影と風 | Kage to Kaze | Shinazugawa Sanemi x reader |

27 - Funeral

"You sure kicked my butt, Muichiro," I said, scrubbing the remnants of blood from my hands. The young Mist Hashira had not held back during our training, and I appreciated it.

"I try not to," Muichiro replied absently, his gaze fixed on the sky. His pale eyes seemed lost in the drifting clouds, their shapes a reflection of his ever-wandering thoughts.

Following his line of sight, I spotted a cloud peculiarly shaped like something familiar. "That one looks like a dragon," I said with a grin, pointing upward.

Muichiro tilted his head slightly, his expression remaining unreadable as usual, but a small smile tugged at his lips. "I think it looks more like a water serpent."

"Nuh-uh, that is definitely a dragon!" I insisted, my grin widening.

"I think you're wrong," he pushed back calmly, his monotone voice barely carrying the trace of a tease.

"I think you've got dirt in your eyes, 'cause there's no way you're right," I retorted, laughing at our silly debate.

"Are you two done arguing over clouds?" a gruff voice cut through our playful banter. Both of us turned our heads to see Sanemi standing there, arms crossed, looking unimpressed.

Muichiro tilted his head in mock innocence. "You're here so early. Why can't you let me have her for a little while?"

"She's not a toy," Sanemi replied sharply. "Besides, she's got to finish her last challenge."

I turned back to Muichiro, smiling warmly. "We'll continue cloud-watching some other day."

"You promise?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

"I promise," I said, holding out my pinky. His slender finger intertwined with mine, sealing the deal with a rare but fleeting smile.

Later, I found myself being led by Obanai Iguro, the Serpent Hashira, to his pristine dojo. His demeanor was as cold as the polished floor beneath our feet, which reflected our images with startling clarity. I shot a wary glance toward Sanemi, who lingered at the edge of the room as if reluctant to leave me alone with Obanai. His gaze warned me to behave, but I couldn't resist poking the bear.

"Mitsuri talks a lot about you," I said casually, hoping to provoke some sort of reaction from the stoic Hashira. Sure enough, his form went rigid, and he scowled, though he refused to turn his head toward me.

"Shut your mouth and listen," he snapped, his voice sharp enough to cut.

I bristled at his tone but bit back my retort when I noticed Sanemi glaring at me from the corner. Still, I couldn't resist muttering under my breath, "Only if you say something useful."

Obanai's mismatched eyes narrowed dangerously, his irritation evident. "You'll leave once you've retrieved this," he said coldly, gesturing toward a crimson piece of fabric tucked neatly into his pocket. "You have until dawn. If you fail, you've wasted my time."

Without hesitation, I lunged for the fabric, hoping to catch him off guard. My plan backfired spectacularly as he swiftly dodged and countered, knocking me flat on my back with a powerful kick. I groaned, glaring at him as I picked myself up. Glancing up, I expected a disappointed looking Sanemi, but he had already left, leaving me alone with the serpent.

"What's with the long face? Too afraid without your master?" Obanai taunted, circling me like prey.

I bit back a laugh. "No, just making sure I won't get in trouble for wiping the floor with you." My grin widened as his eyes narrowed further. He lunged at me again, this time landing a solid punch to my jaw. Pain shot through my face, but I smirked through it.