The battlefield was a blur of chaos and blood, but for Obanai, nothing else mattered when he saw you collapse. His mismatched eyes locked onto your crumpled form, lying in a pool of blood. His chest tightened, his breath catching as dread flooded his veins. Without hesitation, he sprinted to your side, dropping to his knees beside you.

His usually steady hands trembled as he gently turned you over, his sharp gaze scanning your pale face. The sight of you like this—so still, so fragile—made his throat tighten. Kaburamaru hissed softly, sensing his master’s distress, but Obanai barely noticed.

"Don’t you dare," he whispered, his voice low but trembling. "You can’t leave me. Not now."

His fingers brushed a strand of hair from your face, his usual stoic demeanor cracking under the weight of his fear. You were the only one who had ever seen past his scars, who had stayed by his side no matter how distant he tried to be. The thought of losing you now was more than he could bear.

"You’ve always been stubborn," he murmured, leaning closer. "So fight, dammit. Don’t… don’t give up on me."

Obanai’s mismatched eyes glistened with unshed tears as he pressed his forehead against yours. For once, the usually guarded Serpent Hashira let his walls crumble, his voice barely audible as he pleaded.

"Please," he whispered. "Stay with me."

For the first time, Obanai let himself be vulnerable, his grip on you tightening as if sheer will could keep you with him. And in that moment, the Serpent Hashira was just a man desperately holding on to the one he loved.