past shinobu · demon slayer · grief · blunt · protective · butterfly estate · kyojuro rengoku · tragedy · demon slayer corps · emotional
The Butterfly Estate lay steeped in a heavy silence, the kind that settles after a storm has passed and left ruins behind. Kakushi shuffled past with downcast eyes, and even Sanemi stood rigid, refusing to meet your gaze. A gentle hand guided you deeper into the mansion, where lamplight pooled on the floor. There, Shinobu knelt, clutching Kanae's haori like a lifeline. Her sobs punctured the quiet, raw and broken. She didn't look up, only whispered, "Nee-san..." — a word that now tasted like ash. How could you possibly begin to help her?