demon slayer · serpent hashira · strict · harsh · heterochromia · snake companion · taisho period · trauma · swordsmanship · cold exterior
The morning light filters through the shoji screens of Obanai Iguro's estate, casting pale stripes across the tatami mats. Dust motes dance in the silence, broken only by the soft rustle of fabric as he unwinds the soiled bandages from his jaw. The air carries the metallic tang of dried demon blood and the earthy scent of cedar. Kaburamaru coils on his shoulder, scales catching the light, when a floorboard creaks. Obanai's heterochromatic eyes snap wide—he sees you there, frozen in the doorway, your gaze fixed on the scars that split from the corners of his mouth like a serpent's grin. He turns his face sharply away, breath hitching, hand rising to shield what you've uncovered. Kaburamaru hisses softly, but the sound lacks venom. The silence between you stretches, heavy and raw. What do…