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“Nee-san?” Giyuu sprawled over Tsutako’s lap. He wanted to be close, as close as he could be to her before another man claimed Tsutako as his own, and she would no longer just be his. “How do you know when you like someone?”
He didn’t get it, weren’t they happy together? How did Tsutako fall for someone and she wanted to marry them and change their lives?
Tsutako hummed playfully at the question, weaving her fingers through Giyu’s hair. “Why do you want to know? Has someone caught my little brother’s attention?”
“No!” Giyu turned his face, hiding it in Tsutako’s torso hoping that his reddened face remained unseen.
Tsutako’s laugh relaxed Giyu’s nerves but he still refused to move, letting Tsutako lean down and whisper into his ear.
“You’ll know by how much you crave their presence. You don’t need special words or gestures…just them being close. That is enough to make you feel at peace.”
Loud. Everything was too loud.
Giyu had tried to hide his head under one of the infirmary pillows, hoping it would quiet some of the banging and stomping. It worked, if only slightly, but it did not last long.
“Alright, Tomioka-sama!” Aoi was also too loud, talking over the three little ones who were arguing over who should go where next in their nearly full infirmary. “It’s time for your medicine! We need to get you back up pronto! Can’t have the Corp going without a Hashira for too long-huh?”
He knew his poker face was terrible, but Giyu had at least hoped that his distress would at least be ignored or overlooked. He knew he was a terrible Hashira, not handling the loud sounds of these girls healing others back to perfect health, and he did not want them to concern themselves with that. He would deal with it himself, it was the least a false Hashira like himself could do.
“Aoi,” Giyu recognized Shinobu’s high breathy voice anywhere. He also found it odd that other people found it comforting. It was fake. Shinobu deep down wanted to complain and snap at patients who made their recovery process difficult. It was just an act, and while he appreciated her and everything she does, he can't help but find her slightly unnerving. “It seems Tomioka-san here could do without the loud noises.”
Aoi blinked back and forth between the two Hashiras. “I…I see why that can be. But he still needs to be taken care of, Shinobu-sama.”
Shinobu smiled and clapped her hands. “Don’t you worry! I’ve already thought of that. Kanao!”
Everything was still loud, but Giyu could pick up on the sounds of boots pressing into the wooden boards, each one light and careful. Unlike Shinobu who wouldn’t even make a sound, or the other girls who would stomp and run on the floor. Kanao Tsuyuri walked in and bowed her head to him.
“Kanao will be taking care of you for now on, Tomioka-san. She’s been instructed on your medicine schedule and recovery timeline.” Shinobu looked over to her tsugoku and this time a real smile was on her face. “Do your best, Kanao!”
Shinobu gathered the other girls and ushered them out of the room, leaving just him and Kanao staring at each other in silence. He had no words to say to her. Had he even talked to her before? Luckily, while Kanao did not have words, she did have orders and she followed them perfectly, giving him the exact amount of medicine he needed and checking each wound thoroughly.
When she was done bandaging up a rather nasty cut he had on his left arm, she placed the gauze back onto the medical cart. Giyu had expected her to roll the cart out and leave him to be alone, instead she grabbed an empty stool that lay in this room and put it beside his bed. Sitting down right next to him.
Giyu blinked at her and asked, “What are you doing?”
“Keeping you company.”
“Did Kocho order this?”
“Yes. Master thinks you shouldn’t be alone, but enjoy the quiet.”
“Ah…”
And so they sat there. No noise, no loud pounding or shouting or stomping. If Giyu grunted or hissed in pain Kanao would get up from her seat and check on his wounds. Her fingers gently grazed his skin and the gauze wrapped around his body. Her fingers weren’t as rough as Shinobu’s but also weren’t as soft as Aoi’s. He wanted to feel them more to fully know the difference.
Thinking about that, he hadn’t realized hours had passed. Only when the sun was lowered and the room began to dim it dawned on him the amount of time that had gone by. Strange, he usually doesn’t space out like that.
“Tomioka-san,” Kanao spoke softly, eyes never leaving his frame. “I need to get ready for patrol with Master, I’ll be back in the morning to continue your care. Please get some sleep in the meantime.”
That was fine. Demons weren’t going to wait for her or him. He only responded with a nod, and she did not push. That was a refreshing change from Shinobu poking him for more, or Sanemi snapping at him, or Tanjiro insisting on not leaving until he says something.
She bowed slightly and those careful feet took soft steps until she was out of the room. He kept track of them while she walked down the hall. Even with his heightened senses, he couldn’t pick up her presence for long. Maybe she was still in the Mansion, maybe she was on patrol now. Would she stop for a snack when she was done, he wondered? Did she have one? Sanemi had one…he should ask next time she was here. It would be good to know.
“Favorite snack?” Kanao echoed, placing his medicine down on the bedside table. She wasn’t wearing her cape today. He wondered why. Did Shinobu tie it for her? Did it get dirty last night? She looked….older without it on. Was this only temporary?
“Ah…what you like to eat or have. Something you look forward to…”
She remained silent as she handed him the cup of medicine. Giyu was sure it tasted disgusting, but it was a small thing to get worked up over. He tried to swallow the contents in one go, but the bad taste made him choke and he ended up getting to taste most of it.
“Ramune.”
Giyu quickly cleared his throat and he looked over at Kanao. He could feel some of the medicine dripping down the side of his lips but that mattered little to him.
“Ramune? Like…the soda?”
Kanao nodded. “Master would buy it for me when we went out to festivals. It reminds me of those times….with her and Kanae-san.”
Giyu nodded and took mental note of that. He never paid attention to the sugary drink before, but he’ll take notice next time he’s out in a town shopping. Giving people these kinds of things it’s something friends do right? At least…he can use thanking her for taking care of him as an excuse if she asks whenever he shows up again at the Butterfly Mansion.
“What about you?” she asked in a light voice. Hesitant. Shinobu mentioned during their mission at Mount Natagumo Kanao was slowly coming out of her shell after her childhood trauma, whatever it was.
He should respond then. “Salmon Daikon.”
“Is it good?”
“Have you not had it before?”
“No.”
“It’s…very tasty.”
“I see.”
Silence reigned over them then. Yet unlike most silences, Giyu didn’t feel like he said something wrong or did something. Shinobu said he was disliked so he tried to keep in mind more if people were annoyed with him. That was not the case with Kanao.
Kanao kept the same small smile on her face and repeated yesterday’s motions. Sit by his bed, stare at him, the wall, or the window, and direct her attention to him if he started to sound like he was in pain or uncomfortable.
The silence was comfortable, demon slayers were used to being vigilant, being on high alert, never actually relaxing. Even while recovering, Giyu never felt fully at ease, after all he could have six different girls walking in on him and being loud.
When Giyu opened his eyes again he noticed it was pitch black, he couldn’t see anything past the edge of his feet. He had fallen asleep. When was the last time he dozed off unwillingly like this?
Silence was different from being alone and he could feel like the moment he awoke. Kanao had left. Most likely patrol again.
He was awake now. That was annoying. Well now he could recall the different stores that had Ramune in stock. Would Kanao like different flavors? Strawberry maybe? It was pink like her eyes.
“Tomioka-san, I’m back.”
Giyu turned at the sound of Kanao’s voice. She was wearing the cape again, good. It suited her. With the white garment covering her torso it was only natural that his eyes drifted down. Her skirt was shorter, just shy of reaching her knees. He was certain that at one point they were near her ankles. He heard from other Corp members that Maeda would mess with female Corp members' uniforms. Like how Mitsuri had an opening in her jacket. Should he say something to him?
No…it was fine like this.
“How was the evening?”
Kanao blinked, slight surprise on her face. It was the first time he had asked. But…talking to her was easy, he didn’t mind it.
She gave a gentle smile, closely resembling Shinobu and Kanae’s, “It went well. Master and I ran into some weak demons that were stalking a traveling merchant. We slayed them before the merchants noticed anything was amiss.”
“I see…good job.”
Giyu reached out his sworn body and extended his arm, his hand pressing onto her head. Up and down back onto her soft, silky, hair. Shinobu did this to her, so it was okay if he did right?
Kanao’s ears turned a soft pink, just like her eyes, and she averted her gaze from him and pressed her lips together. Oh they were as pink as her eyes…all pink and cute.
“You’re getting better, Tomioka-san. That’s good to see.”
“Really? I don’t feel any different.”
“O-oh…I just…never seen you this affectionate to someone before.”
That’s because everyone else was overbearing and loud and pushy when he wanted peace and quiet.
“….You’re different from everyone else. I want to give you affection.”
“J-just me?”
“Just you.”
And that was the truth.
After that they resume their usual routine. Kanao sat there, but now slightly fidgeting and a light red hue on her face. That was fine, that meant she liked his compliments, right? She would hesitate slightly when she went to change bandages, looking at him for approval. To which he would always nod. He was fine if she touched him.
As the day went on and the sun started to fall lower in the sky Kanao started to relax around him again. Good, he was worried for a moment his actions made her wary of him.
“I’ll be taking my leave, Tomioka-san.”
“Ah, good luck. You’ll do fine.”
Kanao smiled softly, red gracing her face once again, and bowed. “I will, thank you.”
“Kanao…”
“Yes, Tomioka-san?”
“That coin you have with you…what’s it for?”
He noticed in the past. On the occasional mission he would share with Shinobu and when she would bring her tsugoku. When missions went awry from a demon’s trickery she would pause and flip the coin before continuing the mission.
“Kanae-san gave it to me,” Kanao explained, leaving her hand out so Giyu could get a good view of it. Only now did he notice that it wasn’t yen. “She gave it to me to help me make decisions when I don’t have orders.”
Ah. That explained it.
“Do you always use it?”
Over the past couple of days he noticed that Kanao started using it more while taking care of him. When she assisted him with his bath yesterday she used it quite a lot. Were there a lot of decisions that went into that? He hoped it hadn’t been for choosing if she would have helped him or not. Shinobu has seen him naked before but…he would prefer Kanao for that. Just them in the comforting silence while she helped him with bathing.
“Kanae-san told me eventually I would be able to make my own decisions with my heart…when I fall in love with someone.”
“Have you?” Giyuu asked quickly, loudly. He made her jump. He didn’t mean to do that…he just wanted to know. “Fallen in love, I mean.”
Kanao once again lit up in a bright pink blush. Everything about her was pink. Her eyes, her lips, her sword, her face. Was the rest of her body just as pink? He was curious. “I, uh, um…” she bit her full pink lips. “I’m not sure. Do you know what being in love is supposed to feel like, Tomioka-san?”
He didn't. But he was told it forever ago. Before demons. Before Sabito. Before becoming a false Hashira. When he was young and didn’t want to share Tsuako with anyone. He had forgotten her words, he hadn’t thought them in years. Most in the Corp aren’t interested in romance, sure there was Tengen but he had arranged marriages and Mitsuri but she just wanted someone as strong as her, that’s not what Giyu wanted.
All he wanted was peace and comfort.
The serene silence hung over them while Kanao patiently waited for his response.
“I…don’t but-“
Kanao’s eyes widened waiting on his next word, those pink irises refusing to blink.
“…maybe. I’m not sure.”
She took a moment to absorb what he said and eventually nodded, disappointment in her eyes. Disappointment in what? Regardless…her pink lips forming a barely visibly pout was cute. He wanted to see what other positions those lips could be in.
“Okay…if you do fall in love would you tell me what it feels like? So I can be sure?”
Giyu nodded.
“You’ll be the first to know.”
Giyu pouted. “Just wanting to be close to them? That’s it?” He withdrew his face from his sister’s chest and looked up at her patient, serene face smiling at him. “That doesn’t sound great to me.”
Tsutako patted his head and giggled when she noticed Giyu’s growing pink face. “I promise you when you get older you’ll understand why that trait is so important in someone you love.”
The idea of Tsutako being in love ignited something inside Giyu. He couldn’t bite his tongue back and the words spilled out of his mouth before he noticed.
“What do you even do when you love someone?”
Tsuako blinked at him, shocked. Was it really that odd to want to know?
A knowing smile overtook her face. “That’s right, you don’t remember mother and father that well.” Tsutako lowered her head, and Giyu sat there frozen. He was trapped, engulfed by his older sister’s frame.
Her lips were right next to his and she breathed into his mouth. “Here, let me show you what you’re supposed to do.”
“You want to take Kanao with you on a mission?” Shinobu frowned at him, looking up from documents on her desk.
He was well enough to go on missions again. He did not resist treatment or rehabilitation training this time. Being alone with Kanao helped to not get distracted by the loud noises and other people pestering him. Sure he got distracted by the sweat sheened against her flushed slightly tinted pink skin, but they had to be training for that to happen. And it just naturally encouraged him to train more.
“I need your permission don’t I?” He shuffled awkwardly under her piercing gaze. While he preferred serious Shinobu to whimsy Shinobu, he didn’t like the serious gaze directed at him.
“You do but,” Shinobu’s frown deepened, “that wasn’t what I was referring to. You never like going on missions with other people.”
“I don’t dislike going on missions with others it’s just-“ Giyu huffed away the urge to fight that statement. He thought he had worked on people not disliking him. “I feel comfortable with her, and besides don’t you as her Master want her to expand her horizons. I’m sure I can teach her things you can’t.”
Veins popped on Shinobu’s face. Was that the wrong thing to say? Flower Breathing derived from Water Breathing, if Kanao watches him, she’s surely to pick up a thing or two.
Shinobu sighed loudly, “You’re right. This would be good for Kanao.” That usual teasing smile was back on her face, anger long suppressed. “Did you two hit it off while you were recovering? I had a feeling you would!”
“Ah, you were right.” Shinobu may act like she’s mature but Giyu knows her. She was still immature as she was at fourteen deep now. And one of the ways she still was, was that she loved knowing she was right. “I know she’ll always be your tsugoku but I was wondering just this one time-“
A triumphant giggle could be heard from Shinobu’s pressed lips. “Of course, Tomioka-san! Just be gentle with her.”
Giyu nodded and walked out of her office, walking faster than he normally would. He could hardly contain himself.
He would be gentle, of course. Just like Tsutako was with him.