In 1941 (Kimetsu no Yaiba)

January 8th, 1941

With hardly any plan, Giyuu and Mitsuri set off to the slums the next morning. Those areas were densely populated, as well as filled with abandoned buildings. They'd split the suspects between them as requested.
Giyuu would be in charge of finding 'Tengen Uzui' and 'Sanemi Shinazugawa', while Mitsuri found 'Obanai Iguro' and 'Makio Uzui'. She said she'd chosen Iguro solely because their features looked handsome.. even if it was only a sketch. Giyuu was perplexed, but decided not to say anything about it.

The two decided to stop by a coffee shop. At least, Mitsuri did. She basically made Giyuu stop while she walked inside and ordered a very specific drink. As she usually did. (Which kinda made him feel bad for the baristas, but again, he said nothing).
While he waited by one of the shop's large windows, he took in the city. Dreary and grey with fogged air that always smelt like rain.. it was gloomy. People dragged themselves through the streets, suitcases and maybe a leash in hand as they pulled their sleepy dogs around. They all had coats on, with obstructing hats and sometimes a scarf. All the same. All exhausted, but conditioned to work.. whether it be by themselves, or the bosses they served.
Giyuu realized pretty quickly that he looked like many of these people. Uninteresting and bored. He blended in with the rest.
Mitsuri walked out the shop, causing the small bell attached to the frame to chime. She had a warm coffee in her hands. "Okay! Let's get a move on!" She smiled over at him.
Giyuu stared at her for a moment. Even when she was dressed just as plain as him, she stood out. For not just her hair and eyes, but for her bubbly personality as well.
And.. that worried him.
He nodded once, waiting until she'd turned and skipped off before trailing behind.

~~

Mitsuri had tried tossing her now empty cup into the trash bin.. but it bounced right off and rolled to the side. Her face flushed in slight embarrassment and she quickly went to retrieve it, leaving Giyuu waiting with his hands shoved in his pockets. She laughed nervously, trying to cover up her tinged cheeks as she took her cup and dropped it in the trash. "Uh- whoops!" She fiddled with the ends of her braids, looking back at Giyuu who- blinked at her slowly before going right back to walking.
Mitsuri visibly deflated, her shoulders sagging as she followed behind.

They walked until they made it to edges of town, stopping by a rundown apartment building. There was hardly a person here.. it made the rest of the town seem uninhabited.
Giyuu stared up at the cracked, dusty windows, his expression blank, almost thoughtful. Mitsuri could detect a small bit of exasperation in his gaze, it caused her to frown. A moment later, he noticed her staring and sighed. "..We'll have to stay here." He muttered.

"Oh!" She blinked, looking from him, to the complex. ". That's okay! It's a place, right?" She turned back and smiled brightly.

Giyuu shook his head. "A filthy one, at that. Including the people. You mustn't speak with anyone here, unless they're the ones we're looking for. Understood?" He stared at her.

She saluted him, her smile unfaltering. "Understood!" She echoed.
With that confirmation, Giyuu lead the way forward.

He rung the bell at the front, wincing as he heard a loud snort, followed by a sharp bang on the bottom of the desk.
"..Ow." Came a flat, monotonous voice.
Mitsuri hid at Giyuu's side, her head tilting a bit as a small, long haired boy rose up, rubbing the top of his head. He had a name tag on, which she read as 'Muichiro'. Goodness, he looked no older than Senjuro!
Giyuu didn't show nearly as much concern as she did. In fact, he was already setting money down. "Room 23." He said.
Muichiro stared at him, then at the money. For a moment, xe looked confused.
"..Mkay." He said finally, taking the money with a small shrug. He turned and took a key off the wall, sliding it over the desk.
Giyuu grabbed it before walking away, dragging Mitsuri along with him.
She stared at the boy, a small frown on her face. She wondered where his parents were..

Going down the hallway, Mitsuri noticed just how dimly lit this place really was.. the lights looks all burnt out. The ones that weren't blinked on and off, making it all the more hard to see.
Giyuu squinted at room numbers, pausing outside the last one in the hallway. The number 2 had been peeled, but an outline of it was left behind, as well as the 3.
He let out a small hum, sticking the key in the doorknob and twisting it one way. The door clicked and he pushed it open, allowing Mitsuri to hurry inside first.
She took off her cream-colored trench coat, setting it over the single bed in the middle of the room before flopping down right on top of it.
Giyuu stared at her for a moment before shaking his head slowly and closing the door behind him, locking it when he did. He reached into his coat and took out the folder Ruka had given them, observing it carefully.
Mitsuri rolled onto her back before sitting up, blinking at him a few times. Suddenly, she gasped. "That's why you kept your hands in your pockets! To hold the folder!" She pointed up at him.
Giyuu looked up, pausing briefly before nodding. "..Aren't you just observant?" He mumbled.

Most would've taken offense to his words, but Mitsuri just smiled and laughed.
"I suppose it was kinda obvious, huh? Besides that, I'm glad you're careful! That's really smart, Giyuu!" She offered him a closed-eyed smile.
He couldn't help but smile back, though it wasn't nearly as bright as hers.. it was warm. Sincere, even. He closed the folder back up, setting it in a chair before covering it with his coat.

Mitsuri got up and set her coat right on top of his. "There's only one bed! Which- is kinda awkward! But, we'll manage!" She nodded, sure of herself,
Giyuu shook his head.
"I'm sleeping on the chair." He said with a small shrug. "You can take the bed."

"Oh! But-.. well.." She took her jacket back, stepping back and staring at him. "..Are you sure?" She asked, seemingly considering it.

"Yes, I'm sure. Thank you."

"Alrighty!" Mitsuri hugged him quick, turning and taking her heels off afterwards. "Thanks, Giyuu!"

"..Don't mention it."

(We get new POVs in the next chapter babes 🫶)