*This Chapter is incredibly long (I think almost 4 chapters in 1) and covers almost half an entire 'arc' on its own so heads up lol*
*also I just wanted to clarify that Yae's real age is not given in the Giyuu Tomioka Gaiden, the book I took her character from, and I decided to just make her 17 for simplicity's sake. She is in no way shape or form canonically 17, and to my knowledge, her age is in fact undisclosed.*
"Wow, there's a summer festival in Nagasaki coming up~?"
"Yeah, yeah! You, me and Mister Kari should go, Miss Kocho!"
Yae held up the poster in Shinobu's face at the dinner table with the rest of the Kakushi, evidently eager from the toothy grin on her face.
"I haven't been to one in forever," The hunter girl sighed, "I really think we should go together!"
"Ahaha~, I think Saku-san and I have more training to do that night, but I hope some of the younger Kakushi may join you instead, Yae~!" Shinobu replied, flashing an apologetic smile.
Actually, I just don't want to go. Why the hell should a Hashira give up a night like that to celebrate, when a demon could easily attack during the festival hours?
"But you and Mister Kari have been training non-stop for like two months now!" Yae protested with a whine, "Don't you think you deserve a little break?"
......what did you just say?
Shinobu almost scoffed in her disgust.
A break? For a Hashira? For a demon slayer bent on eradicating a race of man-eating demons that have been killing for centuries?
Do demons take breaks from slaughtering the ones they love? From taking the lives of innocents without a second thought?
Would Doma have taken a break that night he took her sister away from her?
The only day a break would ever be an option for Shinobu would be when the last demon burned to ash, and-
"Yeah, why not." Sakusa suddenly piped up.
Shinobu spat out her tea.
WHA-
"I'm sorry, Saku-san, did you just agree?" Shinobu sputtered in shock, crinkling her nose at the boy to her right.
"Uh, yeah, I can get one of my relatives to take my shift that night." The Hashira shrugged, "Plus, you can just bring your little sword if you're so paranoid in case we do see a demon, stupid."
The butterfly girl must have been going deaf, because-
Are you....are you okay with taking a break from your Hashira duties?
You're a mindless, unrelenting freak of nature literally bred to kill demons, why the hell would you take a break, you idiot?!
"Ara~, well, unfortunately for you, you have responsibilities as a Hashira to attend to, so I'm banning you from going anywhere~" Shinobu flashed her fake smile.
The butterfly girl got the shock of her life, however, when a hand clasped itself around her throat, and she got yanked centimetres away from Sakusa's face.
"Oi, oi, oi, just try to tell me what to do like that again, little brat, and I'll make sure you won't be able to walk for a damn week, you understand me?"
The room went dead silent the second that whisper escaped his lips.
Shinobu looked back with a blank expression, before bursting into a furious blush when Sakusa's words processed in her head, not to mention the fact that he was choking her. It seemed that the crimson-tipped teenager's words and actions didn't process in his mind either, because it wasn't until a few seconds later that he reacted and burst into an equally-furious blush on his own, letting go of the girl's neck and slamming his hands against the table.
".....u-u-u-uhm....." Shinobu couldn't even begin to find a response, with nothing but lewd thoughts invading her mind, until a nosebleed burst out of her nose.
"S-Sorry...about that..." Sakusa mumbled, keeping his eye glued to the table in front of him.
"N-No, no, i-its whatever...." Shinobu mumbled, keeping a cloth under her nose.
The whole room stayed silent, the two teens' embarrassment evident in their faces.
"PFFT, HAHA! OH, WOW, YOU TWO ARE DEFINITELY SCREWING EACH OTHER!" Of course, Yae had to make things worse, cackling and pointing at them.
As if the two teenagers needed anything else to feel embarrassed about, Yae's face shifted from amusement to curiosity, as she tilted her head and bluntly muttered,
"Oh, but wait, wasn't mister Kari the bottom in the relationship? Tsk, wait, maybe he's trying to top for once-
"G-GET YOUR SICK THOUGHTS AND SHOVE THEM DOWN YOUR THROAT, YOU PERVERT!" Sakusa threw a bowl of rice at the hunter girl and it bonked off of her head, knocking her out cold with a "BEGH—" and a thud.
Shinobu would have argued and protested the use of force, had she not secretly wanted to do the same thing to the simple hunter girl herself.
"Ugh, for fuck's sakes...." Sakusa let out a shaken huff as he turned back to his food, eating casually as if nothing had happened.
Inside, however, he was most definitely screaming.
What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck, you idiot! Why would you say something so sexual?! God damnit, you were just trying to get her to stop being a total mom and quit telling you what to do, you didn't need to make it sound like you....w-wanted her that way! God, do you have rice in your brain or something?!
Shinobu's thoughts were almost identical, as she focused on her food with a blush on her cheeks.
What....w-w-what was that all about, you pervert......a-as if you could even do something like that....
......right?
Out of the corner of her eye, the butterfly girl stole glances at the boy to her right, with her nose beginning to leak a second time ever so slightly.
Tch, I bet you really are a bottom, Saku-san.......a six foot, 85 kilo, musclebound bottom.......how would you even get topped anyways, you're so huge.....
.....are you......also.....down there......-
N-NO!
Shinobu suddenly slapped her reddened cheeks and shook her head violently.
No, Shinobu, you're not a pervert! Quit thinking like that, t-things like that have never concerned you before!
Quit being like Mitsuri, damnit! You're a Hashira, Hashira don't care about-....about.....about explicit acts like that!
......but then again Iguro is always thirsting for Mitsuri so-
"I'm gonna go, by the way."
"Eh?"
The butterfly girl turned her head towards Sakusa, who refused to take his eyes off his food in front of him.
"I'm still going." The crimson-tipped boy repeated himself. "I'm gonna go down to the festival and let one of my family members take over."
"Besides, Nagasaki is my district anyways, I can just call it a patrol of the city if I wanted to."
Tch.
Shinobu didn't like that she couldn't agree with his logic. She also didn't like how if Yae and Sakusa would be going together if she didn't join. Just the very thought of them going off on their own without her made her stomach feel queasy.
But she still didn't know why.
"Ara~, well~, if both you and Yae will be going, I guess I have to come too~" She said, feigning another bright smile.
Tch, I'm only going to go because I need to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid......
"Yeah, whatever." Sakusa shrugged, before pointing at the unconscious hunter girl on the ground, "We'll take care of the details when she wakes up."
"Mhm."
By noon of that same day, Yae was dragging Shinobu, Sakusa and the older Kakushi with her down into Nagasaki for what she called a 'shopping spree'.
The problem was that neither Shinobu nor Sakusa were materialistic in the slightest.
Hell, if he could, the red-tipped teenager would toss his stained haori in the bin and go shirtless everywhere he went. He owned very few shirts, had mostly uniform pants, and did not really care for his appearance as much as he probably should. Sakusa was definitely well aware of the money he and his family possessed, but he would never flaunt it or use it to better his place in society.
That being said, the Kari were already high on the societal pyramid.
Same went for Shinobu, the Kocho family was wealthy, before they were killed by demons, at least. Just like Sakusa, she never wanted for anything, but she also never wanted anything in the first place.
As long as she had her sister's haori, she was alright.
Which is why letting a teenage girl like Yae run amok in Nagasaki was not on their bucket list of things to do before they die.
"Hey, hey! Take a look at this yukata, you two!"
"Oh, wow, this necklace looks so cool!"
"Oi, Miss Kocho, you'll look amazing in this!"
As Yae moved from shop to shop in record speed, Shinobu and Sakusa were thinking the exact same thing.
Tch. Why couldn't you have been more of a tomboy, you stupid hunter girl....
Nonetheless, the trio of Hashira and Kakushi continued to walk through the commercial district, as Yae ran from shop-to-shop, looking to spend the bottomless pit of Kari money she had at her disposal.
"Hmph, you'd think she'd be the most exhausted out of the three of us." Sakusa grumbled, breaking out into his trademark scowl, "I made sure the Kakushi put her through the wringer with her physical training these past two months."
"Well, Yae did not have to go through Hashira-level training for two straight months, unlike us." Shinobu pointed out, "You and I had to go through much worse things than she would have had to, given she cannot use breaths to recover as fast as us."
"Tch, yeah, guess you're right about that one."
Simply put, the two months Shinobu faced with Sakusa were utter hell.
The physical training was torture on its own, especially since most of the training methods the Kari used were geared towards their advanced body type and ability to control their blood flow, a trait she did not possess.
Boulder lifting, striking at bamboo shoots barehanded and sparring in that boiling lava room were among the many grueling training exercises she had to be put through. Her speed was put to the utmost limit in a reaction exercise, where the well-trained Kakushi fired arrows from all angles in the dense forest surrounding the mountain, where from any angle an arrow could fly in her direction. She was hit at least fifteen times, and while she never suffered anything more than a tiny scratch, Sakusa refused to give her any semblance of a break, forcing her to continue her training the very next day.
More and more training of her entire body, both mind and muscle, followed, until it came down to the most painful form of training she would have to face,
the training of her very own Giant Killer.
As Sakusa told her before, a Giant Killer does not focus on improving her own strength, but rather improving her ability to capitalize on the most critical of opportunities and delivering a final blow to a much larger opponent, in a method that guarantees devastating damage to them.
It was much easier said than done, however.
Sakusa was the only person with both the knowledge and power difference between them to be able to train her in this way, and as she found out well beforehand, he never once pulled a punch when it came to sparring.
Countless times the red-tipped teen beat her down, and countless injuries followed. Her ribs, legs, arms, shoulders, back, face, head, every inch of her had received at least one bruise during their time training- well, as far as getting beaten from head-to-toe for two straight months could be considered training.
It was good for Sakusa too, since Shinobu was the fastest Hashira in the corps, and was incredibly difficult to hit. The only reasons the butterfly girl ever got hit, actually, was because she was focused on finding what Sakusa called-
"The Zone."
"Eh?"
As the two sat down at the small table in one of the rooms of the Rage Manor, Sakusa explained to her further.
"You remember the Opening Thread, right? The moment when you cut a demon's head off, where it almost feels like a thread is guiding your sword?"
Shinobu nodded. "Yes, I do."
Even if she didn't swing a sword, it still felt like her thrust was being pulled by a string to a demon's vitals when she used her breaths.
"Well, the Zone works in that same moment where you are solely focused on your own attack, except it's the exact opposite of the concept of the Opening Thread."
"The Zone is almost like an anti-Opening Thread, in the sense that instead of waiting for that one singular moment where the thread appears and you commence your attack, you are waiting for that one singular moment where you can counter your opponent's attack."
"When you're being guided by the Opening Thread, you get that sense of tunnel vision, where everything else sort of blurs out because of your complete focus on your own strike. Basically, the Zone uses that focus to counter in that split-second period of tunnel vision to counter in devastating fashion."
"It's hard to explain here," Sakusa scratched the back of his neck with a sigh, "But, you'll completely understand when you experience it for the first time."
An entire month's worth of her training was dedicated to finding the Zone. It was more difficult than anything she had ever experienced, as not only was her mind focused on evading Sakusa's attacks, she was stuck blocking, parrying, and countering on her mind, all while having her attention subsequently on when she would notice this Zone the Rage Hashira mentioned.
But, when it all came down to it, she was now stronger than she had ever been before, and she could never thank Sakusa enough for such a gift.
She was stronger, faster, more perceptive than she could have been before with the basic training she went through on her own. While she did expect a clan bred into war like the Kari to have more advanced methods than her own combination of self-teachings and Kanae's training, she never expected such a drastic increase in progress.
She could smash through rocks as if it was tofu, run faster than ever before, but most impressively of all, she was now able to blitz Sakusa with nothing but her own strength.
No handicaps on his side, no environment advantages, nothing. She could compete against him on even footing, something she would never have believed before their training together.
As a side note, however, when she looked in the mirror as she changed one morning and saw a toned set of abs looking right back at her, she beamed in delight.
No more squishy stomach, just a hard row of muscles lining her abdomen.
It was like a dream come true.
Thanks to sixty days of intense training with Sakusa by her side, Shinobu was as strong as the nine other Hashira around her.
With a new Giant Killer by her side, a stronger body than ever before, and a partner who could push her all the way, she finally let some of her anger go, even if it was only a sliver of it.
"Hey, Master Sakusa," The male Kakushi said, "May I speak to you in private?"
Shinobu heard the man speak, and when Sakusa stopped walking alongside her to turn towards him, she couldn't help but stop herself and maybe eavesdrop a bit.
Hm, just what are you two talking about....
She watched as the duo strayed away from the main street down into a conjoining alleyway, slipping out of view of the public.
Hmmmm....the heck are you hiding from me, Sakusa.....
She snaked her way through the crowds of people, before stopping behind the wall of the alleyway, taking a peak in to see if they were still there.
When she confirmed that they were no longer moving, Shinobu listened in.
"Master Sakusa, you don't seem to be letting yourself have any time to relax." The Kakushi said.
Shinobu could hear the annoyance in her partner's voice when he replied, "Huh? Why the hell should I relax?"
"Because miss Yae is enjoying herself, after you pushed her for so long." The Kakushi then broke out into a smirk beneath his mask and said,
"Maybe while you're out here, you can make some progress with Lady Kocho, no~?"
The instant Shinobu heard the Kakushi's words, she had to clamp her hand over her mouth to avoid screaming her head off.
"W H A -
"W-W-WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY, OLD MAN?!" Sakusa screamed, bursting into a beet-red blush.
"Do you not have romantic feelings for her, Master Sakusa?" The Kakushi asked.
"N-No, of course not!" Sakusa started stammering over his words and sweating profusely, only widening the grin beneath the Kakushi's mask. "W-W-Why would I like her?"
"Well, she's a Hashira, is she not?" The Kakushi held his hand up, lifting up finger after finger, "She's incredibly intelligent, quick on her feet, not to mention a beauty in her own right."
"Plus, the most important thing, she's been able to calm your anger, hasn't she?"
Shinobu couldn't see it from her place behind the wall, but Sakusa's eye fluttered open in realization when he heard the Kakushi speak.
"S-Shit......"
"You remember the legend, don't you?" The Kakushi asked, putting his wrinkled hand on the taller Hashira's shoulder,
"Any human, man or woman, who can douse the flames of a raging Phoenix is fated to be the one they love for eternity."
Sakusa could only glue his ruby eye to the ground, feeling his heartbeat grow rapid and his hands suddenly begin to shake.
H-Huh......that's-......it can't be......
Just before leaving him alone in the hallway, the Kakushi said one last thing, his tone growing blunt and serious.
"You have a duty as the heir of the Kari family, Master Sakusa. You've been of age for two years now, and every potential marriage candidate you've been shown, you've rejected before even learning their name. Simply put, you have a responsibility to produce the strongest of kin for the next generation, and by your age, Master Yaguchi already had you as a son, along with-
"Fucking hell, I've got it, I've got it, put a sock in it already, old man." Sakusa grumbled, shrugging off the old Kakushi's hand from his shoulder.
The crimson-tipped teen shoved his hands in his haori pockets and blew a strand of hair out of his face, and followed the man out of the alleyway.
"I'm only reminding you of your duties, Master Sakusa." The Kakushi sighed with a sly tone,
"But, is that not why you keep that ring with you? If you ever find someone worth bestowing it to?"
The teen in question said nothing, instead remaining silent as they left the alleyway, back into the street.
All while Shinobu stood in the very same place against the wall, her face flaming red and a bead of sweat rolling down her face.
.....a-are you kidding me......'any human who can douse the flames of a raging Phoenix is fated to be the one they love for eternity'.......s-s-s-so......
......if I douse his flames.......t-that means.....Sakusa likes me......
"Oi. Oi. Oi. OI. OI. OI!!!"
Yae kept her poking at Shinobu's face with her chopsticks, pouting as she did so.
"Come onnnn, you've been off in lalaland for like ten minutes now!"
"E-Eh?" Shinobu finally blinked and reacted, looking at Yae with a feigned smile.
"Oh, s-sorry, Yae~, w-what were we talking about again?"
The two girls were sitting in the booth of a yakiniku restaurant for lunch, with their clothes and other items in bags beside them in their seats, and the fire pit with the meat in the center of their table.
So far, Yae counted seven times that Shinobu completely zoned out, and they had only been there for 20 minutes or so. Even the girl who ridded herself of her uptight attitude was beginning to feel annoyed.
"Hmph, I was just talking about how you were rude for abandoning me and running off somewhere when I was looking at clothes for you." Yae grumbled, pulling a piece of beef off the rack and shoving it in her mouth, "Y'know, money doesn't grow on trees, and I was even willing to spend some of it on you."
......1. I'm richer than you, and 2. you're using Sakusa's money. Shinobu muttered to herself with a deadpan expression.
"Ah, but you know, I'm not really into really expensive things, Yae~" The butterfly girl cheerfully replied.
"So? We have a festival coming up!" Yae exclaimed with food in her mouth.
Yae, keep your mouth closed, you nasty.
"I mean, are you not girly at all? Don't you want to wear nice things, put on nice makeup, and do things like find a husband and stuff?"
Oh, I'm sorry, I was too busy busting my ass off training until I almost died for the sake of your protection! My apologies, I'll try to be more feminine for you once I stop having to carry a sword on my hip at night!
"Ahah~, I don't think that's an option for me, Yae, I am a demon slayer after all~" Shinobu chuckled.
"Heh? Why not?" the hunter girl shrugged, leaning her head on one hand, picking at another piece of meat, "I mean, you like dudes, don't you?"
She did. Any possibility that she didn't was thrown out the window when she saw Giyuu changing on a mission a year ago and she actually felt herself grow flustered over it.
So, she nodded. "Mhm, of course I do~."
"Uh huh, so why not go for Mister Kari?"
Shinobu shuddered at the very name.
Just that name was enough to give her goosebumps, whether that was a good or bad thing remained a mystery to her.
Why would she even consider him, though? She was a Hashira, with a duty to do, above all else. She was a pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, and so was he. Neither had time to think of something like that. Love, infatuation, marriage, children, a happy life with a caring husband and beautiful sons and daughters of her own, she sacrificed all of that with every thrust of her blade and every demon she killed.
Shinobu had no time for love, not while Doma still stalked the earth, not while Sephir planned his rebellion, not while Muzan still murdered for the sake of his survival.
Yeah, no. I could never fall in love with another Hashira. Especially not a man who spoke so horribly of my sister.
The butterfly girl's expression hardened and grew serious in an instant, as the carefree smile shifted into a firm frown. She stabbed a piece of meat with her chopsticks, and shoved it into her mouth.
No. Not with him, never with him.
Yae noticed the shift in facial expression, and got the message, shutting up and continuing to eat in silence.
Never with Sakusa. You can be as hot as you want, you can flash your stupid smile as many times as you please, and be as sweet as you like, but,
I will never love you.
The rest of the afternoon was led by Yae, since both Hashira were more or less embarrassed to be there, thanks to the Kakushi's sly words.
It was funny, however, how Yae can go from reading the room as well as any other person, to being a total airhead in the worst of times.
"Ahaha, this day's been so fun, you guys!"
The hunter girl swung her new yukata, shirts, hakama pants, and jewelry bag around in her arms, a bright smile on her face as she skipped down the road, back towards the Rage Manor.
The unofficial plans for the night were to head back to the Rage Manor, change, bathe, and change into formal clothing to go out into the night and enjoy themselves.
However, Sakusa and Shinobu refused to go with Yae and the handful of the younger Kakushi joining unless they were able to bring their weapons with them.
In the end, the red-tipped boy brought his blades, and Shinobu did too.
Yae begrudgingly said she would bring her rifle, but just as she was about to head downstairs to her quarters, Sakusa stopped her, and put his hand in front of her chest.
"Oh? What do you need, Mister Kari?" The hunter girl asked, turning her head towards the larger man.
Sakusa motioned with a tilt of his head and said, "Come on, hunter brat. I wanna show you something."
"Oh, what is it?"
"Don't ask questions, just come with me." Sakusa grumbled, snatching the younger girl by the arm and dragging her into another room.
After a short walk, Sakusa slid open a door leading to a weapons room Yae rarely visited.
The black and red room was located in the back of the main floor, with no windows, but instead was lined with various blades, bows, rifles and other weapons on the walls, with a single red table in the middle.
"Come on in." The Rage Hashira entered the room, with Yae quickly following.
"So, what do you want me for?" The hunter girl asked, tilting her head in curiosity.
"One second, hunter brat."
Sakusa crouched down behind the table, away from Yae's view, before lifting up a smaller, rectangular black box, about a metre long and around half of that wide.
"Oh? What's that?" Yae asked, puzzled.
"Sakusa dropped the box on the table before her and crossed his arms, bluntly replying,
"Consider it a gift for saving Kocho back when that slutty demon possessed me, and for when you found me under that tree three months ago and brought both of us to the Wisteria House."
"You've earned my respect, hunter brat." Sakusa continued, watching the raven-haired hunter slide the top off the box.
"For a normal human to do what you did was impressive, so this is a token of my gratitude."
When the top came off and the objects inside were brought into view, Yae almost screamed in shock.
"PFFT- H-HOLY SHIT!" Before long, the shock shifted to overwhelming joy.
Sitting inside the black box atop a red cloth, was a black shotgun with 16 shells alongside it in a set, with the kanji for 'DESTROY' written on the grip.
"W-W-W-What the hell?!" Yae exclaimed, breaking out into a grin, "I-Is that for me?!"
Sakusa nodded. "It's all yours, hunter brat."
"12-gauge pump-action combat shotgun shipped from overseas from America, this thing fires nichirin steel rounds with the velocity at least twice that of your own hunting rifle. Devastating in short range, that thing can blow off just about any demon's body parts no problem. Carry that thing around you, and you're walking with a cannon just waiting to be let loose."
"Obviously, it can handle normal rounds too, so you can go hunting all you want with it, but-
Sakusa's explanation was stopped suddenly, when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist, and the heat of another body pressed against his front.
He looked down to see Yae burying her face into his abdomen, and felt his face instantly heat up.
"O-Oi, let g-
"Thank you, Mister Kari." Yae muffled into the boy's chest in between her sniffling.
Had this happened six months ago, Sakusa would have thrown the girl off of him and kicked her until she went unconscious without a single hesitation. He probably wouldn't even have considered giving Yae a gift in the first place, now that he thought about it.
But now, he doesn't feel the need to do that. He doesn't feel his anger overtake him, he doesn't feel his rage bubble up from within.
Why?
Why does he feel so different, why is his anger not reacting the way it has for the past 18 years?
There was no natural method to calming a Kari's anger. They are constantly in a bitter state, and are easily irritated by the simplest of inconveniences, and yet, he felt no anger from this.
But why?
Sakusa limply raised his hand and awkwardly attempted to return the gesture, wrapping it around Yae's shoulders. "E-Erm, don't mention it, hunter brat."
"Mmmhm~"
Just then, the red-haired boy felt an unwanted squeeze.
".....let go of my ass, hunter brat."
"Hmph."
"Wow~, that's such a nice new weapon, Yae~!"
"I know, right?!"
As the two girls slid into the water of the hot springs once more just before dinner, the hunter girl ended up bringing her new shotgun with her down towards the pool.
"It's so cool, it's got a lot more kick than my hunting rifle, but I bet it can kill a demon way faster!" Yae exclaimed with stars in her eyes.
That fact, however, is just what annoyed Shinobu the most.
Sakusa, what the hell were you thinking, giving Yae a demon-killing gun like that, she shouldn't be involved in this life any more than she already is....
"Ah, but you're not going to go actively looking for demons, right~?" Shinobu asked.
Yae shook her head with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Oh, no, no, I definitely know my limits, Miss Kocho." The girl scoffed, "But, I'm certain that one day I'm gonna have to protect someone on my own, and this right here will come in handy when that time comes."
Shinobu instinctively let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear, Yae~. I'd rather you live a happy and normal life than be lumped in with us~."
"Mhm." Yae nodded, before breaking out into a toothy grin, "But, I'll still write to you guys as often as I can!"
"That's good to hear, Yae." The butterfly girl smiled.
Shinobu was genuinely happy to have a female friend her age for once. Kanao and Aoi were more of apprentices than actual companions, while Sumi, Kiyo and Naho were orphans she took in and considered her little sisters. Sure, Mitsuri, Tomioka and Rengoku were good to talk to, while Gyomei also engaged in conversation with her from time to time since he saved her and Kanae from the demon so long ago, but their friendship may have revolved around work more than anything.
Yae was a civilian, a girl who could not use breaths, but still could hold her own with the help of her hunting rifle and nichirin bullets, almost like a Kakushi who could actually hold their own. She was a breath of fresh air for her, someone she could speak to without feeling the need to put up her guard.
Yes, Yae's relationship with Tomioka left her a little weary, but other than that, she was just your average girl.
It was nice to have a friend like that, in a life where she may die at any given moment in time.
Until Yae piped up with something Shinobu did not need to be troubled with.
"Hey, Miss Kocho," the hunter girl casually said, putting her arms behind her head on the ledge of the pool,
"You think Mister Kari is bathing in the male section right now?"
"Eh?"
Shinobu immediately broke out into a blush at the very thought of Sakusa in the same revealing position as she was. It wasn't helped either when the memories of him stretching and flaunting his....'assets' in the air back in the Shimabara Bay inn flooded her mind, and soon enough the pool water was tainted red with the butterfly girl's nosebleed.
"PFFT, HAHA!" Yae cackled when she saw her lewd expression, "You're totally a pervert, aren't you, Miss Kocho!"
"N-No!" The butterfly girl gasped and pinched her nose, "T-This was just-
"Come onnn, I know you at least think he's attractive~" Yae chuckled, scooching over to Shinobu's side of the pool and giving the blushing ravenette a nudge to her shoulder, "I mean, I've seen you stealing looks at him every now and then now that he's slimmed down a bit."
To be fair, a body type like Tomioka or Rengoku was always going to be more desirable for her than a body type identical to a big brother figure like Himejima to her, so Shinobu refused to count that one.
Even so....
"I....guess he's better looking this way....."
"Right?" Yae broke out into a smile when she heard Shinobu begin to open up a bit, and decided to push a little further.
"Also, it's been two months since he went comatose, and he hasn't started gaining all that muscle back. You think he's keeping himself that way just for you, Miss Kocho~?" The hunter girl said, lifting an eyebrow with a sly look.
Shinobu, though, did know the answer to that question, and shook her head.
"No, no~. He told me that he was going to keep that extra weight off, as he realized he was much faster without lugging that extra muscle behind, and decided to sacrifice some power for more of a speed and stamina boost~." She explained, causing Yae to pout.
"Aw, it would've been cute if he decided to give up his precious butt for you."
"......Yae, Saku-san told me about how you grabbed his butt after he gave you that shotgun. Don't do that."
"fine."
"But still," Yae continued to push onwards, "Maybe tonight, after dinner, you should dress up a bit for the festival with me!"
"Ahahah~, dressing up isn't really my thing, Yae~" Shinobu sheepishly chuckled in reply.
I do not want to dress up. No yukata, no flowers, no makeup, just my uniform, my haori and my butterfly clip.
"Come on, you're always so uptight, Miss Kocho~!" Yae continued to persuade her, "Wouldn't it be better to fit in with the rest of the crowd?"
.....she's never going to give this up, is she.
After a split second of consideration, with a long sigh, Shinobu caved in.
"Alright, Yae. I guess I'll dress up with you."
"Perfect!"
Dinner went by relatively quickly, with the young adults of the Kakushi looking forward to the first day of the Nagasaki summer festival (Sakusa commanded that the older adults do their duties and go some other day, much to their disappointment).
Yae, Shinobu and the couple of Kakushi girls their age all scurried down to the entertainment room quickly after their bowls and cups had been put away, however, piquing Sakusa's interest.
Oh?
The Rage Hashira leaned over the table to the old man Kakushi and poked him, saying, "Oi, old man, what are the girls running off to do?"
Taking a sip of the tea in his hands, the old man hummed in thought for a moment, before saying, "Hm, I couldn't say, Master Sakusa."
The boy in question clicked his tongue in response, leaning back up against the wall behind him with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Tch, some help you were."
"Oh, but perhaps they are getting ready for the summer festival, Master Sakusa." The Kakushi chimed in once more, "Which, in that case, means you must do the same, no?"
"Pft, as if." Sakusa scoffed, rolling his eye.
"I might put on the Corps uniform top or pull out my black shirt, but other than that I'm not doing shit."
"Ah, well, that's alright."
"Hmph."
"So, Master Sakusa,"
Suddenly, the dining room grew cold, and heavy with pressure on the Hashira's shoulders.
The Kakushi spoke with a serious and firm tone, glaring deep into Sakusa's crimson eye.
"Have you been taking your pills as requested? You missed many days when you were comatose, remember?"
"Tch, what, you think I'm irresponsible enough not to?" Sakusa spat, almost as if he was offended by the question posed by the older Kakushi. "Of course I've been taking those things, I've been taking them ever since the doctors gave them to me."
"Yes, yes, I'm just making sure." The Kakushi replied, "But, you do know that if you weren't transported to the Rage Manor in time when the Archangel possessed you,"
"You could very well have gone berserk, and destroyed all of Nagasaki that night. That can never come to pass."
Sakusa remained tight-lipped, glaring down at the table in front of him. After a moment, though, he shoved himself up off the floor and stomped away from the old man.
"Tch, I know, damnit."
"So, what do you think, Lady Kocho?" A female Kakushi cheerfully asked, one with a rare combination of short brown hair and bright blue eyes as she pulled away, letting the butterfly girl take a look at herself in the vanity mirror.
She froze up, her violet eyes flashing open and her jaw almost hitting the table.
H-....Holy shit.....I look.......
.....I actually look okay.....
Shinobu explicitly said to keep the makeup light just how she normally did it herself, and the Kakushi couldn't have done a better job.
She looked.....pretty. Her bright violet eyes were accented by some black eyeliner, her cheeks were dusted in a rosy pink tint, her thin lips had a thin coat of lipstick on them, and overall, she looked much more like the beauty everyone else saw her as.
She even let herself break out into a small smile, seeing herself looking so beautiful.
Wow.... the butterfly girl murmured to herself, turning her head from side to side to see the full extent of what they had done to her.
I look good....I wonder what Sakusa would think of me looking like-
The second she realized what she was thinking, her mood took a nosedive.
....what the heck, Shinobu....
He probably won't even care.....
Shaking her head, the butterfly girl put her smile back on her lips and replied to the Kakushi, "Ah~, I love what you've done, thank you so much~!"
"Oh, please, it was nothing, you're already gorgeous on your own, I just needed to add some finishing touches, is all!" The Kakushi giggled with a modest smile.
"I know, right?" Another Kakushi chimed in, this girl having a long side part and brown eyes, "Lady Kocho is so cute, she could get any man to be her husband!"
"Ahaha~, you both are too kind~!" Shinobu quickly piped up, eager to stop the compliments before Yae chimes in with her....unwelcome comments related to one crimson-tipped man down the hall.
"Right. Time to put on the yukatas!" Yae exclaimed, holding a handful of the festive articles of clothing she bought from the commercial district.
"Miss Kocho picked her own out, but since you guys were still working, I just got whatever looked nice, sorry!" The hunter girl smiled apologetically.
The Kakushi all collectively brushed her apology aside, eager to pick their own clothing out.
Shinobu, even if she really didn't plan on wearing it, did pick out her own yukata. The violet article of clothing was simple, but still breathtaking. She liked it, it was basic, yet still nice enough to be worn out to nights like these.
However, she still wore her uniform beneath it, along with her own footwear. She would be going out to celebrate with the rest of the girls, but there wasn't a moment where she wouldn't be prepared for a fight.
She needed to be ready. A summer festival in the heart of a crowded coastal city like Nagasaki would not be safe from the demons looking to snatch an easy meal.
Later on, every girl had put on their yukata, did their hair, put on their makeup, and were ready for the night.
One thing, though, was stopping Shinobu from walking out the door of the entertainment room with the rest of the girls, which was the sinking feeling in her stomach, growing larger the longer her hand hovered over the handle of the door.
W-What the hell, Shinobu....get a damn grip on yourself.....
A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead when she began to realize just why she was feeling so uneasy.
Come on, you idiot.....he's too stupid to even notice a difference....you didn't dress up for him, you did this for Yae and to have a fun night for once in your 16 years of life.....this might be the last time you'll ever be able to live the life of a teenager like Kanae wanted you to....j-just get a grip already....
Taking a deep breath and steeling her resolve, Shinobu slammed the door to the entertainment room open, and walked down the hall towards the main entryway, where the group of Kakushi said they would meet.
It would be odd hanging out with a group of what was essentially her servants, but beggars can't be choosers when it comes to friends, and with her own friendship circle ending at like four people, she was most definitely the former.
When she turned the corner of the hallway, however, she got the shock of her life.
There he stood, in all his tall, lean glory, wearing an actual shirt.
It was only the standard black uniform shirt of the Demon Slayer Corps, but with how often he just refused to wear one, it was somehow more attractive than him not wearing one at all. Maybe it was how he undid the collar of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves, though, at this point, Shinobu wouldn't be picky about the specifics.
Sakusa stood in the light of the evening sunset casting an amber glow on his face, bringing out the sheer beauty of his crimson eye. When she looked deep enough into it, even from where she stood, she could see flickers of iridescent shades of yellow dotted within the one ruby orb exposed to the orange sunlight. Even if he had his hands shoved in his black hakama pants, looking as casual as ever, he somehow managed to yank her breath right out of her lungs with something as simple as a glance in her direction with that indescribably gorgeous ruby orb of his.
When she saw him suddenly take a double take in her direction when he did so, however, she began to question-
Did....did he actually notice a difference in me?
When Sakusa's jaw almost hit the floor, however, all doubt left her mind, and she flushed a shade of pink under his gaze, looking anywhere but in his direction as she approached the rest of the group.
"Oh, Miss Kocho!" Yae exclaimed when she saw the girl approach them, pointing at Sakusa, "Did you see Mister Kari wearing a shirt? I've like never seen him wear anything but his haori before!"
"Oi, don't act like it's some big achievement, hunter brat!" Sakusa barked back.
"It's.....nice....though..." A certain raven-haired girl mumbled beneath her breath.
"Eh?"
The crimson-tipped boy turned back towards Shinobu, and flinched a little when he looked down to see the petite beauty blushing as she turned her face away from him.
S-Shit....you're so unfair, brat.....
"Wha-....what did you just say, Kocho?" Sakusa muttered, still getting lost in the eyes of the girl before her.
"I-...." Shinobu cursed herself for getting so wound up over something like this. It was just another night, just another patrol, just another space in time with Sakusa. She spent two entire months without feeling so flustered, and right now, in this very moment, she was blushing like crazy and tripping over her words.
Just what the hell was unraveling her composure so quickly?
"I-I said you look....good...." the butterfly girl almost whispered the end of her sentence.
"O-Oh.....cool. I guess....you look good...also. As well."
A long silence overtook the two, until Yae decided that they had waited long enough, and shoved everyone down the staircase towards the base of the mountain.
She went so fast that Shinobu had to grab her new shotgun for her on their way down, and while the raven-haired Hashira concealed her weapon beneath her yukata, Sakusa flashed his blades around his waist in full view, something that definitely irritated the ravenette.
Either way, it wasn't as if they were going to need them anyways.
Maybe.
'Awkward' could not even begin to describe the emotions felt between the two Hashira as the group of 10 hurried through into the city.
It became increasingly obvious, however, that Sakusa was the only guy in the entire group of young adults, and that he stuck out like a sore thumb.
With a group of nine girls all wearing expensive clothing holding onto his 194 centimetre frame to avoid getting lost in the huge crowd, the average onlooker would definitely see things differently.
"Wow, look at that guy, he's huge, he's built like a bear!"
"Oi, are all those women his wives? They're all so young, and he looks like their age as well!"
"Damn, he gets all those girls, and he's handsome? Lucky bastard...."
With every comment the duo heard, Shinobu grew angrier and Sakusa only flushed a brighter shade of pink.
The butterfly girl seemed to be the only one who noticed this, however, glancing up at the boy who's arm she instinctively held on to.
Woah...he's blushing already...? I wonder if he gets flustered around girls easi-
Wait. No. He beat me half to death without even flinching on multiple occasions. Women are just men with vaginas to him.
As the crowds began to clear up some more, and as the girls began to detach themselves off from the designated beanpole, Shinobu still held on to Sakusa's arm.
Before long, even Yae was dragged off of Sakusa's arm and pulled away to one of the stands in the festival, leaving just the two Hashira together on their own.
Sakusa and Shinobu continued to walk down the street, neither one taking a look away from the street in front of them.
The sounds around the butterfly girl began to drown themselves out, and her surroundings blurred out of focus the longer she walked with her arm linked together with his own. Before long, all she felt, was the tingling warmth of her hand on his skin, the faint heat on her cheeks, and the ground beneath her feet. It wasn't an odd feeling, nor did she want to lose it. Somehow, Sakusa was always warm and soft to the touch, leaving her puzzled often a time.
Shinobu didn't even really care anymore where they walked, it was so peaceful. Her feet kept moving on their own, and it was almost as if her hand was glued to his heat, like she couldn't pull away even if she used all her might.
Why did she enjoy this so much?
As always, it frustrated her.
If only she knew, just how much more Sakusa would piss her off that night, with it all beginning with a simple line he told her.
"....I....l-like the makeup, by the way...."
"Eh?"
Shinobu pulled her eyes away from the street ahead of her, and looked up to see Sakusa, evidently blushing, turning his head in her opposite direction.
D-...Did he really just say what I think he said....
"Can...can you repeat that, Saku-san?" Shinobu said, tilting her head to get a closer look at his flustered expression, "I didn't quite hear you."
"I-I said I l-like....I-
The more she inched towards him, however, her chest began to push against his arm, something that only made Sakusa's blush even worse.
Clicking his tongue, the rage Hashira finally had enough.
"J-Just get off of me already, your tits are...t-touching me!"
Shinobu froze up instantly and burst into a beet red blush.
A-AH!
The butterfly girl detached herself from the boys arm in an instant and took a big step away from him, almost trembling in her embarrassment.
Shit, shit, shit, shit! What the hell, Shinobu?! Use your head, don't rub your body all over him like a dog in heat!
Cursing herself as the two continued to walk down the street together, Sakusa suddenly took action, leaving Shinobu speechless.
Just when the butterfly girl began to calm down, the crimson-tipped boy took her by the wrist and wrapped her hand around his arm.
Shinobu's eyes fluttered open in shock as she said, "W-What are you doing, Saku-sa-
"D-Don't question it, you brat, just keep your arm there."
Jerking her head up to him in shock, Shinobu noticed something as they continued to walk in silence,
He's.....he's totally just as embarrassed as I am.....
She knows nothing of love, nothing of affection for the opposite sex, she really only knows things she could find in a biology book.
Shinobu was as inexperienced as she could possibly be. She spent all her spare time training, learning more on how to concoct effective toxins, and serving as a Hashira and caring for the girls who came to her Butterfly Mansion. Boys were the last thing on her mind, especially since the only ones around her were either unconcerned with affection themselves, or they were obsessing over another (*cough* *cough* Iguro *cough* *cough*).
Nobody besides Tomioka ever struck her as attractive, much less relationship-worthy.
Love had no place in the heart of the heartless, and Shinobu was definitely one of the latter now that her sister had been ripped away from her.
But if that was the case, then......
.....why do I enjoy this.....
....the streetlights around us, the background commotion of the citizens, the summer breeze on my face, why do I find so much comfort in it all.....
.....but most importantly.....
Shinobu glanced back up again at the boy she was holding on to, and felt her breath get stripped away from her once more.
How a boy so hostile could glow so beautifully under the lanterns around her, she would never know.
....why do I enjoy you so much.....
Almost on instinct, Shinobu tightened her hold around his arm, enjoying some more of his soothing warmth.
....why you, Sakusa....just what makes you so special.....
Love had no place in her heart, that was for sure.
However, moments like these, where a reminiscent warmth guided her down the busy nighttime streets, they just might.
The second Yae and the rest of the girls found them, the peace she felt was gone.
The moon had completely replaced the sun by now, and evening had arrived. The lights were burning brighter than ever, the atmosphere was vibrant and cheerful, with good-hearted people, delicious food, and most importantly of all, games for Shinobu and Sakusa to be dragged back and forth to.
The hunter girl practically pulled the two teenagers along from side to side in the street, going from one thing to another in blinding speed. Every activity, pastime, and competitive game under the glow of the full moon that night was played by the trio of teenagers, with even Sakusa slowly letting himself have fun.
Yae's cheerful aura was so contagious, even the strangers around her were smiling to themselves as the three all played around for hours on end.
Shinobu began to let herself have some fun too.
Sure, the peaceful moment was gone between her and Sakusa, but the time with Yae and the female Kakushi was just as pleasant for her.
Yae truly was a friend to her, she had begun to believe. Not just someone like Mitsuri, but a genuine companion.
Now, the three friends left the Kakushi to go out on their own, and after buying their own desserts, were sitting down at an outdoor table, taking a much-needed rest break from all the events in the festival.
"Aw, damnit, I got dango on my yukata." Yae bitterly muttered to herself, shaking the crumbs out of her outfit with a pout on her face.
"Pft, maybe don't gobble it down like you're starving next time, idiot." Sakusa replied with a scoff, taking another bite of his own dango.
"Oi, you know, I get your family has anger issues and everything, but do you have to be so bitchy all the time?"
"Ah~, Yae, you sweet, innocent being." Shinobu chimed in with a sigh, "If you think this Saku-san is bad, you should have seen him before you came along~!"
"Oh, wow, was he even worse?!" Yae gasped in surprise.
Sakusa himself froze up in shock, before jumping into the conversation. "Oi, oi, oi, don't bring that up here, you little gremlin!"
"Aw, what's the matter, are you afraid Yae will look at you different if she finds out how much worse you used to be, Saku-san~?" Shinobu giggled with a smirk.
"No! I just-
"Come on, it's all in the past, no need to feel so uncomfortable about it~!"
She was speaking a half-truth when she said that. Shinobu hadn't completely forgiven him for their rocky beginnings and for his comments on her sister, but after seeing the.....calmer sides of him, she's been letting go of her hatred for him.
However, that did make her feelings towards the boy sitting beside her that much more complicated.
Yae, however, let out a giggle behind her hand as the two Hashira before her continued to bicker.
"Pft, you guys are hilarious, you know that?" The hunter girl chuckled, alerting the duo out of their arguing.
"Eh? How so?" Shinobu and Sakusa asked in unison.
"It's just that you guys really do always seem like a bickering couple!" Yae replied with a bright smile.
Both teens blushed once more, shuffling themselves away from each other on the bench they sat on, only making Yae giggle even more.
"Haha, you guys get so flustered easily too!" The hunter girl said, before casually dropping a bomb on top of the two Hashira's heads.
"Man, I'm gonna miss you guys, I almost wish this wasn't my last night here with you two."
"......huh?"
"What the hell do you mean by that, hunter brat?" Sakusa asked with a harsh tone, creasing his eyebrows in confusion.
"Oh, did I not tell you?" Yae replied. "I'm going to head back to my village soon, maybe rebuild my home and try open a hunting school when I get back."
Shinobu remained silent, unsure of what to say. On one hand, she couldn't be more proud. The young woman, even if she was a year older than her, was finally settling down after losing everything when her father turned into a demon, and would start rebuilding her life from scratch, it was admirable. On the other, she was going to miss her new friend dearly.
It was a bittersweet pill for her to swallow, and it showed when her violet eyes softened and a sad smile formed on her cheeks.
"Ah....I see."
Yae immediately noticed how somber the mood became when she spoke, and her own smiled faded ever so slightly.
"Oh...hey, hey, no need to feel so down, Miss Kocho!" The hunter girl leaned over to the other side of the table and gave a light tap to the butterfly girl's cheek.
"I'll write to you guys as much as possible, and Tomioka can show you to my village where you have a day off!"
She was right. Shinobu could still write to her if she wanted, they could always see each other another day.
Yae wasn't gone forever. Not like Kanae, not like her Tsuguko, not like her parents.
The hunter girl was fully capable on her own. With her marksman skills and new shotgun Sakusa gave to her, not to mention the grueling training she had to be put through, she was definitely at the very least capable of keeping low-to-mid-level demons at bay.
She had no reason to worry. Tomorrow was no guarantee, but with a tough-as-nails girl like her, it was always going to be a strong possibility.
The butterfly girl's smile returned to her cheeks, and her mood was picked right back up.
"Yes, Yae," Shinobu replied,
"You're absolutely right."
Kch, I hate these goddamn things....
Holding the violet capsule in his hand, Sakusa felt his stomach churn as he tossed it aimlessly up and down, standing down in one of the neighbouring alleyways with his back up against one of the walls.
Clicking his tongue, the red-tipped boy downed the pill with a loud gulp, and braced himself for the agony.
"F-Fuck!"
Like a searing pain coursing through his very veins, the violet hue of his arteries around his neck appeared for the briefest of moments, forcing him to grit his teeth and bear with the pain.
Before long, his suffering ended, and he was able to let go of the breath he was holding, slamming his back into the alleyway.
"Damnit," Sakusa heaved with a heavy breath, "That....never gets easier....."
But......what the old man said was right......
Holding up the pouch of pills he was holding in his opposite hand, Sakusa's scowl deepened, and the pressure around him grew to powerful levels of potency.
.....I need to keep taking these shits....for as long as it takes me.....
....to fight him again......
"Oh? So this is where you ran off to, Saku-san~!"
Sakusa recognized the cheerful voice to the direction of the exit to the alleyway, and he turned to see Shinobu standing with her hands behind her back, smiling at him.
For some reason, seeing her standing in her violet yukata and makeup still made his heart skip a beat.
"Hey, Kocho." He limply waved her over, and she followed accordingly.
"Why'd you come down this way? Is there something back here?" Shinobu asked, looking around at her surroundings.
"No, no," the boy shook his head, "I was just taking something."
Shinobu needed no further explanation as to what he meant, she recognized the pouch in his hand.
"Oh, your pills?"
"Mh." He nodded.
Now that she thought about it, Shinobu still had no idea what those pills were for. She had seen him take at least five a day for two straight months, and he usually ran off with them at random periods in the day. He offered no explanation.
So, maybe now, after they had gotten.....closer, he might.
"Hey, Saku-san?" The butterfly girl asked, pointing to the bag in his hand, "Are you gonna tell me what those pills are for ye-
"No. Die."
WHA-
"Ouch, no need to be so harsh, Saku-san~," The butterfly girl pretended to be hurt, pressing her hand to her chest in a pout, "I was just curious."
"Alright then."
Sakusa shoved the bag of pills into his pocket, and motioned towards the exit of the alleyway with a nod.
"Come on, this place is boring, let's go somewhere else."
The red-tipped boy walked past the smaller girl, already heading for the exit before her.
"Oh, where are we going?" Shinobu asked, catching up to him.
"You and I have known each other for what, four or five months now?"
"Yeah, that sounds about right."
"But you know like literally nothing about me."
That's.....true, actually.
"No, I guess I don't." Shinobu mumbled.
"So," Sakusa stopped walking, and bluntly said,
"You wanna know more about me, right? I'll take you somewhere, and you can ask whatever you want to know about me."
......is he serious?
Looking up at her partner with a stunned look on her face, Shinobu almost felt like she didn't hear Sakusa properly.
Holy crap, if he's not joking, I can't let this opportunity slip by me!
Following a sequence of mischievous thoughts of how to tease the hell out of him, Shinobu broke out into her false smile, and said,
"Oh, I would love that~!"
"Alright then." Sakusa motioned with his head once again and replied,
"Let's go."
Wow.......
Shinobu was beyond astonished, looking at the view Sakusa had brought her to.
The 20-minute walk he took her on left her confused at first, but as the forest they tread through began to thin and the moonlight began to come into view, the wait could never have not been worth it.
"Here we are, Kocho." Sakusa said, leaning up against a tree as he gazed out into the view himself,
"I've come here during patrols of this city before, and since nobody knows about it, I figured this'd be a good place."
Shinobu stood like a statue, looking out into the distance.
Standing at the top of the high clearing overlooking Nagasaki, the view was even more breathtaking than that of Shimabara Bay. Rather than the sun's glow resting atop the water of the coastline of the seaside city, the white tint of the moon coated the water in a shiny quartz shimmer. The colourful lights of Nagasaki, however, were all the more beautiful to her. It was almost like staring at a large valley of candies, in a dancing spectacle of gold, ruby, emerald and so many other colours and shades beyond description in a medley down in the town before her. The sounds of laughter, love and familial conversation filled the night air, as thousands flocked through the festival streets.
It was breathtaking, this was what she was fighting to protect everyday. The lights, the atmosphere, the moonlit glow.
This was-
"Amazing, huh?"
The deep male voice she recognized chimed in, and she turned her head towards the source. Shinobu felt her lips curve ever so slightly, looking back at a smirking Sakusa.
"Yes, it really is."
"Well, that's why I brought you here, so." The redhead leaned off the tree and took a seat down on the grass in the small clearing, planting one hand down behind him, and bending one knee so that his opposite arm wrapped around it.
"Come on, Kocho, take a seat." Sakusa said, patting the ground beside him.
The ravenette did just that, taking a seat to the taller teenager's right, pulling her knees into her chest and wrapping her arms around them.
"So," the boy continued, "Ask away."
The instant Shinobu heard those words, a mischievous grin crept up onto her lips, and she let loose with the quick fire questions.
"So, Saku-san," she said,
"What's your favourite food?"
"Tempura, obviously."
"How many demons have you really killed? I really don't think you've killed over 175~"
"I haven't. I've killed like 290."
"....oh."
I don't even think I've killed 100 yet...freak....
"What's your family like~?"
"Angry. Always angry. Lots of yelling. Many things broken."
"Heh. So not even your family can handle you for too long, huh~?" Shinobu giggled behind her hand with a smug tone.
Sakusa crinkled his nose and flicked the girl on her forehead.
"Ah!"
"You're such a little brat, you know that?" The boy said, even if he spoke with a teasing tone.
"Pft, you're not much better, you know~?"
"Yeah, whatever."
"Ah! I have another question!" Shinobu declared, lifting up a finger with a bright grin on her lips.
"Saku-san, why does your Corps profile say you're not allowed to work on missions with other people~?"
".....Kocho, I am a man with genetic anger issues that swings around flaming swords on a pair of ten-metre long chains, what part of me looks like a team player?" Sakusa sarcastically replied.
Oh, yeah, that makes sense.
"So, why does it say you also cause a lot of collateral damage too~?" Shinobu continued.
".......I protect humans, not buildings."
....I'm not even surprised that that's your response.
And so, for the next little while, Shinobu continued to ask her partner the personal questions she always wanted to know, with the boy uncharacteristically eager to reply to them all. With only inches separating them, they continued to talk and spend the night under the moonlit sky.
The coziness and tranquility was like a dream for her. Simply staying with him brought her mood up so much, and yet, this would have been the last person in the world she would have felt this way only a season ago.
It was amazing how quickly the malice between them vanished, but not as amazing how quickly that malice transitioned into friendliness.
Shinobu looked up to Sakusa with bright vibrant eyes, and saw a ruby orb glistening back in her direction, and instead of turning her head away right away with a pink tint to her cheeks, she simply held eye contact.
They remained that way for a brief handful of seconds, but it was more than enough for an effect to be made.
His eye....it's pretty....
"Hey, Kocho." Sakusa muttered.
"Mhm, Saku-san?"
"Could I ask you something next?"
Shinobu's eyes fluttered in realization.
Oh. Right. He hasn't asked me anything yet, I've just been interviewing him for like thirty minutes!
"Of course, of course!" The butterfly girl stammered, slightly embarrassed, "I'm sorry for not letting you speak before!"
"No, it's nothing."
The butterfly girl flinched in shock.
Huh?
Almost like a switch was flipped, Sakusa seemed much more down than he was before. The vibrant glow in his eye was gone, and it seemed to display an emotion different from the amusement she could see clearly behind his iris.
She couldn't tell for sure, but he seemed....sad.
"What's the question, Saku-san?" The butterfly girl asked, with concern creeping up her spine.
Sakusa wasted no time in sugarcoating his question.
"Kocho.....what happened to Kanae?"
.....huh?
She felt her heart crack in an instant.
"....K-..Kanae?" Shinobu squeaked.
Sakusa nodded firmly, looking directly at her with a polarizing gaze.
"That's right." He said, "I want to know how she died. For two years, I've heard nothing about what happened to her. You're her sister, so I want to know."
Shinobu froze up like a statue. The air began to grow thick, and she felt her stomach begin to churn in her core when she looked into the boy's eye.
She didn't want to talk about it. Calling the death of her sister a touchy subject was an understatement, and the boy who insulted her so many times was here asking her about what happened to her. She had every right to turn him down, to tell him to forget about it.
Yet....she couldn't.
She could sense no frustration, no anger, no hostility coming from him. He wasn't furious, he wasn't angry. He wasn't forcing her to, Shinobu could tell only from the mood in the air. All she could see, was pain.
Sakusa was in pain.
The anguish she could feel from him was all it took to make her cave in.
".....she was killed by the Second Upper Moon." Shinobu muttered.
For the briefest of moments, his eye flashed open in surprise, before reverting back to a firm glare and a tight-lipped scowl. Sakusa jerked his head back in front of him, taking his gaze away from her.
"....I see." He bluntly murmured.
"She fought hard and lasted until the sun came up, but.....the demon got away by the time dawn arrived."
".....I see."
Once she began to speak on it, the pain crept back up, causing the familiar aching in her chest. She couldn't stop.
"I watched as her chest was pierced by his golden fan, my hands wouldn't stop shaking, and my legs couldn't move- hell, I was completely useless just fucking standing there,"
"I see."
Tears began to sting her eyes as her words turned into ramblings.
"I-I was so weak back then, she had to protect me and defeat him at the same time, it was so damn hopeless!" Shinobu spat bitterly, "Hell, if I was just stronger, if I wasn't so useless all the time and could actually cut off a stupid demon's head instead of using this stupid needle blade, she might not have died back then, and I wouldn't have to tell you how she died! If there was someone who could kill a demon that strong back then, Kanae wouldn't have had to concern herself with me! I could be happy, without all this anger inside of me, without this bitterness in my heart! I could be normal, I could be safe, I could have an actually normal life with my sister by my side!"
"G-God damnit, why the hell couldn't you have been there instead of me?!"
Just like that, the truth came out, and Shinobu's eyes flashed open when she said those words.
What came next, though, only blew her shock out of the water.
Sakusa, with a soft, sad smile and a gentle shimmer in his ruby eye, wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her close, pressing his lips to the top of her head.
"I'm sorry, Shinobu." He whispered, his voice genuine, and peaceful.
"I didn't save you, and didn't save your sister. I'm sorry."
She didn't mean to blame him.
She didn't mean to add any extra punishment to him, she could see it in his eyes, that Kanae was special to him. Only calling him out and telling him that he should have been there and screaming about the what-ifs wouldn't do anything but hurt him even more. She honestly half-expected him to blow up on her, to tell her that he was not at fault for the death of her sister, and that she was a disgrace for even insinuating that he was to blame for something out of his hands.
Yet, there was no anger, no disgust over her words.
It was enough to break her down, and so, she sobbed.
It was quiet that night, so Sakusa could hear her gentle whimpers and choked cries of anguish and grief.
However, as the smaller girl let her tears flow into his shirt, he did what felt right,
and held her tighter, keeping her safe and protected, just as he had promised Kanae all those years ago.
He could still remember the words she told him back then, the last time he ever saw her.
"Saku-san, I.....have a sister."
"Pft, why should I care? It's not like that's my business or anything."
"No, it's not, but......"
"......she's alot like you. Stubborn, headstrong, and controntational, but with a heart of gold."
"I know this is a big ask, but,"
"If I ever die, please, keep her safe."
That's what you said so long ago, right, Kanae?
"Kocho...."
Sakusa gently slid his finger beneath Shinobu's chin, keeping his arm around her.
Even with a coat of bitter tears glossing over them, her lilac eyes were still so reminiscient of her. She really was Kanae's sister.
The butterfly girl flushed a slight shade of pink when the boy broke out into a gentle smile once again. God, it was infuriating how contagious his smile was. It was as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, like the aching vanished into thin air all because of that stupid smile.
He brushed away her tears with his thumb, even if it smudged her makeup.
He was still so gentle with it though.
"Saku......"
The two remained locked in place in silence, one looking into the eyes of the other.
"You really are Kanae's sister, y'know that?"
Sakusa moved first, slowly inching his hand downwards until his hand cupped her cheek, aimlessly tracing circles along her skin with his thumb.
Shinobu leaned into the palm of his hand. Despite how calloused and battle-scarred it was, it was so warm, so gentle, so intoxicating. It was meant to be there, she had begun to think. That's the only explanation as to why it felt so right to have him hold her this way.
"You're kind, caring, but most of all, Kocho,"
"You're every inch as strong as she was."
There was no place for love in her heart. No place for affection, no place for someone like him.
There was no place for his smile, for his warmth, for his coziness, for his laughter, for his sarcasm and bratty nature, for the promises he gave her, for the butterflies in her stomach with him as the cause.
There was no place in her heart for Sakusa Kari, no place for a boy this mysterious, for this boy so infuriating yet soothing at the same time, no place for man who was both the calm and the storm, no place for the man who said he'd protect her with his life.
But, when she felt her heart bloom under the heat of his skin, under the ruby of his gaze, under the crimson of his hair and the burning of his fire, Shinobu thought, maybe, just maybe......
.....you're different, Sakusa......
She leaned forward, slowly, millimetre by millimetre.
She closed her eyes, and let her lips guide her way.
She felt his breath tingle across her skin, making her heart race.
Maybe he was leaning in as well.....
The seconds grew unbearable, until, time stood still.
When it resumed, everything came crashing down around her.
"AAAHHHH, HELP ME, I-IT'S GOT MY LEG, IT'S GOT MY- AIE!!!"
Shinobu and Sakusa's eyes shot open in shock.
What the fuck was that?
The two teenagers pulled away instantly on impulse, darting their heads in unison towards the clearing in the trees.
"Oi, you heard that too, right?" Sakusa spat, already skimming over the city with his eye.
Shinobu nodded, already doing the same as she reached for her needle blade on instinct.
"Y-Yeah, I did."
Something, however, instantly caught her eye.
Not in Nagasaki, however, but-
What the fu-.....what's that in the water?
Sitting only a kilometre off the coastline, was a massive island that for sure wasn't there before.
A sinking feeling crept into her stomach when she saw that ominous land mass in the distance.
Where have I seen that before......
It then dawned on her.
Holy shit!
"Saku-san!" The girl snatched the man by the shoulder and pointed out towards the island in the distance and shouted, "I've seen that island before!"
"huh? The fuck are you talking about?" Sakusa questioned in confusion.
"I swear I've seen that one before, but it wasn't here!" She replied, "Only I didn't see it here, I saw it back in the Shimabara archipelago!"
"That island isn't supposed to be here, Sakusa, I'm telling you now!"
"W-What? What do you mean by that?"
"I-I don't know, but we need to-
Shinobu was cut off instantly by a massive explosion, one that insantly got the duo's attention.
WHAT THE FUCK?!
One by one, an entire row of buildings a city block in size exploded like a chain, each one accompanied by the screams of thousands.
Just when the horror couldn't get worse, however, Shinobu and Sakusa heard them in the distance.
The howls of the damned, and the screams of the pale demons without a mouth on their face.
Neither could even count how many dotted the city as fires burst alight in every direction.
Shinobu's shock was evident on her face.
"H-Holy shit...."
"That's gotta be at least fifty Seraphim...." Sakusa muttered in disbelief, bearing witness to the dozens of pale demons devastate the city.
This.....this isn't a random attack.....this is a full-scale invasion!
"S-Sakusa, we need to-
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!"
The deafening roar of an old man shook them right out of their distress, and into sheer terror.
"SAKUSA KARI, HASHIRA OF RAGE! WE'RE NOT DONE JUST YET!" The voice bellowed once more.
The redhead boy clicked his tongue, and immediately unsheated his blades, jolting back to his feet.
"Kocho, find the other." Was all he said before leaping right off the edge of the clearing, into the dark of the forest.
The girl herself jumped back to her feet as well, vanishing into thin air, sprinting as fast as she could into the city, with one thing on her mind.
Beat her. Kill her. Finish what she started three months ago,
and end the invasion of Nagasaki by the Archangels and the Seraphim.