Love Like You ~Mitsuri Kanroji x Fem. Reader~

Chapter 12

Y/N set the food down onto the table and watched as the kids scrambled to sit down and eat. She chuckled as they immediately dug in.

"You really were hungry." Mari nodded happily, her mouth stuffed to the point Y/N had to remind her to chew properly. Akio nodded before looking down in confusion. He looked at Mari, eating happily then at his own plate.

"Are you not going to eat?" He asked, realizing that Y/N didn't have a plate for herself. She froze for a second, then shook her head.

"Not really. I don't eat too much. Plus, I just moved in, I don't have much food in here. The Kakushi filled it with a bit of food before I got here." She explained, pointing at the partially empty cabinets.

"But there's still some left.." Akio stated, starting to feel a little worried for her. She sighed and tapped her foot.

"Yeah, but.." She paused to think then smiled. "How about we use it to make for Kocho? I have to go back to the butterfly mansion." She told him not to worry him anymore. Mari looked up and immediately nodded her head excitedly. They got to work, allowing the kids to help her. In other words, let them stir any ingredients before rushing them out when she had to use the stove. She soon heard noises and looked over to see Akio putting pigtails in Mari's hair. They were messy, but you could tell he was trying his best.

"So pretty!" Akio exclaimed, patting Mari's head as she smiled happily. You stared at them silently, getting a sense of nostalgia by their actions. You couldn't help but miss the way your brother used to act before he had gone. You quickly packaged the food into a container.

"You kids wanna help hold the food?" You called out, and Akio came running to the room.

"Me me!" He yelled out, holding out his hands, expecting you to give it to him. A chuckle escaped your lips as you carefully handed it to him before ruffling his hair.

"Such a good little helper." His eyes lit up at the praise as he looked determined to hold the food now more than ever. You picked up Mari since Akio insisted on walking. All three of you made your way around underneath the sunny sky as the gentle sound of the leaves shaking filled the air. As you arrive at the butterfly mansion, you can see the same kids you saw from afar around. You watch them for a second but ultimately choose to ignore them as you take Akio and Mari inside, something felt a little different about those kids, and you didn't know if you liked it or not.

"Oh my, we have some visitors." You look back to the front being faced with Shinobu. You smiled, and you put a hand on Akio's head.

"Hello again Kocho, sorry for the unexplained visit. We only had a few ingredients in the house, and we've decided to make some food out of it for you. Akio here insisted on carrying it all the way here." You tapped Akio on the back softly, taking the hint he stepped forward, offering her the container of food.

"Thank you for taking care of Y/N for us!" He yelled to your surprise. She laughed softly, taking the container.

"It's my job, and thank you for the food." She looked back up at you with a smile. "You seem to have some very attached kids to you, Y/N."

"Yeah.. I do, don't I?" You heard some yelling in the yard again and froze, instinctively holding the kids closer to you. "Talking about kids, who are those kids in the yard again?"

"Oh, those are some of the newer recruits. The kid with the demon sister and their friends. They tend to get themselves into dangerous situations sometimes." You froze as she spoke, the boy and the demon sister. You felt the fear and anger you felt the day your brother signed his life to the gamble of those siblings.

"Y/N, you're squeezing too tight." Akio spoke in an uncomfortable tone. You noticed now that you had subconsciously started to hold them tighter as your mind had wondered. Your grip loosened, and you saw them turn less tense.