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The familiar heat of anger was on her face. Shinobu leveled her blade, feeling a severity in the draw. Mitsuri stood to her right, her own weapon limp at her side.
They’d been at a standstill with this demon for only a few minutes, but Shinobu wanted to end it as soon as possible. The longer Mitsuri was in danger, the angrier Shinobu got.
And there was something. Something about the demon in front of them that pissed Shinobu off.
If her smile was to hide her anger, the demon’s smile was to display it. And in the most infuriating way possible.
It was a wide, toothy smile, except there were rows upon rows of teeth. They gnashed into each other, the demon’s cheeks, everything. Blood was constantly dripping from its mouth.
It’s voice wasn’t any prettier.
“Oh my, what do we have here?” It asked, leering at the two women. It pointedly let its gaze rest below Mitsuri’s eyes.
Shinobu tightened her grip.
“Look me in the eye, demon. Don’t you want to see who’s going to kill you?” Shinobu kept her voice light. If this demon wanted to play like that, she’d be happy to oblige.
“I suggest you drop that act before I decide to torture you, oh demon slayer. Unless,” it rushed at Shinobu, “you’d want me to torture your friend first?”
It continued, gaining confidence as it forced Shinobu on the defense. “Just look at her sweet face, wouldn’t it look so delicious all cut up? I must pity you, being sent with a partner like that. She looks like she can’t even kill a fly.”
At this point, Mitsuri was out of sight. Any moment now, Shinobu thought.
She stayed silent. Her eyes were trained on the demon. This level of communication was impossible from just a month of eating humans. No, this demon has perfected his craft for much longer.
But that was fine.
Mitsuri appeared behind the demon, looking uncharacteristically serious. Shinobu’s heart clenched at the sight.
“Oh trust me, I can kill a fly,” Mitsuri said as she lopped the demon’s head clean off. It couldn’t have been airborne for more than a second before crashing into a tree.
Mitsuri landed at Shinobu’s side, with all the grace of a dancer. Perhaps in a different life, Shinobu could watch her atop a stage.
Shinobu watched as Mitsuri kneeled before the demon’s head. Her expression was cold, but Shinobu could see the emotion in her eyes. Her voice was steely, but Shinobu could hear the wavers of empathy. She found herself staring at Mitsuri. The demon was already background noise.
The moment passed in silence.
Shinobu approached Mitsuri as the last of the demon disappeared, resting her hand on her partner’s shoulder. “Let’s go, Mitsuri.”
Mitsuri started a little before straightening up. When she turned, she was back to smiling. “Thanks, Shinobu.”
Almost immediately, Mitsuri started chatting about anything and everything. How cool Shinobu looked in battle, how she was the best partner ever, about how much she loved fighting with her.
Shinobu could only smile placidly, murmuring noncommittal sounds of agreement every so often. Don’t, she wanted to say. How could you say such things so easily? Mitsuri was like this with everyone.
It was as if something which laid dormant her entire life remembered how to flutter whenever Mitsuri was around. It beat at her chest.
If learning how to fly was this painful, Shinobu rathered the butterfly in her chest remain dead.
“Mitsuri?” Shinobu asked.
“Yes?” Mitsuri replied.
Shinobu took the opportunity to catch Mitsuri’s chin in her hand, placing her face centimeters away from Mitsuri’s. The distance was tantalizing.
“Be careful of what you say. You never know when someone may misinterpret your kindness,” Shinobu said. She knew she was being a tease. She knew Mitsuri blushed at every little thing. But as her ears blushed pink, Shinobu entertained the thought of her feelings being mutual. Just for a second.
She let go and continued walking. Her perfect smile never faltered, even when Mitsuri yelled after her. How embarrassed she sounded, and how sinfully adorable it was.
It was ironic, really. Only moments like these could poke at Shinobu’s heart. Make her want to turn around and shut Mitsuri up with a kiss.
But she knew. She saw how Obanai gazed at Mitsuri with lidded lust. And Mitsuri? How did she gaze back? Did they commiserate their love with searing kisses when they were alone?
Careful. No tears now.
Looking up to glance at Mitsuri was a mistake.
She was still chirping away happily. Her hair was hardly pulled back anymore, content to flow down Mitsuri’s back. It was brilliant against the morning sun, soft and full of warmth.
Shinobu wanted to get lost in it. To run her hands through it, to breathe its rosy scent.
Mitsuri was beautiful after a life-and-death fight.
Some ways back to the Butterfly Estate, Shinobu noticed Mitsuri’s slowing step. Her voice was straining, loyal to Mitsuri’s usual cheer but quickly succumbing to pain.
Sure enough, Mitsuri stopped in the middle of the road, faltering a little before collapsing. Shinobu was there, her arms soon full.
“When were you planning on telling me you weren’t feeling well?” Shinobu admonished, trying to keep the worry out of her voice.
Mitsuri only chuckled weakly. Her breath came heavy, and Shinobu regretted not forcing Mitsuri to stop sooner.
“I’m fine, I’m fine…just a little tired.” Mitsuri grimaced. Shinobu didn’t miss the twitch of her arm, seemingly reaching for her stomach.
“Mitsuri,” Shinobu said. “Show me.”
They were off the dirt road now, hidden by brush. Her worry increased tenfold — Mitsuri was degrading fast. Too fast.
A light pink tinted Shinobu’s cheeks as she removed Mitsuri’s uniform. It was sticky with blood, and Shinobu cursed herself for not realizing the gravity of the situation.
She was the Insect Pillar, she should’ve recognized that Mitsuri had been poisoned.
“Hah…hah…,” Mitsuri’s voice now whined with each breath.
A poison with this quick of an onset, but only hours after injection — the demon before was more dangerous than they’d thought.
Shinobu worked quickly to treat the wound. The skin had purpled but rotting was a ways off. The localization of the poison gave her the luxury of cleaning the blood and sterilizing the area before bandaging it.
Shinobu sifted in the pockets of her uniform before remembering she’d used almost all of her medicine treating the villagers. It was rare her personal supply ran this low, but they’d only had the journey back before reaching the Estate. And yet…
There was only one vial left. She’d been sure it’d be excess after the mission was over.
Tilting Mitsuri’s head back, Shinobu held her breath as the medicine flowed down Mitsuri’s throat. She banished thoughts of what if she had to kiss her to get her to drink it . When she was done, she hesitated before cradling Mitsuri in her arms, whispering sweet nothings to her.
She hated seeing Mitsuri in pain.
Even now, Mitsuri radiated warmth. Shinobu knew it had to be her imagination, Mitsuri’s body temperature was only dropping. But holding her in her arms, she swore she could feel the warmth. And it was kind.
They had to find shelter. Night encroached on day, plummeting the temperature.
Shinobu cursed her lack of strength, not for the first time since becoming a demon slayer. They were in the middle of nowhere and shelter was nowhere to be seen. Shinobu was too weak to carry Mitsuri while searching, but she couldn’t leave her alone either.
Mitsuri cried out in pain.
“Mitsuri? Mitsuri?!” Panic seeped into her voice as Shinobu shook Mitsuri gently. “Hey, Mitsuri, wake up.”
Shinobu let out a sigh of relief when Mitsuri’s eyes cracked open, albeit so quickly Shinobu barely noticed.
“Shinobu…”
Mitsuri’s eye took on a crushingly pained look — Shinobu wished they were at the Estate so she could properly treat her — but for now all she could do was grasp at Mitsuri’s hand when it sought her own.
Shinobu shushed her, never once letting go. She knew Mitsuri loved having a point of contact at all times, as if she needed help holding her enthusiasm. Except now she just needed someone to grip in pain.
“Shinobu…what’s going on?” Mitsuri’s eyes were glazed over, and she stared right through Shinobu. Her voice was weak where it should’ve been bounding with inexplicable joy.
“That demon, he poisoned you. But it’s alright, just relax. I sent my crow to inform Kanao and the others about the situation. You’ll be fine.”
It proved harder to smile a genuine and comforting smile, but now her usual one just wouldn’t do.
“Hey, Shinobu.”
“Mm?”
“Just in case, I want to tell you something.”
“What? No,” Shinobu frowned, ignoring the quiet of Mitsuri’s voice. “I told you, you’ll be fine.”
Her breath was short. Her skin was pale. Anyone could tell the poison was working.
Mitsuri managed a chuckle, the corners of her lips fighting to make a grin. “Just listen.”
No, no, she didn’t want to hear it. This was just like with Kanae. Goddammit, why did it always have to be like this?!
But Shinobu couldn’t bring herself to interrupt Mitsuri’s last words.
“I love you, Shinobu. In a different way than everything else.”
Shinobu was fine with admiring her from afar — hadn’t she made that clear to the heavens? Why was she hearing this in exchange for Mitsuri’s life?
Shinobu was sobbing.
“No, no, no no no!”
“Kiss me.”
“No,” Shinobu said, even as she inched closer. “Not like this.”
Shinobu captured Mitsuri’s lips, felt her kiss back, and felt her fall limp in her arms.
She sobbed louder, holding Mitsuri’s hand to her cheek like she did with Kanae. Her anguished cries could barely escape from her mouth, wide open and strained with despair.
Mitsuri died smiling.
The tragedy of Mitsuri’s death spread like wildfire throughout the slayers’ ranks. It wasn’t even an Upper Moon , they whispered.
She was poisoned to death when the Insect Pillar was right there.
What, how?
They say she saved the villager’s lives over the Love Pillar’s.
Shinobu had sat by her corpse until night turned to day once again.
And all she could think was how beautiful Mitsuri was.