Bitter Sweet (Giyuu x Reader)

7. Progress and Remembrance

Mitsuri is waiting for you when you arrive back at the butterfly estate. You can see her smile as she sees you approaching.

"Y/N, how are you? Are you ready for lunch?"

You wipe the sweat off your forehead and nod to her a couple times.

"Ah, did you just get back from training? I can wait while you wash up and change!"

'Thank you Ms.Konroji, I promise I won't be long!'

She smiles brightly at you and walks with you into the mansion.

"You can just call me Mitsuri~"

You nod at her gratefully and begin walking up the stairs. You walk down the hall and find your temporary room. Sliding open the door, you feel a breeze on your skin, it's light but feels great on your sweaty body. You slide the door closed behind you and venture farther into your room. You place your sword against your bedside, grabbing your haori and another uniform, you walk to the wash room. You slide the screen like door closed behind you and disrobe. You place your dirtied uniform on one of the larger wooden shelves. You look at the two wooden pales filled with water and the small soap bars placed on very short table like box besides them. This should help cool me down.

You sit on the wooden stool and slide one of the buckets closer. The water reflects your sweaty face and you grimace. I looked this grubby Infront of the hashira?? You mentally face palm.

You scoop your hands into the bucket and splash multiple scoops of water over your face and hair. You grab the light green coloured bar of soap and scrub it into your hair in circular motions, the suds form quickly. You place the bar back onto the box and massage the soap into your hair. The built up grease and dirt evident as you retract your hands to grab the bucket. You lift the bucket and pour half of it over your head. You place the bucket back on the ground and rake your hands through your hair repeatedly, feeling for any remnants of the soap. Once you're satisfied that all of the soap has come out, you reach over to the second bucket and grab the small rag draped over the side. You dip the cloth into the half empty bucket, leaving it momentarily to soak up water. You pool a hand full of water out and splash you face repeatedly. Once soaked, you grab the light blue soap bar and rub it across your face in circular motions. You close your eyes and rub your eyelids carefully with the soap bar. You blindly go to place the soap bar back on the box and hear it hit the harder wooden floor. You instinctively open your eyes to locate the bar but squint when you realize the soap has now gotten in your eyes.

'Ah- Ah- damnit'

You close your eyes quickly and reach out forwards for the wooden bucket. You hands reaching into the dark frantically. You feel the bucket and dip your hands into the water to grab the rag. Once located you wipe the rag across both eyelids aggressively and try to remove the slight burning in your eyes. You wring out the rag and plunge the cloth back into the water. Still feeling the burning, you take the rag and place it against your eyes.

The panic subsides slightly and you can smell a familiar scent. It's lavender and lemon, but where have you smelt it before?
Why is it so familiar? I just can't put my finger on it...

You slowly remove the cloth from your face and blink rapidly. The burn has now subsided, eyes still irritated but no longer in pain, just mildly uncomfortable. Your vision is slightly blurry; you bring your hands to your eyes and rub gently. The citrus lavender scent grazes your nose and you feel strangely nostalgic.

'What are you doing??'

You look to her trying to cover yourself with a nearby towel.

"Nothing, nothing, I'm just putting some of my scented oil in your hair, I promise!"