𝓡𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻 𝓜𝓮 [ ObaMitsu fanfic/ R-(M)] Kimetsu No Yaiba

Chapter 25 - Friends

Chapter Song:
Øneheart, James King - "Wistful"
Øneheart , Dvw Logic - "no way out"
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It was a quiet Saturday afternoon. Kanae and Mitsuri were home while Shinobu had gone out on a date with Giyu. The apartment was dim, and a slight chill swept through the room from the window that was left ajar. Kanae sat on the couch, her legs tucked beneath her, half-watching Friends as she absentmindedly painted her nails. The color, a muted shade of purple, reminded her of Sanemi's eyes. How much she missed him. The usual laughter from the show barely registered, and she kept reapplying the polish to the same toe.

It had been weeks since she'd spoken to Sanemi, and the silence between them felt heavier with each passing day. She missed everything about him—the way he held her, his hidden laughter that only she got to hear, the roughness of his calloused hands, and the promises he whispered of one day marrying her. It had felt as though they were already married, but the distance had taken a toll on her. She had lost weight, and the lack of sleep only made things worse. The bruise she'd last seen on his arm kept replaying in her mind, and it bothered her how he dismissed her concerns with cold indifference.

Mitsuri entered the living room, drying her hair from her shower. She immediately noticed Kanae's faraway expression. She recognized the look—it was the same emptiness she felt about her own relationship. Mitsuri sat beside her on the couch, pulling her knees up, her eyes drifting between the TV and Kanae.

"You okay?" Mitsuri asked gently, sensing the tension.

Kanae sighed, setting down the nail polish, and buried her face in her knees. "I don't know... It's been weeks, Mitsuri. Weeks since Sanemi and I really talked. He's so... closed off, and it pisses me off that he doesn't try to reach out." Her voice was filled with frustration, but the sadness behind it couldn't be missed.

Mitsuri tilted her head, unsure of what to say but sympathetic. "Is it still about... those bruises you mentioned?"

Kanae nodded, her eyes glistening with unspoken pain. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly, trying to hold back her emotions. "Yeah. I just can't figure it out. Every time I bring it up, he shuts down, gets angry, or changes the subject. And it's not just the bruises—there's this wall between us, and I have no idea why it's even there."

Mitsuri frowned, her heart aching for her friend. "Have you tried asking him what's really going on? Like... beyond just the bruises?"

"I've tried, Mitsuri, but he won't open up," Kanae said, her voice trembling. "I'm worried... I feel like he's hiding something big, something awful. And it's killing me that he doesn't trust me enough to let me in." Her voice broke as tears began to fall. "I'm scared... that something bad will happen, that he'll get hurt or... or worse."

Mitsuri felt a lump in her throat, her own eyes beginning to water. "I'm so sorry, Kanae. I can't imagine how hard that must be... not knowing." She hesitated, then added, "But... I get it. I mean, with Obanai... I keep thinking maybe I'm not what he really needs. Sometimes I feel like... what we had was just physical attraction."

Kanae looked at her friend, surprised. "You and Iguro seem so... solid. You really feel like that?"

Mitsuri nodded, her gaze downcast. "Yeah, sometimes. I know I have all these insecurities due to my past relationship, and it makes me scared he'll find someone better. Someone who fits him more. Someone who isn't annoying like more, maybe someone better looking than me" She paused, lowering her voice. "And I can't stop thinking about what Misaki said that day... about him killing his family. It haunts me. I'm scared... that maybe he could—"

"No, Mitsuri, I've known him for a long time. He's not like that. Sanemi wouldn't hang out with someone who was capable of that." Kanae squeezed her hand gently, reassuring her. "You need to talk to him. It's probably a misunderstanding."

"But how do I even bring it up?" Mitsuri's voice cracked. "I can't just show up and demand answers."

"Yes, you can! You're his girlfriend!" Kanae said firmly.

"And you're Sanemi's," Mitsuri shot back, giving Kanae a knowing look. "Maybe... we both need to face them."

Kanae softened, her frustration momentarily forgotten as she reached out to hug Mitsuri. "Mitsuri, I've seen how much Iguro loves you. You don't have anything to worry about."

Mitsuri stayed in her friend's embrace, her voice quiet. "I know he loves me, but... when he's dealing with his own stuff, it's like he can't separate me from his problems. He shuts me out, and even though I know he doesn't mean to, it just makes me feel... like I'm not enough."

A heavy silence settled between them as they sat together, both feeling the weight of their separate but oddly similar struggles.

"I think," Kanae began quietly, "it's just hard when the person you love won't let you in. Whether it's Sanemi not opening up or Iguro going quiet... it's that feeling of being shut out that hurts the most."

Mitsuri nodded. "Yeah. You want to help, you want to be there for them, but they won't let you. And you end up wondering if... maybe you're the problem."

Kanae's expression softened. "But we're not the problem, Mitsuri. Sometimes people can't open up, even if they want to. They've got their own demons."

Mitsuri squeezed Kanae's hand. "You're right. And Sanemi... maybe he's just scared, like Iguro. Scared to show the part of him that's hurting the most."

Kanae nodded, though her expression remained clouded. "Yeah, but how long am I supposed to wait?" She let out a shaky breath. "How long until I'm just standing outside his world with no way in?"

Mitsuri gave her a small, sad smile. "Then maybe... we need to break down those walls."

Kanae held onto that thought as the silence between them felt a little lighter. They leaned against each other, both still longing for the closeness they couldn't quite reach with the ones they loved.

As Friends played in the background, neither of them laughed. The weight of their unspoken heartache filled the room, reminding them how fragile love could be.

"Seriously though, I miss the sex" Kanae said.

"Me too" Mitsuri giggled.
___

Later that day, Sanemi arrived at Kanae's apartment, his usual stoic expression barely hiding the sadness in his eyes. She had texted him to come over, saying they needed to talk. Without exchanging a word, she let him inside. As they reached her dimly lit bedroom, the air between them thick with tension, Kanae leaned against the door, her back pressed to the wood as she watched him. Sanemi turned to face her, his gaze catching on her face—her sadness, her longing, her need for him.

It was a silent understanding, an unspoken need. He moved toward her with urgency, cupping her face in his rough hands as their lips met in a deep, desperate kiss. The ache of the past weeks melted into the embrace, their bodies pressed against one another, their longing and frustration finding solace in the only way they knew how—through touch.

It was as if words no longer mattered. They needed to feel each other, to erase the emotional distance through their closeness, even if just for the moment.

Meanwhile, outside Obanai's apartment, Mitsuri stood frozen, her fingers hovering over the doorbell. Her heart pounded in her chest as doubt and fear gripped her. She wanted to be with him, to feel his arms around her, but the thoughts of his family's dark past haunted her. Was she ready to face him again? Just as she was about to walk away, her name echoed softly down the hallway. She turned to see Rengoku, his bright expression softening as he saw the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Duffle bag slung over his shoulder, he looked both surprised and concerned. Without a word, he dropped his bag and pulled her into a strong embrace, his warmth offering her a fleeting sense of comfort, even though he knew she wasn't his to comfort.