Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The air smelled of grilled fish and sweets. The bright lanterns painted the surroundings in hues of gold and red, combining the sight with the sounds of laughter and chattering under the starry night. The sound of a shamisen drifted somewhere near the center square, its melody filling the blather.

Shinobu wandered slowly in a simple yukata with a white, butterfly wing patterned haori through the row of stalls, the sleeve of her haori brushing against the silk of stranger's yukata. She wasn't in a hurry.

Nights like these were rare.

Her eyes traveled to take in her surroundings, smiling faces of couples and children filling her vision, along with the bright colors of the glowing lanterns. Until her eyes landed on a tall man casually leaning by a stall, eyes half lidded in boredom. His pale hair and kimono shimmering in the lantern lights, looking harmless, yet he stood out compared to every other person that passed by.

And that was when her purple eyes met rainbow ones.

Shinobu took just a small glance, and smiled at him as she continued to walk her way, unaware of the head that turned to watch her walk her own path. Just for a moment, he considered of letting her go, Just a fleeting encounter, a pretty memory to keep. But the ache in his chest deepend. The man's figure now turned fully to the direction where Shinobu went, and he slipped into the crowd with silent steps to follow the trail of her presence.

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That night, as the lanterns burned out long ago, along with the noises, Shinobu slept peacefully in her small home. And somewhere deep in the mountains, a cult leader sat cross in the heart of his temple. The chanting prayers of his followers echoed through the halls, each prayer symbolising their silent devotion to him. Normally, this sound soothed him. But tonight, it did the complete opposite.

Why do they bore me tonight?

His mind kept replaying the same scene over and over; The gentle gaze that her purple eyes held, the way the lantern lights hit her face in an angle that made her look ethereal- He has seen countless of beautiful women, but none of them had her smile. He smiled back too, of course, with the usual smile he wore as that could make anyone feel at ease. The ache in his chest deepend the more he thought of her, the more he thought of that smile.

Perhaps a little stroll in the moonlight would be helpful.

The moon was high up in the sky, the stars accompanying the illuminating light that bathed the town. The soft chirping of crickets filled the night, weaving a quiet melody of beneath the silver glow of the moon. The clicks of his geta made soft sounds against the stones as he wandered, smiling and humming a soft melody. He didn't need to search long. The faint scent of Shinobu lingered near a small house on the edge of the district.

So this is where you live, little butterfly.

He imagined her making tea in her small house, or perhaps even comb her hair while she hummed a melody. He imagined how she'd tend and organize her small home, and plan her daily routines. She lived alone, without a doubt. Poor thing, he thought. No family by her side, no kin that she could wake up with everyday in her small house- how lonely she must feel in such an empty space.

That same night, he returned to the temple and sat crossed legged with his hands tucked under his chin, surrounded by limbs and corpses. He didn't remember how many he devoured tonight, but he didn't care. Then, the Upper Moon two whispered words he never thought he'd ever say in his life.

"I think...I'm in love"

His own words sent a shiver down his spine. His hand went to his chest, and for the first time in a century, he felt his own heart beat at the thought of her. His smile curved deeper.

I need to see her over and over and over.

Chapter Text

The sun started to set, casting its last light onto mountains. Shinobu stepped outside her home onto the busy streets with a basket tucked against her side. Days have passed since the festival, but the memory of the shamisen, lights and chattering still filled her mind. It was a rare privilege to distract her from the loneliness that accompanied her for more than half of her life. She wanted to feel a part of the world, even if was just a little.

She adjusted the sleeve of her haori and headed towards the marketplace, unaware of the eyes that followed her since the festival night.
Shinobu stopped by the flower stall, observing the various options of different flower types arranged on each row. Her eyes stopped at the camellias, and a pang of nostalgia hit her the moment her eyes landed on them. She remembered her dear sister, Kanae. She always loved camellias, she recalled how Kanae would always arrange the flowers with their mother whenever their father brought fresh ones. The smell that filled their home lingered in her nose till this day. She crouched down, and picked them up.

Across the street, the same rainbow eyes watched the way she hesitated before picking the camellias as he was pretending to inspect a lacquered comb. The faint crinkle at the corner of her lips as she carefully observed the flowers with small, gentle steps. She didn't see him yet, that was fine. Watching her every move and memorizing her careful and gentle movements became a ritual for him the past few days, following her without her awareness each time she left her small house in a perfect, human disguise that hid any of his demon trace. But today, the ache in his chest was unbearable. Curiosity and watching her wasn't enough anymore.

He needed to hear her voice.

His geta clicked softly against the stone as he crossed the street, her frame becoming more clear as he approached her closer and closer.

"What a lovely choice."

Shinobu turned around at the sound of a male voice, and saw the same man she smiled at those nights ago. Those same, rainbow eyes that gazed into her purple ones.

"...Oh, it's you." She murmured, taken back a bit by the sudden approach.

She inspected his features now that he was much closer, he was quite tall. Taller than any man she's ever seen in her life. His irises possessed different shades of colors, giving them a rainbow like hue along with long, dark lower eyelashes and thick eyebrows. His hair however, didn't match the darkness of his eyelashes and eyebrows. The snow white hair fell over his shoulders, down to his back like a waterfall. She never saw anyone in her life with such features that stand out, yet so beautiful at the same time.

The man tilted his head and his smile widened
"So you remember me? That makes me very happy."

Shinobu brought the camellias she was holding closer to her face, as if they could shield her from the intense gaze that was lingering on her smaller frame. Despite feeling nervous, she still held a polite smile.

"We met at that festival, and you smiled at me. Such a sweet, little smile. I've been thinking about it."
Shinobu blinked, unsure what to say. Compliments weren't foreign to her at all, but something about his tone seemed different. It was too genuine.

"I didn't catch your name that night." He folded his hands behind his back as he leaned in slightly closer, softening his smile, as if he sensed her nervousness. "Would you tell me?"

She hesitated for a moment, her breath hitching before parting her lips to give him an answer.

"...Kocho Shinobu." She said softly in a polite tone.

Shinobu.

"Kocho Shinobu..." He repeated it to himself softly in a tone above a whisper, as if he was savouring her name. Her name slid into his ears like music. Then, the man looked at her with a gentle expression before slowly bowing to her politely.

"It is an honor to meet you Shinobu, I am Doma. Your name is very beautiful, it suits you perfectly."

She felt heat rushing to her cheeks, but she gave a small, respectful bow back. "Thank you" She murmured, shifting the basket on her side. He tilted his head again, studying her with childlike curiosity. He felt his heartbeat quickening the more he looked at her. She was up close to him, closer than he has been to her when following her these past few days.

"Do you live nearby?"
She hesitated again for just a slight moment. She should be greatful that someone cared enough to stop her for a small conversation, since he seemed like a harmless man; the one everyone would trust. But something in her guts told her to be careful.

"Yes. I do." She said simply and casually, not wanting to give information directly to a man she just met.
"How lovely. Then perhaps we'll see each other again."
He stepped back with a graceful bow. "Until next time"

You'll see me over and over, Shinobu. Until you belong completely to me.

Shinobu was left stunned as she watched the tall man walk away in the evening lanterns. She remembers him as the man that stood out at the festival, yes, but why would he be eager to start a conversation with a stranger he only saw under lantern lights for a brief moment? Shinobu shook her head, as if wanting to clear her thoughts. She didn't realize that the moon started to peek out from behind the mountains, so she purchased the camellias and started to walk her way home.

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Despite her attempts to try and not think about that man, she felt her chest tighten each time her mind replayed their encounter at the marketplace. She slid the wooden door to her home open, the faint scent of tatami greeting her. As she stepped inside, she slid the door behind her closed, and began arranging the camellias. As she arranged the flowers neatly, her mind drifted back to that man, Doma was it? There was something he wanted from her if he simply approached her like that, she thought. She remembered how men around her age in the past approached her for her looks mostly, most even offering her money to spend a night with her, to which she accepted. Not to please them, but for her own living. Unease crawled in her chest as she remembered how much she struggled a few years ago as a helpless, orphaned girl who wandered the world without a home, destination or guide ever since her family has been slaughtered. The night where her life turned upside down.
She stopped mid movement as she realized how deep she was digging into her thoughts, each one of them being responsible for different sensations building in her chest.
But what else could she do? This is nothing new for her. Loneliness and her own thoughts have been her companions for years, she should have been used to it by now.

Yet...a tiny part of her hoped that this rainbow eyed stranger would not be a fleeting memory in her life like all the others, but someone who'd play a role in her life.
As Shinobu finished arranging the flowers, she hummed in satisfaction. The lantern lights in her home slowly started to dim until darkness settled in as Shinobu tucked herself into her futon, eyelashes growing heavy as each second passes by.

As time passed, Shinobu stirred at the faintest sound outside her home. The whisper of wind? A distant creak? She told herself it was nothing and curled beneath her blanket, unaware of the figure crouched on the roof, rainbow eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight.

Doma rested his chin in his hand, smiling as he watched the light in her window fade. He whispered her name like a prayer, over and over, as if it were a blessing to do so. The sound of it made something inside him spark and ache at once.

"Sleep well, Shinobu," he murmured, his voice sweet and soft.

How beautiful she was, so delicate. So soft. He could still see the faint blush on her cheeks as he complimented her name, the tremor of her voice like the melody of a song he never wanted to end.

Oh, how he wanted to keep her, wrap her up and shield her from the world and its horrors. Humans were so fragile, so quick to break. If he left her like this, she'd wither and die like everyone else. The thought clawed at him with a sharp, choking pain he never knew before.

No... no..I can't allow that. I won't ever allow it.

His fingers tapped against his knee, his smile widening, as he got a solution to the horrifiying thought.

He could fix this. He could make her perfect-- make her last forever. A perfect little demon, just like him. They could smile together for eternity.

The idea bloomed in his mind like camellia: bright and beautiful. But first, he needed her trust and warmth. That smile that became the first color in his world.

"I'll come back for you, my dear Shinobu."

A breeze blew, carrying his silent vow along with it across the sleeping town.