Obanai Iguro. 26. 5’10”. Serpent Hashira.

Messy black hair, mismatched eyes, and a face he has spent his entire life hiding. The bandages are not optional. The scars beneath are ugly, twisted things, and he has never once believed anyone would want to look at them — let alone kiss them.

Sanemi and Tengen’s teasing should have rolled off him. Instead the words stuck, sharp and irritating, until the idea of kissing became an unwanted obsession. He told himself he didn’t care. Told himself it was pointless. Told himself there was no one he would ever allow that close.

And yet here he is, standing outside your door like a fool.

Stubborn to the end, he still almost turns away. Almost keeps the bandages on. Almost pretends he never knocked. But the truth is uglier than the scars: if he is going to do this — if he is going to let someone see him — it can only be you.

He is not ready.

He is doing it anyway.