She was allured to him like a moth is to a flame.

A/N: Modern au modern au modernaumodnernau-

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Shinobu isn't sure when it happened, but it happened. 

Like how in the dark of the night hoards of moths gather around the nearest source of light, whether it be a lamp or a flame they swarmed it. 

Her and Tomioka didn't get along great at first. They both worked at a Detectives Agency called Demon Slayer Corps, the criminals they sought after were labeled as demons by most, their crimes dastardly enough to gain the title. He was cold to most, with the exception of his former mentor and Sabito and Makomo- who very rarely came by but if they did it was rare to see any of them apart. 

Sometimes those who formerly held the positions they now occupy would come by due to Oyakata-sama's request, whether it be advising them of certain things or checking up on how their protege was doing. Whenever Urokodaki had been the one to come by, Tomioka treated the man with nothing less than respect, listening to him intently and following his words without question, it reminded her of a lost puppy of some kind. But other than that, he was stubborn as before.

She really wanted to change that, so she convinced him to give her his number somehow. 

One day he didn't show up to work, concerned she ended up shooting him a text asking if he was okay. He responded a few hours later saying he was okay but sick, then 15 minutes later he sent her a text with a picture attached. 

Said attached picture had a small cat with white fur facing with its back towards the camera. It was standing on its hind paws, staring up at the washing machine's hatch at the glass which had a blurry thing swirling around in it. The area was well lit giving no clear indication of what time it was taken at, but the words that came along with it did. 

'I put her favorite blanket in the wash, she sat like this for at least half an hour' She smiled down at the image, giggling to herself as she sent typed her response.

She asked him what its name was.

The cat's name was Sachie and it was her. 

Just like the name's meaning, she felt lucky to get to see the photo and even luckier when more like that was to come, even if she didn't particularly like furry animals. 

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The next time he ends up getting sick when she decides to pay his house a visit for the first time.

Time had passed, slowly but surely they grew closer much to her own surprise, enough that she had managed to surprisingly enough get his address. Leaving work a little early, she got in her car and stopped by a nearby cafe bakery, got some hot soup and bread to go, and drove to his apartment which was a way off the main road she typically took to work. A little annoying but not much of a problem. She texted him as soon as she got there and he gave her the number of his apartment and where he hid his spare key and just like that she was in.

Easy.

Shinou walked in and was greeted with a sickly Tomioka on the couch, Sachie nowhere in sight, and almost immediately she shrunk back into the doorway, noticing this, he spoke up. "Sachie's in her carrier sleeping despite the fact she has a bed." There was a slight bitterness to his tone that eased the mood if only slight. It seemed he noticed her hesitation. "She'll be asleep for a while,"

Nodding she ended up setting the food on the table and Giyuu returns to his room in that time where she soon joined him. His room is a plain one, there's a dresser, a bed, closet, everything needed in one, nothing that interesting except for one thing. 

By his bed, sits a medium-sized see-through jar, it bears the resemblance of a perfume bottle but it's too big to be one, it's a decorative jar is the conclusion she settles with. It's not the jar that catches her attention, it's the content of it instead. 

In various colors, sprinkled in the jar like sprinkles on a cupcake small stars varying in size build up in it. She doesn't dare take them out but observes instead. She asks him about it later, and he shrugs, his expression indifferent. 

"It helps me relax," He says, briefly glancing till he looks back at her. "I focus on making them instead of what I'm thinking,"

They're called 'Lucky Stars', a form of origami, not quite beginner level but easy if you've been doing it for a while. The next time they meet up in this not quite a date-but-more-of-an-outing-kinda?-situation she greets him with a pack of origami paper varying in colors, ready to learn.

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Over time they spent time together, she slowly but surely, learned how to do origami and received more text about his cat as time went on and her misadventures. The one with the blanket in the washer was her favorite but the decoy keyboard was a close one.

The more time they spent together the more she wanted to learn about him, that's just how things went. The more her feelings developed, the stronger they grew, until one day...

"I... I think I like you Giyuu-san..." It took him a while to respond but he eventually does. 

"That's not a funny joke Kocho,"

"It's not a joke, I like you Giyuu-san!"

"...You... You really like me?"

"I may joke about many things but this is not something I'd joke lightly," He stands there and stares at her for longer than she's comfortable with until his face flushes, making the blood that had rushed to his face obvious.

She wants to see more expressions like this. 

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Shinobu uses the spare key he had hidden- but she knew the location- and enters his apartment planning to surprise him with dinner. Sachie- thankfully- was at the vet for the week, going through some kind of checkup she didn't quite understand. She never did have to take her fish to the vet, was she supposed to? Her older sister and Sanemi had a dog which they took to the vet but they never did ask them if they could ask the vet if she's supposed to. Maybe one day.

She hadn't seen Giyuu often at work, he was at work but he barely left his office unless he had to. That just wouldn't do and she was going to fix it.

Making herself acquainted with where all the kitchenware was, bringing ingredients the ingredients along with her, she got to work with a gleaming grin on her face. Between the time where she waits for the food to be brought to a certain look or has to wait a certain amount of time before she can do anything, she ends up in his room, which she doesn't quite remember since something else- despite how little it is- catches her attention. 

It's the jar by his bed. 

What was once a barely full jar of stars had been filled up halfway, a noticeable amount from the last time she saw him. It could very easily have just collected up after a long time and be nothing at all. It should be, but she had a feeling it wasn't.  She continues on with what she was doing and makes him a surprise dinner which by the red flush on his cheeks and the rise of his brows, she'd take it he was pleased. 

Soon enough, she finds herself in bed with him, watching him as he turns his back to her curled up on himself making himself smaller than he really is, ignoring her completely. Picking up the duvet she slides closer to him, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder and turning him towards her.

"Giyuu-kun," She said, "Giyuu what's wrong?" before she knew it he was in her arms, softly sobbing into her chest, gripping tightly at the fabric of her clothing. She held him close in her arms, thumbing away the tears on his cheeks as she cooed down at him, a voice full of soft and low concern. He didn't explain why he was so upset, but that didn't stop her from staying the next few nights watching as the stars started to swiftly fill up the jar.

Sachie still hadn't returned to the apartment and she asked what it was about, the only response she had gotten was a tearful one confirming her suspicions that it had something to do with her.

The cat ended up returning a week later, tuckered out from grueling amounts of tests and surgery, and was ordered to take an immense amount of rest and not be active. This week had been the most emotional she had seen him in her lifetime. 

With her head propped up by her elbow, the corners of her lips curling upwards, her eyes half-lidded with drowsiness she watched the slow lull of her boyfriend's chest. His fingers will occasionally twitch and his lashes will flicker but other than that and the occasional snore he's completely silent. His facial features have smoothed out, soft and peaceful looking. He's curled up on the bed, the blanket draped messily over his waist. On top of the blanket rests Sachie curled into a ball laid next to her owner. 

Typically, she would never sleep in the same bed as a furry animal was sleeping but she'd make an exception this once, at least after how tough this week has been on him. 

With a sigh, she snuggled up behind him, wrapping her arms around his torso, placing a kiss on the side of his forehead, and then laying her face on his shoulder blades, pressing a kiss there too. He smelt like soap and freshly washed clothing. Mumring a small 'I love you' into his skin, she fell asleep not soon after. 

A/N: Their backstories are the same in this au except Kanae didn't really die, almost, but didn't, nor did Tsutako or Sabito or Makomo. They are alive but there is a reason their personalities changed I just am not going to subject you to that long wall of text.