Archive of Our Own ^beta

The Hashiras stare in awe at a dazed looking Tomioka.

The normally reserved and quiet male seemed to have done a complete 180. The ravenette had been giggling for the past 10 minutes at absolutely nothing in particular, a small, very rare smile lighting up his features as his normally pale skin was flushed a pretty pink.

It is a sight none of the other Hashiras would have imagined having the pleasure of seeing.

"My, my. I didn't know Tomioka-san was such a lightweight." Shinobu speaks, hand covering her lips as she suppresses the urge to laugh at the drunken male.

"I think it is quite the surprising change." Gyomei states, hands together in a prayer as they mostly always are.

This had all started earlier that day during a pillar meeting, when Tengen had suggested having a drinking party at his estate with the Hashiras to celebrate the defeat of an incredibly powerful demon.

Some of the Hashiras had thought that this had been a very useless idea. And by some of the Hashiras, I mean; Sanemi, Giyuu, Muichiro and Obanai.

Oyakata-sama had overheard the conversation and encouraged them to let loose after such a gruelling battle with the demon. It was about time they had some rest.

And of course they couldn't disobey him.

So here they were, eyeing the Water Hashira as he smiled pleasantly at them, blue eyes hazy from the alcohol.

Mitsuri squealed. "I didn't know Tomioka-san could be this cute! He really should smile more often!"

Obanai grumbled under his breath. "He's just a lightweight."

"Oh, don't be like that Iguro-san! You haven't even drunk anything yet." Mitsuri pointed out.

Obanai flushed at being caught, muttering hushed words under his breath.

Kyojorou laughed loudly at everything that was happening, being quite drunk himself. "My, if this isn't entertaining. We don't see this everyday, do we?"

Tengen laughed along with him. "Well, I would have to agree with you, Rengoku-san. I might even say Tomioka looks quite flamboyant with that smile."

Muichiro sat quietly beside Gyomei, sipping on his tea (because he's underage and isn't allowed to drink alcohol but it's not like he minds). He seems amused, quietly taking in his surroundings.

"Hey, do you think Tokitou would be the same as Tomioka when he drinks in the future?" Tengen says suddenly.

"I wouldn't put it past him. Their personalities are surprisingly similar." Obanai says.

"That'd be so cute!" Mitsuri squeals.

The only other person who hasn't spoken a word for a long while had been Sanemi.

Giyuu giggles at the noises, sipping more alcohol before his ocean blue eyes scans the room and locks onto lavender.

Sanemi stares plainly, unbelieving of what he was seeing.

Giyuu had been in this state for more than 30 minutes, and it was starting to do things to the Wind Hashira.

And no, it was certainly not because he found Giyuu's smile cute. Because he did not. And no, it was not because his flushed expression was just so adorable. That would be absurd. And certainly not because Giyuu just looked so endearing in front of him that he just felt like pulling him into an embrace and never letting go. He would have to be insane.

Because it was Tomioka Giyuu. The person he hated the most.

And yet as his eyes locked onto Giyuu's ocean blue ones, he couldn't find a single reason to hate him.

Giyuu's eyes was like the ocean itself. Clear and still as it reflected his emotions like a clean slate.

Sanemi must have been staring for a long while because soon the Water Hashira was leaning impossibly close to Sanemi. So close that the Wind Hashira could smell the scent of alcohol on Giyuu's lips.

Sanemi stilled, not expecting the sudden move.

Giyuu tilted his head quizzically, staring at Sanemi with that drunken expression as he spoke, words coming out slightly slurred.

"Is there something on my face, Shinazugawa-san?" Giyuu murmurs so only Sanemi could hear him.

Giyuu's eyes looked innocent, anticipating Sanemi's answer as the other finally found the voice to answer.

"No. Fuck. It was nothing." Sanemi responded, voice coming out rougher due to the alcohol.

"Then...then why were you staring like that?" Giyuu asked.

Sanemi frowns. "Like what? Use your words, waterboy."

Giyuu stops, as if trying to think of a word to describe how Sanemi was looking at him.

"Like...like- I don't know. Like that." He points at Sanemi.

Sanemi rolls his eyes. "Very descriptive, Tomioka."

Giyuu pouts, defeated, and Sanemi finds himself resisting the urge to reach out and touch him.

It was the alcohol talking, not him.

This was Tomioka he was talking about.

"So it's decided?" A voice says.

"Yeah, he should take him home. It'd be better off that way too. Look at him. I don't think he could even walk properly if he tried."

Sanemi's head snaps up, only to lock gazes with the other Hashiras.

"What the fuck are you guys talking about?"

Shinobu smiles. "We decided that you'd bring Tomioka-san back to the Wind Pillar Estate. Seeing as it's nearer to Uzui-san's place."

Sanemi's eyes widened. "Wait, what-"

"I would have taken him to the Butterfly Estate, but I'm currently housing the children there, so I don't have room left. Kanroji, Rengoku and Iguro-san are staying here and Himejima-san is heading off to his estate after this. So it's best if you take Tomioka-san tonight."

Sanemi stares in disbelief. "Why the fuck do I have to take him home?!"

Shinobu rolls her eyes. "I've already told you why."

"But why me?!" Sanemi yells.

"Oh, come on Shinazugawa. It's just for one night. Besides, Tomioka seems to have taken a liking to you." Tengen states, pointing at Giyuu who had taken upon himself to stare at Sanemi.

"I don't want to take him home!" Sanemi grumbles, running exasperated fingers in his snow-coloured hair.

Not Tomioka.

"Don't tell me you'd much rather Tomioka-san go home by himself! Imagine the demons that would get to him in his drunken state! That would be horrible!" Mitsuri cries out.

Sanemi stops.

Yeah, that would be horrible.

So that's how Sanemi finds himself dragging a drunk Giyuu down the path and towards his own estate.

Giyuu stumbled with each step, and Sanemi had to restrain himself from shouting at the other with each wobbly step.

"Can't you walk in a straight line?" Sanemi hisses, steadying a hand behind Giyuu's waist as he tightens the grip on the raven's arm on his shoulders.

"Mm. I'll try." Giyuu mutters, albeit softly.

"He's drunk. He's drunk." Sanemi mutters to himself.

But after the upteenth time of the Water Hashira tripping on small pebbles and flinching at the tiniest of sounds, Sanemi finally caves in.

The Wind Hashira lets go of the other's arm on his shoulder, hand still on Giyuu's waist as he moves to stand behind him.

"Shinazugawa...san?" Giyuu whispers, confused.

The confusion fades though as Sanemi sweeps his free hand under Giyuu's knees and picks him up easily in a bridal carry.

The raven yelps, and somehow in his drunken daze manages to grab ahold of Sanemi's neck.

"You walk even worse than a fucking child when you're drunk." Sanemi huffs, finally able to quicken his pace as he storms to his estate.

He didn't want to stay out for too long, not knowing when a demon might pop out.

Sanemi barely misses the thank you that comes out of Giyuu's lips, opting instead to focus on his destination.

Soon, the Wind Estate comes into view and Sanemi pushes through the front door.

He doesn't put Giyuu down. Instead, he carries him all the way to one of the free guestrooms he has in the estate.

"Here." Sanemi mutters as he places Giyuu onto the bed with an unexplained softness.

Giyuu looks up at Sanemi and smiles.

Fucking smiles up at him.

"Thank you Shinazugawa-san." Giyuu says.

Sanemi almost (almost) wants to pull the other in for a kiss. But he doesn't.

Because it's Tomioka.

"It's whatever. Anyways, you need to get a fucking bath. The bath is right beside the room, so it'll be easy to find." Sanemi gives directions. "If you need me, just call out."

Sanemi attempts to leave the room, but a small voice stops him.

"Don't...don't leave." Giyuu whispers, and the broken tone in his voice actually stops Sanemi.

Sanemi turns around, staring at Giyuu who suddenly looks so small as he curls in on himself. Did he always look this vulnerable?

"Hey...Is something wrong?" He asks, and he's shocked by how soft he sounds.

But none of that matters as Giyuu finally looks up, looking at him with watery eyes.

"Please stay. Please." He begs.

And Sanemi finds himself complying.

He starts towards Giyuu's bed, before sitting beside him.

Silence envelopes them for awhile.

"You know...I never thought of myself as the Water Hashira." Giyuu says, breaking the silence. "I never thought I deserved the title. That's why I stay as far as I can from the rest of you. I don't think I'm worthy of my position."

And it's like a huge revelation is placed upon Sanemi, eyes widening at the Water Hashira's words.

Giyuu thinks he's undeserving of being a Hashira? That's why he stays away from the others?

Not because he finds himself to be better then everyone else. But because of the exact opposite.

Giyuu sniffles. "I had a best friend. We trained together when we were younger. I loved him a lot. He was way better than me in terms of swordsmanship and technique, and I knew that one day he would even be able to bear the title of Hashira. That day never came."

Sanemi listened, watching as tears started collecting in those blue irises.

"He saved me and a lot of other children during the final selection. He risked his life for us. He lost his life for us." Giyuu sobbed, the alcohol in his system making him more emotional. "I should have been the one who died that day. If...if I had been stronger, Sabito wouldn't have died. He would have still been here, maybe taking my place."

"He should have been the Water Hashira. I don't deserve this position, I'm not worth-" Giyuu rambles before he is cut off by Sanemi.

"No, I will not be having that shit." Sanemi curses, cutting off whatever Giyuu had wanted to say.

"You're here now because you are worthy. You deserve this title just as much as everybody else here. What? You think you miraculously became the Water Hashira because your friend died? No. You made it here because you pushed through. You think your friend would appreciate it if he knew you thought like that?" Sanemi says, and it surprises Giyuu.

"Stop thinking you're undeserving of this. You aren't. You have to realise that you're worth more than you think." Sanemi continues.

It surprises him, no doubt, but he hated how much Giyuu beat himself up thinking he didn't deserve the position of Hashira.

And to think he thought Giyuu looked at himself to be better than the rest of them.

Sanemi's words seemed to sink into Giyuu's brain, because not a second passed before a choked out sob left his plush lips, eyes watery.

Sanemi sighs, opening his arms out in a gesture.

"Come here."

Giyuu crashes into Sanemi, wrapping his arms around the other as Sanemi rubs soothing circles onto Giyuu's back.

Giyuu shudders from his choked cries, finally feeling a weight being lifted off his shoulders as he cries onto Sanemi's shoulder.

Sanemi merely lets him.

For the next few minutes, Giyuu's head is burried into the crook of Sanemi's neck, sobbing as Sanemi attempts to soothe him.

Before long, Giyuu's violent sobs die down into soft sniffles, body relaxing into Sanemi's warmth.

"You feeling better?" Sanemi asks, feeling a slight nod from Giyuu.

"Hm, good. You still want to take a bath?" Sanemi asks, careful to keep his voice at a low tone.

Giyuu shakes his head.

"Okay then. Do you want me to leave so you can rest?"

Giyuu's head snaps up from its position, blue eyes locked onto lavender ones as he violently shakes his head.

Sanemi almost finds himself smiling. Almost.

"Alright. You want me to stay?" He asks.

Giyuu nods softly, pausing as he thinks. "S-sleep with me."

Sanemi pauses, eyes locked on Giyuu as he flushes slightly.

"Sleep...with you? You want me to sleep beside you?" Sanemi clarifies.

Giyuu nods, eyes pleading and begging.

And as always, Sanemi gives in. Because he couldn't seem to ignore the other's requests.

The couple settle themselves on the bed, before Giyuu slowly leans towards Sanemi, hugging him and burrying his face into the Wind Hashira's chest. Sanemi finds himself chuckling lowly.

"Are you always this clingy when you're drunk?" Sanemi asks, Giyuu tilting his head up to face him.

The Water Hashira flushes, and Sanemi doesn't know whether it was because Giyuu was drunk or because of his words, but he realises just how much he likes seeing the other's rose-tinted cheeks.

Sanemi wraps his arms around Giyuu's waist, pulling him closer to his body as he inhales the other's scent.

Giyuu snuggles even closer to Sanemi, basking in the other's warmth.

"Sanemi. Thank you." Giyuu says, addressing the other by his first name.

Sanemi stills, surprised. "For what?"

"For...for listening to me. And for being here." Giyuu replies.

Sanemi finally smiles, something Giyuu would remember for the rest of his life, because by god, Sanemi looked beautiful when he smiled.

"Ah, it was nothing." Sanemi replied, unable to stop the smile on his face.

And he didn't seem to mind that.

As the warmth of their bodies lulled them to sleep, Sanemi realised just how much he liked being here. Warm and sound in the arms of another.

And maybe it was fine if that person was Giyuu.