The sun was already high when Shuya stepped outside, squinting up at the crow circling overhead. He let out a lazy yawn.
Even he hadn't expected to be running Demon Slayer missions like some regular swordsman. This morning he'd been hoping for a slow, warm start with Shinobu. Instead, she'd nearly kicked him out of bed the second she woke up and shoved a mission down his throat.
What choice did he have? He went.
After all, he'd thoroughly worn out both Kanae the night before last and Shinobu last night. With two Hashira down for the count because of him, someone had to handle the work. Couldn't exactly send Aoi, who went weak in the knees at the sight of a demon.
"En, how far to the target?"
Shuya stretched, then looked up at the crow and called out.
The bird swooped lower, wings beating steadily.
"If you keep moving at this pace, it'll take roughly seven more hours, Lord Shuya."
Seven hours? By the time he arrived it would already be afternoon. And with none of his contractors around to keep him company, why the hell would he walk?
Too slow.
Shuya shook his head and cut the crow off before she could suggest carriages or anything else outdated.
"En, you're sure this is the right direction?"
"Yes, Lord Shuya."
"Good. Then keep up. Don't get left behind."
Without another word, Shuya manifested Rika's old motorcycle beneath him. The engine roared to life with a deep, modern growl that had no business existing in this era.
The crow's eyes nearly popped out of her head.
"Gah—?! Lord Shuya, wait—!"
Shuya twisted the throttle and shot forward in a cloud of dust, leaving the poor bird scrambling to catch up while squawking in panic.
---
Butterfly Mansion — Half an hour earlier
The moment Shuya left, Shinobu's eyes snapped open.
She tried to sit up and immediately collapsed back onto the bed with a sharp hiss.
"Damn scumbag…"
She sucked in a breath, running her fingers over the marks he'd left on her skin last night. Her face burned as the memories came flooding back — the heat, the overwhelming sensations, the way she'd completely lost herself.
She hadn't expected it to feel that good.
For a brief, dangerous second, she caught herself wondering when they could do it again.
"Stop. Stop thinking about it."
Shinobu slapped both cheeks hard, forcing the thoughts away. She couldn't afford to get distracted right now.
She grabbed her discarded clothes from the floor, didn't bother cleaning up the scent of him still clinging to her skin, and got dressed. Then she marched straight to the room next door.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Inside Kanae's room, Aoi jolted awake at the sound. One look at Kanae still clinging to her and she knew they were in trouble.
"Kanae-nee… Kanae-nee, wake up—"
"Mm? Is it morning already?"
Kanae rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up, still half-asleep.
"Door! The door!" Aoi hissed, pointing frantically.
Kanae finally registered the knocking.
From outside, Shinobu's voice came through, calm but insistent.
"Sister, open up. I can hear you in there."
Kanae answered without thinking. "Just a second, Shinobu—"
The second the words left her mouth, regret hit her like a truck.
Why did I answer?!
If Shinobu saw her like this…
Aoi was already grabbing her shoes and opening a gate to Greed Island.
Kanae tried to follow, but Aoi shoved her back out and slammed the gate shut behind her.
"Little Aoi?!"
Aoi just waved her hands wildly, mouthing "Don't follow me!" before disappearing completely.
Shinobu's voice came again, closer now.
"Sister? Are you done?"
Kanae's face went pale.
She quickly wrapped herself in the blanket, trying to hide the worst of the evidence, then forced herself to open the door.
Shinobu stepped inside and immediately sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her sister bundled up like a cocoon.
"What's wrong with you, sister?"
Kanae tried to smile. "I'm just not feeling well, so I—"
"Then let me check you," Shinobu said sweetly, reaching for the blanket. "I am technically a doctor, after all."
"Don't—!"
Kanae clutched the blanket tighter, but it was too late.
Shinobu's hand slipped underneath and came back wet.
She looked at her fingers, then at Kanae's mortified face, and smiled.
"Because you wet the bed last night, right?"
Kanae's eyes widened. "How did you—?"
"Because I did the exact same thing yesterday morning."
Shinobu wiped her fingers on the blanket, expression calm.
Kanae stared at her in stunned silence.
Shinobu continued, voice quiet but steady. "You felt it last night, didn't you? Everything I felt the night before."
She finally explained the link between them — how the contract had connected them so deeply that they shared sensations. How she'd spent the entire previous night feeling everything Kanae experienced with Shuya.
When she finished, Kanae didn't look horrified.
She looked… relieved.
Shinobu narrowed her eyes. "You understand how serious this is now, right? If we keep going like this while we're on missions—"
"So you and Shuya did it last night?"
Kanae's focus had clearly gone in a completely different direction.
Before Shinobu could stop her, Kanae yanked the blanket off completely, revealing the soaked sheets underneath. She looked at her little sister with sparkling eyes.
"Shinobu's gotten so bold~"
"Stop changing the subject!" Shinobu's forehead twitched. "If this keeps happening, then we—"
"Then we can just do it together from now on."
Kanae said it so casually, like she was suggesting they share a meal.
Shinobu froze.
Kanae held up one finger, completely serious. "When I'm with Shuya, you feel uncomfortable. When you're with Shuya, I feel uncomfortable. So if we're both with him at the same time, no one has to suffer alone. Problem solved!"
Shinobu's eye twitched violently.
She grabbed Kanae's hand and shoved it away from her face.
"Kanae."
Her voice was low, dangerous, and filled with pure disbelief.
"You really are such a good big sister, aren't you?"