ACT 5

Hi, everyone. It's me again

I hope you all enjoy these two for their learning each other and fuff-ness between them

I'm so into it when I wrote between them

Since this chapter, Obanai will start to realize his feeling toward her

So we will see our boy, Obanai trying to be with Mitsuri after she always gave him a hard shot. It's about time to let him give her back!

So enjoy!

Author's note

this chapter, let me introduce a new place setting within the compound of Demon Slayer Corps. It is a cafeteria that serves food and drink to demon slayers. And another one is Post. In this context, I meant like when they went out for a long period mission and they established a temporary camp for running things and missions.

me to introduce you to a demon. In this story, I created a demon, which may be quite different from the Lower and Upper moon. Because I mixed the concept of demon with the mutation form of animals in this chapter.

3. In Act 6, it may take me a time because I tried to find a way to narrate story in more natural way for you guys so stay tuned with me

Yofuku, 05/10/2020

"Iguro-san! Nice to see you here! How have you been? Are you doing well? Oh it's lots of questions, isn't it ha-ha. Care to join me? would you like to eat something? No? why not! it's all delicious. I want to have a double after I finish this one" Mitsuri called Obanai with a gleam of excitement in her feature for meeting him at the cafeteria.

Obanai almost gasped to see her present here alone without any Pillars around.

Obanai nodded and waved to her as the least response in physical gesture he could come up with. "Are you free? Do you want to join my lunch break? The more, the merrier!"

"Okay..I am, thanks" It's again, this strange feeling to throb again from inside-out. He didn't hate it but it's unexplainable. He would find himself in a difficult situation when he ran across her alone. If there's somebody beside him in a circle, at least he could communicate with her. Being alone and spending time with her, was another topic he had to take time.

So that's why he had a chance to join her lunch break.

One fine day at the demon slayer Corps, he met Mitsuri by chance around noon at the cafeteria and had a conversation with her, mostly her talking. As if their world was without demons and sorrow for a while, he presumed when he's here with her. Obanai noticed she finished a lot of bowls that piled up right side of her, though she still looks in good shape even though she sure ate a lot and looked happy, I guess, Obanai observed her slightly and looked back at her face.

"The food today is really tasty!"

"Yeah, it is" followed Obanai, feeling a sudden boom of glad to say something to reply to her. He noticed every time when he uttered out, she seemed radiated and glad to hear his opinion.

As Obanai recalled, he always felt uncomfortable around women, not too fearful nor chickened, it's around the feeling of not wanting to assimilate with them much. He's this feeling and sentiment in a certain way because the past. All siblings and cousins he met since he's young were completely women. And it still gave him an automatic stimulus when he met women nowadays. He felt so insecure and needed a space from them. Until now

"And there are many breeds of cats from the western as well. One popular breed is called Persia, they have very fluffy hair, short legs, and circular shaped faces. They're different from our traditional breeds. I bet if you found one you will love them because they're such a cutie pie creature!" He found himself listening to Mitsuri, explaining about cats.

She looked really into the topic, with her dreamy face and determined attention to describe in detail to him. He didn't dare to say something to intercept her. Not because he didn't know what to respond to. He's thinking out many options to say go-with-the-flow with her. But he felt no confidence at all.

"My uncle, Ukitake used to bring me to see Persia cat at the port. I fell in love with him at first sight! I want to raise him at my home but my parents stop me from dreaming because I owned a lot of them now ha-ha" Not only cat, she walked him through her family tree, western food and dessert and things she's interested in.

Obanai received a lot of new and unheard information from her. It's a new world for him to hear such things.

"Speaking of my cats, I owned four of them. Their favorite food is mackerel but some said it's not good for cats because it's too salty and not good for their liver so sometimes I have to feed them with sardines" He nodded.

"What do you think, Iguro-san do you like mackerels or sardines? I think it could ge well with a lot of food. Like Spaghetti, it looks like our noodle and they will make it with special sources and a protein "

Spaghetto? Spaghetta?, he never heard of it.

"Sounds interesting" he uttered when she raised her eyes to him as if asking for his opinion. "Really? You mean you want to have Spaghetti? great! I can make one for you, if you're fine with me making a dish for you!" She clasped her hand together with a shy but anticipated manner in her action. His breath hitched at her suddenness.

He didn't prepare for this.

Obanai's unsure on how to reply in the right situation. But he felt glad to hear such an invitation from her.

"I don't know..." I don't know what to say

"You don't have to be thinking too much. I daresay I will make the most delicious one for you so we're on this deal?" Mitsuri said.

"Ah.. thanks" And he's standing there, watching her dancing and jumping around him because she could have shown her cooking skill to him. This little thing could make her happy and he cannot believe in his own eyes. A girl with this positive and caring attitude he would find in this world.

Obanai stared at her happy face for a while when they're walking back to their own estate. He used this time and was able to think about her. She's a beautiful woman he had ever lain eyes upon, not only her appearance but also her inner. Knowing her was like painting his black-white world with many shades of color in the palate.

He wanted to communicate more with her. How it looked like if he could talk to her casually like any other men around her when spending time together like this.

He dreamed onto that point. Hoped he could find courage to step up to her. At least, he would reciprocate her care in a proper way.

"Thank you for today," said Obanai in an unsure state. He's not in a state to communicate his feelings or his thoughts in the head to her. He had a wall from the past. However, his eyes could see through the wall clearly. It was her bright smile.

"Awwwww I have to thank you too, Iguro-san you listen to all my telling and talking. I can use your company today and I'm so glad to find someone and a companion to talk to. It's great spending time with you" She said and played a tip of her braided hair in a shy demeanor. Obanai rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, why was she saying thank to him.

"Next time, can we hang out like this together? Do you mind me?" asked Mitsuri while Obanai felt a heat coming over his face. She asked me out..she did ask me out!

"We can arrange that" he tried hard to keep a nervousness out of his voice and system when he's in front of a girl.

"So what's about sending letters?" Asked eagerly Mitsuri while Obanai gasped dumbly in front of her and she took it as a Yes.

Talking with her when they both were alone was still hard for him so what's about communicating through hand-writing.

Crank...Crank

The slashing sound prevailed as something shape cut through the air, the feet moving and the clash of weapons Spontaneously with a howl, gruesome hollow..

These sound coming along with the chaotic action and scenario at the deep forest before the large massive mountain. It woke up almost entirely from the forest from a night.

"It's coming! it's fucking fast! Whao!" one man in demon slayer's uniform cried in despair, hand shaking insecurely when facing a real demon for the first time, in front of the cave.

His teeth bit together and he swung the sword aimlessly, a drop of tear forming at the corner of his eyes. "Get away! go away from me!"

His tanned pupil dilated and reflected a shadowy figure that looked like ape with long teeth but larger than normal human, long tail and slender but firm muscle that was ready to leap forward in high speed and capacity than normal human. These demons adorned with a malicious smug and frightful laugh as they would not go hunt but the prey came to them. What a convenient and sweet-life of a demon.

Its long tail coiled around the branch of the tree in order to gain momentum and pivot its movement amids the air drive. It became a combination of strategic attacks. It could move faster along the tree, leaves scattered when it motioned around like the owner of bushes. Aiming, it landed down with a surprise attack to that wailed man.

"Pull it together!'' Several demon slayers gathered around him, blocking the fierce attack but it still sent all of them flying a meter to clash with the tree backward. They yelped in pain from the bounce.

When demon slayers' wills nosedived. Some slayers cried in fear as the demon sneaked attack on them and no way to stop it or overcome it or else just losing their life could be an easier one.

At moment demons went down to charge toward a group of demon slayers, a flash of light running and lunging toward it directly with no fear. Dodging its clumsy and full of opening attacks. The strip haori flew from the motion very beautifully, his eyes locked on their opening. Snake Pillar caught that particular moment when the demon was going to land on the ground, slipped through it with agile movement and with a motion of his wrist to bend the hilt of the katana to form Snake Breathing.

His body moved passing one demon smoothly, the tip of the wave-like katana pointed in the opposite direction as well as his face. It showed how confidence he was to not ever look back to the target when he passed. its head fell down on the ground in thud sound by his super fast slice.

When they, demons, were all startled to his appearance and sword technique. He performed his special technique very fast and highly executed in the most accuracy to chop off each head, switched his stance and posture to adjust the movement to carve the demon neck out of their shoulder..

Even his body was rather small, he utilized the agile to the max and with the use of wrist movement to finish demons. Each demon body dropped on the ground. And its number lessened quickly.

When everything settled down, "Get your damn focus! goddamnit! I am not a babysitter, get this shit to your airhead!" Even in combat time, he was still a strict and persistent person. His yell also made a pitch on each slayer to regain their sense and will to fight again.

"We're sorry, Iguro-san" Their faces dropped in disappointment and sadness. It's like a kid waiting for their parent to complain and scold them for their wrongdoing.

"Tsk.. shut your damn mouth and use this time to remind yourself what you should do next time. And Stop talking and crying and act more. I'm so bored with the weak like all of you! remember you should take your damn precious time to practice more or else being a food to that demon" His sound was loud and full of his fury.

With the rise of sun in the morning, In one distant town, there was a temporary post, run by Demon Slayer Corps as a headquarter to have a usual patrol on demon activity here.

The team led by Iguro Obanai came back to the post in early morning with the strain of blood on their cloth, their sword also covered with dark and red fluid as well as their cloth. They just came back from terminating the nest of monkey-like demons on the mountain. Luckily Slayer side had no casualty from this mission but also caused their Snake Pillar a bad mood.

Ended up being lectured, Obanai complained how incompetent they were and ordered each of them to use this time to think how they could contribute Demon Slayer Corps without fail Obanai spoke and rolled his eyes in a hundred times because he didn't really know his word could pass to your damn brain and processed what I said

Nonetheless, Snake Pillar was such a hard man to accept this truth. He rather said Don't you dare say thank you and hug me, we are not that closed, go away and train your damn sword

He cleaned himself, took good care on his katana and managed to do paper work quickly. Obanai saw the date and made a mental count- it had already passed almost two weeks now since his expedition to this post.

Obanai was walking in a circle, slow and deep in thought. He lost the track of himself in the workplace when something clicked in his head.

Other slayers watched him in doubt. Because it's usual for them to see him walking and mumbling like this almost every time per day. They thought at first they did something wrong, yes they were because not meeting his standard but it seemed to have more.

Because every time after his several walks, he would reach them with a relaxed demeanor. Completely unlike the fighting time. He would walk to them and said "Is there perhaps a letter for me?"

They're looking and checking again. One replied "no sir, none of these letter was sent to you, Iguro-san"

Obanai looked at them and sighed. He waved away to them like saying 'don't mind me' and always ended with "get back to work. We still have a lot to do"

They barely kept their interest more and more. But they were too afraid to ask him directly. As Snake Pillar, known for strict, hard, independent, skillful Pillar. So it's hard for them to reach him. Every time they asked what kind of letter he's waiting for, they would get "Fuck off" so that's why they cannot know what's in his head.

Until a moment "Iguro-san, I received a letter for you this morning after we got back from the mountain. It had your name in front of the letter with the heart and flower drawing..and I think it's a snake drawing as well. So I presumed it's a prank or letter from children whom you may use to help them"

"Is that so" Obanai sighed and heard the tearing sound of opening a letter. He almost turned away but heard the voice said.

"Oh It's from Kanroji-san" No need to wait so long, Obanai reached and snatched the letter in haste and walked off the scene without caring for the eyes from other slayers who sat and looked at him in perplexity. He may be blunt and aggressive in a battlefield but he turned to another persona when it came to her.

Obanai hurried back to his tent and opened the letter. It obviously was this letter he was waiting for because last time she mentioned what's about sending a letter? We can catch up with each other.

Kaburamaru also slithed to look at small paper too. Obanai felt a smile coming over his face as he thought back to that time. His hand unfolded it.

He spotted drawings of long snake as he thought it was Kaburamaru with the heart popping around its head. That's so cute. His finger drew on the same line of her drawing.

Iguro-san, How's your mission? I hope you're doing good and ate proper meals.

And what's about Kaburamaru-kun? I missed him I want to play with him so much.

Obanai flicked his eyes to his white snake with a flash of moodiness in a second before continuing reading. He just want her attention on her solely.

I'm out to mission with Rengoku-senpai and trained with him everyday

I'm onto that you are doing good and got through the mission easily

I also tried to cook noodle menu as I heard from Rengoku-senpai 'Iguro-san likes noodle cuisine' so next time, you can come over at my estate to have special Mitsuri udon.

Obanai closed his eyes and was bashful at her message and scratched his cheek when it turned hot and heating from her innocent revelation. This was one of her character; be able to express her feeling so openly became one of his weakness.

When are you back? A lot of us went out for mission too in busy time like this, take a good care of yourself

Oh I forgot to mention to you! I finally befriend with Shinazugawa-san and Tomioka-san after I knocked them off

His eyes smiled from her message but his strong finger slowly turned into a deadly grip on the corner that she wrote both of their names down. That piss of shit name should not be on her letters.

Don't get yourself injuries!

Rengoku-san also asked me to give you a Hello.

It seems we miss your company!

I'm looking forward to see you back to Demon Slayer Corps, Iguro-san

He folded paper back at the same trace of folding very neatly, slipped it in his uniform.

His expression showed how happy he was and it's very rare to see Snake Pillar looked amused like this.

Obanai snapped to reality. He felt like he had a urge to send a letter back to her for showing he took her words, glad by her care and attention that he never received..no it's too much. Obanai fidgeted on the blush for a long time. He's in a hesitant state as to how much he should show to her. Less is more? But what's about more's better? He took it as though it may be a reason why Kuojuro grew closer and accustomed to her easily from his openness. But that's not his character.

The rejection, mistreat and uncomfortableness with women from dread past stabbed him again. Until he had a feeling.

What if I was born and brought up in a normal family? What will happen to him and to her if he met her?

Thinking of this imaginary situation gave him a warm feeling. He thought it would be full of fun, good and cheerful life. He at least can speak to her, spend time with her and hang out with her without the loom.

A drop of ink fell on the paper. Obanai realized and took a new letter instead. He knows it's strange that he's thinking about his life with someone else.

He's thinking and pulling out the recent trace of his deep thought about what he would say to her if he's in a normal family.

Obanai gulped a hard one and decided to express his thoughts into it.

I'm fine, thanks

What's about tea and snacks?

Oh god, is it too much?

Finally Obanai met her after a day he got back to the compound. Mitsuri was waving and running to him when he was being out of his estate. Her hair danced gracefully and her smile brightfully as usual in his eyes. Obanai waved back to her and knew she came because her answer 'absolutely I'm so glad to join with you' in her letter.

He set his mind straight, tried to shake all the nervous out of his system. He asked her so he had to be a good host, hadn't he?

After she told him about her mission, "Would you like to come in? Kanroji. I will make you a tea" asked Obanai. It's his invitation so he should act as a perfect host. Even though, he's unsure what to do. Rarely or should say never, he allowed someone in. His heart throbbed in an anticipation of her reply.

"Oh great thanks if you don't mind me! It's like a home tour, isn't it? I never entered your estate before wow! It's cozy and very clean"

He did it…He invited her to his place Dear god, would you mind on this? I hope you aren't because she also didn't. Obanai gritted his teeth in the battle of morality while Mitsuri took herself to roam around his estate.

"Mine is kind of small, like living for one person and I don't have a lot of stuff too," said Obanai. It's first time he could utter more than a word or phrase to her.

"Don't worry, Iguro-san. I'm so glad you invite me over to your place so next time, feel free to visit mine. It's quite stuffy but I think you can put up with it ha-ha "

"S-sure thanks"

He escorted her to a living room, opened the shoji door to the terrace outside, "Wait me here. I will get you the tea. If you want something, call me" He took her to have a cushion. Obanai went to the kitchen and prepared a set of tea for two, and heard her humming sound to his kitchen as well as her giggling that also aroused him to know what she did now.

Obanai appeared again at the front of the living area "Kanroji" Obanai uttered her name, came back with a tea set and bow of snack "I took a bit long. I tried to find some snacks for you" the real story went like this he just ran very fast to the cafeteria to ask for normal snacks and what he got was a sweet bean.

He put down all and served her tea "Not that long Iguro-san, here I play with Kaburamaru-kun.. Look!" Obanai seated beside her and moved a cup of tea to her and looked at her arm that she extended to him proudly "Kaburamaru-kun can climb on my arm!" said and presented to him with real proud.

"Mnn He's easy to tame and I use him in my combat too" Mitsuri's eyes went bigger in astonish while he gave a hint of explanation.

"How come!, Iguro-san it's awesome" She cranced her neck with lots of question mask on her face.

"I let him coordinate spot of enemy in a radius my eyes could not go" She nodded with a hint of Amazing lapsing from her lip her eyes moved to the tea. Even, in fact, one side of his eyes had a tendency to be blinded from his genetic trait so he swallowed his personal knot into his throat, kept her out.

"I want to have my partner like Kaburamaru-kun too. You're so great! please take care of Iguro-san" she handed back his white snake and it slithed to his arm before coiling around his shoulder and stayed calm, approved for letting this couple to have a good time together.

After sipping "Ahhh!" She blurted out "Thanks for the tea, Iguro-san, I rarely saw a man making tea or making food in the kitchen and um.. it's refreshing! Oh this sweet bean is also delicious!" Obanai pushed a bowl of sweet beans closer to her.

"Look like you're into eating, aren't you?" He decided to ask her. Even though he knew from Flame Pillar but asking and hearing from her would sound like What unknown reason urged him to say. He felt like he wanted to get close to her as a fellow pillar..as a young man, spending free time with a girl. They might open a conversation like this? then what to say afterward.

"Yub! I love eating. When I eat, It always makes me happy. Yumm yummm" she said while chewing. Obanai could glance at her happy expression like this all day long, she may not never know how her face look like when she's eating. For him, it's very beautiful to look at "Since I was a kid. When I ate food and I was always happy and I want to eat all day long and stayed happy like this"

"I see.. so.." A flash of hesitance crossed his face a second, Obanai gulped "I happened to know one restaurant in town and they serve the best tonkatsu. Fancy to go? Kanroji" he asked, stuttered with an unsettled feeling on the face that he did ask out "I just had an idea because I saw you were into eating tonkatsu in the cafeteria at that time so..don't mind it if you don't want to". He did it! He fucking did it!

Mitsuri glanced back with wide eyes in disbelief but felt a smile coming over her face "I would love it! Thank you, Iguro-san. If you're fine by one like me eating lots of food ha-ha..you saw earlier at the cafeteria right?" She glanced back with dry laugh as to ask for his confirmation because a girl always felt unsure until she would get a proper, firm answer. Mitsuri was that girl and all she got was a slight nod and strong look on his face to show his determination.

"..and I'm so lucky to know you in my life" Mitsuri expressed lovingly. Obanai was flinched, his hand was shaky. She herself also never knew her words meant a lot to him, causing him stirred in several emotions. "I'm so glad we will go out together. Iguro-san you made me feel like there is some miracles in my life"

"Miracle? What's it?"

"Miracle?..It was you asked me out to a restaurant. It's very wonderful for me..as a girl, you know" Obanai craned his neck to let her explain while she seemed fidgeted to explain.

Mitsuri forced herself to have a casual laugh as she picked up her worry "Apart from my mentor, you are only man to ask me out for food ha-ha.. because I always eat alone when I go out, don't want to cause other to feel ashamed by my eating" her voice was stable, trying to make it sounded normal, glanced unsure to a man next to her. As someone who was looked down on and rejected by many men till the idea of being unmarried and alone pursued and gripped her hard, Mitsuri started to feel comfortable around this man, who looked pointedly at her.

Obanai dropped his head as he should not probe her with this "Till next time, when I returned from mission. I will take you to that restaurant" all he wanted was her to see this possible moment as a good one. "You can eat as much as you want..I'm fine with it"

"oh..." Her eyes blinked twice, her lip formed a signal of smile and her cheeks injected the color of pink vividly. "Thank you, Iguro-san" I did make her bashful? He thought and felt a good smile appearing on his face under bandage

At the terrace of his shelter, full of her sweet voice, Mitsuri giggled and shook her head happily while the wind brewed small leaves past her beautiful face, warm sunlight reflected her healthy complexion with color on her adorable cheeks. He still fixed his eyes on her intently as to absorb her nature as much as before he had to leave for the mission again. This was a memorable picture of his mind.

Today was extraordinary for him. To let her get in his personal space and also dare to speak to her. Obanai felt a smile appearing on his face, under the bandage because he could spend his time like a normal young boy today.