Longing

While Tanjiro and Nezuko's fates were being decided in the Ubuyashiki Mansion, Douma had returned to his Paradise Temple, satisfied with the little contact he had with Shinobu a month ago.

"Ah, Lord Douma. You're zoning out again."

Saki smiled as she silently stepped beside Douma who was gazing at the Wisteria flowers strangely.

Turning to her, Douma's rainbow colored eyes lined with the number two curved slightly.

"Hahahaha, I guess I was just attracted to their beauty."

Saki also chuckled softly, finding it amusing that a divine being could appreciate mortal beauty.

Just then, another follower, a man in his forties, burst in with an alarmed expression.

"Lord Douma!"

Douma turned back, smiling.

"T-the local lords. They're demanding the absolving of the temple. Truly ungrateful bastards!" The man, Onoda, said indignantly.

Instead of getting angry, Douma felt nothing, only smiling faintly.

"Is that so? Well then, we'll leave."

Saki and Onoda were shocked!

"Leave?!" Saki gasped.

"Ah, you probably don't know but our religion has never had a stable location. It is always moving." Douma explained, plucking a wisteria flower which didn't even hurt him anymore.

Even if they didn't chase him and his followers from their land, he'd voluntarily leave when he has consumed a considerable amount of their population.

"B-but... sigh." Onoda wanted to argue but gave up in the end.

"Well then, prepare the luggages. I want you to move to mount Hikigaya. I'll join you once the construction is done." Douma said, walking away from the two.

Since his religion consisted of more than a hundred people with more than half being men, it shouldn't take long to build a new temple. A month or two at least.

'Shinobu-chan, I'm coming.'

Smiling inwardly and outwardly, he went back to his room, waiting for the sun to go down.

.....

"Hashira, are you still on your experiment?"

Hearing Aoi's voice from outside, Shinobu was startled. Ever since her encounter with Douma and realizing that her poison didn't have an effect on him, she had been trying to make her poison more potent, doubling her efforts on her experiments.

Even though she was the weakest among all the Hashiras, she swore she'd be the one to kill him.

"Yes, is there a problem?"

She answered back, trying to mask the exhaustion in her voice.

"Uh, I wanted to tell you that everyone except the Guest Hashiras are done. Tanjiro and the others have also gone to sleep."

Hearing Tanjiro's name, her mind drifted to Nezuko. Although most of the Hashiras supported disposing the demon, Kagaya had decided against it, believing it could be a weapon to be used against Muzan.

'That demon... she has never attacked humans. She's even quite friendly.'

"Alright then. I'll be done soon."

...

An hour and half later, Shinobu exited her lab into the mansion, feeling comforted by the still quietness. Hearing some strange sounds, she moved to the training room, where she found Giyu training alone. His movements were clean and precise like it was all for a single purpose. However, despite the sharpness and skill he displayed, something was hindering him.

'Guilt.'

Shinobu realized. She'd heard of Giyu's story. The heavy guilt he carried from his comrade's death. It was saddening, really.

"Giyu-kun, you're still training at this hour? You should rest a bit."

Already noticing her, Giyu paused slightly, then answered.

"An upper moon is stalking you. We can't afford to relax." 

He swung his sword again.

"Ara, well, he hasn't showed up since then right?"

Giyu suddenly stiffened.

"What?" 

Shinobu asked, surprised.

"Don't say that. They say it always trigger bad luck." He said, looking very serious.

Hearing him, Shinobu burst into laughter. "Hahaha, do you really believe in that, Giyu?"

CLANG!

At that moment, a loud bang rattled the mansion like two mountains of steel colliding.

Alarmed expressions appeared on the duo's face as they quickly ran out of the mansion only to find Obanai in a dreadful battle with 'that' demon.

"Douma!"

Screaming his name with rage, Shinobu unsheathed her sword and shot forward to join the battle—Giyu a step behind.

Boom!

Deflecting the swords of the three Hashiras with his fan, Douma distanced himself from them.

"Shinobu-chan? Did you just call my name? Hmm?"

He clasped his hands and a seemingly jubilant expression appeared on his face.

"Ahahaha! Shinobu-chan called my name. I'm so happy!"

Clapping like a praised kid, Douma seemed to ignore the hate in her voice when she spoke his name—or perhaps he didn't feel it.

"Die!"

Giyu roared in fury as he attacked again, ignoring Douma's excited moment.

With a graceful lean backwards, Douma dodged but his rainbow colored eyes widened when Obanai appeared behind him.

'So aesthetic!'

He complemented the latter's eyes inwardly.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You all might force me to do some unnecessary killing."

Weaving seamlessly between the trio's attack, he spoke in a disappointed tone.

"I only came to see Shinobu-chan. Or, am I doing something wrong?"

Giyu wanted to retort but held back and used 'Dead Calm' instead, surprising the demon.

"Wow! This generation's Hashiras have grown weaker. What can I do to help?"

Douma said in pity, suddenly slowing down.

His words seemed to anger the Hashiras as they pressed on relentlessly, leaving trees falling in their wake. Well, his words were indeed true. Having consumed several Hashiras, Douma knew how strong the former Hashiras were. Certainly, some breathing styles had even been lost.

Shinobu even seemed more desperate than the others, risking getting an injury just to deliver a deadly blow, which unfortunately didn't amount to anything except turning the wound purple for a few seconds.

"Third Form: Dance of the Dragonfly – Compound Eye Hexagon"

She shouted, unleashing the full power of the technique. 

Blood spurted from several spots on Douma's body as the attack landed on him, followed by Obanai and Giyu cutting off an arm each.

"Hmm? That's an improvement I see."

Douma coughed, feeling her poison sting harder as his wounds regenerated instantly.

Suddenly, he lifted his head and looked into the distance.

"More Hashiras? This is going to be troublesome. I better quickly end this."

When the trio heard the first part of his sentence, they were relieved. Reinforcements were coming. However, when they heard him complete his words, they were alarmed. Why? Because ever since the battle started, Douma hadn't attacked and was only blocking theirs, yet they were already struggling this much. If he suddenly got serious...

!!!

Giyu's eyes widened as he felt the demon appear behind his back, fan blades digging into his shoulders.

Shinobu's eyes widened, shocked as she involuntarily shouted.

"Stop!"

As if compelled by an unknown force, Douma paused, then turned to look at her in confusion.

"Should I not kill him? But he'll be liberated from all the struggles. Just like the former Hashiras."

Shinobu felt her guts twist. Not because of the absurdity of his words, but because of the sheer innocence he spoke with. Like a kid taught the wrong way.

"Don't. Don't kill him." She panted, pausing and raising a hand for Obanai to stop.

Although unsatisfied, Douma complied and removed his fans, freeing the Water Hashira. However, he couldn't stay long since the other Hashiras were already close. Thus...

He dashed towards Shinobu and pulled her into a hug—again. Shinobu didn't even try to resist as he took in a deep breath of her scent. Then, as quietly as a devil, he whispered to her before vanishing.

"Shinobu-chan, I'll be visiting you often for a while."