Archive of Our Own ^beta

When Shinobu finally accepted that her relationship with Giyuu was inevitably evolving (though it took both of them quite some time to acknowledge it, much to the other pillars' frustration), she was prepared for the complications brought by the nature of their livelihood. They were demon slayers, after all, that's what came first. It didn't matter that they decided to take their relationship to the next level; priorities didn't change. Although Rengoku and Mitsuri finally eased down on their teasing, but only by a little bit.

She couldn't really complain. It wasn't like they spent too much time together outside of their joint missions anyway. It wasn't uncommon for them to go months without seeing each other, and since Giyuu's crow was so unreliable, everyone was used to not hearing from the water pillar while he was away. Whether he actually tried to send messages at all was a mystery considering his crow rarely got to its destination on time or if ever. 

Even now, as she finished with her assignment, she remained focused on the next destination, her crow already on its way to report to Oyakata-sama. She had just killed off a demon who had been hiding in the mountains, only coming to town to feed on small girls. The very idea of it made her stomach churn. This one had been easy enough, but there'd been so many cases lately that everyone was spread out pretty thin.

So no, she wasn't worried or wondering when she would be able to see the water pillar next, nope, not even a little bit.

Her arms reached up towards the night sky to stretch her tired muscles. Just one more village to go before she could head back to the Butterfly Estates, at least she came out of this one with no injuries. 

Three more days passed before she was finally walking through the gates of her family's estate. Aoi and the girls greeted her as she arrived, preparing her a nice, hot bath.

"You just missed Kanao, she left this morning," Aoi explained once they sat down for dinner. "Inosuke was also here a couple of days ago, that's the 3rd time this month. I swear, that boy doesn't know how to take care of himself."

Shinobu chuckled at the exasperation in her voice. She saw herself in Aoi sometimes, stubbornly dense when it came to certain feelings. Inosuke somehow always found a reason to come crashing through their gates. Although considering how thickheaded the boar-masked boy could be, she mused that he probably didn't understand his own intentions either.

"We're glad to have you back, Shinobu!" Sumi added cheerfully, snapping her out of her thoughts. "This might have been the longest you've been gone in a while." 

"Ah, you're right." Shinobu nodded. "But I'm happy to be back. Thank you for taking care of everything while I was gone."

"Of course! That's what we're here for!" Kiyo exclaimed while Naho nodded excitedly. 

Aoi smiled at them for a moment before a random thought popped into her head, "Have you heard any news from Tomioka-san?"

The name makes Shinobu's ears perk up, but she doesn't show it. "I have not. I imagine he will be busy for a little bit longer."

The younger demon slayer accepted the straightforward answer though she couldn't deny wanting to pry a bit more. The news got around fairly quickly when the two got together, and she was one of the first to see all the subtle changes in their interactions. She simply hoped they'd finally get a chance to enjoy themselves for once. It had been almost a year, but considering how busy they've been, she couldn't imagine them having the time to see one another.

Aoi's musings are interrupted when Shinobu stands. She makes a move to grab the dishes, but the girls quickly grab the rest before she has a chance.

"Shinobu-sama, don't worry about it, we will clean up. You need to get some rest!" Aoi demands, snatching the dishes away from her. "Go lay down. Your futon is already laid out."

Shinobu can only and nod; she did feel spent. "Alright, I'll tuck in for the night then. Thank you for the food."

---

Shinobu slipped under the blankets after organizing her herbs. She liked to end her evenings checking her inventory, making sure everything was adequately stocked since an injured demon slayer could come to her door at any given moment. 

Once she settled in, she couldn't help but wonder about one particular pillar. She pouted at the thought of missing Giyuu, even in the slightest. These were the petty feelings that she wanted to avoid from the very beginning. Frustrated, she let out a grumbled sigh before forcing herself to sleep.  

After an hour spent tossing and turning she was successfully dozing off along with the rest of the estate until a sudden presence ripped her from her peaceful slumber. Sharpened senses enabled her to wake at the first sign of danger, but she inwardly cursed when she noticed it might have been too late. Someone was already in her room and her eyes struggled to adjust in the darkness. As adrenaline coursed through her veins she kept her breathing even to avoid alerting her intruder. She was growing tense, muscles readying to launch herself at her assailant before she was ultimately brought to a screeching halt by a simple:

"Shinobu."

A mixture of emotions rushed over her as she eased up after hearing the particularly monotonous voice.

"Just what the hell is wrong with you?" she started, adrenaline now fueling her anger. "In what world would you think it acceptable to sneak around like this? Are you a pervert? You must be since here you are."

There was only silence from the dark side of the room. 

"Two months, and this is how you greet me? You're lucky you're still breathing, Tomioka-san." the poison in her voice was evident, and the way she reverted back to his surnames made him flinch.

"I didn't think I'd wake you," Giyuu replied plainly as he stepped out of the shadows, the rest of the room was bathed in what little bit of moonlight filtered through her window. "I was just stopping by."

Shinobu sat up, and warmth bloomed on her cheeks as they made eye contact, but she ultimately ignores it. She wasn't going to let him off that easily.

"So you were going to sneak around for a bit then leave? That's exactly what a pervert would do, Tomioka-san." she taunted "Honestly, give me 10 reasons why I shouldn't dispose of you at this very second." He deadpanned at her as he made his way closer, deciding it wasn't worth rising to her bait, he hadn't seen her in a while after all. 

She cursed at how her heart pounded, watching carefully as he approached. He settled right beside her, sitting cross-legged. The blues of his eyes were hidden in the low light, but she remained wrapped in his gaze. What kind of expression was he making, it wasn't one that she was familiar with.

Her words caught in her throat as he tenderly placed his hand on her cheek, his thumb caressing her ever so slightly. She was sure he must have seen her heart jump right out of her chest. Where did this Giyuu come from? This man in her room had to be an imposter. She should alert others, and she should definitely not be leaning into his touch. 

Suddenly her vision is filled with him, and his lips catch any possible words of protest. An inherent desire quickly replaced her initial shock as he deepened the kiss, tilting his head to gain purchase. 

Just before she felt her lungs strain for air, he inched away just enough so he could speak.

"I had time between missions, and this was along the way," he breathed against her lips. She noted the way he seemed to avoid her gaze now despite acting so bold.

Was he blushing?

"And... I wanted to see you," he added. The slight vulnerability in his voice has her melting against him then.

Seriously, she wondered, since when did he become so expressive all of a sudden? She wracked her brain for some sort of cheeky response, but he was on her again this time more brazen. He shifted onto his knees, leaning against her tiny frame. 

A shiver ran down her spine. In the almost one year that they'd been together, the farthest they'd gone was some heavy kissing, and maybe some groping here and there but not much else. This moment was different. The room was charged with something else, something deeper, and she was more than eager to find out what it was.

Shinobu slowly leaned back against the futon to see what he would do, and much to her excitement, he followed suit with a matched fervor. She found his weight comforting, but the thin fabric of her clothes offered no protection from his wandering hands. They were warm, and as he released her lips to explore she could no longer fight back the whimper trapped in her throat. It reverberated in the silent room, encouraging him as he descendent past her collar bones. Her yukata had been slipping from her movements, and it did nothing to hide her heaving chest. 

His eyes flew back to her, carefully observing her as he undid the sash. The thin fabric slipped past her shoulders, exposing her to the cold air. Shinobu inhaled sharply his gaze trailed downwards. The urge to hide was growing with every second he spent memorizing what new skin he discovered, but before she could make a move to cover herself, he ducked to give one of her taut nipples a chaste kiss. The sensation caught her off guard, her back arching against him. Without fanfare, he wrapped moist lips around the nipple to give it a tentative suck while one hand came up to massage her other breast.

Shinobu was at his mercy, writhing underneath his sturdy frame, as heat pooled between her legs. Her instinct told her to bring her knees together for some sense of relief, but the action only brought Giyuu against her as he settled in between them, making him groan against her breast. Something inside her was building, and she so desperately wanted to see it through.

Giyuu ensured to give both mounds equal attention before moving back up to capture her lips. His tongue was relentless against hers, and it was all she could focus on until something suddenly prodded at her center, prompting her to roll her hips against him. Whether she'd done so purposely or not, she wasn't sure, but, oh god, did she enjoy the decadent groan that emitted from his chest. So much so that she couldn't help but repeat the motion until he was panting against her neck. 

Her hands grabbed at his clothes seeking to feel the muscles shifting under the fabric. Taking the signal, he backed away just enough to remove the offending garments swiftly. Once fully exposed she allowed herself to indulge, tracing defined lines from his jawline down to his pectorals, toned stomach, and the lines at either side of his waist that drew straight down to his-

Oh my.

She swallowed dryly. That's going to be interesting. The soft caress of his hand against her thigh brought her back from her nervous musings. 

"Shinobu..." he started carefully, voice barely above a whisper. 

She bit her lip, understanding the question at hand. Yes, she was nervous, but she would be hard-pressed to stop now. Her body was on fire and she needed more.

She peeked at him before bringing her hips forward. 

"Please," she mewled sweetly.

He released a breath he didn't realize he was holding before leaning down to kiss her. It was passionate enough to distract her from the weight of his arousal resting against her thigh. Then she felt him shift, eyes fluttering open when she felt him prod at her entrance. Her broken moan interrupted their kiss, and he took the chance to go further.  

In one fluid motion, he sheathed himself, drawing a strained cry from the woman underneath him.

Shinobu was no stranger to pain, but nothing prepared her for the feeling of being stretched. Her eyes remained tightly shut as she focused on adjusting to the sensation.

"Are you okay?" he murmured before planting a kiss on her temple. She could only nod in response, eyes fluttering open to reassure him. 

"J-just give me a second..." she whimpered, focusing on her breathing while Giyuu struggled to stay still. The feeling of wet heat beckoned him to move, but he steeled.

She gave him a knowing look once the pain subsided, sparks suddenly shooting through her body after another experimental thrust. He groaned at the drag of skin. Feeling pure instinct kick in, Giyuu drew his hips back, leaving only the tip inside only to drive himself up to the hilt once again. The squelching sound that resulted from it followed by her breathless gasp set his blood afire. There was no holding back now.

Shinobu felt calloused hands raise her hips at an angle, one that enabled him to reach deeper than she thought possible. He was sliding against every inch of her, and it was getting to be too much. 

The way she was shuddering around him edged him on, picking up speed and giving more weight to each thrust. He had bubbling urge to feel her utterly debauched while he was still inside, to feel her climax against him and all because of him. Just the thought of it threatened his own release, but his focused breaths kept it at bay. He had a goal in mind.

Gripping the underside of her knees, he spread her legs for better access. His half-lidded gaze concentrated on where they were connected, and his lips were slightly parted from all his exertion. Shinobu couldn't fight the blush that crept up her cheeks from being so exposed.

Oh god, she was close.

"Giyuu.." she moaned breathlessly, calling his attention. 

With their eyes locked, he released one of her legs to bring a thumb against the bundle of nerves above her entrance, something she didn't necessarily expect for him to know about, but he did and thank god. He kept the pressure right where she needed it, rubbing tight circles that had her gripping the sheets for some sense of support. Though she was trying her best to stay quiet, he was making it nearly impossible. He kept her gaze, urging her to let go.

Then, she finally did. Her body fully submitting to him, his name leaving her lips in a delicious cry.

Giyuu doubled over as she climaxed, pumping a few more times before his own release crashed into him. He had no time to react, completely overtaken by sheer pleasure as he coated her insides. The way she squeezed around him was milking him of everything he had. 

The room was filled by the sound of their haggard breaths. Shinobu supported his weight as he slipped out and collapsed against her. She brought her arms around his built frame, one hand lightly scratching his scalp. He sighed in relief as he melted even further against her hold. Honestly, if this wasn't the definition of satisfaction, then he didn't know what was. 

"Shinobu..." he murmured.

She chuckled. "Hm?"

"Shinobu..." he repeated mindlessly, sleep taking over his senses.

"Yes, Giyuu?"

A beat of silence before a barely audible, "...missed you" escaped his lips.

"Yes, yes," her eyes crinkled as she smiled, exhaustion finally settling into her bones. "Goodnight, Giyuu."