Chapter Text
As Giyuu carefully prepares the last Ohagi to give to Sanemi his mind wanders. He meticulously shapes each one, like handling an egg if the shell was plush.
He got the recipe from Shinobu and by extension, Aoi. Both girls asked him why he would bother, he doesn't strike anyone as a baker. But he told them simply, he was doing it for Sanemi, seeing nothing wrong with saying so. But Shinobu held her laugh behind her hand and Aoi let out an amused snort. What was so funny? But his hands continue to knead the mochi.
He remembers the duel from before. He didn’t need Tanjiro to tell him Sanemi liked Ohagi (it was pretty evident) though it did help him confirm his suspicions. He curses his mind for actively trying to make him want to be friends with the man who would prefer he never went to another Hashira meeting. But what can he do? Some subconscious part of his brain is telling him to do so. It’s like grabbing for something underwater and it keeps jumping away like it’s dodging his grasp. But his hands continue to knead the mochi.
The day they first met was a part of his dreams that keep recurring like pushing a floaty underwater. No matter how much he tries to push it into the depths of his mind it always reamerges to the surface.
They were all called to a Hashira meeting which to others who had been there longer, only meant one thing. They all didn’t have missions that day, which was unusual for the Hashira. Giyuu had only just begun to settle in. His awkward silence turned into comfortable yet unearned silence.
He stepped in the meeting room where he half-heartedly tried to argue himself out of whatever this was but inevitably sat down, showing no trace of past or present hesitation. He feels the weaving of the tatami mat. It shows just a ghost of a feeling on his knees through the thick fabric of his uniform. The others seemed to know what was happening. Tengen had that relaxed aura around him, his hands resting comfortably on his knees. He only saw Gyomei’s back but when he walked in he could swear there weren’t any tears. Which was unusual.
“Hey Tomioka.” Kanae sits next to him. Giving him a trademark smile, “New Hashira huh?”
Suddenly Giyuu’s observations make sense. The reason everyone is here. Especially due to the fact that Ubuyashiki said last time that they should ‘be more coherent’ because he predicted a battle where everyone is there. But that’s stupid, why would the demons want all the hashira in one place? It just doesn't make sense to him. But he wouldn’t question the master. And in the end, he just wants them to get along. But really, it’s heavily targeted at Giyuu. The connection to other Hashira that is.
“That’s what this is?” Giyuu keeps his voice low, his eyes forward at the entrance for the master.
“Yep.” she sways lightly on her knees. After a long pause and Tengen’s useless chatter in the back she says, “What do you think they’ll be like? I hope it’s a girl so I don’t have to drone on with you.” Giyuu feels a pang of sadness. Was it because she thinks he doesn’t enjoy their one sided conversations? Does she not understand that he doesn’t deserve that sort of friendliness? That he isn’t worthy to even sit in the same room as her, let alone talk to her.
“Mh.” the sound of Affirmation comes from the back of his throat. Not a response but not quite the lack of it. Something that Giyuu’s one sided friend was used to and took as much as she could get. Turning her face back to the door with a swoosh of silky hair.
After a short bit of waiting and being in captivity with Tengen's incessant chatter. The door slowly slides open as the young Master walks out with his wife. The chatter hushes. The world feels as if it stops. The world is waiting for the words of the one they are waiting for. Suddenly purpose becomes a real thing. Suddenly Giyuu isn’t just floating through life to do something.
“My children. I have called all of you here today to introduce you to the new Hashira.” Kanae was right. Giyuu feels that tug at the back of his mind telling him he shouldn’t be here. Not worthy. That he’ll only be seen as less. Because he is less.
The master continues, “He has defeated lower rank one.” The master nods in the direction of the door, “I’ll let him introduce himself.”
The man steps out, Giyuu’s age. His hair is white as snow but looks fluffy, more like fresh cotton. Scars litter his body, seeming to match the face. His lavender eyes lack spark, Giyuu finds them… interesting. Something about him just seems right. Maybe it’s the scar that runs over the bridge of his nose, similar to a scared boy he once knew.
“Oi, what are you looking at?” The man barks at him. Giyuu sighs in knowing that’s his first impression on this man who will now be his ‘equal’.
After talking with Tanjiro, maybe Giyuu realizes he needs to branch out. Sometimes, he sees their spirits, their values through his eyes. He thinks Maybe, if he branches out, he will make new connections, rather than lose them to demons. Maybe the fact both of them died was a coincidence. Now that Giyuu is strong, he can protect others, rather than wallow in his own pity. He cringes at how he acted just a few months ago. But Tanjiro has a way of changing people.
Once he finishes the last of nine Ohagi and packages them up with a little bow at the top. He writes a small note with a friendship proposition on it just in case Sanemi isn’t at his door. He nods his head in silent triumph and grabs the box by the tie at the top, heading to the wind estate.
The journey is swarmed with anxious thoughts of what could happen. Countered by Tanjiro's voice in his head cheering him on. the effect that kid can have.
Look at Muchiro, smiling and actually able to remember his own name. What happened to him? They went to the swordsmith village, killed two upper ranks, and came back all happy. Giyuu swears that if Tanjiro became a demon, his Blood Demon Art would be something like Unwavering Positivity. Not like that would happen though.
He takes small steps up to the Wind estate. His footsteps are light, refusing to fill in the awkward empty space that is only filled with Giyuu’s silent determination. The trees seem to watch as the quiet man tries to befriend the one who wouldn’t give a damn if lives or dies. The cobble under his sandals seems to push him forward and the moon overhead cheers him on.
The fence of the estate comes into view, the Fall moon beaming down on him kindly. The wooden fence with the rusted silver latches brings a sort of comfortability to Giyuu. He doesn’t know why. He sets down the box and brings one hand up to knock on the gate.
Knock, knock
Giyuu stays awkwardly watching the door. His hand reaches his side again when–
Twang
The ground beneath him opens up, swallowing the quiet man into infinity.
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Giyuu slowly opens his eyes. His head pounds as if it’s trying to escape his skull. His hands grasp at the mats under him, sweat slicking up the weaving. Judging by how much his head hurts, that was a long fall, enough to spill blood but yet there is none. Something softened his landing.
He looks around now, pushing himself onto his knees. Ahead of him is a sliding door firmly shut. To his left is a plain wall, like a mansion that no one bothered to decorate. Above him is just a roof, which is weird. He remembered falling. But this isn;t any room he’s been in. This is clearly a Blood Demon Art and a powerful one at that.
But the sight that pains Giyuu the most is the dark red haired boy, who lies five feet away to his right. Face facing away, palms down and lying on his stomach.
What. Is. Tanjiro. Doing. Here.
Giyuu feels that panic rising in his throat, along with the protectiveness he failed to utilize with Sabito and Tsutako. He pushes himself off his shaking knees and onto his feet, gaining balance quickly, too quick for someone who just fell so far. He makes his way to the door, getting his nails in the crack between the door and the wall and trying to pry it open to no avail. The door is magically sealed shut.
This room isn't big enough to fight anyone. Not by a long shot. No, this is a slaughter room. Giyuu stumbles back to Tanjiro uncharacteristically. The boy's eyes barely start to open when the shoot opens quickly as he sees the face of the Water pillar in an unknown place.
If Giyuu’s here now, they are planning to have all the other Hashira in these ‘slaughter rooms’ if they aren’t already in other rooms. Muzan isn’t dumb, he’s not gonna drop them all off in the same place to kill all of his upper ranks. He’s separating them.
“Mister Giyuu?” Says with urgency in his voice. He continues, “I think I know what this is?”
This snaps Giyuu out of his thoughts, urging Tanjiro to continue.
“Well, there was this Drum demon. We killed it but it could control rooms, a whole mansion with those drums.” Now it makes sense to Giyuu. The sound when he dropped was a biwa. This demon is gonna be tricky. Unless… they aren’t fighting that demon.
“My my, if that isn’t the boy with the hanafuda earrings.” A voice comes from behind Giyuu, at the doorway, chilling his blood.
Giyuu slowly turns around, hand drifting to the handle of his sword with his other hand outstretched as if to cover Tanjiro.
“Oh please. You won’t be able to get out of this even with Buddha's blessing.” The Demon teases. He flaunts the numbers in his eyes, Upper Moon Three, a nuisance. The blue tattoos that cover his skin give him an unworldly vibe.
“My name is Akaza. You?” The demon reaches out a menacing hand to Giyuu, his arm relaxed.
Giyuu huffs under his breath, “I don’t have a name to give to a demon like you."
Akaza rolls his eyes and says, “well Lord Muzan told me to give you a choice. Become a demon or die.”
The words strike hard against Giyuu's already concussed head. But Tanjiro is here, he has to protect him.
“I’ll pass”