could you do an obanai x reader where the he treats the reader rlly badly like being rude/cold and when the reader gets badly injured (like on the verge of dying) he realises he loves them and treats them better. 🔥🔥
Beneath the serpent's mask
Pairing: Obanai x fem!reader
Word Count: 1,8k
Synopsis: Despite you always staying soft and thoughtful, it seemed like Iguro Obanai hated you more than anything else. Until you risk your life for him. Until your nearly die.
Warnings: big big angst like we all love, Obanai is really sassy in this one, but you'll learn to love him hehe
Obanai Iguro was never an easy man to get along with. Known for his sharp tongue and cold demeanor, he kept most people at arm's length, including you. Despite your best efforts to form a connection with him, Obanai remained distant, cold, and sometimes even outright rude. You, on the other hand? Maybe the greatest sunshine within the whole corps.
Nobody really understands how you could fall for a man like him. Something about the way he carries himself, his unwavering dedication, and the flashes of vulnerability he rarely shows made your heart long to know him better. But every time you tried to get closer, he pushed you away with cutting words or outright indifference. And even though the rejection hurt each and every time, you continued to fight by his side, believing that one day he might see you as more than just a nuisance.
Today wasn’t that day, though. You are on a mission with Obanai, tracking a particularly dangerous demon that has been terrorizing a remote village. The tension between you is unmistakable as you walk side by side through the darkened forest, the only sound being the crunch of leaves beneath your feet. Obanai barely spoke a word to you since the mission began, his expression hidden behind his usual bandages.
“Obanai,” you begin, trying to break the silence,
“do you think we’ll find the demon soon? The villagers said it’s been getting more aggressive these past nights.”
He doesn’t even glance your way, his voice as cold as the night air.
“If you focused more on the mission and less on talking, we’d find it faster.”
You flinch at the harshness of his tone, your heart sinking. It shouldn’t even bother you anymore when he talks with you like that. After all, he’s been like this since the moment you’ve met him. You have no right to feel hurt by his cold tone.
And still, you do.
“I’m just trying to help,” you murmur, feeling the sting of his words really sink into your heart.
“If you really want to help, then stay out of my way. You’re more of a disadvantage than anything else,” he snaps.
When his gaze finally meets yours, it’s filled with nothing but irritation.
The words hit you like a physical blow. You trained hard to be where you are and hearing him belittle your efforts is painful. Those countless nights you’ve spent training, the pain you’ve had to endure to finally get called a hashira…for nothing?
But instead of contradicting, you swallow the hurt and nod, falling silent as you continue to walk beside him.
When you finally reach the demon’s hideout, you feel the evil aura in the air. The demon is close, without any doubt. Obanai unsheathes his sword and you follow suit, your heart pounding in your chest. This is your chance to prove yourself, to show Obanai that you are capable.
After that, you have no further time to think or react. The demon is powerful, its speed and strength far surpassing any you faced before. You barely manage to shield your throat from its teeth when it attacks out of the shadows, leaving you falling to the ground.
Obanai continues to fight with the skill and grace that had earned him his reputation as a hashira, but even he’s struggling to keep up with the demon’s relentless strikes. Over and over, you try as good as you can, attack again and again in order to support the man you have your eyes on. But that demon… It targets your weaknesses, exploits your lack of experience without any mercy.
You can’t stand a chance.
“Stay back!” Obanai shouts at you as the demon lunges at you with full speed.
You tried to dodge, but it was too fast. Its sharp teeth rack across your side and pain explodes in your abdomen as you were thrown to the ground.
Obanai’s eyes widened in shock when he sees you fall, blood pooling beneath you. The demon turns its attention back to him, but something in him snaps. With a roar of fury, he unleashes a barrage of attacks, his blade moving faster than the eye of the demon can follow. In the matter of seconds, the demon is finally decapitated, its body disintegrating into ash.
But Obanai doesn’t care about the victory. The only thing he can think about is you lying motionless on the ground. He rushes to your side, his heart hammering in his chest. He drops to his knees beside you, his hands trembling as he reaches out to touch you.
“(y/n)…”
His voice is barely a whisper, all the harshness of those past weeks gone and replaced by a raw, desperate fear. Blood stains your entire uniform, your skin deathly pale as your eyes flutter open weakly.
“Obanai...”. your faint voice mumbles.
And despite the visible pain that glisters in your eyes and all those things he said to you earlier, you smile up at him.
“Why did you do that?”, he demands, his voice cracking as he pressed his hand against the wound to stop the bleeding.
“Why didn’t you listen to me? You should have stayed back!”
“I wanted...to help you. I couldn’t just...stand by and do nothing,” you gasp with shallow breath.
“You idiot,” he mutters softly.
And for the first time since you know him, tears sting his eyes while he looks down at you for the first time.
“You’re so stupid. You should have let me handle it.”
“I know. I’m sorry…” you whisper.
You feel so tired. It’s impossible to stop your eyes from closing when exhaustion overtakes you.
“No, don’t you dare to close your eyes. Stay with me, (y/n), I’ll help, just…just stay with me!”
Panic surges through him when he sees you slowly but surely fading away. And for the first time since his childhood, Obanai is forced to feel the stinging sensation of fright again.
You’re growing colder in his hands with each passing minute, your breathing more labored.
“I’m sorry...for being...a burden,” you whisper, your voice barely audible as your eyes begin to close.
Obanai’s heart clenches in his chest. Why would you think you were a burden? All the times he had pushed you away, been cruel to you... His eyes widen in sheer horror. He realizes now, in this moment, how blind he has been. So afraid of getting close to someone, of being hurt, that he hasn’t allowed himself to see what was right in front of him.
You with your warm smile. You with that voice so angelic that he could listen to it all day. You in that uniform or in that kimono you only wear to special occasions. You, loved by everyone with your eyes on him only.
And now, it might be too late.
“No, no, no, please...”
His voice cracks while holding you close, tears spilling down his cheeks like a waterfall.
“Don’t leave me. I…I need you. I can’t do this without you. Please, (y/n)... I’m sorry. I’m so sorry...”
You want to respond, to comfort him, but you can’t find the strength. Your vision starts fading, darkness creeping in from the edges. The last thing you see is Obanai’s tear-streaked face as he begs you to stay with him.
Then, everything goes black.
-two days later-
When you open your crusty eyes, find yourself in a bed with soft sheets wrapped around your aching body. The room is dimly lit, the soft glow of lanterns casting warm light across the walls. You blink a few times, disoriented while trying to remember what happened.
The last thing that comes to your mind is that demon, the pain, and Obanai’s voice, desperate and pleading.
“(y/n)...?”
This voice. So soft, filled with a mixture of relief and guilt. You turn your head to see Obanai sitting beside your bed, his eyes red and tired, as if he hadn’t slept in days.
“Obanai...”
Your voice is weak and your mouth feels dry like the desert, but you manage a small smile.
“I’m...alive?”
“Barely,” he murmurs.
He reaches out, hesitating for a moment before taking your hand in his.
“Shinobu…said you were lucky to survive. I thought... I thought I’d lost you.”
“I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to worry you,” you croak, squeezing his hand gently.
“Don’t apologize,” he replies quickly, shaking his head.
“It’s me who should be apologizing. I’ve treated you so horribly, pushed you away when all you wanted was to help. I was so afraid of losing someone I care about that I didn’t realize I was hurting you.”
You look up at him with your doe eyes, surprised by the vulnerability in his voice. This is a side of Obanai you have never seen before, a side that he kept hidden beneath layers of coldness and indifference. But you always knew it was there. You always knew that Obanai has in fact a big heart.
“I’m sorry. I was wrong and you almost paid the price for my stupidity. I don’t know if you can ever forgive me, but... I promise I’ll do better. I’ll be better. I don’t want to lose you. It took me way too long to realize how important you are to me, (y/n)…”, he continues, his voice barely above a whisper.
Tears well up in your eyes a, the sincerity in his voice breaking through the last of your defenses. You waited so long to hear him say something like this, to show you that he cared about you as well.
“Obanai...”
You squeeze his hand tighter, your heart swelling with emotion.
“I forgive you. I always have. Just... don’t push me away again.”
He nods, his grip on your hand tightening as if he’s afraid to let go.
“I won’t. I promise.”
For the first time since you know him, you see Obanai smile. A small, hesitant smile, but it is real. And in that moment, you know that things will be different from now on. The walls he built around his heart begun to crumble, and you are there to help him rebuild.
Together.
-a few months later-
„Shinazugawa-san, have you any idea where (y/n) went? I need to ask her about the medicine she produced earlier.”
“Where is she supposed to be apart from Obanai, huh? Seems like all these guys do is piling each other with love”, Sanemi grumbles through gritted teeth.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you are jealous, Shinazugawa-san-“
“Me, jealous? Because he found his true love and a girl that adores him more than anything else? Jealous because he only spends time with her now, because they sleep in the same bed every night? Jealous because I can’t understand how he pulled a girl like that? Just…shut up!”, Sanemi snaps back, earning a heartfelt giggle from Shinobu.
“I will go find (y/n) now. But maybe you should talk to Iguro-san about your discomfort”, the insect pillar comments before making her way towards Obanai’s estate.
There you sit, devoured in his arms and cloak, your face bathing in the sun with that signature small smile decorating your lips.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if we could talk about the medicine you gave the blond-haired boy earlier”, Shinobu begins, earning a deadly glare from Obanai himself.
“Sure! Did it work?”, you question while peeling yourself out of his longing arms.
“Amazingly. He’s fully healed now.”
There it is again. That signature bright beam decorating your face that makes your eyes sparkle.
“I’m glad to hear that. I’ll be back in a few hours, my love.”
“Don’t be gone for too long. And take good care of her, insect pillar”, Obanai replies in a warning tone.
“Of course!”
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