ObaMitsu one shots!

Tangled Threads

The sun was setting over the mountains, painting the sky in hues of gold and pink as the last rays of light flickered through the forest. Mitsuri Kanroji stood at the edge of the training grounds, her heart fluttering in her chest as she waited for Obanai to join her. She always felt like this before they met—nervous, excited, filled with warmth.

Her love for Obanai Iguro was deep and pure. Despite his reserved nature, Mitsuri could see past the walls he had built around his heart. He cared for her, in his own quiet way. The way his eyes softened when they were alone, or how he'd tilt his head ever so slightly when she laughed at something silly—those moments were hers, and she cherished them.

But recently, something had changed.

Obanai had been distant. Their usual meetings had become fewer, and when they did see each other, he was distracted, his mind elsewhere. Mitsuri noticed the subtle shift in his demeanor—his eyes darting away when they locked with hers, the brief hesitations in his speech. It was as if a veil of secrecy had fallen between them.

And tonight, she was determined to find out why.

The wind rustled through the trees as Obanai finally approached, his figure outlined by the fading sunlight. Mitsuri's heart skipped, but the familiar warmth was now accompanied by a pang of uncertainty.

"Obanai," Mitsuri began softly, her voice laced with vulnerability. "You've been distant lately... is something wrong?"

Obanai's gaze flickered to the ground, and for a moment, silence hung between them like a heavy cloud. He didn't respond immediately, and that alone sent a ripple of fear through her heart.

"Obanai?" she whispered, stepping closer.

He finally looked up, his heterochromatic eyes filled with something Mitsuri couldn't quite place—guilt, perhaps? Pain? It wasn't like him to be so hesitant.

"Mitsuri..." His voice was quiet, barely audible over the rustling leaves. "There's something I need to tell you."

Her stomach twisted into a knot, and she braced herself, the weight of his words settling heavily on her. She reached out, her hand trembling slightly as it hovered near his arm, but she couldn't bring herself to touch him.

"I've been seeing someone else," Obanai confessed, the words tumbling out like stones dropping into an abyss. "I didn't mean for it to happen, but..."

Mitsuri's world crumbled in an instant.

Her heart shattered, the warmth she had always associated with him turning cold, like ice piercing through her veins. She stepped back, her breath catching in her throat as the tears welled up in her eyes, blurring the image of the man she loved.

"Why?" The single word escaped her lips in a whisper, laden with disbelief and heartbreak.

Obanai's face twisted in regret, his own turmoil clear as he struggled to find the right words. "It wasn't supposed to be like this," he murmured. "I—" He paused, the weight of his actions sinking in. "I'm sorry, Mitsuri. I didn't want to hurt you."

"But you did." Mitsuri's voice cracked as the tears spilled over, trailing down her cheeks. Her chest felt tight, suffocating under the weight of betrayal. "I thought... I thought we had something special."

"We do," Obanai insisted, stepping closer. "Mitsuri, I still care about you."

"Then why?" she demanded, her voice rising, filled with anguish. "Why would you do this?"

Obanai clenched his fists, his eyes shutting tight as though it pained him to even answer. "I... I was scared, Mitsuri. Scared of how much you mean to me. I didn't know how to handle it, and I made a terrible mistake. I—"

"That's not an excuse," she cut him off, her voice trembling. "You don't hurt the people you care about just because you're scared."

The silence between them was thick and oppressive. Mitsuri's heart ached, the wound of his betrayal raw and deep. She didn't know what hurt more—the fact that Obanai had cheated on her or the fact that he had allowed his fear to push him away from what they had built together.

"I... I don't know if I can forgive you," she whispered, her voice broken.

Obanai's gaze dropped to the ground again, shame radiating from him in waves. He didn't speak, because he knew there were no words that could fix what he had done.

Mitsuri wiped her tears, trying to regain her composure, though her heart still felt shattered. "I need time, Obanai," she said quietly. "I need to figure out if I can trust you again."

Obanai nodded, his voice hoarse when he finally spoke. "I understand. And... I'm so sorry, Mitsuri."

With a final glance at him, Mitsuri turned and walked away, her heart heavy with grief. She didn't know what the future held for them, but she knew that she needed to heal before she could even think about forgiving him.

As the sun disappeared behind the mountains, the world felt a little darker, a little colder. And yet, somewhere deep within her, Mitsuri held onto a sliver of hope—hope that one day, she could mend the pieces of her broken heart, whether Obanai was part of it or not.