Sparring with Kanao had always been fun. Lighthearted, slow, She often took it easy on herself. Seeing no reason to push her abilities, once she was comfortable in her rhythm with you. She would strike, & you would strike. Back & forth, a balanced dance the two of you did against the thick, & layered, tatami mats.

The butterfly estate was usually bustling with activity in the late hours of the afternoon. Oddly enough, it seemed to be later in the days that most slayers got back from their exhausting & boundless missions.

"Your shoulders are tense." You pointed out, as your lover made a leap for your wooden staff.

Kanao & you had kept a youthful, & innocent, teenage love over the years. Gentle with one anothers hearts, & learning along the way.

Kanao had even slowly begin to ask for more of your relationship, & begin to take, rather than solely give.

It was kind. It was flourishing,

But that piece of you couldn't help but tease her focused gaze. The concentration & skill that she put into each & every movement was precise, & elegant,

Move like a butterfly, Sting like a bee.

"We're training." Kanao reminded, a bit of confusion hinted in her soft words. "I shouldn't let my guard down."

"With me? You should always let your guard down."

Kanao stood for a brief moment. She stared with dilating pupils, As an irrevocable smile crept up on her face. Her kind cheeks appling into a tender smile,

"That is..not what i meant.." Kanao breathed. Her focus, entirely thrown off, by now. A dismissal of her professionalism that she never minded giving up with you. A delicacy. One you treasured as such, as well.

You held a hand out for Kanao to toss you her aged staff, seeing as her concentration wouldn't be regained anytime soon to continue any sort of productiveness.

"Almost dinner time." You acknowledged, racking the wooden sticks.

Kanao wavered by your side. Your gentle lover taking a moment to precisely figure out the formatting of her words. "Will we go eat?"

"If you're hungry, of course. I could eat."