Mitsuri was absolutely mortified. Thankfully, apart from the initial punch, Iguro skillfully avoided the remaining assault while she and Tengen restrained rengoku… well, tengen did. Mitsuri more like lunged herself at the Flame Pillar, shouting at him to knock it off.

While it worked (he stopped) the nude embrace was so inappropriate they both flushed in embarassment from their toenails to their hairtips. She immediately ran to the back room to put on clothes. While that was happening, Iguro crawled on the floor like some flashy ass spider until he found his pants and jumps into them with both feet.

The entire scene was indescribably funny to the sound ninja. he couldn't find the strength necessary to hold back the refractory laugh that burst from his entire body. it bellowed from the deepest pit of his gut as he lost all composure, at some points even looking as if he'd frozen in time. Tengen was laughing so hard he's positive it took years off his life because everyone , including the sound ninja himself , wondered how the hell he didn't guffaw himself to death.

Iguro and rengoku stopped and stared with looks of horrified befuddlement as tengens laughter broke all tension in the room temporarily.

"H-HINA! HINA! GET IN H-HERE" he calla out, slapping his knee while bracing his bodyweight. Hinatsuru appears in a cloud of smoke at her name being called, "yes, lord tengen?"

Uzui calms himself down enough to whisper in his wife's ear, using the back of his hand to cover up any unsavory lip reading from the others. she eyes the room warily with scrutinizing eyes, as if doing so would piece together why her husband was falling apart at the seams.

After he finishes, Hinatsuru blinks multiple times, giving another brief glance before vanishing again.

Rengoku was not amused in the slightest, "what did you tell her, uzui?" It was a command not a question but tengen waved him down, "sheesh relaaaax!" He said still struggling to hold back snickers.

"we're shinobi remember? controlling the flow of information is what we do. trust me, I just did you a favor, Hina is gonna get the other two to help redirect traffic, so you all can air out your unflashy laundry." He points with both fingers at the trio laughing at the drama as if it were a kabuki performance.

"Tengen." Iguro growls, clenching his teeth " Get! Out!"

"Huh?!" now he ceases all laughter, "Who the fuck do you think you're talking to, obanai? I'm the SOUND hashira, remember? Even if I leave I can still hear everything you say." He shouts genuinely offended that he wasn't allowed to mediate the lover's quarrel. "If anything you should want me around, I'm usually the guy in your position after all-"

"-Mr uzui." Rengoku warns. "Please vacate." Somehow, the honorific made him sound more menacing than Obanai. So Tengen rolls his eyes, "whateverrrrr " he says throwing his arms up over his head sauntering out the room, closing the door behind him.

He wasn't dumb.

He knew fucked up.

No, not by opening the door to witness a sight he's only seen a million times before.

No, not by bringing Rengoku with him as he was instructed to do.

But by not listening to that tiny voice in the back of his head the absolute instant Iguro asked him to relay that message.

Earlier that night

Geez.

It took a lot out of uzui not to laugh outright when Mitsuri threw obanai into that tree. When she ran away after he made his presence known, all he could do was shake his head and turn his attention to Iguro.

"What is it?" Iguro asks gruffly, while he dusted himself off.

"Oh, nothing." A smirk involuntarily spread across tengen's face as Obanai shoots a displeased expression, revealing his awareness of the underlying meaning.

So tengen comes clean. "Fine. I had a feeling when you asked me all those questions out of the blue that it was to keep her satisfied." he shrugs, "So did my tips work?"

Iguro's eye twitched as he facepalmed, Tengen quite enjoyed poking the bear, "I mean I already know, because...pfft, let me tell you, with 3 wives you can bet your sweet-ass I mastered all manner of pleasure. It should be a new style of breathing. I don't call myself a God for nothing. I am one."

"Please fucking stop." Obanai says exasperated, tengen laughs again as he passes him, unbuckling himself to take that much needed leak away from the mumbling serpent pillar.

"I do believe congratulations are in order," he says when he's finished, "I'm glad you finally made a move after all this time but let me offer you a bit of caution, Obanai." He says grimly, "you need to communicate to Rengoku what you're doing, otherwise it could leave a super flashy mess of things if he finds out a different way."

"Why are you telling me this?

"Because you two go back, don't you?"

"He had his chance, multiple chances. What other result could he possibly expect the longer he refuses to reciprocate?" iguro counters not buying Tengens warning.

"Look, as a ladykiller myself, if you dont make your intentions clear men all around will come after you for stealing their girl."

"Stealing? So you do agree he sees Kanroji as his?" That was a leading question, the sound ninja knew. "I don't know if that's the correct way to phrase it, when it comes to him specifically," he crosses his arms a bit conflicted, "but Iguro, I don't think his feelings are as simple as you're making them out to be."

"Sounds like you're making excuses for him," obanai retorts in a low voice, "you still bring your wives to battle with you,"

"We have different upbringings." he waves a hand as if to shoo the rebuttal away, "Rengoku's clan is one of honor while the Uzui clan is deception. I've explained before, though I may be my father's favorite weapon of mass destruction, that's all shinobi are. Weapons. It's a tough mindset to shake when it's been beaten into you since birth, which is why I bring them with me." he turns away his face reminiscing the weight of the crimes. They've talked about their families before, it's one of the few topics tengen genuinely empathizes with Obanai about which made him feel obligated to stop him from further damaging his relationship with rengoku.

"I told my wives the only way I can even do this job is if they prioritize their own lives, otherwise I'll drop everything to run and save them. It's quite selfish, but even I can't love and fight in equal measure, Obanai."

He stares foreboding out the horizon, " Rengoku, he's not like that...o r atleast I didn't think he was... now I'm not so sure."

Now Iguro scoffs, "Don't even go there. If what you're implying is even remotely true, then all the more reason for him to take Kanroji for himself. Just Like you and your wives they trained together, she understands his abilities and can sync to his techniques, and shes an extremely well-balanced combatant, together their success would skyrocket not plummet, yet youre insinuating that he's afraid to. What nonsense."

"Iguro, I don't have time to explain how that girl has made you stupid , sorry, but if you heard yourself just now, you'd understand. My music score technique is my magnum opus of masterpieces allowing me to read all of your abilities, Kanroji may be more 'balanced' compared to Rengoku, but he doesnt complement her as much as you think." he snorts half-approving half-aggravated, " Kanroji performs her best with you, not Kyojuro. You temper her in a way he cant, obanai. you actually make her think." He shrugs. "So stop it already with the damn inferiority complex. " Understanding finally shone in his bi-colored eyes, replacing the cloud of jealousy that once consumed them.

Tengen was actually hopeful he brought him back from the brink. "besides, no matter how strong he is, putting him in a position to choose between her and the citizens is a bad deal. Human life holds equal value to him, but that doesn't mean he doesn't value her above others. I believe, he is hesitant to take Kanroji for himself because it might interefere with his duty. So you really should talk to him, he is sure to have feelings for-"

"-Just stop" Iguro hisses, now extremely defensive.

"Be reasonable here! I get that if my suspicions are true, that-"

"-I said shut the fuck up!" Obanai yells again. So he does, letting the air fall uncomfortably silent (uncomfortable for Obanai of course, because Tengen, the God, Uzui could never feel discomfort over a lover's quarrel.)

But he also wasn't heartless. He knew this truth would get Iguro all worked up. Hashira were people too. With Kanroji still on the back burner, if she did find out Rengoku possessed feelings but was unable to act on them, it wouldnt bode well for the snake pillar.

"I know your haunches are usually right, Tengen." Iguro finally speaks again but despite his somewhat conflicted expression, he maintained his composure. "Fine. Do me a favor will you? I need you to relay a message."

This is when Tengen's bullshit senses went off. He walked right up to Iguro letting his height loom over the petite hashira, so he understood he wasnt playing around. "You're going to talk to him about this, right ?" he asked anticipating where he was going with this. "right?"

"Just tell him to stop by my quarters before he retires for the night" he replies, ignoring the intimidation act and the ridiculous side eye uzui was throwing his way.

He returns back to the party without waiting for a response, leaving the sound hashira alone in the wilderness.

So Tengen relayed the message and tagged along as a witness, in case things got messy.

But he totally misjudged two things: the first was Iguro's rationality, sure the snake pillar was usually the most pragmatic member of the group but that all went out the window when Kanroji got involved.

And The second and most surprising thing was overestimating Kyojuro's presence-of-mind. Because the flame pillar went feral quickly, reacting even faster than tengen could've stopped him.

Oh well.

In hindsight, it was a pretty obvious trap, but the party was dull anyways, so perhaps a splash of spicy drama was exactly what Tengen needed, he thought while he waited outside.

"Why have you done this?" Rengoku wasted no time getting to the bottom of it all, but mitsuri jumps in, "Kyojuro it's not what i-it looks like, Iguro h-he…"

Iguro scoffs. "oh, on the contrary I'd say this is EXACTLY what it looks like. So let me ask you, flame hashira why do you care?" He hisses scornfully at what used to be a man he greatly admired.

Rengoku blinks. "I care because this behavior is unbecoming of a pillar."

Iguro actually laughs in wanton disregard at the criticism, it sounded completely out of character to Mitsuri. Like she was seeing a new side of him for the first time.

"oh is that so, golden boy? but having kanroji pine for you in a one-sided, soul-sucking, unrequited love is so much better? Admit it, you're no better than me." He spat in a scathing counter. "Atleast with me she gets something in return."

Nevertheless, Rengoku was undeterred by Iguro's efforts to divert him from his initial inquiry. "Why have you done this iguro!? uzui told me it was you who asked me to come here. Why? To spite me?"

Iguro seemed ready to tear him apart, so Rengoku shifted his focus to Kanroji."Kanroji, I am also confused. You communicated your need for distance, and I was under the impression that you held me in high regard." His voice dropped even further, "I thought you admired me."

"I do!" She cried, "I'm not doing this to you because I want to! I'm not!"

But Iguro jumped in again pointing an accusing finger, "you bastard! do you know how long you've tortured her? Do you know how long she waited? Years! Years she been suffering in silence! And Yet she's just supposed to drop everything and wait for you now? Unforgivable! She isn't your trophy to parade around as you see fit!"

"Trophy?" Rengoku blinked, clearly perplexed. "Obanai, she is not my trophy. And what is all this about me torturing her? If I recall you were the one who said not to tell her I was leaving. You said it wouldn't matter, that she wouldn't care. And when we were both proven wrong, you ordered me to deliver those rice cakes to her door. Why? So you could take credit for that too? Given your consistent claims of comprehending Mitsuri better than I do, it begs the question of who is truly placing her on a pedestal."

Kanroji whipped her head around, "Iguro? I-is it true?" she asks meekly, but he refused to answer or even look her in the eye. His throat visibly moved as he swallowed with apprehension, suggesting that Rengoku's words were accurate.

In fact, it is possible that Kyojuro Rengoku is the only individual who can thoroughly refute a statement without displaying arrogance. A few months ago, the sight of him defending her would have caused Mitsuri to feel weak in her knees. However, now that she knows she was the cause, it only induces a sick and numb feeling within her.

Obanai finally opens his mouth after a few seconds of silence. "I…" he looked her way before directing his attention back to Kyojuro, "I never told Kanroji the desserts were from me...and I never thought she'd take so much offense at such a benign lie." he finally confessed.

"Then..." She could feel tears filling her eyes as she tried to stop herself from crying. "You ...lied?"

He lied?

He did?

Iguro of all people lied to her?

She hung her head. "Then was all this…?"

Was the purpose of all this to simply hurt Rengoku? To humiliate her? Was the dark voice in her head right all along about him? She had to take a seat on the floor before her knees buckled. The shock of it all was dizzying.

"What's wrong with you Iguro?" Kyojuro was truly at a loss about his colleague's behavior at this point, "why did you have us come here!? Why have you done this?"

Finally, Iguro relaxes his guard, seemingly in surrender, as the pair anxiously await an explanation for his bizarre behavior. "I did it because..." He shifts his weight to one foot, crosses his arms, and gazes sadly in Mitsuri's direction once more. Her tears had already fallen silently onto the floor when their eyes met. And in that instant, a fleeting expression of deep regret crossed his face.

She was the only one who could interpret the subtle softening of his eyes; an indication that he was about to say something profound to bring her solace.

Her sincere expectation was that he would apologize for the mess, provide an explanation for the situation, and discuss why he had been suppressing his anger instead of addressing it openly, as they had done in the past.

There was a fleeting moment where it seemed like he actually wanted to…

... but he doesn't...

His demeanor suddenly shifts and he persists in his malicious behavior. "I did it because...because I fucking wanted to." He says low at first, but then loud enough for the room to hear, as if realizing it wasn't enough. "I did it because I wanted to, all right?!" He shouts, doubling down while turning his attention back to Rengoku.

Mitsuri gasped. "Iguro…"

His face had this surge of red all around as if he were a teakettle boiling over a stove. She tried to talk to him but Rengoku charged again. His angry face matched Obanai's as they grappled, but Mitsuri and Tengen (who had been listening the entire time) exploded through the door, pulling them off each other again.

"My father saved you! Like family we took you in." Kyojuro shouted. His voice completely lost its jovial charm and became cold and sad.

He bowed his head and covered his eyes with his hands, it looked very much like he wanted to cry. Not that he would but that he wanted to. This was rengoku at his worst, most vulnerable point, it was something that almost frightened her and for a long time she could not find the words to speak.

Nonono please don't! You can't kyojuro!

She worried that if he broke down at this moment it would destroy the facade of the resilient and unyielding protagonist persona she's crafted in her mind. It would shatter the illusion and reveal the harsh reality she and the others had created of him; the infallible hero. It wouldn't be rengoku anymore. And it was then that a truly unsettling realization set in for Kanroji.

I've also been putting him on an unfair pedestal too!

Despite her deep love and admiration for him, Mitsuri Kanroji realized that she may have neglected his feelings this entire time. She wanted him to be okay because that in turn would make her be okay. In her mind, if he continued to be an eternally positive person, it would make him feel less human, and she could move on happily knowing he would be ok if she did. Because rengoku defeated scared her more than anything else in the world.

"I'm sorry. I've been so selfish…" She said swallowing the painful lump lodged in the back of her throat.

He was scared of her, scared of the power she had over him if he got serious with her and how that would mess up his responsibilities.

She saw Kyojuro as a radiant sun, spreading his light and blessings to everyone. But really he was more like the moon from Iguro's story. Honorable. Duty bound. Unshakeable in his duty to the people. Content with his purpose, even at the expense of his own feelings.

That's the real reason why he wanted to wait.

Is this how you felt all time time? Afraid of hurting me? Or getting hurt?

She thought they had broken up, but now she sees that he never explicitly ended things, especially after their conversation in the woods.

"Kyojuro, I-I'm going to ask you a favor."

You'll never know how much it hurts me to hurt you.

Perhaps Iguro's initial assessment was correct - in order for the sun to shine, he had to eliminate the part of himself that yearned for the moon's affection. Perhaps it was her naivete that made her believe in the possibility of having it all.

How stupid...

Thinking she could selfishly have love and do her job at the same time...

She shifts her gaze back to Iguro. She knew she couldn't put all the blame on him… on either of them. It wouldn't make her feel better.

So she sucked in a huge breath of air, "Kyojuro wait for me." She understood the feeling of being at someone else's mercy, but there was no other choice. "If we're meant to be together then we'll be together. But I don't think, it's fair to do something half-cocked and then drop it when something better comes along. Iguro came to me with his feelings made readily available. So there was very little guesswork involved."

This was an obvious lie of gargantuan proportions. She wasn't sure what Iguro felt anymore, especially after tonight's revelations. She had no fucking clue! In her opinion, he was just as wishy-washy. Regardless aside from Obanai's visible confusion to her request, she was positive Rengoku couldn't tell how far she was reaching with her statement.

Rengoku's head shot up at her proposition, his face taking on a peculiar look. Darker. if she had to give it a word. "That's strange." he says contemptuously, "you almost sound like you like having two people fighting over you at the same time. Kanroji, Why entertain if me iif you'd chosen him already?!" That threw everyone in the room off. Mitsuri's heart froze in her chest. Even Tengen was momentarily surprised by the iciness of his reply. Considering this was the flame pillar, a simple "no" would have sufficed.

Iguro was the first to recover and of course his reply was predictably angry and aggressive, he growled menacingly like an animal, "you bastard! Whose fighting except you, asshole!?"

"Hey!" Tengen held out his hand warning obanai not to do anything foolish, but Iguro promptly lost his wits again "Have you no goddamn heart?! Have you no fucki-"

"-KYOJURO YOU'RE SUCH A JERK!" Kanroji cuts everyone off with a shrill and slaps Kyojuro HARD directly across the face.

She hit him with so much force it sent him rocketeering out the window, ripped from uzui's slack grasp.

Nobody expected that, not from kanroji. Even Tengen took cautious steps to the broken window to peer outside and asked a hesitant, "You good?" to the staggering fire pillar.

Wood and debris fell off him to the ground lightly as he struggles to get to his feet rubbing the spot where she had hit him.. Even from this distance the swelling in the shape of her hand was beginning to set as he looked up at the window incredulously.

"You are right." The moral grandstanding quickly bottomed out after realizing his hypocrisy, "I totally lost my head there. Th-thank you Kanroji for putting me in my place, t'was a fine hit; yes... A m-most worthy and d-deserved slap." he praised looking like he was about to fall over.

In spite of the dazed expression on his face, he made an effort to smile, but it looked more like a confused grimace. Then, incredibly, he stumbled away. Was he going back to his room to sleep on it? Or would he make this already long night longer by dwelling on her words?

It was anybody's guess really.

After Kanroji sent Kyojuro flying, Obanai desperately attempted to find the right words to repair the damage he had caused.

"Kanroji, listen I-"

"Iguro how could you!?" She cries now attacking him, "you used me! I was just your pawn to spite him, how could you! How could you!"

"Nooo!" He says defensively, wide-eyed, shaking his head emphatically. "No Kanroji you have it all wrong! I didn't do it because of him. I did it because I care about you. I do!"

"Thats not what you said! It's not!" She stomped, instead directing her question, "Uzui? Did you know?"

Tengen cocks his head to the side when the conversation suddenly got lobbed his way, "Not really," he answers honestly, giving Iguro the side-eye, "But I would say my opinion hardly matters here when he said himself why he did it, don't you think?"

She turns back to Iguro. " you were rude to Kyojuro That night you came through my window too. I-is that why you stopped by? To use me like some mistress-plaything?"

"WHAT?!" his voice falsettoed at her accusation. "No! Where did that come from?! I changed my mind because I was...j-jeal…" he took a deep breathe, "I was jealous. I thought you still liked him."

She gasps, cupping her mouth. "Then you were doing it out of spite..."

His eyes widened again. He realized he unintentionally admitted something that strengthened her suspicions of him, not minimized them. He stutters profusely clambering for a response, "NO! Nono... i didn't! You misunderstand! what i meant was... what i meant was… I…" He takes a deep breath to reset, "Ok. yes, I admit I was jealous! That's why I was mad that night, and yes, it's why I came through to see you... but it wasn't to hurt you, I swear!"

"I... don't believe you. You were with Shinobu tonight too, I saw you. Not aoi." She confessed.

"Y-yes I was with her because I needed her opinion!"

"opinion? You hugged her! I saw you!" her eyes filled to the brim with tears as her breaths became shallow. she might even start hyperventilating.

He hesitated now not sure if he should say it. ""it was a-about…about you." he said however, it sounded like more lies, or perhaps it was the truth. Either way she didn't care anymore. She couldn't think; could barely breathe, she just wanted to leave and die in a hole someplace far away.

"You're a spiteful person Iguro! I trusted you but all you did was use it against me! You say all these nice things to me while acting completely different to everyone else. You only love me at night, and then act like I'm your friend during the day."

"We are friends! You said so yourself! I thought that's what you wanted-"

"-I don't know who the real you is anymore. But I know for sure that... nobody loves me... nobody... "

She didn't wait for a response. Instead jumping out the same broken window she launched Rengoku from and ran home.