A Snake Decides to Love (2.)
Obanai was surprised when the stone hashira sat at his table.
There was a lot of bustle and movement with each hashira training their cohorts. The higher the ranked hashira, the more difficult the activities. It was rare to run into another one during this period since they had secluded training areas.
He wrote a list of ways he intended to break the rookie slayers. Better he broke their fortitude now than they lose their lives to a real demon.
Eyeing the much bigger man, Obanai said nothing. Gyomei was free to sit where he pleased, and they often had comfortable silence together. He wasn't one of those people who talked just to make noise. He had not one bad thing to say about him.
Gyomei bowed his head toward him, sensing his direction. His hands were as usual in a praying position.
"Iguro," he started. "It's sad to live halfheartedly."
Confusion spread across Obanai's face. What?
As if reading his mind's turmoil for the last three days, Gyomei spoke out loud. "It speaks loudly that Kanroji in her limited lifespan chose you to spend her last days with."
He almost audibly cursed. Nothing could have prepared him for an intervention with Gyomei nor did he want it. Since when did Kanroji confide in him, anyway?
"The walls are rather thin in certain parts of the building, Iguro. I don't wish you to live with regrets. It will only weigh you down on the journey we have to face," he finished solemnly. A tear dripped from his right eye.
Obanai turned toward him ready to retort.
"Some say we're our most honest as death's door," Gyomei said.
He visibly stiffened. Death's door? That was right. Kanroji had been near death with the upper moon.
Any demon encounter could end in the loss of life, but she had experienced something few high-ranking demon slayers had survived. Even Tengen had been put out of commission from his bout. She had healed relatively quickly with her body parts intact.
"I didn't take you for the romantic type, Gyomei," Obanai said quietly.
He had set aside his pen now.
Gyomei's eyes flooded with tears. Kaburamaru extended toward him and licked a few to comfort him.
"Please decide whether you'd like to live with regrets or not. Either way, your decision must not cause you to waver with our mission to defeat Muzan."
Obanai winced.
A part of him was embarrassed to be confronted by him. But the other part considered his words. No one was wiser than Gyomei, and even he thought he should pursue Kanroji.
But, no.
If he truly loved her, he wouldn't tether himself to her.
Maybe by some miracle, Kocho could discover a way to expand her lifetime. If so, she shouldn't be tied down to him in a last-ditch effort.
Obanai's hair was still wet from his bath. Driplets from his bangs fell on Kaburamura who tried to no avail to avoid them.
It had been five long days without seeing her. Usually, he saw Kanroji in passing, heard her voice, or read a letter from her. Not even on missions was he away so long he didn't see her.
Was she avoiding him?
The irony was almost hilarious. Once he was freed from his life of hell in a cage, he tried to avoid women. Saving them from demons was as far as he went before her. Beyond anything else, she was his friend.
One night he thought he saw a glimpse of her talking to one of the little girls with bows. For the life of him, he couldn't remember their names nor did he care to commit it to memory. When he turned the corner to greet her, Kanroji had disappeared.
Or, maybe she had run away then.
Hopefully, today could provide a different outcome. He felt a layer of sweat over his hands.
"Kaburamura, I'm going to look for her. Talk me out of it," he murmured to his snake.
A slightly soggy Kaburamura flicked its tongue at his nose, only encouraging him.
Obanai sprinted from his quarters, effectively drying his hair, to the main mansion of the demon slayer corps. She had to be around somewhere.
He thought hard about where she could be.
Usually, Kanroji was somewhere near him. His heart panged at that realization. The other place she would be was anywhere with food.
"Kanroji?" he called to her, entering one of the many kitchens.
She was in her civilian clothes, ignoring him. She was humming some melody.
Her back was turned to him, so all he could concentrate on was her white dress. Her pink and green hair jumped with every movement.
Dread pooled into the pit of his stomach. He had never considered her taking his departure as a rejection. Or worse severing their friendship.
She was one of the few sweet moments in his black stain of a life.
He hid his trembling fist in the deep sleeves of his haori.
"Kanroji?" Once more he called. His voice sounded weak even to him.
Kanroji turned around, mixing something in a bowl, but her eyes brightened.
The relief that came to his body was palpable.
"Iguro, hello! Sorry, my mind was elsewhere." She cheered. "I haven't seen you in so long! I mean outside of meetings, but just us two."
He wondered if he should have mentioned that he thought she had been avoiding him. But he decided against it.
"It's all good, Kanroji. I'm glad you're in better spirits."
She shuffled around the kitchen. Looking for her next ingredient to add to the lumpiness in the bowl, which admittedly smelled good.
"Always! I never stay down and out for long!" She touched her forehead to wipe away sweat. The coals had heated in the oven. "I just need to convince you better that's all."
"Convince? Better?" Had he forgotten to speak Japanese? Thankfully, she couldn't detect the mental disgust he gave himself inwardly.
"Being married to me wouldn't be so bad. I'd cook you food. I mean I'd do that now, but as your wife, I'd add a wifely flair. Like, I could feed you, and you could feed me." She set the bowl on the counter and faced him. Twirling her fingers around each other bashfully.
He was stunned for a few moments. He had to push down the burst of giddiness that warmed him at the mental image.
The two of them feeding each other sweet treats? Looking into her eyes. Tracing her bottom lip with his thumb before sucking it. Kissing her gently, then enjoying each other's company. Talking about anything. Pure intimacy.
But to feed each other and even kiss would require his mask to come down. Both physically and mentally, which wasn't an option.
"Kanroji, I'd love to taste your food," He began.
"Aww, you said love, and I'm the love hashira." Kanroji giggled, picking the bowl back up. Sprinkling seasoning into the mix.
"Kanroji, focus. We can try each other's food. I can cook as well—"
"That sounds great, Iguro—"
"But you should stop joking about being married. If your potential husband heard this, it would push him away," he finished seriously.
She set the bowl down with a loud thump, denting the counter. Probably forgot her strength. She was so cute.
"I'm not joking. You're single, and I'm single. We like each other. We're both hashira too, so we understand the hardships we face." Kanroji shook her head. "Tsk, tsk I thought you were the logical one, Obanai, so I can be the cheerful one."
Obanai's heart beat wildly.
Did she—
Had she just called him by his first name?
Kaburamura had unwrapped himself from his neck and fell to the floor in shock.
"K-Kanroji?"
As if realizing it herself, Kanroji blushed deep pink with a determined expression. "I hope it's okay, Oba-Obanai. If we're going to be married soon, we should drop the formalities. Well, once you propose to me." She toyed with an end of her hair and turned shy.
His delightful surprise faded into mild annoyance. He bent down to give Kaburamura a chance to reattach himself.
Obanai's eyebrows knitted together "Kanroji, I'm serious."
Kanroji stomped her foot. "I'm serious too. Either I call you Obanai or husband—choose ye this day!"
He tried to say, "Kanroji—"
"BWAHAHHA!" She placed the mixing bowl down and stuck her fingers in her ears, drowning out his voice. "Husband, I'm busy now. Take your leave."
She had dismissed him.
Whoa, she had a bratty side?
But who was he to stay? Kanroji would tire of this foolishness soon enough he hoped.
A wide-eyed Obanai murmured his goodbye and tried to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
Obanai's crow screeched loudly.
"Demon sighting in the town square! Extremely strong! Could be an upper moon! On the move!"
At once Obanai unsheathed his sword, the courtyard buzzing with tension. Slayers and some of the hashiras spread out to the town, hoping to stop the demon in any direction.
From the corner of Obanai's eye, he saw some of the newer demon slayer recruits, dressing themselves hurriedly and grabbing their swords. Three men from the group who finished first ran up to him.
He hissed, calling over his shoulder.
"I'll go by myself. You'll only slow me down."
"No, Iguro sir! You need backup!" They cried.
Those rookies couldn't withstand one blow of a demon's fist he wagered. Still, he couldn't argue against having someone to watch his back.
"Then, keep up," he ordered them, ready to run.
A shrill female voice stopped his pursuit.
"WAIT!"
Kanroji dashed toward them.
"Something wrong, Kanroji?" He asked politely. He cared for her truly, but he didn't have time for a drawn-out conversation. "We can't let that demon get away."
"Call me Mitsuri or Mitsu!" She puffed out her cheeks. Then, she turned to the trio of rookie slayers and grabbed one of the men's hands. "Please bring my husband back alive!" She cried as if she were a helpless military man's wife.
Obanai completely froze. What type of comedy act was this?
"Husband?" The men looked at him.
For a good minute, he could say nothing despite the slayers' confusion or Kanroji's crying bride act.
Then, the no-nonsense hashira part of his brain took over, overpowering his emotions. "Enough. Not funny, Kanroji. You three, let's go!"
The race against time to decapitate a demon stole away any brainpower allocated to Kanroji.
She shouldn't marry a man who couldn't even acknowledge her feelings seriously.