Giyuu's worsening condition brings concern among both her and Tanjiro, the rain preventing any progress they could make by a mile, their greatest help being a long way from here with no way to contact them.

-linebreak-

Giyuu doesn't stir much after that last meeting of theirs either it being the medicine at play or his body he stays asleep for most of the day, it's not like he's missing anything the rain doesn't allow for much of anything to happen. The only time he does wake up without someone else interfering is to cough. He'd stir, blinking rapidly then his face would scrunch up then he'd start coughing, it'd progressively get louder as his frame shook with each cough, body hunching over until it went pliant and he fell into the sheets as if it never happened. She half expects blood to be the result of one of those fits, maybe vomit, but it's only spit, thankfully. 

While usually one of the kakushi would take care of him, or maybe Aoi, she's made it her top priority to be the one who does, especially with his current case. It's the afternoon, not tellable by the dark clouds that surrounded the mansion and the harsh rain that beat down on the surrounding area. Right now, she was trying to get him to take medicine which she had to wake up him for so he didn't choke. 

She shook him with slightly vigor, worry welling up in her chest as his eyes only fluttered but he didn't move. Lightly she tapped his cheeks, trying her best to wake him up without being too forceful. 

"Come on now, if you want to get better you need to take your medicine,"

"Hurts..." He whimpered, teary-eyed as he leaned into her touch as she cupped the side of his neck, stilling him as she felt his fever rage on under his touch. "I know, I know," Anytime he spoke it'd always be about how much it hurt, she had heard that some sicknesses made old wounds act up so combining that with his new wounds she could understand the pain but even then she wasn't sure that was the case with him. 

"it'll get better, the pain will pass," Although from how things are looking, she isn't quite sure they will.

"Sensei..." He muttered with a shaky breath. "Please... 'Ere's my Sensei..."  Shinobu freezes up, staring at him her eyes probably wide, that one's new. "Your... Your Sensei?..." Maybe she heard something incorrectly, she probably did, yeah, she did. However, he just fervently nodded, letting out a huff.

"Sensei, bring 'im here... Please..." His voice is nothing less than pleading, maybe even begging if she were to go far enough. His voice crackles like tv static, wavering on edge and Shinobu is sure she hasn't been more disturbed in her life than now. This is wrong, she tells herself, this is so wrong, he shouldn't be acting like this, this is wrong. 

There has to be something else at play here, it just has to. 

But she acts like she doesn't think there isn't anything at play here because she doesn't want to accidentally spook him- she's not even sure if that is a possibility but she'll consider it. She dabs the wet linen cloth against his slick with sweat forehead, she swore she had just dabbed it all away a minute ago yet here she was. "I'm sorry I can't, the rain's beating too hard for me to send a message to him, maybe when it clears up if you don't change your mind."

"Nooooo... Please, get 'em now..." His arms move upward, flailing slightly as he practically begs for him to get his Sensei for him, it reminds her of a child begging for their parent, and from what little interactions she's seen between the two- and she can count the number of times she's seen them interact on her hand- she knows the two must be close, he was his mentor after all, but she was never sure how close the two were. From what she can see right now, the two are very close that in his fever-ridden state the only person he was his mentor, like how she's seen in others that shared this behavior, they always requested their parents, so she concludes that the two must be very, very close then if that's who he requested it this kind of state.

It's almost pitiful even that he does it, while she doesn't like to theorize, she hopes it isn't because he has horrible parents and that's why he never talks about his past because it's horrible. But that doesn't mean she won't doubt the possibility, most people who come here usually have lost someone because of a demon or demons, that might be another possibility, his Sensei took him in after he lost them and that's why. She should stop getting ahead of herself, however, really.

So instead, she moves to wipe away the sweat building on his neck with a sigh. "The sooner you take your medicine the sooner you can see him," Thickly swallowing, he nods as he leans forward letting out a shuttering breathe.

"Great, I'm glad I can have your cooperation," Another one of his symptoms was chill strikes, he'd shudder and shake as if he freezing cold yet his skin would be hot so she couldn't cover him with blankets since he was already as hot as it is despite how much he asked for one. She helped him up, shivers wracking their way up his spine as she gave him the liquid medicine, his face scrunching up and coughed.

She held his cheek, wiping away the sweat on his face as she carefully tilted the cup forward as he slowly takes sips of cold water as her stomach churns in worry.

Maybe there is something else at play, but she knows that right now in his current safe it isn't safe enough to test for it.

-linebreak-

Tanjiro was bound to find out, she'd be surprised if he didn't. She had place Giyuu in the private rooms for a reason, Tanjiro in a public one- AKA: a room anyone could be placed in, as in a not top priority patient- yet word spreads when you have nothing to do when the outside. Which is why she shouldn't have been surprised when she walked into Giyuu's room to do a routine check on him, Tanjiro standing next to his bed leaning over him and placing a hand on his shoulder trying to shake him awake with worry built into his face.

The door almost gently closes behind her without a sound, yet, he hears it and looks up at her, glaring at her with anger swirling in his eyes. No backing out now. 

"How long has it been like this?" His voice is low and tense, silently restricting his anger but it doesn't work and for once, Shinobu is afraid to answer the question. 

"How long has it been like this?!" This time he yelled, voice loud and tense with anger. 

 She couldn't answer the question. Tanjiro just turned towards Giyuu's sickly body, putting his warm hand on the hashira's head. "I'm no doctor," He started with a frown, he had taken care of his siblings before when they had been sick but they had never been as sick as this. "but he shouldn't look like this, he shouldn't act like this."

"You think I don't realize that?" Does he seriously think she's dumb? 

"What about a demon blood art? Have you checked for that?"

"His blood level is too low to check for that,"

"So what? Do you want him to keep suffering? To possibly slowly die?"

She just rolls his eyes for that, he's shown no signs of any of it but fine, if it'll get him off her tail then fine, if it'll get him to leave her patient alone, then fine, fine fine fine fine, FINE.

So that's exactly what she did when she managed to pry him away from Giyuu's side, inserting the needle in his arms- which she had to admit, he had very nice veins- and took a blood sample and went to examine it. 

Hours later, Shinobu could only stare at the blood sample, dread coiling in her stomach, eyes wide.

She should have listened to him.

She should have acted sooner.