The moon hung low, casting a soft glow over the courtyard as Giyuu and Obanai stood in the quiet night. Giyuu, lost in thought, glanced at Obanai, his eyes tracing the familiar figure standing beside him. Tonight, he'd try something different, something he wasn't used to—expressing what had been on his mind.
Clearing his throat, Giyuu shifted awkwardly. "Your snake," he started, his voice low. "It looks... healthy."
Obanai's eyes flicked over to him, his face as unreadable as ever behind the bandages. His arms were crossed, and he tilted his head slightly, silently waiting for Giyuu to continue.
Encouraged, Giyuu tried again. "And your hair... it's... nice."
There was a long pause, Obanai's gaze unwavering, but Giyuu could sense the amusement hiding in his eyes. "My hair?" Obanai asked, his voice flat, though there was a trace of something behind it—perhaps curiosity or maybe confusion.
Giyuu nodded, determined to push through. "It falls over your face... in a good way."
Obanai blinked, and for a second, Giyuu thought he might have caught him off guard. But then came a soft sound, barely audible beneath the bandages—a quiet scoff, maybe even a laugh.
"You think my hair is 'nice,'" Obanai echoed, his tone as deadpan as ever. His eyes narrowed slightly, but not with anger—there was something softer, though it was hard to tell through the usual stoicism.
Giyuu didn't falter, even as he realized this wasn't going quite the way he imagined. "Yes. It suits you."
Obanai's eyes flickered, the faintest twitch of amusement at the corner of his visible expression. "And this is you... trying to be charming?" His voice was laced with dry humor, though his tone stayed flat.
Giyuu, undeterred, took a breath. "Your scars, too. You shouldn't... hide it."
For a moment, there was silence. Obanai stared at him, his mismatched eyes gleaming with something unreadable. His mouth, hidden beneath the bandages, stayed concealed, but Giyuu could tell—Obanai was trying not to laugh at him. But honestly? Obanai was kind of... flattered.
"I see," Obanai finally said, his voice carrying that same dry edge. "You're terrible at this."
Giyuu blinked, frowning slightly. "Terrible?"
Obanai's gaze didn't waver, but the subtle glint in his eyes said more than his words. "Yes. Terrible." His voice was as serious as always, but Giyuu could hear the amusement buried beneath. "You should stop while you're ahead."
Giyuu shifted, unsure whether to take that as a win or a loss. "I'll... practice."
Obanai made a soft sound—whether a sigh or another stifled laugh, Giyuu couldn't tell. "You might need it," he muttered, though the edge of fondness in his voice betrayed him. "But don't bother complimenting my scars again. You won't get anywhere with that."
Giyuu looked at him, his expression still unreadable but with a hint of softness. "Noted."
