stolen as he looked me up and down after I answered the door. Rengoku was dressed in traditional Western style clothing, a white dress shirt and ascot with a blood red vest and black dress pants and loafers. He still carried his sword at his hip which stood out without his usual haori.
“Sorry if I over did it, but I’m taking this date thing seriously,” I playfully wiggled my eyebrows at him. He licked his lips as if his mouth was dry and finally met my gaze after staring at my get-up.
“No, no...you’re beautiful,” he said quickly, “stunning actually. Will you be comfortable during the walk to the station?” I nodded, which was a lie, but there was no way I was changing after how long it took me to get ready.
“Hmm...should I also bring my katana?” I asked, pointing to his blade. He glanced down at his hip and then back at me.
“Not necessary. I just like to bring it just in case. As the host of this date, I’d prefer to be the only one fighting any demons,” he smiled at me and held out his arm just as he did the day before.
“I can’t believe I get to go to town two days in a row,” I said quietly as if to myself, but even the hard-of-hearing Rengoku heard it. He chuckled to himself as I finished the sentence.
“I’m happy to be able to treat you to such a luxury,” half of his tone was teasing and the other half serious, “I figure we’ll go out to eat again and also stroll along the main street to see the shops.”
“Sounds lovely,” I agreed and took his arm, the two of us happily strolling down the hallway. It didn’t take very long for the kimono to become uncomfortable, especially against my sore muscles, but I knew I had to endure it.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Rengoku stopped mid-way down the hallway, “let’s go back for a moment.” He began to drag me back to my room.
He entered and closed the door behind him and looked at me thoughtfully.
“Mayumi, you’re beautiful,” he reassured me yet again with a breathy voice, he stepped forward and caressed my cheek which made my skin flush, strong heat rising to its surface. His skin on the back of his hand was surprisingly soft. “You’re clearly uncomfortable,” he continued, taking free reign and undoing my bun while maintaining eye contact. My hair fell around my shoulders and I gasped from the unexpected movement.
“I know you worked really hard, especially on this messy knot back here,” he chuckled, turning me around and undoing the knot.
“Kyojuro...are you undressing me right now?” I gulped. He quickly paused as I turned my head back to look at him. His face was bright red.
“I don’t mean to...truthfully I’d rather see you comfortable. You’re beautiful just in your uniform...you’re beautiful no matter what you look like,” he explained, “I want you to enjoy your time and I don’t want you to have to worry about what you’re wearing.”
“That’s sweet,” I smiled to myself, “if you’d like to wait outside, I can do the rest.” He gave a firm nod and stepped outside.
I blushed to myself as I undressed in solitude and slipped on my button-up top and skirt. It felt so much better than all of those layers and a tight knot around my waist, especially in the middle of summer.
“Alright, let’s head out,” I joined him in the hallway where he was leaning against the wall in waiting.
“Do you mind if I throw this in your room?” He asked, now holding his vest and ascot. His dress shirt was disheveled and no longer tucked in. “These were equally uncomfortable, so I figured with the formalities out of the way we could just enjoy each other’s company.” I nodded excitedly, taking the silk vest and cotton ascot, throwing it on my messy futon.
Once we were both comfortable, we quickly headed toward the station. The walk was familiar and we enjoyed great conversation as usual. He was now able to carry the talk instead of having me drone on about Iguro who was now at the very back of my mind and the least of my worries.
The train ride itself was just as joyous though I was yet again flattered and flustered that Rengoku had bought both of our tickets. I genuinely felt like...dare I say it...a princess. Such kindness was relatively unfamiliar considering Iguro wasn’t exactly the romantic type with me.
We ate at the same restaurant we had the night before, selecting something new but equally as delicious from their menu.
From the restaurant, we strolled back onto the busy evening streets of the town. Many shops were lit up in beautiful colors, the shop owners smiling wide and greeting each customer that passed by. Rengoku allowed me to lead the way, agreeing to head into any shop of my choice.
“It’s gorgeous...and it matches my Kimono,” I sighed, holding the Kamikazari after entering one of the shops. “Such a shame,” I muttered to myself, regretting my bad habits that prevented me from taking it home.
“It really does!” Rengoku’s voice boomed through the shop, quickly taking it from my hands.
“Kyojuro!” I scolded, trying to reach his grasp as he held it from me. “What are you-?” He carried it to the back of the shop where the shop owner sat. “Kyojuro,” I followed him, “what are you doing?”
“I’m getting you this,” he looked at me as if he were confused by my frustration.
“Please, you don’t have to…” I slightly begged. I hated how much he was spending on me as of late. It was crazy how quickly we went from just co-slayers who greeted each other and held pleasant conversation when the time presented to such close friends in the matter of forty-eight hours.
“I don’t have to, but I want to,” he insisted, the usual large smile planted on his face. I blushed and kept my mouth shut.
After he purchased the small hair ornament, we walked out onto the street. He held the pin with such dainty fingers in one hand and stopped me by grabbing my shoulder with the other.
“Here, let’s put it on,” he looked up at my hair, putting the pin gently between his teeth before touching my hair. I turned around and allowed him to wrap my hair into a simple bun, sticking the pin in to hold it in place. “I had learned to do this when my mother was too sick to do so herself,” he explained, “she really enjoyed having her hair up and I was determined to learn when she became too weak to do it herself.”
“That’s incredibly sweet, Kyojuro,” my heart fluttered at his sweet but sad story, “thank you for this. It’s really too much…”
“No, it’s not,” he insisted again, “I’m taking you out on a date. This is standard practice from what I understand of it.”
“I definitely feel spoiled, that’s for sure,” I giggled as he remained silent, though something in the air felt as though he wanted to say something.
“There, perfect!” He declared of his work as I turned to look at him, hand gently touching the new bun at the back of my head with a smile.
“Very good,” I complimented, feeling how perfectly he completed the style. “Thank you, Kyojuro,” I gave him a weak smile, my heart fluttering as I stared at him in the glistening evening light.
“Of course, Mayumi,” he smiled back, staring back into my eyes with his piercing irises. Hearing my name roll from his mouth made my body tingle even more. “You look so beautiful,” he added in a near whisper. I tightened my smile, feeling my face heat up as the moment continued.
As I was lost in his eyes, I barely felt as his warm palm cupped the side of my face. I closed my eyes when I realized it and leaned into his touch, placing my own hand over his. My heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest, nausea creeping up on me like no tomorrow.
He smiled sweetly at my reaction and eventually allowed his hand to leave in exchange for grabbing my own to continue moving through the town. His fingers intertwined with mine, my pounding heart now settling to butterflies in my stomach as we continued down the street.
We continued moving through the shops, stopping each time I gave a little squeak of interest. Rengoku bought me a few more small trinkets along the way and I whined about his spoiling me over and over again.
We hung around town until the sun went too far down past the horizon and some of the shops began to close.
When we arrived at the train station, something about the aura felt off. The lights were on, but there were no employees to be found and a train was already parked at the station with no engineer.
Rengoku had lost his smile as he stood and took in the scene.
“A demon,” he murmured, placing a quick hand on the hilt of his katana. Though I was scared, I was just as excited knowing that I’d finally get to see Rengoku in action.
I knew that as a Hashira, feeling a demon was like a sixth sense to Rengoku. I couldn’t feel anything, just the fact that something was off about the whole thing.
Without further hesitance, he unsheathed his sword and held it pointed center with two hands as his eyes patrolled back and forth.
“Well...what do we have here?” A shaky, disturbing voice sent chills through my body. I still couldn’t pinpoint where this creature was. “A Hashira! How...delicious…”
“Come out!” Rengoku demanded, staring at one spot toward the ceiling of the station. I joined his gaze but didn’t see anything. His piercing eyes didn’t dare leave that spot. “Quit hiding, show yourself!”
“You’re no fun,” the demon then suddenly appeared, fading in slowly right in the corner where he had been looking. I tried my best to keep my jaw off the floor. How did he even see that thing there?!
Its skin was a dark grey and had long, flowing black hair with completely white eyes. It was as if it were a shadow, or at least could easily camouflage in the shadows.
The demon then dropped from the ceiling, its arms held out as if it were ready to pounce on the two of us. It licked its lips as it started walking toward us. I began to back up a little, but Rengoku held his ground.
“I took out all of the workers here and was just about to indulge on those in the cars before you showed up. It’s very unkind of you to interrupt my meal,” the demon playfully pouted.
“You will not be finishing this meal,” he declared, reinforcing the point of his sword in its direction. He began taking large strides toward the demon. The demon, a beta for sure, tried its best to prepare a counter attack but was quickly decapitated by Rengoku’s move.
“Wow, didn’t even have time to think about how to react,” I chuckled in response to the demon’s death. Rengoku sighed and put his sword back in its place.
“I really don’t know why they even bother with Hashira. Truthfully, the only real fights we face are with the Kizuki,” he shrugged in response, “I hate that we didn’t arrive sooner, we could have saved the lives of the employees.”
“That’s very unfortunate,” I agreed, “but at least the lives of the civilians in the cars should be okay.” Rengoku nodded.
“I’ll send my crow back to Oyakata-sama. He’ll be able to take care of this stuck train and the civilians,” he added as his crow flew to his shoulder, “as for us, I don’t think walking home in the dark is a safe idea. It may be a half hour train ride but it's a good four hour walk.”
“Yeah, no thanks,” I giggled, “back to town we go, I guess. I’m sure there’s an inn we can find.” He gave a single, strong nod, his smile returning.
We began the walk back to the town. I felt incredibly lucky to have seen a Hashira take out a demon though it was a quick fight...if you’d even call it a fight. My muscles really ached at this point having been walking for most of the evening and the nap I had taken earlier was wearing off. Rengoku had trained my ass off from four am until noon and it was now nearly eleven at night.
“Everything hurts,” I groaned as our walk neared its end, “I definitely need a day off tomorrow.”
“Demons never take a day off!” Rengoku exclaimed excitedly. I gave him an annoyed look, back hunched over from the pain.
“There are only so many demons and there are other demon slayers. I think they can do without me for a day,” I laughed as best as I could, “besides, we have to stay out here for the night and then get our way back to headquarters anyway. I’m looking forward to a nice hot bath and curling up on a mattress for once.”
“It is a real treat,” he agreed, pointing toward an inn that sat on the edge of town.
We entered and Rengoku took the lead at the front desk, even paying for our room. The fact that he had likely put more money out than he wanted tonight made me feel even worse. I hated the idea of being a burden to someone who wanted to take me out. Though he said we shouldn’t, I was sure if he were alone he would have done the four hour walk and then woken up bright and early at four AM anyways.
The innkeeper, with a smile, led us upstairs where all of the rooms were located. He unlocked one of the doors and allowed us inside, giving Rengoku a copy of the key. The two bowed briefly as a goodbye and Rengoku closed the door behind us.
The room had two twin-sized beds and a small bathroom with full plumbing. It was a pretty sizable room as well with two large closets.
“This is nice,” I nodded, staring around the room.
“Would you like to take your bath?” Rengoku asked, hand motioning toward the bathroom. I smiled excitedly. Indoor plumbing was a true luxury having only been invented fifty years prior. Despite it being around for so long, it was still rare to find.
“I’m so ready,” I giggled like a child and scampered to the bathroom. Rengoku followed to check it out with me.
“This is nice,” he repeated, looking around the wood paneled walls and porcelain floor tiles. There was a small bathtub, a single standing sink, and a tiny toilet. It was small, but it was something!
“Now, if you’ll excuse me!” I playfully shoved him back out into the bedroom area and closed the door. I heard his hearty laugh from behind the door.
I then turned to the bathtub and began running the water, placing the plug in the drain. While the tub filled I got undressed and folded my clothing on the edge of the sink.
I dipped my toes into the warm water and began to sink in. On a nearby ledge sat some soap and shampoo as well as a tiny bottle of lotion. It truly felt like luxury!
I cleaned myself and quickly wrapped a towel around my chest. I glanced at my clothing and I realized I would much prefer to put clean clothes on instead of the now dirtied ones.
“Hey, Kyojuro?” I peeked my head out of the door, trying my best to shield my body. He was resting on one of the beds, hands behind his head, his shirt and pants unbuttoned for comfort, and looked quickly in my direction. “Do they happen to have any robes in those closets?” I asked.
“Hmm…” he got up, gripping his pants so they wouldn’t fall around his ankles, and opened one of them, “yes! What luck!” He grabbed one and handed it to me.
“Thanks,” I smiled, slipping the robe through the small crack in the door, “after your turn in here, I’m going to use the tub to hand wash my clothes. I can do yours, too, if you’d like.”
“No thank you,” he smiled sweetly, “no way would I make you wash my clothes. I can join you and we can do it together.” I smiled back and closed the door for a brief moment to wrap the towel around my hair and tie the robe around my body.
Once I was all finished, Rengoku and I traded places. I relaxed on the mattress of the bed opposite to the one he chose. The feeling of the soft fabric and squishy material was pure bliss. Sure, futons are comfortable for what they are, but nothing beats sleeping off the floor and on something a little bit softer. I nearly fell asleep before Rengoku came back.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” I heard Rengoku’s voice, this time soft, as he caressed my face.
“Did I actually fall asleep?” I asked, looking all around in the hopes that it wasn’t morning yet. He nodded with that classic smile on his face. When my eyes finally adjusted, I realized he was only in a towel that was wrapped around his waist and his hair drenched and sticking to his shoulders. I felt heat rise to my face...and in-between my legs.
“I felt bad for waking you, but I figured I’d let you know that I went ahead and scrubbed your uniform clean,” he smiled sweetly, “hopefully it will be dry by tomorrow morning.”
“You did not,” I gasped, sitting up, “I should have helped you! Kyojuro!” Also, you touched my panties...not something I had expected out of tonight...
“No, no, we’re still in town so technically I’m still the host,” he reminded me. I sighed with a bit of exasperation. I was going to owe this man my whole life if he kept this up.
“You’re really doing too much,” I scolded, sitting on the edge of the bed and allowing my hair to fall out of the towel and down my shoulders. I began finger combing it as best as I could, wincing when I felt the knots.
“Well, I’m courting you, so…” he rolled his eyes as if that were obvious. He sat down on his bed and fell back, his legs dangling off the side of the bed. My eyes widened as I saw the soft lump in-between his legs underneath the towel. I quickly looked away out of respect, though my heart and body wanted to misbehave.
“Courting me?” I asked, trying to continue the conversation and distract myself from staring at his half-naked body.
“Well, dating should have intentions, right?” He asked, sitting up.
“It’s our first date, a pity date that you asked me to,” I chuckled, “and to be honest, I’ve just been all nervous and sweaty this whole time. Not to mention how pained my body is from our workout earlier today.”
“I’m sorry…” he mumbled sadly, “I was hoping this was a good time.”
“What?!” I panicked. “This day has been perfect! I just wish I was a better sport.” He gave me a confused look. “For the past two days, being around you has just made me a nervous wreck, growing by the minute the more we’re together.” I admitted and his expression fell into a sweet smile. “Especially now that you’re sitting here half-naked in front of me with only a weak towel covering your...your…” I flapped my hand in his direction as if to signal his naughty bits. His face turned a slight shade of pink though his smile never left.
“I’m glad you told me this,” he stood up, “and to be fair, you only have a weak robe covering yours. He took a step closer, closing the gap between the beds.
I looked up at him as he ran his fingers through my wet hair and held them there. He knelt down in front of me so that I was now looking down at him. He placed his free hand on my knee as his fingers in my hair began to gently rub. “Would you like a massage? That might help your muscles relax.” He asked, voice quiet.
“Sure, it sounds like you got tips from Uzui with all this,” my voice felt like it was shaking just a bit. Did I just admit that I have feelings for him in the most awkward way ever? And he didn’t think anything else of it?!
"Maybe I did," he winked in a joking manner before standing.
He left my side for a moment to head into the bathroom where the small bottle of lotion was located.
“Here, lay back,” he instructed, pouring some of the liquid onto his palms. I did as he instructed, trying my best to keep my robe closed.
He started at my feet. The lotion felt cold to the touch as he applied light pressure to my arches. I hummed at the pleasurable feeling, a tiny drunk smile growing on my face while my eyes closed.
He worked at my feet one at a time, making sure to even get between my toes. He slowly then moved up my legs, massaging my calves, not worrying that lotion was getting all over the bed. He continued to move until he reached my thighs, massaging carefully to not disrupt the rob and reveal me.
I was in pure heaven with the feeling of his rough hands kneading my doughy skin. It felt as though if I were to try and stand up I wouldn’t be able to. My lower half felt like pure mashed potatoes.
“May I get your back and shoulders?” He asked politely, now standing at the end of the bed. My eyes fluttered open when I heard his voice. How could I turn that down?!
“Mhm,” I nodded a little, flipping onto my back and doing my best to arch my back and get the robe off of the top part of my body while hiding my breasts from the flame Hashira behind me.
When my top half was exposed, I plunged back on the mattress and allowed my face to bury itself into the pillow.
The cold lotion hit my back quickly and I nearly squealed. Rengoku gave an apology in a whisper as he kneaded the space near my spine, dragging the knuckles of his thumbs down the center and then allowing his fingers to fan out and press the rest.
My favorite part was my shoulders. He gave a tight squeeze and I grunted in pure pleasure, feeling the crunchy knots find their way out. I could hear a laugh from deep in his chest in response to my satisfied noises.
Over time, he weaned me from the pleasure and I sighed in relief, stretching my body out like a cat -- extending all of my limbs as far as they could go.
“How do you feel?” He asked, smiling and rubbing the leftover lotion all over his hands. I looked at him, head turned deep on the pillow.
“Amazing,” I managed to gurgle out.
I remained there, top still nude, as he went and washed his hands of the lotion. I took a deep breath, feeling the oxygen course through my veins. I felt as if I were on a cloud, being cared for by an angel.
“Hmm…” Rengoku hummed, sitting on the edge of his bed. I peeled my sleepy eye open toward him.
“Hmm?” I repeated with a questioning intonation.
“Your bed is covered in lotion,” he chuckled, “would you like to trade beds so you don’t have to sleep in that?”
“Trade?” I grumbled. “No way, I can stay here. I’m the one covered in lotion anyway.”
“Well, what if we shared?” He asked again. “I figure it’s likely not very comfortable to have the cold, slimy liquid all over the sheets.” I laughed at his description and sat up, facing away from him to put the robe back over my shoulders.
“Are you okay with that?” I asked, genuinely concerned. I didn’t want to impose or be more of a burden than I was already.
“Of course! I’m the one who offered!” He insisted, patting the bed next to him.
He crawled under the covers as I walked to the other side of the bed. It was going to be a tight squeeze considering the size of the twin bed. I hadn’t thought about it until that point. He was nearly on the edge of the bed, lifting the covers to invite me in.
I carefully slid in next to him, feeling my legs against his. He covered the two of us with the blankets and then squeezed his hand back toward himself. The two of us were facing one another. I felt his hot breath over my face as he looked deeply into my eyes, a smaller, sleepier smile on his face.
His bare chest was pressed against mine though the puffy robe I had on shielded the feeling of his skin on mine.
“Did you have a good day today?” He asked in the darkness. I felt his hand come up and start stroking my hair, folding it behind my ear repeatedly.
“Mhm,” I answered quietly, closing my eyes and allowing the feeling to take me into a deep, sweet sleep.
“I’m glad,” he whispered, sighing into peace.
The feeling of his warmth against me was intoxicating. Our legs had begun to tangle themselves together on the small bed. His pelvis was now against mine and the familiar soft bulge I had felt while training earlier that day could be felt through the fabric of the robe. I felt my cheeks turn a little pink as I realized the feeling.
I unfolded myself a bit, allowing my arms to stretch over his body. I wrapped them around his body as best as I could in the tight space. I opened my eyes just a little to see if what I was doing was okay. His eyelids looked heavy, but his gaze never left my face.
Though I was tired, my heart was beating a thousand miles a minute. I worried that he could feel it thanks to the proximity. I had never imagined that I would be sharing a moment like this with the flame Hashira.
I sighed and nestled myself into his neck, this time caving in to my desires. He could definitely feel my heart if I could feel him easily in this position. His beat was steady and strong, just as expected for an admirable warrior.
He had stopped rubbing my hair and instead started to cradle my head, pushing myself closer into his chest. He hummed a bit out of pleasure and I felt it reverberate against my eardrum. I smiled to myself and rubbed my face on his neck, slightly stubbly.
Cradled into one another’s arms, we fell asleep…
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