雪柱 | Kimetsu No Yaiba

XVII | Truest Kin

"Do you want to get your ass beaten?..." Sanemi growled as he was also not in the mood either. That day was a not a very special nor joyous day at all. All he wanted was to be left alone for the entire day without being disturbed. But his ideal plan crumbled as Mashiro found him kneeling in front of a river and decided to join him, giving him no particular reason at all as to why she did so and why she keeps doing so.

Mashiro once again did not utter a word as she laid her hand upon Sanemi's lifted fist and caressed it. Sanemi flinched as he retrieved his hand back from her touch but did not move away from his position. Mashiro took her hand back as she settled upon sitting down in a formal position- her legs tucked under, her hands resting upon her thighs. Staring straight ahead, she continued to mute herself.

Sanemi stared irritated at her behaviour before clicking his tongue and sitting down just a few meters away. Both were silent and stayed that way all day until the moonlight began to shine on their still figures. Not either of the two yet to move an inch as the night continued.

Then Sanemi sighed as the day already passed by, he was certain it was midnight a while ago, he stayed to make sure of it. He stood from his place and glanced over to the woman to his right, only to see her still in the same position from when she first came. He held a grumpy expression as he thought about when she came over for no reason, but then his features softened as he remembered her actions when she caressed his hands in a comforting way as if she knew what he was going through and respected that.

If that's the case... He wondered, kneeling beside the snow haired woman facing her as he stared at the side of her face, almost witnessing her bare features, ... She stayed with me?

He heard her soft and cute dinosaur snores as he twitched the corner of his lip and his eye.

"So that's why, huh?..." Sanemi grumbled as he stood straight up and kicked Mashiro lightly as she landed on her side, still in her formal position. Sanemi rested his hands on his waist as he sighed at her unusual antics, "What a pain..."

Almost was Sanemi about to get slashed by a demon as he felt not pain but a warm protection- a comforting embrace from behind him. The attack was so fast for the Wind Hashira to comprehend he didn't notice a nearby demon. His eyes widened as he realised who his saviour was. A familiar snow haired woman who's back obtained three huge bloody slashes as she protected him. The attack was fast, and it was unfortunate of her to leave the swordsmith village where her sword needed to be fixed just to wander off and explore.

"Oi..." Sanemi mumbled in shock at his ally's actions.

The said girl clicked her tongue as she quickly unsheathed Sanemi's sword and immediately killed the demon that was suspected to have specialised in high speed abilities.

"... Such a jerk for ruining my sleep." She glared at the demon's withering body as she sheathed Sanemi's sword. If we had to compare the two Hashiras, Mashiro was better at reaction times/reflexes, awareness, and combat. Strength was one Mashiro could also possibly be better at if she entered her unknown state in which was a state going beyond her limit- maybe even forgetting her limit.

Sanemi was frozen in place. He was so immersed in his thoughts that he couldn't notice the danger lurking around them, ending up with him needing protection from... a co-worker? That didn't feel like the right word. An ally? Eh, already is but still wasn't the word. A friend?... Sanemi began to wonder if Mashiro was just a friend. He felt that it was right calling her one, but he felt as if there was a much better word he could describe her...