Mitsuri Kanroji was by no means your average woman. She was strong with an appetite that could probably stuff other people to the brim halfway through. It's not like she was unhealthy, no she was a fit person. She was teased by kids growing up for her strange hair color. Being stronger than most men at her school didn't help either. Lucky for her, a boy just one year her senior came to her rescue. They talked often.
She did notice how little he seemed to interact with the other students. He was a little reserved when they spoke as well. He was in an accident which badly cut his face so he wore a mask. All she could see was his dark hair and his multicolored eyes. One was a piercing blue and the other a gentle yellow.
They got to know each other better with each passing day, eventually getting together romantically. They each went to school after highschool to learn culinary arts in hopes of opening a restaurant together. Which is exactly what they did.
That brings us to the present, Mitsuri smiling at her memories. She was cleaning up the restaurant tables, closing up for the night while her husband, Iguro, shut down the kitchen. She hummed a quiet tune to herself while she worked before sighing. She could hear loud laughter coming from the upper level, where the family lived. It was a lot easier for the family to live above the restaurant so the kids were closer to the school and it was awfully hard to be late to a place you're right above.
They had a total of 5 little blessings. 4 girls and their youngest, a boy. The oldest daughter, Chiyo, is 12 years old. She was smart and calculating. It was lucky she was born first, she really keeps her siblings in check. The second eldest, Kazuko, is 10 years old and a complete wild card. Despite her name meaning peace child, she is anything but that. Half of the knocked over things in their home are results of her mischief. The middle child was the opposite of her outgoing older sister, Haruka, at age 6 she was reserved and shy. Loud noises made her nervous and her father understands that all too well. The second youngest, Himiko, is 5. She often aids her older sister Kazuko with her mischief, causing quite a bit of stress on her more shy siblings. The youngest child, a little boy by the name of Kenji, is only 3 years old. He hasn't spoken a word unless someone is endangered.
Iguro went behind Mitsuri, kissing her cheek. "Are you alright?" He asked, taking down his mask now that no customers were present.
Mitsuri nodded happily. "Of course I'm alright! I was just thinking about how perfectly life is going for us. What could we have done in our past life to deserve such bliss!" Her face was a bright pink, smiling widely. A crash was heard upstairs followed by a muffled. "You idiot!"
Iguro sighed, turning off the last of the lights before heading up the hidden stairwell with his wife. "Chiyo we told you not to call your siblings that...Kenji's watching you, you know." He gestured to the three year old who was currently too busy building blocks to care.
"What was the noise?" Mitsuri looked around the living room with concern.
Kazuko and Himiko were conveniently missing from the crime scene, a flower vase laying chipped on the floor. Mitsuri giggled to herself. "Kazu! Himiko! Come out here please!" She called, cupping a hand to her mouth while Haruka covered her ears, curling up on the couch.
The two trouble makers came zooming in. "Are you done with work?!" Himiko looked excited.
"Yeah, we're done with work... are you done being troublemakers?" Iguro teased them, sitting down by Haruka.
"Okay okay! I can explain! I was just playing tag and then- I bumped into the vase and it fell and I didn't wanna get in trouble!" Himiko spilled, she was always very much the easier one to get information out of.
"It's alright Himiko.. It wasn't even the tiniest bit expensive! Pinky promise!" Mitsuri picked her daughter up, kissing her cheeks before placing her back down.
Himiko giggled, getting up on the couch, causing Haruka to snuggle further into her father protectively.
Kenji was playing with his blocks, making soft huffing noises when the small tower would tip over. Mitsuri sat down to play with her son, helping him figure out how to get the tower to stand still. "Chiyo honey why don't you come play with us? You don't have to stand there by yourself!" Mitsuri smiled at her gently.
Chiyo blew some of her jet black hair out of her face and sat down beside them, playing with her younger brother, focused on making him laugh. Mitsuri's eyes scanned the room, full of the family she and Iguro had so lovingly created. A bright smile crossed her face when she made eye contact with her husband. All of their kids looked exactly like him. It was uncanny. Some had Mitsuri's eyes and a birthmark on their face but other than that, pure Iguro. Not that Mitsuri was complaining.
A couple hours later and the kids were all tucked snugly into bed, each receiving a loving kiss on the forehead from both parents. When the door to the last room was finally clicked shut, Iguro let out a long sigh. Mitsuri giggled, "Long day huh?"
"I'll say... I don't get why people won't just leave you alone.." He murmured, thinking back to the group of men we were getting a little handsy with his wife earlier that day.
"Yeah.. But none of them could ever compare to you, Iguro!" She lovingly pressed her cheek against his, hugging him close and probably almost crushing the poor thing, a heavy blush on his face. Even after all these years being married Mitsuri never stopped making his heart throb.
Mitsuri yawned loudly. "Can we please go to bed now? I'm so tired!" The taller woman whined, quiet so as to not disturb her children.
"I don't mind.. Do you need me to refill your water first?" Iguro asked, walking into their shared bedroom, collecting both of their water bottles from their nightstands.
Mitsuri grinned. "Oh yes please! With ice too!"
"I know the drill. Why don't you get comfortable in bed, remember to change your clothes." Iguro reminded her before leaving the room to go and get fresh ice water for the both of them.
Mitsuri changed into soft pajama shorts and a t-shirt, she'd get cold but Iguro would be able to warm her right up with their shared body heat. She crawled into bed and waited patiently for her husband. Her face lit up when he re-entered the room and placed the water down on her nightstand before walking over to his side of the bed.
Iguro changed quickly and slid into bed next to his wife, pulling the covers up and laying down. Mitsuri snuggled close, scooting down a bit so she could press her face into his neck. "I love you Iguro~!"
"I love you too, Mitsuri." He affectionately kissed the top of her head, an arm wrapped securely around her.
After multiple coo's of "goodnight's' ' and "i love you's' ' from Mitsuri, the pair slowly drifted to sleep, Mitsuri tucked safely in her husband's arms.
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SPOILERS AHEAD- HEAVILY BASED OFF OF THE MANGA! I DO NOT OWN THIS SCENE! All credits go to Koyoharu Gotougue as I am just putting their beautiful (Yet highly depressing) Master piece into words. Again. I'm pulling almost every line from the manga so i did not make this part!
Mitsuri gained consciousness in a dream. She was.. up in the air?! She noticed the sword in her hand that seemed to be very flimsy. Despite her confusion, her dream self moved swiftly, trying to close in on a one-eyed demon with a guitar like instrument. A biwa? Iguro was with her, fighting with an odd shaped katana.
After what seemed like an eternity the fighting scene swirled around her and she was dropped right into her husband's lap. She could feel warm blood seeping down her face and blood pouring out of where her arms should be. She gazed up at Iguro, who's eyes were slashed, he was no doubt blind at this point and it broke her heart.
She wasn't sure what was happening but she began to speak. "Did... we win?" She asked quietly, voice weakening by the amount of blood she's lost. Iguro's haori was wrapped around her in a poor attempt to help.
Iguro nodded in response. "We won.. It's over." His voice was hoarse from the fighting but hearing it still soothed her greatly.
".. I am going to die soon... I can't feel any pain." She felt tears trickling down her face.
"If that's true... then that means I am going to die soon, Kanroji. You won't be alone." Obanai spoke gently, Kaburamaru slithering over onto Mitsuri.
"No... I don't want you to die... not yet.." Her voice was soft, her tears bubbling up on her eyelashes. "I'm sorry I couldn't be more useful in the fight..."
Iguro protested with a gentle voice. "Don't say that..."
"Say.. Iguro.. Do you remember when we first met? I was lost in the masters mansion... and you aided me." The memory flashed before her eyes.
Iguro smiled gently. "No... It's quite the opposite. You were such a normal girl when I met you that you saved me. You were always excited and kind.. You must have struggled so much to become a hashira.. Yet it never showed. When I talked to you, all I felt was joy. Kanroji, you helped me feel like a normal boy."
After a pause to take a breath he continued his loving speech. "Your bottomless cheerfulness and kindness have saved countless people, and for that you should be proud. I would never.. Let anyone say otherwise."
Mitsuri let out a hiccup before bursting into tears. "I-I'm so happy! I c-care about you so much, Iguro!" Her voice was choppy as she cried both tears of joy, and sorrow.
"Meals always tasted better with you, Iguro, because you looked at me with so much affection!" Mitsuri sobbed, "Iguro please! If we're reborn.. And we come back as humans.. Can I be your bride?" She asked, tears still streaming steadily down her dirtied face.
"Yes... Of course. If you will agree to have me. And this time, I will make you happy.. And protect you so you don't die." He pulled Mitsuri close, listening to her cries as they slowly faded away.
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Mitsuri flinched as she woke up, breathing heavily. She found herself pulled close to Iguro, just like in her dream. Her emotions got the best of her as she burst into silent tears, looking at her sleeping husband. It all felt so real, so familiar! It was overwhelming for her, nuzzling into Iguro's night shirt as she sniffled. Perhaps that was what their lives were like before. Maybe that really had happened and some higher power was reminding her how lucky she is to have this life with her husband and children now.
Iguro sturred, sensing his wife's distress and feeling the growing pet splotches on his shirt. He groggily mumbled before realizing how much she was crying. "Woah- Mitsuri why are you crying my dear? What's the matter?" He sat her up and wiped her face, only to get wet again moments later.
"I-I just had a bad dream.. About us.. And there was a war and then we died and- and!" She was cut off by her own sobs before continuing her explanation. "You promised me I could be your bride and you did it and we're married and-" This time Iguro took the liberty of cutting her off.
"Shh... It's alright... We are married.. It was just a bad dream, angel. There's nothing to worry about. I've got you." He gently stroked her hair, kissing her forehead. "I'd like to see someone try to kill you.. I'll kill them."
Mitsuri started calming down, looking up at her husband's mis-matched eyes in the dark. "I'm so glad we're married. And- and we have our kids. I love it so much. I love you so much." She kissed his chin.
Her husband chuckled a little. "I'm glad we're married too.. Would you like a sip of water, dear?" He offered, reaching over and grabbing his bottle since it was more convenient. Mitsuri nodded and took a long sip, sighing as she handed it back to him, watching him return the water bottle to its place.
Iguro gently tipped her chin up with two fingers, kissing her gently and lovingly. Mitsuri melted into the kiss, mind now at ease. Their past selves may not have gotten their happy ending, but this ending was surely enough to make up for that 10 times over. They had 5 beautiful kids, a successful restaurant, and each other.
They were living the life they promised each other all those years ago.