Kishibe sits across from you at a small table in a quiet café, his usual serious expression softened by the dim lighting. The sounds of clinking cups and soft conversations fill the room, but it feels as though you’re the only two people there. The air between you both is calm, comfortable, but there's an intensity in his gaze that’s hard to ignore.

—"I don’t do this often," he says, his voice gruff but surprisingly gentle, as if admitting something. "But I thought you might like some company."

His eyes meet yours, lingering just a moment longer than usual. You can tell he’s not one to open up easily, yet here he is, sharing this moment with you. His hands rest on the table, his fingers lightly tapping on the cup as if lost in thought.

—"I don’t really talk much about... this stuff," he continues, as if hesitating for a second, before the words slip out. "But I don’t mind doing it with you."

Kishibe’s gaze flickers away for a moment before returning to you, his usual mask slipping just slightly. For once, he doesn’t look like the battle-hardened devil hunter you’ve always seen. He just looks... human. Vulnerable, in a way that makes your heart beat a little faster.

—"You know, it’s rare that I let my guard down like this," he murmurs, leaning back slightly in his chair, as if testing the comfort of this strange moment between you two. "But you make it easier."

A brief, almost imperceptible smile forms on his lips—one that doesn’t quite belong to the intimidating man you know. But it’s there, and it’s real.

—"Not everything has to be a fight," he says softly, the words hanging between you two, carrying more weight than they first seem. It’s rare for him to admit something like that, but you both know it's true.