Chapter Text
Shinobu first really noticed on a largely uneventful morning (A rarity that always has her antsy). The sun had not quite fully risen yet, but was still high enough to scatter demons to the darkest crevices they could find. The first rays of golden lighting the lab where she sat on a hard stool. Experimenting with variously coloured toxins, and noting down reactions as she normally does whenever she finds herself free of any other tasks that require more urgency.
Stretching her arms out after having finished her current supply of the new poisonous berries she had been testing, she meandered over to the double windows that lit up her workspace.
From her slightly higher vantage point, she's able to see many trees scattered beyond the walls of the estate, stretching out to the horizon line where mountains began.
Shinobu especially likes the view from here, (part of the reason she chose this particular room to serve as her lab.) and it's beaten only by the one gained from being on the roof. She's also able to see the inside of the gardens surrounding the mansion where occasionally a kakushi will mill about. Not to mention how from here she's able to keep an eye on the loud trio of boys who would usually train or mess about near the wall. They'd sometimes also be accompanied by the girls in order to help or be damage control.
They were all absent at this time however, resting in their rooms, Shinobu hopes.
Instead, her eyes found themselves locked on to a bushy black ponytail, belonging to one very stoic man currently standing in the middle of the cobbled path leading to the entrance of the structure itself.
Tomioka Giyuu, although a peculiarity in the garden considering it had been a while since he had come to the butterfly mansion of his own volition, (and she did not recall recently stitching him back together after having him be brought in halfway to deaths door) was a welcome surprise to find after hours cooped up with only a lamp to keep her company.
Her first instinct was to go down there and request he move lest he block the quite nonexistent foot traffic in an attempt to converse. Or perhaps shoot another barb of a similar vein to coax even the slightest change of expression in the man... But, a feeling of curiosity stemming from his unexpected visit stuck her to her spot to see what he intended to do.
Shinobu had ended up watching the water pillar from the saftey of her lab while speculating of his intentions for a good while before it occured to her that he might in fact just be lost. The man is a tremendous airhead after all. So perhaps it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for him to have marched over to the estate to visit the near contsantly injured Kamado-kun and his sister, before realizing that he has no idea where he is kept, and lacked the social skills to properly communicate that to anyone he saw. Its a funny enough thought that she'll make sure to properly tease it to him.
Making up her mind to go down and see to the dunce personally, Shinobu takes one last look and halts at the sight of her little sister and Tsugoku nervously standing a distance away, facing right beside where the water pillar is.
She sighs.
Although she would have preferred Kanao to have been asleep, she knows she takes the time to train by herself most frequently when everyone else is at a state of relaxation. Shinobu can never bring herself to oppose it though, as Kanao so scarcely makes decisions for herself. And it's not like Shinobu gives her many tasks to do during the day. Not to mention her forms are certainly improving, though they could stand to be smoother.
Shinobu taps her lips in thought, her eyes bouncing from her stiff tsugoku to the stationary water pillar.
Maybe she could ask him to teach her. His style's already compatible given flower breathing's a branch of water breathing, and if Kanao could pick up some of his graceful swordsmanship she'll be all the better for it.
He wouldn't even need to speak much either, Kanao's got a great set of eyes after all. Shinobu's sure she could learn plenty just from watching him go through all his forms.
Her eyes settle on Kanao as she fists her skirt where she normally keeps her coin, and finally begins to walk (or bob since only her legs really move, she's always found it to be adorable.) parallel to where the pillar hasn't moved an inch. She faces so straight that Shinobu nearly thinks that she's just going to pass right by him, until she notices that Kanao is in fact moving diagonally towards him.
She feels her face contort in mild confusion as her little sister finally nears the pillar and tilts her head up to look at him. Interesting since Kanao prefers to keep to herself most of the time, and she hadn't used the coin either. So although doesn't know what brought this on she's proud nonetheless.
Tomioka seems to slightly jolt (a movement so miniscule she could have been convinced she imagined it) and shifts to face the younger girl.
A face off between the reticient Tomioka and the shy Kanao, if nothing else, the confrontation will be quiet at least.
Shinobu unfortunately couldn't quite read the intricacies of Tomioka's face then, but watched him as he moved back out of the path (presumably thinking that he was blocking her way) and Kanao as she turned her head to continue facing him.
They continued to stare at each other for a good length of time, which, in retrospect, she should have expected, as she once again considered going down in order to help.
Before she could though, Kanao seemed to say something, Tomioka pausing before giving a small nod. (Shinobu really wished she was able to read their expressions then)
The water pillar walked forward towards the stock still Kanao before hesitantly extending a hand out and landing it on her head.
"!!"
Shinobu involuntarily made a noise of bewilderment at the same moment Kanao near jumped (somehow still in a subdued manner) and stepped back, continuing on her way down the path with a noticably quicker pace than before, her head down. (flustered, she's sure)
Tomioka looked between his hand and where Kanao retreated, and Shinobu didn't need to see his expression to understand that he was without a doubt lost. Though, after what she had witnessed she couldn't say she wasn't as well.
When she comes down a minute later he's still rooted to the same spot like some sort of weed, still staring at his hand with a scrunch to his mouth that she can only akin to his version of an honest to god pout. He doesn't physically acknowledge her, looking out to where Kanao sped off.
"Kochou... Am I unlikeable?" He says, ressembling a kicked puppy.
She doesn't think she could have restrained the laugh that burst out of her anyways.
In the end, she asks him to play mentor to Kanao, which he only accepts after multiple assurances that Kanao did not in fact, hate him. (Quite the contrary given what she's witnessed) They set the date and Shinobu lets him be with a headpat which turned out to be closer to a forehead pat despite her best efforts. He gave her a perfectly dumbfounded gape for that.
She came across Kanao later, (Tomioka long having left) doing nothing but blinking quickly, and Shinobu informed her of the new lessons she'll be having with the water pillar. She responded by continuing to blink rapidly. Only providing the softspoken 'shiny..' when asked on the matter.