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"Where is she?" he thought inwardly to himself. It wasn't custom of her to be late to their meetings with Ubuyashiki, the leader of the Demon Slayer Corp. Kaburamaru slithered around his shoulders, moving his head as if he was acknowledging and nodding in agreement to the serpent boy's thoughts.
Her
Obanai was ok with being alone. He was raised in a selfish clan, a family of only women who lived off the pain of others by worshiping a snake demon who also had a penchant for newborn babies. He was spared, partly because of his unusual colored eyes and partly because life is ironic like that, but at what cost? A miserable existence stuck in an isolating wooden cage, alone until Kaburamaru slithered into his cage one day. The serpent and the boy, company to each other, stuck day by day isolated with the pungent smell of food and a slithering noise at night that would keep him up. The aftermath of his escape from the cell, resulting in his clan being slaughtered and the elder flame Hashira taking the boy in as he had nowhere to go, solidified the fact he wanted to be alone. Alone meant there was no one else to worry about, no one else to put at risk and most importantly, no one else that could possibly hurt him.
He had few friends, aside from Kaburamaru. Well, maybe acquaintances if he really thought about it. He remained civil with most of the Hashira, except for the idiot of Tomioka, who he considered irritating, his closest friend there had to be Shinazugawa and even then, they frequently sparred with each other in a way only friends could, without grudges.
He lived his life in a monotone routine. Go on missions, kill demons, rinse and repeat with the occasional night of sleep and dinner, not that he much needed it, since the boy could go without eating for days and had trouble sleeping at night. The life of a Hashira you could say. Away for days on end until his purpose was fulfilled. To kill all demons and redeem his filthy bloodline and clean his tainted blood. He is not worthy until he is purified.
But he could only recount the day he met her, on an unremarkable day, wandering lost at the estate prior to a meeting. She looked positively golden, a warm aura with a sweet smile and beautiful big green eyes. Hair as pink as sakura blossoms with an equally enchanting smell to match. All he could do is just stand there dumbfounded basking in her light. From that moment he was hooked, lined and sinkered. He knew he was meant to love this girl.
Mitsuri Kanroji
The thought of her made his heart skip a beat. How silly, he would think whenever he would hear that saying in the past but around her anything was possible. Hell, he wouldn't be surprised if his heart just burst out of his chest one day and just walked off, no matter how ridiculous that sounds. The softness of her skin seemed so far and unattainable. The silky strands of her hair looked so enticing. How he yearned to reach out and touch her, run his rough fingers through her hair, lovingly graze the bottom of her full lips and the delicate curve of her cheek, but watched himself falter. No, he could never soil her purity.
To be quite frank, Obanai hated women. They were weak, both physically and will-wise. But once he really dwelled on the idea, he realized that hate stemmed from fear. They could be cold and calculating, yet also passionate like fire, providing warmth but at the same time burning everything in its path. But this aversion to women had to do with the trauma associated with the half woman half snake demon who caused him so much misery before. Sleepless nights with a wet, slithering sound scraping towards the dark corners of his wooden cage are engraved in his mind. There were few women in between who he did not dislike. He was on friendly terms with the insect pillar, Shinobu Kocho, for as small and weak as she was, she made up for it in wit and technicality, something he greatly admired, the boy deeply respected the master's wife, Amane Ubuyashiki, for tending to the Master in sickness and in health. But Kanroji, well Kanroji was different.
Sure, Obanai is a boy... no, he is a man. Small in stature and a little weak compared to the stronger Hashira, but he was not dumb. There were women he could acknowledge as attractive, beautiful even. There had been more than one occasion where he has been propositioned while on a mission, but never once did he ever accept, both in fear and disgust. Lively women, some looking to rebel from the constricting societal standards and let loose for the night and others looking for coin, would coyishly glance at him to get his attention when he finished a mission and found time to drink at an izakaya. Women were attracted to his mismatched eyes, unique and beautiful but he brushed them off rather rudely and to the point, deeming them too frivolous and a waste of time. With age though, he felt his primal needs, as any man does.
Hell, he spent enough time listening to the Sound Hashira, Uzui Tengen loudly proclaim his love for his three wives and their, ahem, interesting intimacy enough times to know what sex was. Tengen wasn't exactly discreet and Obanai could only bulge his eyes out at the things the Sound Hashira would proclaim. Tengen, who could charm a wallet away from a pickpocket, would giddily tell Obanai exactly how to please a woman, much to Obanai's objections and flustered face. Where to nibble on her neck to make her sigh with pleasure, where to place your hands delicately on her body before succumbing to the warmth building up within the two powerful forces combining. Obanai could feel his face redden with embarrassment at hearing these tips but he would make a mental note, just in case. Aside from Tengan's flamboyant personality, good looks and bravado, underneath was a man who cared deeply for the happiness and safety of his three wives, willing to sacrifice himself and the whole world for a chance at their happiness.
Obanai recalled back to conversations and observances of the other male Hashira when it came to the tricky topic of relationships and love.
Shinazugawa, with his angry exterior and matching insides would boast to his closest friend about his latest conquest, something the snake boy thought was hard to imagine given Shinazugawa's rough personality and scarred appearance but he knew how charming his friend could be. The muscular young man, covered in scars with a wild look in his eyes, lived every day as a comet falling through the sky, fast with the potential to burn up.
Obanai knew Shinazugawa had experienced love before, once, with the former Flower Pillar, Kanae Kocho. Kanae, with delicate features and constant smile on her face in contrast to the frown of her younger sister Shinobu. Kanae could ask for a flower and Sanemi would give her a banquet, picking only the most beautiful flowers he could find, none compared to the radiance of Kanae. Obanai knew about the shy romance blossoming between the Flower and Wind pillar. Fragile and warm like fire and gone in an instant just like one without fuel. After her death at the hands of a powerful demon, Shinazugawa went off the rails, bedding any women he could to cope through the pain and loss he felt with the momentary pleasure of an orgasm with a women he felt nothing towards and knew nothing about, just to roll over in bed and leave at the end of the night and repeat the cycle once more. Letting physical pleasure cover up the wounds of an aching heart.
Sanemi was no stranger to loss like the rest of the Hashira, but with Kanae's death came the death of the idea of one day having a normal life, the type of life he wanted for his younger brother Genya. A life of coming home to a wife and children and a life where demons are just a thing of the past. But unfortunately the time is now and demons destroyed the one he loved. Sanemi would tell Iguro about the women of the previous night with an empty smile that didn't reach his eyes. Obanai pitied his friend but could never let him know. He could only imagine the hollowness Sanemi felt.
The late Rengoku was more tasteful when it came to guy talk and speaking about women. Growing up in the Rengoku household after the former Flame Hashira took him in, Obanai respected and admired Kyojuro and thought of him as an older brother. The strong, almighty Rengoku, bright and boisterous as a flame and with a killer smile, and good looks to match, no wonder he had women going crazy for him. But Obanai knew Rengoku was too devoted to the Demon Slayer cause to pay too much mind to women. Although Obanai was aware that he did have a childhood sweetheart, a neighbor girl who started coming more and more whenever Kyojuro's mother passed away to check up on the broken family. She was a pretty thing, dark hair and dark eyes with a shy, caring nature. Obanai observed the tender moments between Rengoku and his sweetheart from a distance. A stolen glance here and there, sitting underneath a big wisteria tree, one timid hand reaching out for the other person's hand, both too nervous to make a move past that, the hushed conversations amongst themselves. But one can only wait for so long before a choice has to be made and she married someone else, someone who didn't have the worries of sacrificing oneself for the greater cause. She wanted a simple life with a family and Kyojuro, as much as he wanted to give her that, became the Flame Hashira.
Since then, Kyojuro has been alone, devoting himself entirely to killing demons and carrying out missions. Obanai couldn't help to wonder if maybe the elder Hashira regretted his choice between the corps and his chance at love with his sweetheart. If he did, Obanai could not tell, Rengoku always beamed and was filled with fiery passion for his duties. Saving the lives of the many for the sacrifice of his potential happiness. But on nights out drinking with the other Hashira, Obanai couldn't help but to sit and note whenever Kyojuro would slip out quietly behind a woman and not be seen for the rest of the night while everybody else was drinking and inebriated. He could only assume what happened behind closed doors. Obanai could only wonder if they meant anything to Rengoku, or like Shinazugawa, were substitutes for a lost love. But that information stayed with Rengoku, since he did not indulge much when asked about it later.
Even Tomioka of all people had dabbled in love and women. As much as Obanai disliked the guy, he could admit he was attractive, even with those dead eyes and "don't care" attitude. As irritating as he found him, partly because he knew Kanroji thought Giyu was cute, Obanai has heard things through the grapevine, due to Tomioka's awkward attempt to become closer to the Hashira and engage in guy talk. As far as Obanai knew, Tomioka had met women throughout his travels and engaged in letter writing for a time only to end up not writing back anymore. He seems to keep a distance with women but once out with the rest of the Hashira drinking, Tomioka became the opposite. Laughing and joking and definitely drunk with the Hashira and patrons alike and even light hearted flirting with Kanroji and Shinobu much to Obanai's dismay. Obanai could sense that there was an unspoken tension between Shinobu and Tomioka, of what exactly? Iguro wasn't so sure. The pair seemed to dance around each other, almost fluttering in a butterfly-like movement just like the haori of the insect girl, seeming to enjoy each other's silent company and at other times at each other's throats, squabbling back and forth. What an odd pair when he came to think about it
Gyomei, well, was just Gyomei, as the formidable mass he was, he had other things to devote to as praying for the safety and success of the demon slayer corps members. Gyomei, who was large and intimidating, was soft and kind, crying at any sadness that he may come upon. Gyomei, who had bountiful love to give to everyone. Obanai knew how much Mitsuri admired Gyomei as an older brother, with their shared sensitive nature and fondness for cats.
But with his complicated feelings towards women, Obanai never dwelled on the idea of love.
Love
Did he even know what love is? He has pondered this question a lot. He feels close to Kaburamaru, but those feelings are more brotherly. He feels companionship alongside his fellow Hashira. He observes the love between Tengen and his wives and the Master with his family. But what did Obanai know? He was raised like a pig for slaughter and mutilated from ear to ear. He wasn't loved since the day he was born.
But when he thinks of her, he thinks of the future. He wants to wake up next to her and love her every day until the day he dies. He wants to live a countless lifetime with her by his side. He thinks of kittens and cats, curled up in her lap. Of a sakura tree blowing back and forth in a lazy, spring breeze, blossoms gently swirling around her, falling and landing on her pink braids. Those pink braids, oh how he longed to run his fingers through her hair and marvel in its softness. How to slowly lean in and place his cursed lips on the pale skin of the crook of her neck and inhale her scent, As sweet as dango and as intoxicating as a cold drink on a summer's day. He imagines her giggling as the sweet woman she is and excitedly dragging him around the market and to eat a meal at a restaurant where he would love to just sit and observe her.
He thinks about courting each other, how shy she would be but excited at the prospect of marriage. Her hand held by his, both rough by the years of training and being a Hashira, but the most delicate thing he could have imagined and how he yearned to kiss her. He envisioned her on their wedding day, beaming brightly in a wedding kimono, nothing and no one coming close to her radiant beauty. Surrounded by her family and fellow hashira, she would be shy but crying with happiness as he knew she would and he would smile a rare smile, beaming alongside his bride.
He blushed and felt flustered at the thought of seeing her in the pale darkness of night, her skin illuminating softly as she undressed. Slowly, little by little and then all at once. Softness enveloped in his hands, gently running his hands on the curves of her body, earning a sigh of pleasure as he kisses her. Gentle and timid at first, worried of scaring her with his scarred smile, but having her tenacity of wanting more lead to a crashing of lips and limbs. Staring into each other's eyes, her bright green ones with his mismatched ones, as he moves into her, slowly becoming one. A warmth building up with passion until it collides and they collapse in each other's arms.
He thinks of the result of this union, a smooth round belly on his lovely wife. He sees himself rubbing her tired swollen feet, preparing her endless snacks for the seed growing in her womb. The birth of a child, what would they look like? Would they have their father's ink black hair and their mother's green eyes? Or maybe the other way around? He imagines raising children and being the parent he needed as a child. Being the provider, the protector, the one to fight off the scary monsters under the bed and read them tales of heroes slaying monsters, slaying demons.
Once old age reaches them both, he wants to reminisce of their life together, the love that blossomed between them and the family that resulted from that love. Smooth skin becomes weathered with age and yet he finds her as beautiful as ever, as the day he first saw her. And when the time comes for the both of them to leave this earthly existence, all he can look forward to is reincarnating once more to find each other again and spend countless lifetimes together.
Obanai may not have experienced love before but he is sure he knows what he feels is love. He wants to give her everything she desires without complaint.
But he snaps out of his train of thought. Only a dream but not the reality he is in. A man with a tainted past. A man in a world with demons. A man whose time on this earth is not guaranteed.
"Obanai, how are you? Sorry I'm late" Mituri flashed a bright smile as she sat down next to him. She looks at him onceover.
"You looked deep in thought Iguro! Everything ok?" She glances at his face, previously deep in thought, eyebrows furrowed.
Obanai smiles underneath the bandages covering his face, one she can tell is genuine by the way it reaches his mismatched eyes.
"Everything is better now that you here"