#could they not have beaten kiki ugh

[mommyesque]

Unspoken Rizz vs Sexual Harizzment

[bubblesthemonsterartist]

It occurs to me that Shirayuki knows Obi can fight, but has she really seen him in action? (Other than that unfortunate incident with Itoya) What would a day in the courtyard with Zen and Shirayuki look like as they watched the aids training? Mitsuhide vs Kiki winner fights Obi, or two against one?

Companion piece to i am become death (lots of trigger warnings on that fic. Be warned.)

“Kikiii,” Mitsuhide’s whines. “Obi offered to fight me first!”

“Bepatient, Sir,” Obi grins, smile as sharp as the twirling knives in his hands. “There’s enough of me to go around.”

Shehas never seen Kiki smile like this – like she’s found a new playmate and is eager to go outside tomeet him. “It’ll be just a minute, Mitsuhide. And then you’ll fight me.”

“Ohho ho ho!” Obi drops to a crouch, darkened steel slipping between his fingers – a catextending its claws. “I’ve always enjoyed being beaten by a beautiful woman.”

Mitsuhide’sface turns red and there’s a warm pressure cupping her ears, Zen’s voicemuffled and barking. Obi grimaces, offering the both of them a little flappingwave, before the pressure releases and she can hear clearly once more.

Shirayuki turnsher gaze up, surprised, and when Zen’s eyes flicker down at her, he flushes a shade darker than Mitsuhide.

“S-sorry,” he stammers, ducking his head. “I, um-”

She giggles and his blush deepens.

He’s so, so careful about touching her, about not making her uncomfortable. It’s so sweet. So unlike what she is used to.

She’s so distracted by his bashful gaze looking sheepishly out at the training yard; by the way he rubs the back of his neck; by the way he won’t meet her eyes, that she doesn’t even get a chance to see it. 

Metal clatters against stone, loud and jarring, and she starts. Kiki’s hand twitches, empty, and Obi crouches just two paces from her.

Kiki looks more impressed than upset. “Your round,” she nods. “Next one is mine.”

Obi hesitates for just a moment, staring at her outreached hand.

“Why, of course,” he purrs, leather slipping against bare skin, and she levers him up.

Zenwhistles, low and long. “That guy is really light on his feet.”

Shirayukilooks back at him, grin spread so wide it hurts her cheeks. “Mm.”

~ ~ ~

Red.

Her world is nothing but red.

Red like spilled blood. 

Red like spilled innocence. 

Red like the life taken from Kazuki’sthroat.

Red. 

Like the devil who stands before her,soaked through with it.

She had forgotten his face, but there isno hope of her remembering it now, not in the way that it is caked with thecolor, not with the way he will not meet her eyes.

She hopes that none of it is his.

Her hands are free for the first time ineternity; her steps as light as an angels wing, and she follows him into aworld washed in a color other than red.

~ ~ ~

She keeps her eyeson the next round and, of course, Obi notices. He puffs up twice his size.

“Will Master fightfor my honor if I fall?” he calls over his shoulder, dancing out of Mitsuhide’sreach.

“You!” Mitsuhidegrowls. “Keep your head in the game!”

Shirayuki laughsand Obi just- plays more.

She’s no fighter,but she’s been to enough festivals to know a show off when she sees one. Her childhood was filled with men climbing on barroom tables, singing stories while the crowd egged them on.

From the annoyedlook on Mitsuhide’s face, he knows that, too.

“You got this,Mitsuhide!” Zen shouts.

“Oh, my Master!”Obi feigns injury, palm pressed to heart, before twirling unnecessarily,skipping and tucking and rolling in dizzying acrobatics. She presses her hands tothe bench beneath her, thrilled, and then freezing when her hand touches something warm and soft.

It’s her turn forher face to turn hot.

Butshe sees it this time, out of the corner of her eye. Obi coils like a snake tostrike but Mitsuhide moves faster, tucking in his blade and pressing forwardwith the heel of his open palm, striking Obi square in the center of his chest.

Obi falls back in a somersault,head over heel before landing on his rear and skidding back several paces untilhis hands catch him.

They both stare ateach other, wide eyed. Obi’s hair is wild with dirt

And then they promptlydissolve into tears.

~~ ~

Hervision is not freed from the affliction for long.

It is on the walls; it splatterspaintings; it smears sculptures. In the hallway, there is a river. On itsshore, a littering of bodies discarded like trash.

Shewatches the hunch of his shoulders, the prowl in his step, and covers her mouth to blot out the stench.

Maybeit was the lighting, but she did not mind this shade nearly as much.

~~ ~

Mitsuhidetumbles back, chased down by a man half his weight. They’re a couple of rather large kittens,rolling around in the dirt, wrapping each other in headlocks and pinning arms and twining legs.

Obi squirms,wrenching his hands free of Mitsuhide’s grip and reaching up with both of them to rub dirt in his hair.

“Ugh!” Mitsuhide shakes his head, arms unlatching from his grip on Obi to push him away. Obi rolls through the dust, grinning as Mitsuhide fluffs his hair to get it out. “Why are you like this?”

“He’s ticklish,” Kikisays suddenly, and Mitsuhide’s eyes snap towards her in betrayal.

“Oh really now?”Obi grins, fingers curling into claws.

The space at her side is suddenly void.

“He is!” Zen says brightly,setting his sword at her side with a wink before jogging into the training yard. “I’ll show you!”

Mitsuhide howls.

~~ ~

Theair is so fresh here, the way it fills her lungs with wind, carrying thefragrance and sound of a whole life that had forgotten about her.

Shescans the edge of the horizon until it disappears into a haze of fire andshadows. The city is so big, it lays in a sprawl of bright lights and music.And the house- her cage-

Itis so small.

Theysay it is easier to judge your past than your future, but she feels nothing butrage at how small the compound is. Just a couple of gates. Just a coupleof walls. Just a little more effort and she could have been free long beforethis.

Ifonly she had been a little more clever. A little more daring. A little morebrave.

Herfoot slips on the roof tile, and it almost takes her with it.

Her devil catches her. Like the first time. Like now. Her eyes lock on his face. His,where his hand bruises her arm.

Ceramicclatters down below.

She’llpulled to safety and released, the courtyard filling with the voice offamiliar, angry men.

Obi crouches at the ledge, a vengefulspirit than has become her companion – her specter – her sharpened threat tothose who would try to take her again. She worries about how close he is to theedge and wants to tell him to come back, remind him that he could fall, butthen-

-butthen she saw what he could do.

Hewasn’t going to fall.

~~ ~

Two against oneisn’t really fair, but Shirayuki’s stomach hurts she’s laughing so hard. Hereyes are wet, and Mitsuhide is gasping, squirming to get away. He reaches out,squeezing Obi’s side and Obi-

Obi yelps.

Zen and Mitsuhide both freeze, wide eyes turning slowly on him, and Mitsuhide pushes himself up, still panting.

Slowly, their grins become devilish and Obi holds his hands up in surrender, a grimace of a smile on his face. “Mymy,” he laughs nervously. “Would you look at the time? I think Zakura wanted tomeet with me to-”

Zen tilts his headtowards Mitsuhide. “Get him.”

“Uncle! Uncle!”Obi howls, laid out on his back as they descend on him. “Have mercyyyyyy!”

~~ ~

Thetouch of sulfur and saltpepper touches her nose at the same time the flint ofhis eyes catch in the shadows. His hand rises, fingertips coatedblack.

He’s not asking her to stop him. He’s telling her what he’s about to do.

“Pleaseturn the other way, Miss.”

Shestares. She wonders how he found her – why, out of all people, he’s here. She wants to ask:Where is Kiki? What happened to Zen?

“No,”she whispers instead, and his eyes catch, a fire in the forest. 

Shewants to ask: What happened to me?

Butall that slips from her tongue is: “I want to watch.”