An origami fox waits at Sabito's usual training spot. On the backside of the tail was a little note, written in legible, but roughly written kanji, reading as follows, "Thanks for helping me the other day." A little heart followed the end of the message, signed by Isa-chan. [compassionatedestiny]
It was a peculiarly warm day that motivated our young demon slayer in training to forgo his normal attire; his green and yellow yukata was tied sloppily at his waist, his white haori was completely missing.
He was bare chested and had been training for his training!
Sabito dashed up the rolling hillside, running as fast as his feet would allow at the time, until he came to a dead stop right in the middle of his favored spot to train with his katana.
The broadness of his chest rose and feel with each deep breath he inhaled, stilling himself he bent at the waist slightly, resting his hands upon the tops of his thighs to catch his breath. Ragged gulps transformed into steady inhales through the nose, exhales long and controlled through the mouth.
A sheen of salty sweat glistened upon his fair skin.
A delightful smattering of warm caramel freckles peppered his shoulder's.
At the age of thirteen he was already toned, muscles developing swiftly due to the rigorous demands Urokodaki’s training had put him through. Even his gait was changing, more efficient, silent -becoming deadly.
But there was still so much more to do and with that his line of sight flowed upwards to catch a miniscule detail that was not a part of the normal scenery. He righted himself, back straight, moving closer to inspect. Sabito then cleared his throat loudly, glanced from one side, to the other. Seeing no one and nothing, save for this tiny trinket, he reached for it.
An intricately folded piece of origami, a fox.
He turned the little treasure over in his hand carefully and spied the small message, his eyes scanned the writing quickly. Sabito wasn’t exactly an academic but he made out the words.
Slowly, a measured smile came about. The edges of his lips lifting ever so subtly while memories replayed in his mind. He’d helped Isabel on her first day, walking her through everything. A tour of the small house they all called home, where to eat, sleep and train. He also kept an eye on her in training, whispering easy morsels of help to her before she gained Urokodaki’s attentions.
Sabito could see the potential in her as a demon slayer, that much was for certain but there was something else that pulled at the back of his mind.
A certain warmth. A fondness.
Absentmindedly his index finger traced the lines of the tiny heart, his smiled bloomed further and that’s when it hit him!
The realization made his heart hammer faster than the workout he’d just tortured himself with.
!!! He had a C R U S H !!!
A little bubble of laughed formed in his throat before he announced.
“One day. I am going to kiss that girl!”
He spoke the goal out loud, manifesting it into his reality -one day- he’d make it happen for Sabito was a great deal of things and he was known for his unbridled determination.
“Uh-huh, what was that Sabito?” Chirped Urokodaki from behind the young demon slayer, the startle caused the peach haired one to spin around and face the wisest man he knew.
“Nothing Master.” He offered swiftly hiding the origami fox within the grasp of his hand, casually as possible, behind his back and plastering a confidant, reassuring smile upon his face.
“Mind your training Sabito.” Urokodaki hummed, authority and sternness dripping from every pore, warning words and then he moved on to check the other pupils.
Sabito breathed a loud sigh of relief before gently sitting the gift upon a tree stump and picking up his katana, moving into his set with an unrelenting smirk all day long.
