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"A calm mind prevails against all battles, and a warm heart prevails against all despair."
Shinobu looked over at her fellow hashira who resumed sipping her tea after her inexplicable statement.
"Are you not going to elaborate on that?"
Mitsuri smiled back. "No, it speaks for itself." She tilted her head back to gaze up at the full moon. "She's always so lovely."
Shinobu placed her tea down her teacup before sneaking a gaze at Mitsuri. The moonlight danced off her skin, her hair shifted softly in the breeze, and her eyes sparkled with a calm fire.
Mitsuri looked over but Shinobu had already resumed drinking. "Thank you for always taking care of me. I know I end up here more than any other pillar."
"It would be nice if you came to visit more without battle wounds."
"They've already prepared my next mission, and you haven't even cleared me yet. I promise I'll come visit as soon as I can."
"You promise? There will be a fresh cup of tea awaiting your return."
"I promise. I don't break promises to people I love…" her voice trailed off insinuating she hadn't intended to say that.
Shinobu wasn't fazed by her choice of words. She was the Love Pillar after all. It was the instant regret in her voice that caught her attention. Love...
"Is something wrong, Mitsuri?"
"Oh uh no, everything's fine. I'm going to head to bed. Thank you for letting me join you."
Shinobu just gave her a customary smile. "Of course. Rest well."
She heard Mitsuri shuffle down the hallway quickly. Did she… regret loving Shinobu? Or did she regret admitting it. She decided to assume the latter now, and find out for sure later. They were close friends after all, and she would be very worried if Mitsuri didn't love her.
-----
Mitsuri greeted her in the hall the next morning with her standard bubbly personality. Whatever she had felt had either passed or was being heavily suppressed.
It seemed as if Mitsuri was content to pretend nothing had happened until Shinobu had to re-bandage her wounds so she could train. They did this daily at first, but now it had become a weekly activity. Mitsuri never seemed bothered removing her clothes in front of Shinobu, and no matter how bad a wound she sustained she knew Shinobu had seen worse.
Shinobu enjoyed their sessions because Mitsuri always had a pleasant aroma that made the job soothing. They would normally chat happily, but Mitsuri was staying quiet and avoiding eye contact as if she was embarrassed by Shinobu wrapping her exposed torso.
"Remember not to lift your arms too high while you're training. This wrap should hold otherwise."
"R-right. Thank you."
"So?"
"So what?"
"Are you going to tell me what's going on? I'm bandaging your tits, it's not like we're strangers."
Mitsuri blushed and looked away. "I know I just…"
Shinobu stopped and reached out for both of Mitsuri's hands. "Talk to me."
Mitsuri finally made eye contact despite the progressively deepening shade of red her face was turning. "I want to, I just don't know how to say it."
Shinobu's serious expression turned into a slight smile. "Communication can take many forms." With that, she leaned in pausing for a second before pressing her lips to Mitsuri's. She pulled back to see tears beginning to form in Mitsuri's eyes.
"I-" Mitsuri started to speak but the words caught in her throat. "I love you, Shinobu." With that she gently pulled Shinobu back in for a second, longer kiss. Mitsuri couldn't stop crying, and Shinobu just held her as tight as she could, minding the bandaging.
"I love you too, Mitsuri."
The two girls just sat there in each other's arms for as long as Mitsuri needed. Shinobu wouldn't dare to complain, because she had waited for this day almost as long if not longer.
Every night of watching the moonlight dance along her face, every time she got to bask in the gentle intimacy of bandaging her wounds, and every minute she spent in her presence had been silent blessings in the Insect Pillar's life. She couldn't place when she began to value these things so much, or when the coldness in her heart began to crack and thaw, but she couldn't imagine a life untouched by Mitsuri's warmth.
-----
"Thank you, for every lesson you taught me, every moment of warmth you brought to my heart, and every minute I spent by your side. I will find you in every lifetime, and I will love you every time."
With those words, Shinobu sat a teacup full of fresh tea down by the base of the stone tablet engraved with the words:
Kanroji Mitsuri. A calm mind prevails against all battles, and a warm heart prevails against all despair.