You stayed with him back to the Master's Estate amongst the Kakushi. His cold hand stayed in yours as you wept against it. Nothing had ever consumed you so wholly, so suffocatingly as this tragedy. Kyojuro deserved to be here, happy and breathing with only a few wounds to patch up like always.

Your final words exchanged played on tortuous repeat within your muddled mind. He loved you the way you did him, and now...

The horrid thought couldn't even be said in your mind. It's twisted it's poisonous grief like gnarled roots of a vengeful tree, slowly and stiffly strangling any and all joy from my life, following Kyojuro into that of only memories.

The rivulets couldn't stop their pouring from my now pained eyes. His still chest hurt more than any wound or torture a demon could inflict.

What kind of useless Kinoe was I that I let this man die in the hands of a demon?

You knew your promised him to not blame yourself, but it was so easy to. Even so, you pushed the thoughts away, if anything to let his spirit to rest peacefully; trusting you would not let his death turn into something to punish yourself with.

As your tears continued to flow, you forced your eyes from your companion to the boys sitting on the other side of the cart. They weren't doing any better than you as they sobbed, all slowly lifting their eyes to you like they were lost and looking to you for guidance.

As if that wasn't scary enough, Tanjiro's eyes seemed to pierce into you with an empathy, and understanding that shook you to your core.

You couldn't act strong. Even as a stone breather, your strength seemed to pathetically seep away with every passing moment without Kyojuro. Your eyes fell from the boys only to drop your head against Kyojuro's hand with an anguished cry pushing out painfully. It was like your heart was reaching so desperately into the void for his, only to be met with a chasm you were close to slipping down into.

That torturous trek back to the master's estate will haunt you for the rest of your days.

Upon arrival, Shinobu was standing at the gates with many servants and members within the demon slayer corp.

The Kakushi lifted the flame pillar under Shinobu's solemn direction, all the while you moved like you were surgically stuck to him. The boys were ushered away but you couldn't be swayed or pushed away from his side.

Master Kagaya mercifully let you stay with him as he had Kyojuro's body placed in a bedroom the flame pillar often used upon visits.

He is to be buried the same day.

His body was cleaned and cared for quickly as the Kakushi had been trained to do. They moved as a blur to you and soon enough you were the only one in the room with him, and a gutting silence was all that was left.

The sun was pouring in beautifully against his paled face.

Truthfully, you'd thought you were all out of tears, but the streams took up their familiar carved paths down your face once more. The entire day cycled passed, a beautiful day at that. One he would have loved to see and scolded you for wasting.

You took in every little detail of him. This was the last time you'd get to see him. So here you stayed, silent and destroyed beside him with his cold hand placed in yours. You imagined it to be as warm as it was like the days past.

The time where he had wove his hand with yours, innocently or otherwise and excitedly led you towards a stall in a market you both had stumbled upon. Either way, it was an action —brief as always— that would put you in a flustered stupor.

Or the times he would stand shoulder to shoulder with you and offer a sunny grin with encouragement that even the saddest of people could take to heart.

The rare closeness was something you came to crave, even during training or sparring with him you had fumbled when your weapons were locked in a struggle of strength. When he was only a breath away behind the fighting blades, his eyes always met yours with such intensity flowing in his blown wide pupils.

"You're stronger than last time Y/n." He said over the sound of the grinding metal.

Your breathing was strong and you kept your eyes locked on his despite your racing heart. "And I intend to win this time." You proclaimed with a ferocity that set him ablaze.

A little, owlish grin perked his lips. "That's what I like to hear." His words were determined, but uncharacteristically low.

A fluster suddenly began to crawl up your neck, only to affect your locked kusarigama as they shook a bit. In a last resort you twisted his blade away and leapt back with a racing heart.

His brows pinched together momentarily before he gave chase.

"First form: Serpentinite Bipolar!" You cried out, desperate to keep the distance between him and you as you threw both ends of your chained weapons towards him. With strength and precision you manipulated the chains from where you were to twist and spin like a drill aimed straight at the Flame Pillar.

"Fourth form: Blooming Flame Undulation!" He hollered, swinging his blade in an elegant ring and knocking the incoming weapon just enough for it to slip past him harmlessly. He didn't use his full power in defence, instead focusing more of his effort into gaining on you.

Your heart wasn't in the spar anymore as your eyes stayed glued to Kyojuro nearly upon you. You let him lift his sword up to your neck, barely an inch between the blade and your unflinching neck.

It was silent now as you both stared at each other, huffing slightly from the sweat you'd worked up.

He slowly withdrew his sword and slid it back into its sheath. "What happened, L/n?" He asked, almost in a confused and almost chastising way.

You sighed and yanked your weapons back to your hands effortlessly. "I don't know, I guess I just lost focus."

He considered you for a moment before speaking again. "Are you feeling well?" His brow furrowed with concern. "Maybe you should check in with a medic before we depart for the mission."

You waved his doting off as you placed your weapons back on your hips. "I'm alright Rengoku." You stalled by fidgeting with your holsters, just to avoid meeting his disappointed eyes.

That must not have been a convincing enough answer because after a moment of silence he stepped towards you and placed the back of his wrist to your warmed face. You flinched away slightly at the sudden contact. "Hey!" You cried, stumbling back.

He frowned after you and matched you step for step. "Let me take your temperature, L/n!" He insisted as he chased after you with his wrist comically suspended in the air.

You avoided the much wanted touch like your life depended on it as he kept trying to place his wrist against your head.

"Hold still!" He grunted as you wove and ducked around him surprisingly nimbly.

"I said I'm okay!" You cried defensively.

He didn't let up. "If you are sick then you are in no condition to take on this assignment." He finally gave up on just setting his skin to yours as he realized you wouldn't stand still willingly. He caught your upper arm in his hand firmly and finally met your eyes. "You could get gravely injured and I will not let that come to fruition!"

You stilled in his grasp with half baked annoyance playing a tossed your warm face. "Alright, alright," You caved.

He silently pressed his skin to yours. The touch was so gentle, like you were some fragile glass statue. This really didn't do you any favours for calming down. Subtly, you began a recovery breathing technique hoping to the god of gods that it might cool your face down before Rengoku decides on a diagnosis.

"Hmm..." He shifts his wrist about your face, switching to the back of his hand then finally using his palm. The hot hand finds its last stop nestled against your struggling-to-stay-cooled cheek. "Your temperature does seem to be much higher than usual." He thought out loud.

You almost didn't hear him, instead having your focus lasered in on the calloused hand pressed to your cheek. It was so big and comforting against your face you found yourself leaning into it a bit. Luckily, he retracted his hand before any real damage could be done and you could still play it off somehow.

"We just sparred Rengoku. I'm fine, just a bit tired. Plus it's scalding out here." You squinted up at the clear sky occupied only by the merciless sun beating down on you. "I'm shocked you're not hotter than usual today too."

He chuckled boisterously. "Well, I suppose I am the flame pillar! Heat just doesn't bother me!" A little flush playing along his cheeks all the same. Possibly at your word choice.

You both looked into the sky for a few long seconds. Both of you opted to wait it out so the other would break the silence.

A small, godsend breeze blew a slight billow into both of your haoris. A welcomed coolness while being stuck in this uniform. A content sigh left you as you brought your eyes back to the flame pillar, who already had his eyes on you.

He cleared his throat quietly as the same pink deepened on his face. "Ah, well, if you say you feel fine I won't keep insisting otherwise."

You chuckled slightly with a playful air about you. "Wow, how fortunate for me." An amused glint in your eye sparkled through you gentle laughter. "Thanks for trusting me with my own health, Kyojuro."

This was the first time you'd called him Kyojuro, and the elated grin that spread across his face was almost too much to handle.

He didn't point it out, instead just happily closed his eyes with his widening grin. "Alright, I see your point." He chuckled and walked up to your side, clapping a large hand against your shoulder. "Let's get moving, maybe we can find a spot out of the sun to rest."

Nothing made you happier then in that moment as you grinned up to him, the palm engulfed your shoulder pleasantly. "I can get behind that."

"Then come along Y/n!" He encouraged before beginning to walk, tossing his blinding smile back at you over his shoulder. "We have plenty of ground to cover."

That beaming smile would only live on in your memories. The one that sent your heart skyward and lightened your earthly steps.

You blinked away your memories as the cold of his hand in yours pulled you back to this horrid reality. You could feel someone approaching through the fine vibrations in the ground sending you in soft, hiccuped sobs.

Was it time already?

You looked out the window and sure enough the sun was on its descent into the horizon. Pinks and oranges began to pain the sky in a beautiful tapestry, a perfect fit for a send off, especially for him. You brought your eyes back to his calm face, and with a shaky smile you squeezed his hand. "I love you." You whispered.

The shoji slid open softly, revealing the encroacher. "It's time, Y/n." The insect pillar spoke softly with a group of Kakushi behind her.

You took a shaky breath as you met her eyes for a moment before returning your watery eyes to him again. On wobbly legs, you stood by him with his hand still clasped desperately in yours. You leaned over and pressed a sweet kiss to his forehead. "Until I see you again, Kyojuro." You whispered, only a breath away from his cold skin.

Your took him in once more, carving every wrinkle, scar, and wayward blond hair into your mind until you could be sure it wouldn't fade for the coming decades without him.

Reluctantly, you stepped away and placed his hand back next to him, slowly slipping from his calloused fingers.

After a moment the Kakushi rushed into the room and moved his limp body onto a stretcher, quickly taking him away from you.

Shinobu turned to you, a sorrow that's been pulling within her since the news of his passing only increased tenfold at the sight of you. She swept you into a tight hug, one which you quickly returned with trembling lungs and limbs.

The day went on, birds happily sang about the wisteria trees. The grave was North pointing as the scent of incense swirled in spirals about. The priest said a few prayers, followed by Master Kagaya, then finally the people closest to him, his family, fellow pillars, and finally you.

You pinched some blessed sand from a little drawstring bag you carried on you all the time. The small pile of loose sand in your palm felt cold. Something to remember you by, you supposed. As you sprinkled it along his grave, you struggled to hold yourself together as you whispered your formal goodbyes to him.

How unfair was it? To put this beautiful man in the ground.

As the day fell away into a peaceful night, you stayed by his grave. For three days and three nights, you didn't budge from his side, and neither did the streams that poured from your eyes.

Tanjiro was kind enough to bring food to you and exchange a polite conversation everyday at dawn. Other than that you remained in solitude, not a single thought floated by that didn't centre around Kyojuro. On the fourth night your tears ran out, and once it did it was like you'd broken out of a trance. Your eyes were puffed to hell and a nauseous feeling curdled your stomach.

With weak legs, you stood to your unsure feet and stared down at his grave. The reluctance to leave was so intense, but you knew you couldn't spend the rest of your life here.

He had promised to train these boys, to take care of them, and you had promised to carry this wish out. That vow was not going to die with him.

With a heavy mind but determined heart, you walked away from him with purpose.