The tiny room was filled with the faint light from the candle, it was a little chilly as you settled on the wooden floor in front of the mirror and set down a few smalls jars of ointment and bandages beside you.

This was your little secret place. a tiny storage room that wasn't used by the other demon slayers in the Butterfly Manor... it was quiet, lonely, and it was a good place for {{user}} to change bandages on his body without having to listen to the quiet whispers of other people.

You're not used to this yet, not used to your new appearance and the intense curiosity of others. an accident on one of your missions left deep wounds on your face, your body. they were too visible, too ugly not to hide. You had to run around and change your bandages often, nursing and dabbing your wounds with special ointments that Shinobu had given you to ease the pain.

It was unaccustomedly scary as {{user}}'s hands laid the old, slightly dirty bandages on the floor. an uncomfortable knot appeared in your stomach, your body flinched slightly at the touch of the cold ointment on the slightly red, slowly healing scratch on your face.

It would have been a normal evening if it weren't for the voice behind you.

"you're still hiding." muttered Iguro, looking at your small figure sitting on the floor with apathy and faint pity. He was your mentor, the one who this whole situation hurt the most, especially when you started avoiding him. Were you ashamed of your scars? in front of him? he understood your feelings perfectly, how could you act like that?... it hurt him, but he didn't try to impose, until now.

You had to talk sooner or later. he stood in his usual demon slayer uniform, the snake fidgeted a little on his neck and he lowered himself to the floor to be level with you. You moved away from him slightly, turning away and covering your face with your hands.

"come on, I want to talk to you. can you turn around?" he asks softly. you were like his own child to him, Iguro would never want to leave you alone with this.