~𝘓𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳~ // 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘻𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘸𝘢 𝘹 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

- 𝕏𝕀𝕍: Butterfly Mansion -

"I wonder how S-" You caught yourself almost saying his first name, stopping yourself before Mitsuri could freak out, "Shinazugawa is doing."

It had been five days since Shinazugawa- no, Sanemi- had left for his mission, and for some reason, your only thoughts were of him. His face and the way he spoke clouded your mind, like a thin layer of mist the Mist Hashira had cast to interfere with your thinking. The feeling of his hand over yours still lingered if you thought about it (which you often did); this thought made you flex your hand and sigh, wishing he was here, now.

"Why? Do you looooove him?" She teased, fixing your sword posture from behind you. "Like this, then move like this." She made a gesture with her whole body.

She was helping you speed up your sixth form. "No- I mean... I-I dunno. Maybe?"

She giggled, hiding her face in her hands. "Oh, you two really are made for each other..." she sighed, her voice muffled in her hands.

"So," she sat back up, a look- one that was troublesome to you- etched into her smile, "What were you two doing before I came out that night?"

"Mitsuri! It's nothing! Mind your business!" You huffed and stood up, tightening your grip on the sword and lashing out quickly. You grumbled when it wasn't fast enough to produce an affective attack.

She sighed mournfully. "All right, fine. Keep your secrets. Put more oomph! into your shoulders." She said and sat back on a bench to watch you try again.

A smile spread across your face. "Okay- well," You spun around, suddenly eager to tell her, "Somethings happened and right before you came out I worked up the courage to kiss him! Not on the lips, but like-! Yeah." Mitsuri's eyes lit up and she ran to you, grabbing you by the shoulders and shaking you.

"You two are meant to be!" She squealed and wrapped you into a lung-crushing hug. "Is that why you've been calling him by his first name?"

"Wha- you knew? I mean yes, but I thought I was being good about it!"

"It's hard not to notice you correcting yourself when he's all you ever talk about." She winked at you and you groaned. "We should go tell Shinobu!"

"Would she care?" You picked nervously at the hand guard on your sword.

"Who wouldn't care about young love?!" She gushed.

"I'm literally older than both you and Kocho! The only young love I see is between you and Iguro!"

Mitsuri flushed a new shade of red you had never seen before. "Shut up! Iguro? Why him?! Whatever, let's just go! Finish your reps and we'll leave for the Butterfly Mansion!"

You tittered at her and swung again, finally reaching your desired speed after putting 'more oomph!' in your shoulders. "Yes! I did it! I finally did it!"

"Great! Now do it again." Mitsuri commanded, her face's bright red hue fading.

-

While you still had a long time before you mastered the sixth form in Love Breathing, Mitsuri dismissed your training early so you could visit Kanao and Shinobu's home. Two days of excruciatingly long walking later and you arrived. Just as before, Kanao was watering some plants with a placid smile on her face.

"Kanao! I'm back! Did you miss me? Where are the boys from before? You know, the impulsive boar, the kind boy, and the weird little yellow one?"

"They were dispatched a couple days ago. A new mission. I heard the crow say something about meeting up with the Flame Hashira, Rengoku. Why?"