With the sun now set, the constant humming of honey bees has ceased their hard labor, returning to their hives to forge night. Those in the Love Pillar's Estate had begun to do the same. Residents and training corps members all retreated into the welcoming estate, most spent a great amount of time in the hot baths, soothing their sore bodies from the grueling, inhuman stretching. Giyuu had to admit, her own body was a touch sore from the intense stretching. The private baths in the Love Estate were quite lovely. It was rather relaxing, however also a touch stressful thanks to feeling the judgmental eyes of the Insect Pillar once she had stripped down of her clothing.
Kocho kept her promise of being "nice" and not making any comments, however they were right at the tip of her tongue the entire time. Kanroji gave her enough respect by averting her eyes, though she did notice them drifting to a mark on her shoulder near her neck… Thankfully by the time they exited the bath, an actual meal had been delivered. She still felt as if she was being bullied as Kocho instructed her how much of the tea she had gifted her with to use. She gave her knowing looks, yet thankfully continued to stay quiet. Using the small measuring spoon she had given her, the women allowed the leaves to seep in the hot water. Once the given amount of time was over, Giyuu brought the cup to her nose.
"I wouldn't do that~" Kocho warned, purposefully late. Seeming exorbitantly satisfied at the face Giyuu involuntarily made when the disgusting scent assaulted her nostrils. "I told you it's rather potent. Most don't sip it, just try to drink it as quickly as possible." She informed her, placing an actual enjoyable tea towards her to act as a chaser once she drinks the tea.
Grimacing, Giyuu held her nose and brought the cup to her lips. Downing it best she could without tasting it, her body shivered at the strong taste, quickly taking a heavy gulp of the other, actually tasteful tea. "Ugh—" Giyuu groaned at the taste still lingering in her mouth. Quickly taking a large bite of the rice, she attempted to drown the revolting flavor. Kanroji gave a look of worry as she quickly pushed one of the desserts towards her, attempting to help with her distress while Kocho sat back with a smile on her face.
…
Before Giyuu truly knew what was happening, she was sitting on the floor in Kanoji's colorful bedroom, walls were covered in beautiful trinkets and art from her travels. A meal sitting in her lap while her hair was being combed gently by Kanoji. As she claimed, Kocho's hair was too short to truly do any hair styles she desired. Which is how Giyuu was selected as tribute. Not that she truly minded. It was actually rather peaceful as she ate. Along with that, she didn't need to dry or comb her own hair after the bath.
"Your hair is so thick and healthy!" Kanoji praised as she combed thoroughly through the heavy locks. Slowly eating while her hair was tugged at, briefly… Giyuu was reminded of when she was young, before all this mess… Her sister would often brush her hair after their bath. She had taken terrible care of it but always insisted on keeping it long like her older sister. There was no one she looked up to more than her. Even now, Giyuu wasn't ready to cut her hair, albeit she really only does the bare minimum with her current length. It was difficult to style and tangled easily if she was on the move, which is why the low ponytail was the most logical thing. There had been times she was frustrated enough with her hair being so uncontrollable that her knife looked extremely tempting to cut the length down.
Another tug, the telltale parting of three sections of hair, told her that Kanroji was braiding her hair into a single long braid. At least it wasn't three heavy separate braids like her own go to style. Giyuu felt it would be an overstimulating feeling, with all of that bobbing around her head. She doesn't know how Kanroji doesn't get distracted with all of that around her peripheral vision. Taking another bite of the food, Giyuu tuned in and out of the women chattering behind her. Kanroji styled her hair while Kocho kept her hands to herself, eating from her plate, keeping the hair styling woman company.
"Is there a certain hair accessory you want? I have plenty to choose from!" Kanroji asked, a box next to her filled with the beautiful hair ornaments.
"Hmm…" She swallowed the bite. "No, you can pick." Replied Giyuu, listening as the Love Pillar excitedly raffled through the box.
"Ah! This will do! Nice and simple!" Her hair was tugged once more, feeling something being tied at the top of her hair where the braid began.
"Just like Tomioka." Kocho teased, pointing towards her with her chopsticks, even if Giyuu couldn't see it.
"Nothing wrong with that!" Kanroji insisted, taking one of the two hand held mirrors she had brought over and holding it out to Giyuu. Placing her plate down, Giyuu twisted slightly to take the mirror, preparing for her premeditated answer of 'looks good' once Kanroji angled the second mirror behind her head to see her handiwork. The moment they aligned— an unpredictable gasp ripped from Giyuu's throat. Giyuu quickly placed the mirror down and hand covering her mouth—her heart was thumping in her ears from the shock her system just went through!
Tsutako…
A large pink bow was tied upon a thick dark braid… It… it felt like she was looking at the head of her big sister while trotting along behind her again. Her throat tightened, years of buried feelings came rushing back.
"Tomioka-san?!" Kanroji called, none were expecting that reaction. Giyuu stood up abruptly, keeping the mirror in hand, she rushed out of Kanoji's bedroom, towards the bathroom that she recalled had a large mirror in it. She didn't bother to stop or explain as the other two women called to her again, slamming the door shut, Giyuu released a broken breath.
Her hand was trembling as she held the hand mirror up while her back was to the large one… There… there she was… Tsutako. Always so elegant, always so beautiful and kind… Giyuu was following her big sister again, holding her hand and taking shorter strides compared to her taller sister. Again just like back then… her heart was breaking.
Giyuu crouched onto the floor, mirror carefully placed down so she wouldn't break it as she breathed heavily into her hands. Her eyes burnt, she refused to cry however… Crying won't bring her sister back… No matter how much she sobbed, begged and wailed, no one came back to her. Not her parents, not her sister, not Sabito... If she starts crying now, then she'll never stop. It took her so damn long to stop breaking down every second she was alone. Giyuu managed to find peace in silence after fearing it for so long. She couldn't start crying again. If she did, she'd never be able to be alone again…
There was rapid knocking at the door. "Tomioka-san? I-I'm so sorry for whatever it was that I did!
Swallowing down the tightness in her throat. "You—" her voice was strained. "You're fine… The food made me ill." She lied, wrapping her arms around her knees, focusing on making her breath even once more.
"Eh?! Really? I'll toss it right now! Oh— unless it was from the tea! I'm so sorry! I'll get you something to soothe your stomach!" There were frantic fading footsteps, her slipper making soft thumps as Kanroji ran down the hall.
Giyuu sighed… her relief was short lived however as the door slid open, she didn't need to look up to know which one of them opened the door. Giyuu truly wished she took Sanemi's advice in using the latch on doors. She was alone for so long, the only locks what mattered were those outside.
Kocho took a few cautious steps towards her, Giyuu kept her face firmly pressed against her knees, refusing to face her. The petite woman didn't say anything, only came beside her and so gently began untying the pink ribbon from her hair. Although the touch was gentle… Giyuu couldn't stop her body from tensing.
"…That was a trauma response." She began, skilled medical fingers carefully undoing the bow while avoiding snagging any strands. "I saw your expression through your mirror. The recantation in whatever you saw. I'm sorry…" Kocho explained softly, there was no trace of that false kindness she normally held. The ribbon was eased from her dark hair.
"It…it was pathetic, wasn't it?" She was a grown woman after all, a highly ranked demon slayer. Has faced grotesque monsters that caused others to vomit and faint on sight! Her body has been cut open, broken and she'll keep moving through the pain! And…and seeing a pink ribbon in her hair made her knees weak and hands shake.
"I won't ask what it was about… or rather who you saw." Kocho bundled the ribbon into her pocket, planning on slipping it in with all the other accessories once she returns to Kanroji's room. "I know you're not big on it, but we are here if you'd ever like to talk about it." Those slim fingers slowly began taking the braid out of Giyuu's thick hair. Each gentle tug felt like weight lifting from her shoulders.
She wouldn't believe her…
That was the first response that came front and center in her mind. Of course Kocho would believe her. Both have faced such horrible things from the hands…and teeth of demons… Yet the words wouldn't come out. She couldn't speak it again. Couldn't go around screaming that her sister was dead, that a monster ate her. No one believed her… Of everyone in that entire village, not a single one believed her.
"I don't like talking…" The guilt of every single word she screamed and begged came rushing back. The insults aimed at her mentality, being shaken by her shoulders to "tell the truth". It was too much. Too much for her as a full grown woman, and far too much for a little girl who hardly turned eleven. The first one who believed her was Urokodaki… Found her when she ran away from her village, from her uncle and aunt in the medical field; who said they'd help her with her delusions. The retired Water Pillar held her hand after slicing the head off of a demon that had begun stalking her in the forest that she ran aimlessly into. Calmed her down after she cried and cried that he had to believe her, that it was a monster. He didn't even try to use his rude, blunt nature on her at the time, of course he knew it was a monster, he had just cut the damn thing's head off. At the time she was in too much of hysterics to put any of that together. Yet he held her shaking hand until she could breathe normally again. It was the first sense of comfort she had since her sister died.
He cooked her food, helped her calm down… And when she was ready, he took her to Mount Sagiri, to her new home for the time being. The first three months living there, she hadn't picked up a single bokken. Giyuu spent a majority of her time in the vegetable garden and learning how to whittle from Urokodaki in between his training. At the time, she was too afraid to even speak to anyone besides the old, fatherly man, and even that was hardly a whisper. Still far too anxious to be alone, she'd always be in eye sight of her teacher. Multiple people came to him of all ages, begging for him to train them. Some were already corp members and others were just getting the hang of holding a weapon. Urokodaki refused many, his challenge to them was the obstacles he placed around the mountain. Many quit after the first hike, returning bleeding and bruised.
But one boy kept showing up over and over. No matter how exhausted he was when he'd make it to the bottom of the mountain, he'd always show up in the morning ready to do it all again. He wanted to be worthy of Urokdaki's full attention in his training. And he was. It wasn't long after he was taken under Urokodaki's wing, that Sabito was the first to help her find her voice again while living together. And thanks to him… she had lost it all over again after the final selection.
"I understand… I'll try to keep Kanroji entertained while you recuperate in here." Kocho finished, combing her fingers through Giyuu's hair, stood and left the room, gently shutting the door behind herself.
Giyuu sighed heavily, what a mess she was… She truly thought she had become stronger than this… And yet a pink bow in her hair ruined a decade of progress.
…
Splashing her face with cold water, Giyuu sighed heavily, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Blue eyes and long, dark hair… They couldn't have been exactly the same as Tsutako's. She remembers her sister's eyes were far more kind than her own, lashes thicker. Not to mention Tsutako's hair was tamed compared to Giyuu's mess that sat on top of her head. There are days she wonders if she's actually remembering her correctly... In that terrible village… in her old home… There was a photo of the three of them, just months before the incident. Tsutako insisted on it, they traveled quite a bit to have it done. It was of Tsutako, her fiancé and Giyuu. Her fiancé was often so kind to her. Had multiple younger siblings and treated Giyuu as a younger sister, played with her and always listened happily as she rambled like kids did. She was excited to start their new life all together… What a foolish child she was. And yet… Giyuu regrets that she never managed to take that photo with her, never thought of it at the time. All she managed to hold onto was her sister's haori. For so long, that haori smelt like Tsutako's perfume. There was a fantasy she had of finding that bottle one day… But what would she do if she had the same reaction? Would she be crouching on the ground in some market from the mere scent of her sister? Closing her eyes, Giyuu sighed, rubbing her temples… What a child.
…
Returning to Kanroji's bedroom, Giyuu blinked as there were two futons laid out on the floor, along with one that was still rolled up; equaling three. Assuming one was for herself and Kocho that is. Was… she not getting a room to herself..? She shouldn't be rude, a room at all was enough.
"Oh, Tomioka-san!" Kanroji stood from the short tea table in her room, Kocho smiling while she stayed seated. "I made you some tea that is really good for nausea." The Love Pillar quickly took an empty cup and began filling it. "I hope it helps." She gently handed it to her.
"Thank you, Kanroji-san." Giyuu bowed her head softly as she took the teacup.
Kanoji nodded gently, her loving gaze settling on the futons. "Shinobu normally stays in my room when she stays the night. I was wondering if you'd like to as well! If-if you're not feeling well of course, I can show you to a spare room!"
Giyuu raised her head… She should want to be alone… That is her normal. Yet, she felt cold even in the warm summer night. "…I'll stay. Thank you Kanoji-san for your hospitality."
"Oh um— Actually, Mitsuri is alright! If you want to call me by my first name! I won't make you!" She wiggled all around as she stood in her sleeping yukata, it has a beautiful flowering print on the fabric.
"Ah…" Giyuu took a sip of the tea, tasting the sweet honey inside… It helped soothe her lingering anxiety. "…Giyuu is fine then."
Never… never has she seen the Love Pillar glow like this! It was as if she just told her they won the war! Her entire face lit up and body perking, her whole body bouncing as she stood up straighter. "Giyuu-chan!" She tested out the name, clapping her hands excitedly with how it sounded. Giyuu felt too drained to say just 'Giyuu' was good enough and she didn't need to add anything to it. Being too drained and not wishing to put a damper on Kanoji's brightness.
"It's not very kind to leave the only other person in the room out of this developing friendship!" Kocho called teasingly from her seat, her expression seemed more genuine than the normal smile that sat plastered on her face.
"Giyuu is fine." The Water Pillar repeated, glancing towards Kocho's direction as she took another sip.
The tiny woman playfully rolled her eyes. "Then please call me Shinobu from now on, Giyuu." With a firm nod, Giyuu followed Mitsuri to the table where Shinobu sat patiently for them to join her. The atmosphere shifted naturally, neither attempted to pry anything from the small episode she had. Topics were light, lacking the demonics they all dealt with… It was pleasant… Giyuu could see herself wanting to do this again someday. Maybe not for a while however… She'd like to stay at the Wind Estate for a bit without having to travel out somewhere within a few days… Sanemi was making it hard to leave as embarrassing as it was to admit even to herself.
….
"I hope you like it!!" Mitsuri shouted, handing Giyuu the bento she had made for her that very morning; the two stood by the entrance of the Love Estate. Shinobu had already traveled back to the Butterfly Mansion the moment the sun began to rise; giving quick goodbyes as she left. Along with the homemade bento, the box itself was for her. It was beautifully crafted, dual stacked boxes with a wave print decorating the sides. Two jars of fresh honey were also given to her once she had mentioned off handedly last night that she along with Sanemi often use the honey she gave him for their tea.
"I'm sure I will."
"One has some yummy pancakes. And the box below is salmon daikon!" She spoke as she pointed at the layers. Seeming rather proud of herself that she managed to whip up the dish after just learning last night that it was Giyuu's absolute favorite.
"Oh!" Giyuu's eyes brightened at the mention of her favorite meal. Excitement suddenly filled her veins, Mitsuri became just as happy; even though it wasn't her favorite dish.
Giyuu bowed her head as she accepted the container. Standing back up straight, she blinked as Mitsuri suddenly began to act shy again. Her body doing that odd wiggling dance.
"U-um— Giyuu-chan?" She began, looking up at her timidly.
"Yes?"
"Y-you're going to Iguro-san's now, yes?" Giyuu nodded at her question. "Could— c-could you please…" Mitsuri shut her eyes tight, face turning red. "C-could you please tell Iguro-san I said hello and wish him wellness!"
"Oh… is he sick..?" Giyuu blinked, tilting her head slightly. How odd… Mitsuri was acting like a maiden with a crush would act in those novels— oh. Oh…
"E-eh? No, he's not ill! I-I just— I just thought since you're going there— an in person message would be more meaningful than just a letter!" She squirmed, seemingly embarrassed and face still red.
"I see. Yes, I'll inform him that you said hello and wish him well." Giyuu nodded her head in confirmation. She shouldn't be one to judge… Most would probably look at Sanemi as a handful. So she shouldn't make assumptions about Iguro if Mitsuri liked him in that manner.
"Thank you!!" Mitsuri hopped joyfully, waving Giyuu off as she left through the tall, opened stone gate.
….
The salmon daikon didn't last long on her journey to the Serpent Estate. About half way to the estate, she sat on a stump and began eating the meal from the bento. It was good! Giyuu was rather glad she didn't wait too long to dig into it, it was beginning to lose its warmth. That could be why she couldn't help but think how the salmon daikon Sanemi makes for her is better. Nevertheless, it was still delicious and filled her stomach. Gazing up into the overcast sky, she was a touch optimistic in returning to the Wind Estate by the end of the night. She wanted to lay down in Sanemi's bed again… Perhaps after what happened last night… Giyuu felt lonely.
…
…
Silence… it was too silent as she approached the gate to the Serpent Estate… Stepping through the threshold and beyond, she strained her ears for any sign of life. There was no grunting of the corps members or clanking of bokkens… Her brows knitted, if she didn't know any better, she'd say people were hiding. She could sense the estate wasn't empty, however it still felt too still.
Giyuu's eyes widened slightly, quickly pivoting, she was met with the mismatched, glaring eyes of the Serpent Pillar. His eyes narrowed, folding his arms under his chest. "The hell are you doing here, Tomioka?" Iguro demanded, the white snake around his neck was raising to look at her, as if glaring as well.
"I'm here for the Pillar Training." Giyuu replied bluntly. It only seemed to have annoyed him as his eyes narrowed at her further.
"You honestly think you can just show up this late to the Pillar's Training?" Mocked Iguro, a rude cock of his head as he pointed accusingly at her.
"No one else seemed to have an issue with my timing. Normally we get right into training and I leave." Giyuu explained in a frank manner.
He clicked his tongue, even if Giyuu couldn't see his mouth move thanks to the bandages, she heard it all the same. "You're real fucking annoying, Tomioka." Iguro hissed, turning his back and walking off towards one of the distant buildings. "Let's get this over with since you decided to waste all our damn time."
Giyuu began to follow behind the shorter man, that white snake twisted around to watch her every move. "I wasn't sitting around doing nothing. I had misunderstood how to go about the Pillar's Training while also dealing with my own." She attempted to explain, though knew it wouldn't do her any good. While her relationship with Sanemi has drastically changed, Iguro still disliked her greatly. It was something she knew would be pointless in trying to improve. And truthfully, she wasn't all that concerned about befriending him. The distance between them was perfectly alright with her.
He scoffed, not looking over his shoulder. "Maybe if you got off your back more often, your time management would be better."
A baffled noise got stuck in Giyuu's throat at the insult! Got off her back..? He— He was mocking her sexual relationship with Sanemi?! How—How dare he! She traced her memory, she doesn't believe Sanemi has told him any about their sex life, he definitely didn't seem like the type to go into details about something so intimate! Iguro could have easily put two and two together when he arrived in the middle of the night, of course. Looking back on it she was most likely rather disheveled when she had opened up the door to tell the two to shut up, and the way Sanemi is, she was probably covered in hickies considering they were rather "active" hours before. That still gave him no excuse! Their intimacy has been— absolutely fantastic! She has never felt so wanted in her entire damn life! The rough touches, the gentle ones, how Sanemi seems to get off just by making her feel good under his touch! There were times she swears he's worshiping her with how much passion he puts in going down on her! And this bastard—! A vein throbbed in her jaw as she gritted her teeth. "Just because you made the decision to die a pathetic virgin, doesn't mean the rest of us have to follow." Giyuu spat towards him.
Iguro immediately stopped dead in his tracks. Giyuu took quick notice of his fists shaking at his side. He slowly looked over his shoulder toward her. Even with half his face covered, his face had shifted into something fierce like a hannya mask. There were popped veins surrounding his forehead, his eyes wide staring at her with an amount of rage she isn't quite sure he stared at her with before. "You…" he hissed through a clenched jaw, the shell of his ears looking as if they were sunburnt. "You bitch!" Iguro growled, shaking with how insulted her comeback made him.
Narrowing her eyes, Giyuu gave him no reaction besides her glare. If memory serves her right, one of the main reasons he and Sanemi used to be upset with her was due to her lack of reactions. There was physical steam rising off him with how severely he was boiling with anger.
Apparently he couldn't handle the stand off long, Iguro aggressively took one of the many bokkens lined up, harshly throwing it at her. Giyuu caught it quickly, her reflexes have been becoming sharper and sharper with all the enhanced training she's been doing.
"Get the fuck in there!" Iguro demanded, aggressively pointing to a building up ahead. Giyuu gave him no satisfaction of a reply, just holding the the wooden sword at her side and marching towards the short set of stairs. Entering the threshold of the room-
"…"
Of all the things she could have imagined she'd encounter coming into his training… It wasn't to see multiple corps members tied and gagged to thick wooden pillars… What type of training..? What type of training would require this..?
Iguro assertively stormed into the building, his own bokken in hand. He made his way into the center of the room, Giyuu noticed the bound men all trembling, shutting their eyes tightly at his presence. In swift, precise strike, the wooden sword struck a tiny, golden plate in between the bars, Iguro did it again and again to different one's. "That's your fucking goal." He hissed, eyes narrowed at her.
Ah, so that's what the training was… The men were just an extra element of urgency in his training… How queer. Bracing the hilt of the wooden sword, Giyuu patiently waited for Iguro to step away from the men, standing off to the side to watch. Raising her bokken, Giyuu's eyes locked onto the tiny target in front of her. Taking a deep, calming breath, Giyuu swung, hitting the bendy plate on the first try. The tied up man that was near the plate had twitched violently, sending guilt in her stomach. Normally she does despise the corps members flinching and cowarding while training… But never has she bound and gagged them to be her target practice… Beat respect into them, sure… This was a step too far…
…
Over and over, Giyuu managed to hit each plate. She did happen to hit the pole twice however when attempting a swing directly after a strike. But, she'd like to say she made up for that with her recovery speed.
Eyes widening, Giyuu quickly halted her strike, opting to pivot out of the way for an oncoming wooden blade. An annoyed "Tsk." was heard when it missed the target; her. Blue eyes darted behind the wooden beams the men were tied to, Iguro stood with a scowl. "Since that's too damn easy for you, try hitting me..." He raised his bokken to her from behind the trembling men, eyes narrowed. With a small huff, Giyuu gave a firm nod to him, changing her stance and swinging. She missed on the first try of course, she wasn't expecting to hit him, just needed to get him moving.
His movement was quick behind the wooden beams, Giyuu had no choice but to follow him, blocking the on coming strikes aimed at her till she'd be able to return any of her own. Her eyes kept drifting to the trembling men being used as a human shield, protecting Iguro. They'd flinch so violently, making her hesitant to swing back. Over and over, the two danced around each other's strikes, Iguro taking the lead while Giyuu had no choice but to follow.
Using a flint technique, Giyuu's eyes locked in as she saw her opening!
There—!
"DON'T HIT ME, PLEASE!"
Giyuu gasped, eyes wide and darting to the crops member that was tied to the pole. The gag had slipped and he was able to quickly shout. "Ack—!" The wooden sword, held by Iguro, bashed into her side! The hit immediately began to swell on her skin, without her haori helping to cushion the blow, these hits are going to be painful…
"Hmph, would you look at that." Iguro sneered, standing up straight as Giyuu pressed her hand against the spot his bokken hit. "Not so invincible now are you?"
Grunting, Giyuu pushed through the ache, straightening her back. She doesn't know where he got such an inaccurate image of her, couldn't do anything about it now with the amount of damage that has been done. Gripping the handle of the training sword, Giyuu evened her breathing, glaring as her stance changed and the two began again without another word.
…
The small building was filled with the sound of sharp clunking from the meeting wooden swords. Each hit made her ears throb, however it didn't slow her down. Again and again, those damn flinching bastards distracted her. Erase them, she needed to erase them from her vision… focus solely on following and hitting Iguro. Giyuu took in a deep, long breath, her chest raising as she filled her lungs. Exhaling… her mind felt clear, empty for the time being. The only thing she focused on was the man in the striped haori. Gripping the wooden hilt of the sword, Giyuu threw herself back into the constant hits! Connecting over and over again— black and white stripes locked in her vision, nothing else was there! Pivoting after a harsh clink of wood, lowering her body and swinging—
"Argh!"
She made contact with his forearm.
Standing up straight, Giyuu exhaled once more, relief flooding her veins as the frustration of constantly missing her target eased. Mismatched eyes were glaring hatefully at her as Iguro rubbed the tender spot she struck. There was a curse spat from his lips, however that was overshadowed by him hissing out "You passed…" along with a hiss from the white snake around his neck.
…
Once the men were untied and quickly running into their small campground, Giyuu was forced to head towards the gates. Not allowed to stay a moment longer it would seem to be.
"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to train with you." Giyuu bowed her head slightly. "However, I can't say it was my favorite or that it was pleasant." She stared blankly at him, eye contact with the white snake that seemed to glare at her. The snake had a name… however if she asked what it was, she knew he wouldn't tell her kindly.
"Tsk!" Iguro crossed his arms. "You're insufferable… I don't know what Shinazugawa sees in you." He grunted, resting his arms under his chest once more. The snake around his neck hissing at her as if on cue, it seemed to know Iguro's mood well...
Giyuu felt her eye twitch. "Ironically enough, I was just thinking the same thing about Mitsuri." She huffed, adjusting the thin bag over her shoulder. Iguro quickly shifted his stance towards her, she was surprised to see him suddenly looking at her so openly.
"Mitsuri..? Kanroji?" He asked, voice dropping its harshness. "You're… on a first name basis with her?" He cocked an eyebrow, that was a touch hard to notice under his bangs.
"I am." Giyuu slightly knitted her brows curiously at the man. "I came from her estate after spending the night." Perhaps more information would help her understand these odd mood swings he was suffering from. Speaking of Mitsuri, "Ah… That's right, I was supposed to pass a message on to you." She had completely forgotten her quest the Love Pillar gave her. She flinched as Iguro snapped his attention to her so quickly, eyes wide.
"A message for me?" He placed his hand on his chest delicately. Maybe it was due to the Kakushis she had been interacting with so often at the Wind Estate, but Giyuu swore she could sense he was beaming behind the bandages. Giyuu nodded, Iguro cleared his throat, glancing away from her. "What…what did she say?" There was an air of desperation as he asked, a poor attempt in hiding it.
Just a simple hello and wish for good health… Yet Giyuu kept silent, shifting her gaze up to the heavy clouds coming in from the distance.
"Well?" Iguro asked after a moment, irritation rising at her lack of response.
"Hm… Seems I don't recall anymore."
"D-don't recall?! How could you have forgotten what message she asked you to pass to me if you saw her just hours ago?!" Iguro snapped, insulted that she wouldn't give the information he was so desperate to receive.
Giyuu hummed once more, gazing at Iguro's choppy bangs. "Ah… Suppose you were right, I should get off my back more often. Seems having sex with Sanemi so often is affecting my memory now." She sighed, adjusting her haori over her shoulder, as it was too uncomfortable to wear it now after that workout. "Well, what a shame, it doesn't seem like that's stopping anytime soon… Goodbye." Turning on her heels, Giyuu began walking down the trail away from the Serpent Estate. All the while, she could hear the flabbergasted sounds the short man was making.
"You—you fucking bitch!" Iguro shouted at her while she trotted through the large stone gate. Giyuu felt extremely satisfied with herself, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
….
….
Following the same routine as she did the previous time she had gone through two sets of Pillar Training, Giyuu had made the decision to head towards the Water Estate. It seemed the first storm of the summer was going to come rolling in, she wished to close the windows and make sure everything would be sealed properly before heading back to the Wind Estate. Bringing another change of clothes would be smart as well. She couldn't help but feel that at the end of this, all her clothing will be mixed in with Sanemi's. Hiking up the stone stairs… she heard muffled voices… Placing a hand on her sword's hilt, Giyuu cautiously made her way to the top towards the gate of her estate. There shouldn't be anyone at the Water Estate. There were no Kakushis, no maids, no underlings. It should be dead, no life to the still building. At the third step from the top, the gate came into sight—
"Ah, Giyuu-san…"
Giyuu's eyes widened, surprise taking over her body as she gazed upon Tanjiro and two other boys she couldn't care about at the moment. "Tanjiro? What are you doing here?" The lighting was dim due to the storm clouds over their heads, thankfully one of them had enough common decency to light the lantern attached to the stone wall. With that illuminating light, Giyuu was able to make out just how beat up Tanjiro's body was. "What… happened?" There was an ugly, swirling pit in her stomach that told her she already knew who was responsible for the injuries.
Before Tanjiro could open his mouth, that brightly colored boy that made that disgusting radish salad shouted from the ground where he and the boy she wasn't familiar with sat. "That psychopath you're with tried killing us-ACK!" The boy in dark colors suddenly threw a hard punch to Agatsuma's face, shutting him up immediately.
"I told you to stop calling my brother that!" The boy shouted, the strength of his punch sending Agatsuma quickly to the ground.
"Ah! Genya, please!" Tanjiro quickly crawled between the two, looking at them before giving a sorrowful expression towards Giyuu. "I'm sorry, Giyuu-san… We…we got banned from the Wind Estate."
Frantic thoughts filled her mind… The first being how badly Sanemi had injured Tanjiro, the next… Her eyes shifted to the boy Tanjiro addressed as Genya. Giyuu took a careful look at his eyes and features… The similarities were undeniably there even in the dim lighting. This… this was Sanemi's younger brother he had spoken about all that time ago at the onsen. The one he wanted to protect and be able to watch over if they ever were going to have a world without demons. There was a bandage directly under his eye, a long, old scar running across his face just under that. It occurred to her that… that if he and Sanemi both had scarring on their faces, perhaps it was caused at the same time. She couldn't linger on that. They were banished from the Wind Estate… "I…" Giyuu rubbed at her temple, rumbling thunder took her attention to the sky. Rain began hitting tree tops in the distance. "Come inside…" Giyuu fished out her key to the heavy gate, allowing the three boys to have some type of shelter.
"Thank you, Giyuu-san… I'm sorry we're bothering you. It's just… Your estate felt like the best place to be at the moment. Even if we just stayed outside by the gate." Tanjiro explained as they all stood up, following her through the now opened gate. Giyuu didn't answer… she wasn't sure how to just yet. The four made it under the veranda just in time as the rain reached her estate. Unlocking and pushing the door open, she gestured them all inside.
Lighting a few of the lanterns, Giyuu sighed, bringing them towards her tea room to discuss the pressing issue at hand.
"May I make you tea, Giyuu-san?" Tanjiro asked, feeling the tension in the air.
"Why would you ask to make me tea while you're injured..?" Giyuu furrowed her brows at him. He seemed caught off guard, fidgeting under her cold gaze. "Go sit down… I'll make tea… Unfortunately it's all I have right now besides rice, considering I haven't been living here recently…"
"Tea is more than enough! Thank you for your hospitality!" Tanjiro bowed, though she saw as he flinched from his bruised body. The boy was too polite… Giyuu hummed, walking into the kitchen and shutting the door behind herself to prevent any of them from following her.
The moment she did… Giyuu rubbed at her face, a long stressful sigh escaping her lips. Of course… of course something like this would happen. She shouldn't have left… what was she thinking? Guilt swam violently in her veins. The constant thought that if she stayed, Tanjiro and the two wouldn't have been banned and wouldn't have been beaten so badly…
Giyuu managed to find four cups, they didn't all match, but it was four cups nonetheless. Taking out a container of tea leaves, she was reminded of the tea that Shinobu gifted her… Taking it out of her inner pocket, she tucked them in the back of the cabinet, keeping them safe. The woman told her if she ever needed more to contact her… It was kind, however wasn't her main concern at the moment. Glancing over her shoulder at the shut door, those three unfountently just became her main priority…
…
The boys thanked Giyuu as she brought the tea in. She quickly took note that they had placed the short tables together to form a slightly larger one. It was better than using the tiny kotatsu. A cushion was placed for her to sit on, settling down on her knees. "Please enlighten me on what had happened." With the lit room, she took note of their appearances more thoroughly, none were without some form of injury… Of course those in Sanemi's training often got hurt, but the bruising didn't look to solely be from a bokken.
The boy with the dark mohawk; Sanemi's brother, turned his sights down, nursing the cup of tea in his hands yet not drinking. Tanjiro gazed towards him, as if waiting to see if he'd speak… When he didn't… "I… I got into a fight with Shinazugawa-san and it caused the three of us to get banned-" Tanjiro began, though interrupted.
"Why don't you tell Tomioka-san why!?" Shouted the blonde, who quickly snapped his gaze to her. "He tried blinding his little brother! What kind of person does that to their own sibling?!"
"Shut up!" Genya shouted back! Giyuu couldn't help but notice how sharp the boys canines were when he opened his mouth. "Stop saying that shit about him! I would have been dead if he didn't protect me when I was a kid!"
"Yeah— so what?! He protected you back then but now tried to kill you?! That's insane!"
"Guys, please!" Tanjiro attempted to gain some peace. However the two still shouted the same things over and over, drowning out his attempts.
Giyuu felt a vein rise in her jaw. "Enough!" All three snapped their attention to Giyuu as she shouted, slamming her fist on the table in front of her, rattling the connecting ones. "I am allowing you three to stay in my home, I'd appreciate it if you acted civil." She grunted, placing her tea cup back on the surface. Looking out at the three, they were quiet, rather accommodating to her words. "Now… without all this madness, please tell me what had happened…"
This time Genya did face her, his expression was far more open then his older brother's ever was, timidness coming out from under the rough surface. "I…I tried speaking to my brother… about something I knew would upset him… He…he took it very badly." His thumb nervously rubbed against the smooth tea cup.
Giyuu nodded, glancing at the other two for a moment to see if either would continue. When they didn't, she asked. "What was the blinding comment about?" Surely it was just an exaggeration, though she'd still like to know. Genya flinched, seeming guilty as he turned his head away from her gaze.
Tanjiro made a soft, unsure sound. "That… was when I intervened… Shinazugawa went for his eyes after Genya told him he was-" he stopped himself, quickly realizing whatever he was about to say would be temperamental to the boy across from him. "Ahem, his technique in fighting." Genya seemed to have relaxed slightly at his wording, shoulders easing down. "A fight broke out after that… It got messy and multiple people had to get involved to stop Shinazugawa-san… I'm sorry, Giyuu-san. I know you wanted me to learn from him… But I couldn't let him hurt his brother like that!" While he looked guilty, the boy was also determined in protecting his friend. And Giyuu of course could never scold him for that.
A deep inhale and long exhale left Giyuu's mouth, she stared down into her reflection in the tea. This wasn't right… From what she gathered from Sanemi, he cared deeply for his brother. So why… Why would he attack him? It made such little sense to her. Sanemi had told her he wanted to be able to watch over him and make sure he didn't do anything too dangerous and stupid. And yet… he tried to blind him? Her blue eyes flickered to the bandage under Genya's eye once more… She could just imagine too clearly that Tanjiro made it to him just in time.
"I see…" Giyuu brought the cup to her lips, taking in a long gulp, downing the entire thing. With a soft 'ah', Giyuu placed the cup down and stood up from the cushion. "I'm leaving… You all may stay here. Tanjiro, I believe you know where the linen is. You three can take one of the empty rooms on the east wing."
"Ah, but wait! Where are you going, Giyuu-san?" Tanjiro called, readying himself to stand up, though quickly halted as Giyuu raised her hand to him to stop.
Placing her haori over her shoulders, "I'm going to go speak with Sanemi. Please stay here."
"Ah…but he may still be upset." Genya said, a rather surprised expression on his face with how casually Giyuu said his brother's first name.
"I've dealt with and can handle his anger just fine. There's no need to be concerned for me if that's your worry." Giyuu ensured the boys. "I'll speak with you all again in the morning." With that, she didn't look back as she exited the tea room, gentle shutting the door behind herself and heading for the front gate.
She needed to understand what was happening…
…
Loud, deafening rain pounded on the surface of her old umbrella. It was a better shield than nothing. Thankfully the down pour had lightened up as she reached the Wind Estate's front gate. The familiar landscape was thankful for the water that fell upon its dried bodies. The estate must have been the victim of harsh sunlight while she was gone. Shaking the umbrella as well as she could, Giyuu gently placed it against the building as she opened the door, taking off and holding onto her sandals while she entered. As she unfortunately predicted, the estate was in disarray, multiple Kakushis running around taking care of the injuries while other residents of the estate attempted to fix a busted door and wall connecting to it. Corps members were at a loss for what they should do, opting for loitering around and gossiping with each other.
"Ah, Tomioka-san!" A few of the lost troops quickly turned their attention to her as one of the resident Kakushis called out to her jogging up in a frantic manner. Her brows were knitted and attempted to stand in front of the chaos, as if she could hide it. "Y-you're back. This—um, this may not be a good time-"
"Where is he?" Giyuu interrupted, causing the woman to flinch.
"H-huh?"
"Shinzaguawa Sanemi. Where is he?" She didn't allow there to be any confusion.
The Kakushi seemed nervous, glancing around quickly for someone, she jumped as Yuto placed a hand on her shoulder, gently guiding her to the side. She bowed and quickly rushed off. "He took his nichirin sword and went towards the bamboo growing on the west side of the estate…" It was concerning seeing the normally high spirited man so seriously. "When he goes there, a majority, if not all of it is gone by the time he's back…" Yuto sighed, glancing towards the others still scurrying around. "It had grown so tall too…" the phrasing suggesting that Sanemi hadn't had an episode this severe for some time.
"Thank you." Giyuu took a step past him.
"Tomioka-san…" Yuto began. "He's only been out there for about an hour… I'm just telling you this because of how heated he was."
Giyuu gave a firm nod, "I appreciate the heads up." She already knew he'd be boiling… Judging by the amount of men being patched up by others told her the height of his rage. Spotting a knocked over pile of bokkens, Giyuu bent over to pick up two. Earning a curious glance from the Kinoe. "I'll get the remaining frustrations out of him before I speak with him. Do not worry." She held up the two wooden swords, giving another firm nod to the man.
His eyes seemed to gain more life in them, a smile raising on his lips as he gave her a short bow. "It's good to have you back, Tomioka-san."
…
The heavy rain had turned light as she made her way to the side of the estate. While she was thankful for the downpour to have passed, she still was rather disappointed she managed to stay dry all the way to the estate, only to be forced to walk openly in the rain. However, she couldn't exactly hold an umbrella while wielding a bokken. Through the distant thunder, Giyuu could make out the sound of something being struck repeatedly. The telltale sound of study bamboo falling to the ground while someone grunted. Giyuu gripped the bokkens tightly as she entered the heavy bamboo growing within the estate's side.
The first thing she saw of him with the back of his uniform jacket that read "destroy", his arms flexing as he swung aggressively against the dense bamboo, slicing through it like it was paper. He sensed her nearly immediately, aggressively jerking his body towards her, teeth gritted together in a violent scowl. Sanemi's eyes didn't soften upon seeing her, she didn't expect them to.
"What?!" The livid man shouted, drenched from the downpour he no doubt was in along with the current light rain.
Giyuu said nothing, using the bokken she brought in her right hand, she flung it gracefully towards him. Sanemi caught it with far more strength than needed. His eyes flickered to the wooden sword before staring back at her, neither spoke. However actions normally speak louder than words. Sanemi stabbed his nichirin sword into the fallen bamboo bodies, locking the blade and bamboo into place in the ground. Once it was confirmed to her he was going along with this intention, she took her sheathed sword, placing it to the side as both changed their stances towards each other. The moment Giyuu's foot slotted into position, Sanemi bolted towards her, bokken gripped harshly between his hands as he swung.
Giyuu quickly blocked his attack. The clanking of wood was drowned out in the thunder still blaring over their heads. Normally, during their spars, Sanemi made eye contact with her, a grin on his face from the satisfaction of the challenging battle. Yet his teeth were clenched tightly, eyes seemed distant in a way she doesn't believe she's seen in him before. The purpose of this fight was to keep going, to push his body until the aggression bled out of his skin. No matter how long it'll take, Giyuu will continue until he's satisfied. The wet, slippery grounds were a challenge for both of them, their steps gliding as they attempted to stop or turn. In a sense, both could use this distressing opportunity for improvement in their own skill sets…
…
The shattering of the wooden blades was what paused their intense sparring. During a particularly strong hit, both their bokkens met, splintering off into large and small pieces. Both were taken aback by the sudden burst. Of course it wasn't the first time either had broken one, even when sparring with each other one of the swords would crack or break. However, it was the first time both simultaneously shattered.
"Damnit!" Sanemi shouted loudly, furiously throwing the now broken sword off towards the multiple limbs of the fallen bamboo. He was panting, chest raising and falling heavily much like her own. Giyuu tossed her broken hilt to the side as well, preparing herself for hand to hand if Sanemi still had that dangerous amount of frustration left on the surface. However he didn't come charging her again, he began occupying himself by kicking the multiple bodies of bamboo into a pile of some sort. He was clearly still upset, jaw still tense and body needed to keep moving… however this was probably going to be the best time she could get.
"About what happened-"
"Shut the fuck up!" Sanemi barked, not looking towards her.
"I'm not going to do that." Giyuu replied flatly, keeping her distance where she was. "This is a rather important thing to discuss."
"It doesn't fucking involve you! So don't go meddling in shit you don't know anything about!" He snapped, kicking the shoots aggressively that peaked out of the earth.
"It does involve me when I arrive at my estate and three boys are waiting there for me." That got Sanemi to look towards her, his body still holding that irritation as he scoffed. "Told me they managed to get themselves banned from the Wind Estate. That's going to cause an conflict for when they do my training-"
"He isn't fucking doing your training!" Sanemi's loud voice was easily heard over the growing rain. While Giyuu attempted to be plural, his outburst confirmed this was all due to a singular one of them… his brother.
"That isn't for you to decide, Sanemi. I'm going to be training them."
"I'm not fucking allowing it!"
Giyuu narrowed her eyes at the stubborn man, "And what are you going to do? Are you going to attempt to blind me?" His expression morphed violently immediately, whether part of it had to do with him being angry that she knew what he attempted to do or not she didn't know.
"Shut the fuck up! You don't fucking understand shit!" Sanemi marched over towards his embedded sword, roughly taking it out and chopping at the discarded bamboo. His sword more than likely began to dull from destroying the sturdy material repeatedly.
"You're right, I don't understand." Giyuu balled her fists. "I don't understand at all! Because if my sister was still alive, I'd be doing everything in my damn power to see her every chance I had!" She shouted back, the emotions from the night before crawling under her words. The braids with the pink ribbon tied beautifully around the dark locks... Giyuu would have done anything to see her again. "I have no idea how you can just abandon him-"
"Aban— Abandon?! Shut your fucking mouth!" He stabbed the bamboo that lay defenseless on the ground. "I'm so fucking tired of everyone acting like they know shit! No one knows shit about him or me! Don't go fucking acting like you do!"
"I know that you care for him enough to want to have a home with him again one day." That conversation with him at the onsen was the first time in nearly a decade she imagined a peaceful life, wanting one as Sanemi described. Her statement caused him to freeze briefly, whether or not he'd remembered he had said that, it caused him to halt his aggressive actions. "Your brother-"
"I don't have a brother!" Sanemi snapped back, teeth bare. Giyuu furrowed her brows, the rain washing over her face. They were suddenly back at square one.
"That's a bold face lie." She rebutted. "From my understanding, you don't want him in the Demon Slayers corp, I understand that, it's dangerous… But blinding him?"
"If that's the only fucking way to get him to leave than that's what I'll fucking do!" Raising the sword, he stabbed it into the bamboo again and again. Sharps shooting up as he did.
Giyuu sighed, she understood he was worried for his younger sibling. However from what she saw of the boy, he seemed rather strong. He wasn't some weakling, even that single punch to that yellow haired kid knocked him a good distance. "He doesn't seem weak. I'm sure he's a fine fighter-"
"He's not a fighter!" A dangerously strong stab pierced through multiple hard surfaces. "He's never been a fucking fighter! He hates violence! Scared of it! When that stupid fucking deadbeat of a father would beat me and my ma, it would take me fucking hours to coax Genya out of wherever the fuck he was hiding! He's not like us, Giyuu! He can't take hits like we do!" He snapped his head towards her. "Did he tell you what he's fucking doing?! He's eating fucking demons because he can't fucking use a sword!" Sanemi bellowed out to her, hands moving roughly as he spoke. Her eyes widened, eating demons… was a taboo tactic. A dangerous one… There had been others she heard of attempting to eat the flesh of demons… It doesn't end well, the human body normally can't handle it. And yet, Genya seemed so normal when she met him, moving around as any corps member would do. The only oddity she noticed was his canines were a bit longer than most, though Sanemi's weren't exactly dull so it didn't stick out to her. "That bastard shouldn't be here! He should be out finding someone to fucking settle down with, get married, have kids—have a fucking normal life! That's what he was supposed to do! I left him with people that could fucking help him achieve that! They were able to give him a good fucking chance of that life!"
Settle down with someone… That's right. Sanemi had said that at the onsen all those months ago. A fantasy to have a normal life, to court someone, to have a wife and children… A fantasy he wasn't going to get. "Are you sure that's what he wanted?"
"Of course it is! Everyone wants that! You think I fucking wanted to be here?!" Sanemi gripped his sword's hilt, placing his foot on the bamboo momentarily to yank it out. "I don't! This shit drives me fucking crazy!" He began stabbing at the shoots again, more aggressive with a purpose to break it apart. "And that idiot was stupid enough to join willingly! I made sure he had a fucking place to be safe in!"
Stab!
"I did everything I could to make sure my last fucking sibling I had was safe! I had fucking six! Did you know that?! I was the oldest of fucking seven and I was only able to save one of them!"
Stab!
"And what does he do?! He fucking throws that all away! Everything I had to sacrifice for him was for nothing! Everything I did and gave away to protect him! For him to just come here and try to kill himself!"
Stab! Stab! Stab!
"If all of that was for nothing—!" his hands were shaking as he attempted to hold onto the wet hilt. "Then…why did I kill our mom..?" Sanemi's voice broke. A deep shuddering breath filled his lungs. "If I knew he was just going to throw his life away— I would have just let her kill the both of us!" Through the rain, tears were running down his face. Giyuu's throat was tight as she allowed him to shout all that he was holding in, not daring to interrupt him. "That way I could fucking be back with all my siblings!" He managed to pull the blade out, the surface of the bamboo covered in deep stab wounds that exited to the other side. "But I didn't! And look where that's gotten me!" He was panting, chest heaving as his fists shook. "I'm right back where I started! Back to frantically fucking thinking Genya is going to fucking die at the hands of a demon just like the rest of my siblings did!"
"…" Giyuu took a few steps closer towards him, he glared towards her yet not at her. She kept a short distance between them. "I know there isn't much I can say or give you to comfort you… But thank you for sharing that with me…" Sanemi grunted, wiping his face from the rain and tears falling down his neck. "What I'm going to say probably wouldn't make you feel all that much better… I'm going to continue to train him." She quickly saw the tension filling Sanemi's shoulders. "You want him to stay alive… And for him to continue to live, he'll need to develop stronger skills. I'm going to do what I can to make sure he'd be able to come home to you one day."
"That's just a stupid fantasy…" Sanemi covered his face, a long, frustrated groan left his mouth.
"Doesn't mean you should abandon it so easily…" This felt familiar… a settling tension between them into a somber atmosphere.
Sanemi grunted, glancing away from her and to his hand on the hilt of his sword, memorizing the scarring in the back of his hand. Some self inflicted and others injuries he had no control over. Sighing, Sanemi pushed his wet hair back, jaw still tight. "I can't fucking see him here." All it will do is stir this up again.
"Then I'll train him at my estate with the two… It won't be the same as here. But it'll still give him an advantage. Something is better than nothing after all." Giyuu took another step closer towards him, the light rain becoming a gentle drizzle. As she came closer, his body was still closed off, shifting away from her. "Did… Do you want me to leave now?" There was a dreadful pit in her stomach as he didn't immediately say no. Sanemi rubbed at his face again, gazing upon all of the chopped bamboo, seeming uncertain of himself. Giyuu swallowed down the tightness in her throat. "Not forever..." she clarified.
"Not forever." He repeated, ensuring her this hadn't affected their intimate life. "Just… I want to be alone for a bit…" His voice was raw from the emotional shouting. Relief flooded her system, allowing her to breathe again.
"Alright… I can give you that. I promise when I see you again, I won't be angry enough to hit you over the head again." Giyuu gave a melancholy smile, her hand lightly laying ontop of his; that still gripped the hilt of his sword. A rough, huff of a laugh slipped his lips. The tension was still in his jaw, she could only imagine it'd be there for sometime. "Once I'm finished… I'll come back." She squeezed his hand.
"…" He gave a defeated sigh, shoulders not able to relax, yet he released the hilt of his sword; its blade still embedded in the ground, standing upright on its own. His wrist twisted, giving Giyuu's hand a firm squeeze in return. "…Right."
….
Giyuu stepped up the short engawa, the chaos has settled, people going back to their somewhat normal schedule after the panic. Her eyes scanned the room, quickly spotting Yuto as he noticed her as well.
"Tomioka-san… Shinazugawa isn't with you..?" Yuto cautiously asked, stepping up to her. His eyes quickly scanned her for any injuries, sighing as he saw none.
"No. He wants to be outside for a bit longer it seems." Tomioka began walking towards the front entrance down the hall. "Should return sooner or later."
"I see…" Yuto sighed, though his brows knitted as she continued down the long hall, reaching towards the large shut doors that were the entrance, or in this instance the exit. "Are…are you going somewhere?"
"I am. I'm going back to the Water Estate." Giyuu stated bluntly.
Yuto nearly tripped over his own feet. "W-wait—!" His expression mixed with confusion yet panic. "You—you two aren't—!" His eyes frantically flickering around them, there were still a few around. "Dammit! I shouldn't have told you where he was while he was that upset!" He tugged at his short hair. "I-I mean—I'm sure he's just angry about what happened today and not thinking if he said anything that offended you! You truly seem to make him happy and—shit. Maybe speaking with him once he's calm-"
"Ah, I'm not leaving him." She clarified. "I'm leaving the estate for a few days while I train his brother and the others he banned from the Wind Estate." Giyuu faced him, watching the relief fill his lungs. So there were residents here that knew of their relationship as well. "I will return."
Yuto placed a hand on his chest. "Phew… I'm sorry I just overreacted liked that… I just… I truly never saw him like he is around you. I met Shinazugawa before he became a Pillar after all. And while I haven't really met you before your stay here, I'd like to think you're happy as well..?" He gave a bashful tilt of his head, unsure of how far he can go on the subject.
"I am." She replied easily, opening the large door, the rain had completely stopped, the sun had set, blanketing the land in darkness as the clouds continued to block out the moon. However, she knew the path to the Water Estate from the Wind Estate by heart. The darkness had no power over her. "Have a nice night."
"Have a good night, Tomioka-san. I look forward to seeing you again." Yuto bowed his head low, respectfully shutting the door as Giyuu placed her sandals on and took her umbrella; stepping down the short stairs and down the well used path.