I have been in love with Shinobu for years, and in a state of grief from what happened in the Infinity Castle movie, so here's this </3
Shinobu
relationship headcanons
⢠I believe that Shinobu would have an avoidant attachment style after losing Kanae and her parents. Also the fact that we learned all of her tsugoku have been slain aside from Kanao.
â˘So, because of that if you somehow managed to get past all of the trauma and walls she has up then good for you! Because it was definitely not an easy task.
â˘Shinobu would not be the one to make the first move.
â˘Probably denied and buried her feelings down for a long time until you had confessed to her
â˘She prefers more private displays of affection and love. We know she keeps her personal life private, like her past, but she keeps her emotions even more secure
â˘Has to be guided in a relationship as she will have no idea how to navigate it, emotionally, physically, and mentally.
â˘She can only manage hand holding and cuddles(on very rare occasions) at first. It will be slightly unsettling for her the first few times
â˘Making Shinobu open up is a difficult task. She doesn't want to lose someone again and the more people she has to care for the greater that chance is.
â˘But over time, she gets used to you and your company. To rely on you and expose herself to you in a way she hasn't done with anybody else before
â˘She needs patience and reassurance, don't get me wrong, but do not guide her like you would a child as that will send you back to square one.
â˘She doesn't like to feel like she's inexperienced or clueless, even if she totally is.
â˘The best way to go about courting her is by treating her as if she has been in relationships and navigated them before.
â˘Ask her to go on dates, talk with her about how her research is going while rubbing her back, offer to cook dinner together, stay in her lab with her while she works, give her gentle touches, and love her patiently. And most of all, just be a reoccurring and comforting presence in her life.
â˘Set an example for what your relationship is supposed to be like and she will learn it quickly.
â˘Let her talk about medicine and her hobbies, show her that you're interested and she will fall for you completely.
â˘For Shinobu, having met someone who is willing to learn and explore new things is one of the top things that drew her into you.
â˘She definitely likes intelligent people. She is a very smart woman after all.
â˘When she does get more comfortable around you, Iâd say after a few months, is when she starts to initiate touches of her own.
â˘Her hand reaching for yours as you walk around town, fingertips ghosting across each other before your fingers intertwine. A warm body sinking into your futon late into the night, not yet close enough to touch eachother. But close enough for you to feel the warmth of her body seeping into yours.
â˘Intimacy comes hard for her, so you better count your blessings the first time you two kiss.
â˘Her lips are soft and taste faintly of wisteria and tea.
It was late at night and she had just returned from stitching a deep gash on an injured slayer's arm. Her soft footsteps thump down the engawa, coming closer and closer until her shoulder brushes against yours. A moment of comforting silence rings between you two until her hand slides into yours, causing you to turn and gaze into her eyes.
The color of ripe plums, sparkling in the moonlight. Her beauty strikes you straight in your heart. It's like gazing down at an otherworldly being with how hauntingly stunning she is. Her skin, pale as snow and sparkling like icicles on a cold winter night. Hair as dark as a raven's, falling down her face like locks of silk woven by the most talented silkworm.
âWhatâs that look for? You look like you're in a trance.â
Shinobu laughs, a smile gracing her lips and bringing life to her doll-like face. God. She's beautiful. No wonder slayers swoon over her. If you didn't know her and this beaut of a woman came into your room to tend to your injuries, you'd get hurt more often.
A sigh escapes your lips, reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. She leans into your touch, her soft cheek grazing your palm.
âItâs nothing. I just wish you weren't so busy all the time. Wish we had more time to ourselves.â
âAll we have is time, y/n. I apologize for being so occupied lately. I promise to make it up to you soon.â Shinobu murmurs.
You can see a hint of guilt in her expression by the way her brows furrow just slightly. Over the years that you have known her and during the course of your relationship, you have gotten good at reading her. You have developed some sort of niche skill at detecting the smallest twitches in her expression, the faintest changes in her tone of voice. Like now for instance, hands running down to rest on her waist as she shifts her body to fully face yours.
Shinobu exhales quietly, leaning forward and resting her head on your chest. She listens to your heartbeat in silence, hands gently resting on your shoulder blades. Her touch is light and it barely even feels like she's in your arms. Who knew that when she became a hashira that she would make her presence as small as an insect too?
âIt has been getting harder to bear lately. The new slayers have been getting weaker and weaker as the years pass⌠injuries are rising because of it. Deaths are rising. My butterfly girls are getting stressed with the amount of injured slayers coming in and I can only do so much when I am here. I can't help everybody⌠as much as I wish to.â
Shinobu confides in you, exhaustion evident in her voice. You can hear the tension in her throat, feel it in her body. Shinobu does well under pressure, she always has. But that doesn't mean that she has no limits. Your arms tighten around the girl in your arms, cradling her head against your chest.
âIâve noticed it too. The corps⌠we need to get stronger. We need to adapt to the rising strength of demons. Maybe I can talk to Master Kagaya tomorrow. Figure out if the Hashira can do something to train the lower ranking slayers. Like some kind of⌠hashira training.â
You suggest, running a hand up and down her back. You can feel some of the tension leave her body and barely manage to pick up the sound of a sigh leaving her lips. Her hands move from your shoulders to around your neck, pulling away just enough to meet your eyes.
âThat.. Doesn't sound like a bad idea. I would really appreciate it if you did, y/n.â Shinobuâs eyes soften, a look of gratitude filling her face.
âOf course⌠you know I'd do anything to help you.â
Itâs only now you realize how close the two of you are. The way your breaths mingle together. You can smell her shampoo, lavender, and mint. Something you've come to find comfort in. Once you come back to your senses, you can feel a change in the air between you. Her eyes begin to droop and blink slowly as if she's in a daze. Her arms tighten around your neck, and in turn your hands tighten their hold on her waist, drawing eachother closer.
Your mind feels foggy, your thoughts beginning to slow down as your heart rate picks up. A tingling sensation fills your face and you aren't sure if that's because of the chill outside or due to the tension rising between you two. It feels as if things are going to be like this forever. Just you and Shinobu. The perfect, beautiful girl in your arms. Your senses, your entire world, your breath, heart, mind, and soul feel complete when she's around. Merely breathing the same air as her creates a feeling of haziness inside your brain, as if the insect hashira is a psychedelic drug made just for you.
It doesn't take long for an invisible string to coil around your hearts and pull you in. Before you know it, your lips slot against hers. Gliding across each other in a fog of desire, latched on like honey sticks your lips together. Her body tenses and presses into yours, nails digging into the nape of your neck as she draws you in closerâŚso much closer. It feels like youâll never get enough of eachother. So just for a moment, you pull away and whisper into her mouth.
âUse me as you please, my Lady.â
