Archive of Our Own ^beta

The next scene was going to be awful that it woke Shinobu up before it actually happened. She had that dream again, which had been subjecting her to nightmares and giving her heavy feeling in her body for the past days. 

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes again, putting her hand on her forehead; all for allaying herself. 

Shinobu was currently admitted to the hospital, specifically staying in a ward room together with her co-hashiras who had also sustained injuries from the battle. 

When it wasn't enough, she sat up and covered her face two-handed. She was about to cry that warm tears already pricked her eyes, so she tried her best to control it her way. 

"It seems to be already taking a toll on you."

The familiar deep voice drew her attention.

"Good morning, Himejima-san," she modestly greeted him. 

"Is it the nightmare again?" Being always the earliest one to arise among them, Gyomei had been catching her waking up from the nightmare. The third time that she had dreamed about it, she had already confided it in him. 

"You were told that Tomioka is in a good state, weren't you? By the wind pillar himself."

He was right.

"You fought with him and both of you survived. What else worries you, child?" It relieved her knowing that Giyuu was in a good state and didn't acquire a poison from the upper moon two or any demons apart from Muzan. However, hearing it wasn't enough to put her at ease; she needed to see him with her own eyes to confirm that she was wrong with her suspicion. 

Gyomei contemplated the obvious answer. The two had always been partnered up in most missions and had already developed a camaraderie out of it. He saw Oyakata-sama's rationale behind the tandem: with Shinobu's deep compassion, she was capable of connecting and establishing rapport with people. It was a good supplementary personality to counterbalance the aloofness of the water pillar. 

The aura was pleasant when he talked to them, so he had surmised that both of them had already gotten used to their respective presence. It was given for friends to emanate such an aura when in the presence of one another, but Gyomei could tell it had been getting more intense as time went by. 

The once platonic dynamics that he had sensed between them developed into a genuine adoration. 

So, his thought process led him to the conclusion that the young woman's apprehension might have been subliminally sparked by a deeper reason... or perhaps a feeling. 

Shinobu was a clever child, possessing the intelligence that had even enabled her to create vaccines. So, it was only natural for her to muse and figure things out herself. She might have been wondering why Giyuu hadn't visited yet. 

"Is it because Tomioka hasn't paid a visit yet?" 

She looked downcast and wordlessly answered yes by humming to his question. There was no reason for her to conceal the longingness her "yes" could imply from it, wasn't there? With her subduedness, however, her aura became somber. His query might have as well triggered her to think of the water pillar again and agonize over the reason he wasn't coming in here. 

With Gyomei's keen discernment and his observation of Shinobu, he daresaid that she thought: "Tell me, child. Do you think that Shinazugawa is lying to you and that something bad actually happened to Tomioka?" 

Lo and behold, he was right. 

She looked back at him in confoundment.

"It's not just that you miss him, you also seek his presence to confirm that he is indeed in a fine fettle."

"H-how did you know?"

"I was right then," he said, "I only lost my sight, but not my discernment." 

He might as well use this chance to confirm his other surmise.

"Am I also right on the part that you might have feelings for him?"

It didn't surprise her at all. 

In general, it seemed like blindness didn't afflict him that much, acting and moving around as if he could actually see. It was very paradoxical that the blind person among them and the strongest pillar was the one and the same, as well as the most skillful in gauging to boot. Maninestly, given his disability, Gyomei trained himself to intuit the place and read the room to tell things apart in his surroundings. With how accurately he figured her out, it seemed like he had already mastered it.

Out of embarrassment, she could only hum again. His blindness, however, helped in waning it a bit as he couldn't see her face having been colored with a blush.

Gyomei might not have seen it, but Mitsuri did. She had been awake all the while they were talking about Giyuu, only that Shinobu didn't notice her. 

"Shinobu-chan, is it true?"

"M-mitsuri-san?" It was just a tiny blush across her cheeks a while ago, now, it had already spread over her face. 

Mitsuri sat up and continued to probe, "Is it true that you have feelings for Tomioka-san?" She then covered her lips with a pillow and squealed, muffling the noise she was making, "I knew it!" 

Shinobu had no other choice but to just pull her blanket over her and lie down, making Mitsuri chuckle. Getting exposed to the person who had been shipping her with Giyuu was more embarrassing. Unlike Gyomei, Mitsuri was more vocal and would absolutely razz her about it. 

"So this is how the insect pillar gets embarrassed! How cute!" 

Lucky enough, Mitsuri's teasing was cut short the moment someone knocked on the door, which got slid open by the person who had just knocked. 

"Oh, Shinazugawa-san!"

"Hey." he greeted back. It drew her attention and made her pull the blanket down her face. 

"Shinazugawa-san." She sat up, her eyes then drifting sideward, and espied Giyuu peering out the edge of the door, acting like he didn't want to be seen. "Hey, Tomioka's here—" Giyuu was already scramming away before he could pull him over to the ward, "Hey!"

He tutted and put the grocery bag he was holding inside, and brought in the remaining bags from the outside next (the ones abandoned by Giyuu). "I don't know what's gotten into that man; he's acting like an avoidant young lad," he grumbled, obviously grated on by his sudden behavior. 

After having seen him, Shinobu's worries were then purged, but it ensuingly caused her to get weirded out and especially upset with him. Because the only impression she could get from his elusiveness was that he might simply want to avoid her, or them collectively, perhaps. 

But why? 

What else was he minding of? Was he still insecure and thinking that he was different from them? 

If that was the case, then he shouldn't at least give her—the person who'd most come a long way with him among their cohort—the same treatment he was giving to them. On top of that, why was he talking to Sanemi anyway? Whom she thought to be the first person he would have avoided—not them! Particularly her...

...

Since when did they get on good terms? 

It wasn't like that she begrudged the affinity forging between them, but she couldn't deny that she felt slightly affected by the idea that he was interacting more with the wind pillar than he was to her now... 

For now, what mattered was that she already saw him firsthand moving and alive. Her worries regarding his state became the least of her concerns now. She would relay her sentiments after she recuperated and when they would meet.

After two more days, Shinobu was the first one to get discharged. The rest needed more days to stay for further convalescence and monitoring. Kanao, together with Aoi, picked her up from the hospital. 

They were brought to an actual hospital by the kakushis and ambulatory demon slayers that time (among whom were Giyuu and Sanemi). The Butterfly Estate didn't have any other medical specialist apart from Shinobu—and she was one of the severely injured slayers—thus, it was only logical for them to bring them to a place that had the manpower and expertise to accommodate them. With regard to the poisoned slayers, vaccines were sneaked in and surreptitiously administered to them. 

The less priority slayers, however, were turned over to the Butterfly Estate. 

When they arrived and passed by the corridors of the Butterfly Estate and up to her chambers, the ambience of the estate wasn't the same as it was her before. Although some slayers were still present and undergoing their respective rehabilitations—a scene that reminded her that this sanatorium was set up for the likes of them who'd gotten harmed by the demons—she already cottoned on to the idea that the life that had been insidiously beset by the demons, finally regained its safety and peace. It was already adjusting her disposition in the world she was existing in.

Shinobu sat down on her bed and got abstracted. Even though their victory gave her the sense of security and its concomitant promising life ahead of them, the withdrawal effects of the aftermath also begun to course throughout her system. 

Her sword rested against the side of her cabinet. She stood up and picked it up, unsheathing it from its scabbard.

She beheld the details from its handle and hilt, then down to the metal and its tip, brushing her fingertips along the unique sharpness it bore. As she grazed it, all the hardships that they went through came back to her. 

The dread that the demons had inflicted on their lives, from which the utmost depravity it had caused was to kill innocent people and their loved ones.

Now, it had been quelled.

They could now move forth and heal from bereavement and indignation. 

Losing their loved ones was never worth it, but it didn't go in vain either. The justice got served, and no more lives ought to be compromised and sacrificed to conserve humanity. 

It hearkened back to the brutal plan she had come up with just to put an end to the life of the upper moon two. With the demon's proclivity to consume only women and her incapacity to decapitate a demon, she had decided to take a dosage of wisteria routinely to prepare herself to be the ace in the hole. Needless to say, she did want to live and experience the things Kanae had encouraged her to do before she died, but she could put aside that prospect to wreak revenge by allowing herself to get consumed by the demon... something, fortunately, didn't betide her.

The water pillar had arrived at the lair in the nick of time... and he consequently found out that the demon she was fighting was also the killer of his sister. 

As the demon had recognized the color of his eyes, which led him to think that he might be related to the woman he was recalling, Giyuu became attentive to what he was saying (as part of being vigilant). The description of the time and place, as well as the people that the former supposedly had encountered, was suggestively familiar to him, until it dawned on him that the incident being described was the incident itself that had involved him and his sister. 

Just by that, Giyuu finally remembered everything, including the appearance—particularly the eye color—of the demon who had killed his sister.

From there forth, he faced the wrath of two pillars who had been bereaved of a sister.

Before her mind could remind her again of the moment Giyuu almost got killed, she sheathed back her sword.

"Shihan?" She heard Kanao calling her from the outside. 

"Come in." 

She went in —"the water pillar wants to give you this—" and handed out a folded paper to her.

"From Tomioka-san?" She got the paper and eyed it, asking, "Where is he?"

"He was here earlier. I think he had arrived around the time you went upstairs."

The three of them didn't know Giyuu had been trailing them from the hospital and up to the Butterfly Estate. Giyuu just awaited the right timing to approach Kanao and act like he'd just arrived there. 

"Is he still here?"

"No, he left right away after giving me the paper."

So it's actually me whom he's avoiding!

"I told him to see you here in your chambers, but he declined," she explained. 

"Okay. Thank you, Kanao." She nodded in response and left. 

It couldn't be a long message since the paper was too small to contain a paragraph-long message. It looked like it was only used for a note. 

And, it actually was a note. 

When she unfolded it, there was a time and place indicated, and just below it had another statement that said: 

"Let's meet."

Huh? What are we...

It might just be a small note to her, but it denoted his agenda which she needed to decipher. 

If Giyuu wanted to talk about something urgent with her that required them to meet in person, he would have just gone directly to her. But if not, and it was still duty-related, he could have just sent it through a crow or simply had it delivered by mail. 

But what else were they going to work on anyway? 

It could be that there were still threats, but from what they knew, all the demons had been summoned to the fortress, so she could tell that nobody was left alive as they had made sure to eliminate every single one of them all together. Should it be related to additional courtesy calls and updates, Sanemi could have kept them abreast about it.

So... why? What's this for?

Shinobu tried to rationalize Giyuu's invitation with the best plausible reason: that it could be related to work. But the present situation itself already discounted the aforementioned possibilities, further leading her to think of the obvious that he might simply want to hang out with her—to see her. 

If it's not for work... so, he might just want to hang out with me?

Giyuu had never invited her to hang out. He did invite her to meals, but only during their joint missions (which she realized she had more than solo missions). 

If there was nothing that seemed to be a problem (for him to invite her), then why didn't he come to the hospital and talk to her? 

Receiving this invitation gave her a lift indeed; however, it also got her perplexed. 

What's the matter? What's stopping him then?

Nevertheless, she would go to meet him, but would absolutely demand an explanation for it. They were at least friends, right? For his elusiveness to merit it.

It was a quarter to 11 AM when she left. Shinobu had done it on purpose as she wanted to see Giyuu first at the meeting place, awaiting her arrival. 

She might have gotten miffed by him, but the prospect that they might be spending time together in the succeeding hours made her put it aside for the meantime. Her anticipation countervailed it that she had prepared for it, decking out in the yukata and hair ornament she thought would fit on her. 

At a drawing distance, she could now see Giyuu in his yukata, sitting on the fountain's parapet. The view halted her in her tracks; it wasn't due to cold feet, but a surging excitement. The sight of the man pumped her up that her pulse, which had been ratcheting up since earlier, became more like bounding, to the point she could hear it in her ears. She was simply standing and nothing more. She might have walked a couple of distances from the station, but it wasn't enough to be an additional factor why her heart went this hysterical. 

Wanting to collect herself first, Shinobu went over to the side and there breathed it off as she fanned her face. 

You've always been able to hold it together before, what's going on with you now? - She intrapersonally asked the question, which she already knew the answer: that this was done off-duty and could now be passed off as an intimate gest between them. 

Only if it was likewise to Giyuu's intent for this meet-up. 

He was as nervous as Shinobu. Having been hyperaware, he glanced at every person that passed by in front of him and at the ones who were sitting beside or near him. Giyuu had been doing that for over an hour now, low-key straining him out. 

What's taking her so long anyway?

He recalled what Tengen had told him about women being occasionally late at dates. Women's propensity to make themselves beautiful and presentable for dates was what was taking them so long. 

Is she also like that? Is she late because she dressed up for me?

...

No, it can't be. This can't be considered a date. I'm not even asking her out yet...

His plan was to invite her to spend the entire day in town and confess afterwards before he takes her home, then go home with a smile as she has given him permission to court her and take her out on dates. 

Giyuu wasn't expecting that she would entirely return his feelings, but still hoped that she would give him a chance to prove himself by the means of he could do. He might not deserve her, but he wanted to show what she deserved, even though there was no assurance that it would make her love him too. 

You attract what you think they said—and it must be true, since the subject of his thoughts was finally here.

He saw a figure on his side through his peripheral view, and looking up, it was Shinobu who was holding a folded bangasa umbrella. 

"K-kochou..." he then stood up before her and instinctively took in her looks. Within that brief span, he daresaid she didn't apply much make-up. The only difference that he could note was her hair, which was coiffed in a half-up half-down instead of the usual yakai maki bun. 

What Tengen had meant by the "make themselves beautiful and presentable" was that women tended to bedizen themselves with heavy make-up and ostentatious garments and accessories. He wondered if it was always the case, because if Shinobu was late, then why didn't she look so overdressed? 

In fact, she looked simple... yet so beautiful. 

He felt himself blushing, causing him to halt his stare. 

"T-thank you for coming..." he was glad that she came. Seeing her weeks after the battle let go of the feeling that he had tried to seal deeper within him. The longingness to immediately see her, embrace her, and be with her. It had been suppressed as he thought she wouldn't want or need to see him anyway, and that he would just be a bother during her convalescence, no less, especially since there was no business for them to talk through anymore for him to be present. But now that she was here, having agreed to meet him, he couldn't stop the impulse to step closer and have her in his embrace. Tears welled up in his eyes as he tightened his hold on her. This surprised Shinobu at least, having received this from someone who was as wooden as Giyuu, but she seized this chance as well to finally embrace him too, even giving him gentle pats on the back. 

Being embraced by this man, who was fairly taller than her, was slightly uncomfortable had she not adjusted her face. However, it was just a simple problem to deprive herself from occupying this space so close to and against him. 

If only surprises always came her way like this... 

Going back, Giyuu drew away from the embrace and wiped his tears with his hand, breathing evenly as he tried to collect himself.

It alarmed her. "Tomioka-san..." 

She eyed him as she pondered about the behaviors he had been showing, realizing that it could have been indicatory of traumatic distress. 

"Are you alright?" He could catch the sincerity in her voice, "You didn't visit us in the hospital, and you don't want us to see you... and now, you're getting emotional."

She might be handling the aftermath just fine, but it could be different in other slayers like him. People had distinctive ways to cope, similar to how an event could leave an impact on an individual. 

The demons' existence had caused great upheavals in their lives, putting them through preternatural conditions and experiences that they needed to withstand and inure on their own sans the government's assistance. Being a demon slayer (and pillars on their part, no less), it had been graved in them that this phenomenon could never assure total safety; and that anytime soon they might be facing Muzan himself.

And, finally, woe had betided them. Not just him, but all of his demons as well. 

They could say they had been girding their loins for that battle, for how long they had been waiting to face the demon lord head-on and kill him once and for all. But, to say that its immediacy was nothing near to being shocking was a lie. 

It had hit them home when they got in there. 

If there had ever been the most onerous battle they had engaged in, this was it. 

Granted that it was normal for them to feel dread and exhaustion, still, they had no choice but to keep their aplomb to execute their goal and survive the battle no matter what, not just in one piece but also in sound mind. 

It was naught but enervating in every way. 

She didn't see the other pillars in the fortress apart from Giyuu to say how much the battle had triggered them, but as for him, it was also the first time that she had seen him act with an access of rage. Fighting the upper moon two had become personal for both of them. Shinobu had known the features and disposition of Kanae's killer demon, thus, knowing right away that it was him the moment she saw him—and she got a plan how to kill him. Unlike Giyuu, he'd had amnesia and been clueless about whom he was going to kill. It must have been frustrating for him to hunt down the demon whom he couldn't even remember the features, not until he managed to listen to the upper moon two and get a closer look at his eyes. 

All the agony Giyuu had harbored got triggered. Astutely, he had used it to gain strength and apply it to his advantage. 

"You should have known by now that you can always count on me, Tomioka-san. Whatever it might be, I'll try my best to be of help."

Her assurance was comforting to his liking, "I know. But I should be the one asking you that—"

She paid the second statement no mind and interjected, "Why didn't you reach out to me, then? I might have..." Her mellow voice trailed off as she remembered that Sanemi could have been there to keep him company, which reminded her to bring up, "But I'm glad you and Shinazugawa-san are getting along now."

She was sincere in everything that she had said, and none of it was backhanded, but Giyuu could catch the undertones of disappointment in her speech. 

"It seems like he's been keeping you company lately, for you not to think of approaching me..."

He got what she was talking about.

"It's not what you think..." 

Shinobu knew and understood that it could have been because of his distress that he pushed himself away from the people with whom he talked, which included her—but she couldn't really forgo such minimal indignation.

"Please don't think it that way, Kochou," he asked her, "Later..." He carefully chose the next words he would say not to spoil his plan, "I'll explain everything later on, Kochou, before the day ends," he breathed as he earned the courage to bid, "B-but for now... can we just spend the day and enjoy it first?" 

He waited for her to speak, but he thought that it had sounded demanding and impolite to take her aback. 

"Women dislike that." - He heard Tengen inside his mind. 

Did I turn her off?

In comparison to Shinobu's inward take, he was just rather impatient. She wasn't just able to form an outward response that wouldn't possibly sell her out. 

"I-I am sorry. I didn't mean to sound rude," he quickly defended himself. 

What he said made her panic, "N-no! You don't sound like that..." 

"Really?"

"Yes..."

She couldn't look him in the eyes, and her cheeks started to blush. The day was just about to get started, but she might already completely lose her cool this early with how his invitation inwardly had taken her away. 

...

It almost confirmed her presumption. 

It's just that, it rather sounded like you are asking me for a date... - There was an impulse to tell him this. She could have just thrown it as a joke, but she was too guilty to even trust herself to pull it off as was her wont.

All the while, Giyuu had already begun his own interpretation. She couldn't meet his gaze and was blushing as well; it seemed like she felt shy and awkward, and gauging what to say to break the silence after she denied what he had thought. 

Did I offend her?

But another presumption formed up, which he chose to believe. 

Is she thinking of how to put me off, sans making it seem like it's offensive to me?

Shinobu had been convivial with him, and it wouldn't be new to him if she chose to handle this with tact. However, it still pained him; their day hadn't started, and yet, he had already made a gaffe right off the bat. 

"Kochou, don't you want to be with me?" 

"What?"

If she got turned off and didn't want to hang out with him anyway, then so be it. Maybe this approach wasn't a good idea at all to begin with. He might just think of other ways to make advances to her. 

"It's fine with me if you don't want to hang out—"

He was airheaded and very socially awkward, she knew it, and was used to and fine with it. But what she was upset about was his pessimism and skepticism. He was always like that: considering more the bad and negative possibilities to occur or to be the exact case. It piqued her with how he misperceived her as well now. 

Her brows furrowed. "What makes you think that I don't want to be with you?" 

"So, you want to be with me?"

W-what?

It sounded innocuous and lacked affectation, but this was what rendered her nonplussed for real. His question warranted an answer from her that could imply anything to the man if she wouldn't respond to it carefully. She just wished her face didn't reveal much of how it affected her. But with the heat she drastically felt on her face, he might be seeing her blushing profusely by now.

"W-what else?" Her voice slightly lilted out of chagrin, "Have I ever made you feel that way? O-of course I want to h-hang out with you, Tomioka-san," she tried to make it sound more friendly and comforting. The moment she dared a glance up at him, she noticed hues of blush on his face. She might consider her mind was actually playing tricks on her now, because she saw him subsequently smiling at her. 

A pleased smile that it also seemed like it gave him a lift.

"T-thank you..."

No one then spoke afterwards. The hubbubs of people got louder, further accentuating the dead air, which they both caught on for them to simultaneously say,

"Shall we?" 

It made them sheepishly chortle, yet it also finally eased the atmosphere that had been awkward and stilted since they had met here. They might have been open as partners-in-duty and acquaintances, but this was different. None of them was aware of each other's feelings yet, but at heart, they both secretly regarded this as a date. 

Giyuu proffered his hand to her, "Let's go?" Which she accepted while being all smiles. 

He automatically intertwined his fingers with hers. Her hand was small, much to his liking, as he could hold and feel her hand whole on his. Meanwhile, Shinobu just allowed him to hold her however he wanted; it gave her the butterflies as she had learned once from Mitsuri that this gesture was affectionate... and could only be seen among people who were dating. 

Regardless of what it meant, the two proceeded and blended among the throng. This might be an awkward sight to catch for most of the people they were walking along, but they couldn't seem to care less. They were free to think whatever they wanted to think, even if they would presume them as lovers.

They hadn't stayed at one place for too long and went from one attraction to another to make the most of the day. As Giyuu expected—and wanted—their gest got caught on by the nightfall. After dinner, Shinobu pulled Giyuu into the riverbank, wanting to stay there for a while to idle away some time. She didn't want to go home just yet and wanted to revel in the safety the battle had rewarded them. Furthermore, they still had a matter to discuss anyway. 

They settled on the edge of the pathway. The spot was a slope of the river so, Shinobu sat down with her knees slightly folded up while Giyuu sat cross-legged. There were designated benches behind them and before the pathway curb itself, facing the river as they were. But she preferred to sit on the ground and be this close to the river. Some other people do it too anyway, so they were no different. 

The brightness of the lamp posts and outlets behind them emanated the right amount of light over the area, dimming the spot along the riverbank. The dim here made it seem like they had their own privacy, much to their satisfaction, especially to Giyuu. 

The people were fanned out and preoccupied with their business for their conversation to get overheard. So, he took it upon himself to talk to her now. But then, an estranged lad, who seemed Shinobu's age, approached them from his side. 

"Pardon me," he began, "I am sorry, but I have been noticing you two..."

"Yes? What about it?"

He blushed, asking, "If you don't mind me asking... are you two lovers?"

It startled them; both looked at each other, as if waiting to see who was going to answer and what they should say. 

What are they anyway? What are they really to each other?

It was Giyuu who thought to return him the question. "Why?" 

"U-uhh..." he awkwardly averted his eyes down, "I would just like to know the maiden's name?" —and brought it back to look first at Giyuu and then at Shinobu "—if only she would tell me and wasn't spoken for someone yet."

"Oh..."

Shinobu liked this—Giyuu could tell by how she sounded pleased in saying that "oh" even though it was just a mere reaction. 

She likes hearing implied confessions while she was here with me?

"Why would you want to know?" It was laced with annoyance, almost sounding like he snapped at him. 

"I want—" 

"I think it's inappropriate to ask for a woman's name, especially when she's with another man." 

Giyuu got stern on saying that, which confounded her. 

It made the estranged lad apologize for being presumptuous and then leave afterwards. Shinobu should feel sorry for the estranged lad, but with what Giyuu did, she got rather amused by it, just because he had sounded jealous and territorial. 

She spoke to him as he held herself from giggling, "What was that?"

He told her the reasonable explanation he had quickly come up with for his action, "He's disturbing us, and what if he latches onto you after if I didn't send him away?" 

Just this time, I want to have you for all myself.

"He seems like a kind lad though. Poor him, I am with you," she archly alluded.

What does that even mean? "Do you actually consider giving him your name?"

"Nope. But you should have just asked him to leave more properly."

"Wasn't it proper?" He was still holding himself back, actually, as he still didn't have the right to assert himself. 

"Hmm, not that it wasn't done properly, it's just that you sounded like a jealous boyfriend a while ago." 

I did?

Shinobu's puckishness had just come back. She had gotten adjusted to being with him for the gest, thus gotten her bearings back. 

"Well... I think it's better—to give him the hint and stay away from you."

She loved hearing it, further feeding off her amusement, "Such a protective man... but quite frankly, you sounded territorial too." 

He bawked at her, "Territorial? Me?"

"Uh-huh." She was enjoying this, "It's fine"—playfully bumping him by the shoulder—"you don't have to be defensive about it."

"Do you like it when I'm being territorial over you?" 

"What if I do?" Shinobu challenged. After asking that, she looked at him straight in the eye, and he reciprocated the gesture to her. They stared down at each other, at this dim spot, wherein it almost provided them their own space in public (just that a stranger had waylaid them a while ago). 

She was ever the bolder between them, to even think of closing the distance between their lips. But, on the second thought, she prudently chose to back off and change the topic—because even she herself, was still daunted by her own intrepidity. Shinobu had learned to grow stronger and braver, especially when she had lost Kanae and become the insect pillar. But she didn't expect that the intrepidity she had honed to possess was also the one that would put her acumen to the test.

All for that control, it only took a man to make her reckless for letting herself cave in to her compulsion to continue her ministrations to the man despite already having caught feelings for him, knowing that it might do no good to her. 

She got blinded by the idea that this was the only way she could get closer to him anyway—and secretly love him sans getting caught. 

Because of what had supervened earlier, she realized that anytime and anywhere, soon, another woman might also captivate the water pillar or vice versa, especially now that they had technically achieved their main goal of demon vanquishment. This would be the auspicious time for him to meet and seek out bachelorettes, and eventually have someone more beautiful, intelligent, and kind than her. Most of all, the deserving one to receive the love he had yet to show. 

Just visualizing it alone was already painful to bear. Hence, she let her rationality have this controlled to avoid further emotional damages lest it finally betide in due course. As long as he didn't tell her anything, she couldn't let herself get carried away for the second time. 

"You know what, Himejima-san told me something about you before I got discharged, Tomioka-san."

He listened, still staring at her. 

"He told me that you are pleased when talking to me," she continued, "is it true?"

He answered sans hesitation, "It is, how about you?"

She didn't know whether to get offended by him or just let this pass. To be fair, it shouldn't be new to her how dense this man was. Knowing him, he might just be thinking she just reached out to him out of pity. 

"Do you think I'll keep talking to you if I am not as pleased as you are?" 

"Is it not because you regard me as piteous?" 

There he goes, I knew it!

"Tomioka-san, I've been telling you that I talk to you because I want to," Shinobu reassured, "Please, have some confidence in yourself and also—express what you really want to say," she quickly added. 

Her statement held that possible opening to the elephant in the room. She could initiate and ask him herself, but she also wanted him to start the conversation himself. It directly came from him anyway, that he would explain everything, so she thought it was only right not to speak ahead of him. 

Gladly, he took the hint, "By the way, as for my behavior for the past weeks..." 

"Yes," she urged him to continue.

"I apologize for not visiting you all—particularly you," he started, forming up the statement he deemed appropriate to accurately explain himself, "I just think I don't need to show myself... because my presence wasn't needed there." 

"But I'd sought and waited for you."

"I-I am aware, I heard it from Shinazugawa."

"Why didn't you come by then? Even just for me." It hearkened back to the time she had espied him by the door; he did come for once, but didn't actually show himself up in the room. 

"You did come once, but you left right away—I even espied you peering out the door!"

He remembered it as well. He got startled upon meeting her eyes over the door, prompting him to escape. 

His small invitation leaped to her mind next, "And yesterday too! You asked Kanao to hand me over your note! You could have just gone straight to my chambers and asked me personally!" Her voice was starting to lilt in a higher tone. She kept it at bay, enough not to get loud. But it was still all audible with the racked-up frustration that she'd been harboring. 

And with that, all the sentiments that she had tamped down throughout her convalescence burst open next. 

"Do you know that you still got me worried even after Shinazugawa-san has informed me that you're fine? I even thought he's been lying to me about your state because you hadn't come to see us!" Shinobu couldn't hold herself from chiding him. It didn't only stem from her worries; the way he had eschewed and disregarded her factored in as well. She understood the inferiority complex he dealt with, but it was upsetting that he didn't even consider what it could make her feel. 

She tried to take this in stride, but she found it difficult to do so. 

Giyuu could see that tears started to well up in her eyes, panicking him, "K-kochou.."

She avoided his gaze and nictated those tears away, looking elsewhere but at him, "Am I not important to you, Tomioka-san?" She spoke off with forbearance while trying to keep the air casual. 

"O-of course you are important—"

"Then why are you like that? You don't seem to mind what I may feel."

It gave him a pause. 

"We're at least... friends, right?"

His old self might consider stopping approaching her from now on for offending her, or coldly admonish her for being too sensitive and a crybaby for such a trivial matter. But, because there had been an emotional involvement, her words found a way to sink into him, for him to take a grasp that he'd already run roughshod over her obliviously by the way he dealt with his angst. 

How foolish of me

He didn't mean to subject her to this, but he only had himself to blame. 

Does she really need to get affected first before it knocks some sense into you? - His inner voice reproached, which was apparently more capable of thinking rationally than he was. But it also came within himself, so hearing such voices could indicate an improvement in him in terms of this.

There was a scintilla of progress... a progress that should have been flickered on a long time ago; a progress that hopefully wasn't too late yet to improve himself. 

"I am deeply sorry if I harrowed you, Kochou," with such sincerity, he vowed, "I'll make amends for you."

It intrigued her. "Really? You're willing to do that?"

"Only if you would allow me," he stated as clearly and straight as he could. Giyuu could only wish that he would be able to say it to her with eloquence, especially since he was just planning to segue it into this. 

"What matters is that it comes from the heart, Tomioka. It naturally begets the effort of a man who truly loves." - It was what Tengen had advised him in asking a woman for a courtship. 

"Does that mean you will do anything I want?"

"Only the things that I will be able to do."

Oh? "And what could those be?"

The words he had inwardly formed and were just waiting to be verbalized, seemingly got stuck in his throat. He knew what to say, but due to a mental block, the only thing he could muster to say was: "S-serving you?" 

She snorted, giggling, "Serving me? Are you applying as my butler or something?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You'll be one call away; whatever and whenever I might need help, you'll come and give it."  

He wanted to beat himself for being such a craven. For all the countless demons he had encountered, including Muzan, why couldn't he still have that courage to do such lesser cutthroat move compared to their duty? Even to himself, it was already frustrating. It was fine with him to be misunderstood by anyone else, but he disliked it when he appeared to be ambiguous to Shinobu. 

The courage for this matter might be really different, in contrast to the courage they ought to have gained for facing them. In a deontological sense, it was intrinsic to their duty, so he had the justification for it. It was a must, to put it simply. 

Confession might be a must too; however, it was merely a fulfillment of his personal interest and would only affect him lest he wouldn't do it. So, he was kind of conflicted. With his low self-esteem, he was partly fine that he was faltering because, should he not push this through, she would remain a bachelorette. It would give her the chance to meet someone better and have that capacity to make her happy. 

But, gladly, his selfish side was still present to countervail it. It reminded him just how much he loved and wanted Shinobu for himself, to rekindle that resolution to take this on the next level.

They had been in here anyway to backpedal. He might as well do what he was really out for and not fritter this day away. 

You can do it. If she rejects you, then leave her alone.

"I will be of help whenever you want me to be, Kochou," he swore, "but it's not how you think it will be." 

"Oh, how shall it be like then?" As for her, she only took this casually and didn't expect any much of affectations to come from him, but she picked up on what he said next. 

"May I serve you? However, not in the way a friend will do, either a partner-in-duty or a butler will do as you think."

She had been able to control her heart and keep it beating at a steady pace as they rambled around the places that they had gone. However, after hearing and comprehending the implications of those words, there was nothing she could do to stop it from beating again so incessantly. 

The dratsic shift of the atmosphere pushed them over the edge, leading them to speak again at the same time, even interposing each other's words. 

"But as a suitor—"

"What do you mean—"

But it didn't fail to reach Shinobu's acoustics, and for her to fully understand it and her eyes widen. Meanwhile, Giyuu was left flushed and unable to look at her as he rubbed his neck out of embarrassment. 

"Did she even understand it?" he thought, being uncertain if she heard it, because if not, then he would need to repeat himself. But then, even if Shinobu understood it, she still felt the need to make him repeat it as a reaction. 

"W-what did you say?" He didn't answer, but deliberately took a side glance at her, and then shied away upon meeting her eyes. 

The sight was so adorable she cracked up chortling. She then rested her forehead on his shoulder and let it flow out until it trailed to a stop. She grabbed his arm, holding it to link it with hers. 

"Do you really mean it, Tomioka-san?" It was a query that she asked with all her heart, making her sound hushed, "Because if not—" she tightened her grip "—it's not a good jest to pull."

He looked at her. She was facing down, so it granted him the leeway to gaze at her for as long as he could without her knowing, only that her dangling fringe obscured him from seeing her side features. He planned to just tuck it behind her ear, but on a whim, he fiddled with it first, before actually tucking it. 

"There, better," he casually said. He had reckoned on becoming so tense afterwards. But, oddly enough, he simmered down way faster for him to pull off that gesture—probably since it was now over—and compliment her, "Your hairstyle looks good on you, Kochou."

He sees it—and likes it! He actually likes it! Inside her, it felt like she was about to explode with how her heart became so tachycardic within her sternum. But on her outward looks, she got motionless and unable to speak, still processing that this was actually betiding. Is this for real?

What else could it mean? A man asking for a woman's permission to court her? But still, she remained tentative in believing what this actually meant.

Ohh—I am going to strangle you for real if this was a jest, Tomioka-san!

She could only hope for the better. 

Please say something about it... please, an assurance or anything...

Apparently, they thought alike; Giyuu chose not to speak further, misinterpreting her reaction as an implication that she already understood it. He awaited her response, but eventually took her protracted lull as her way of telling him that she needed some time to take it stock first. Although her resultant reaction intimated something more, he considered as well that the changes his courtship might bring between them were what she was thinking of in her silence. 

Understanding it, he humbly told her, "You don't have to answer me right now."

Please, give me a chance.

"But, can you please still act the same towards me? I am hoping really this doesn't change anything between us."

I will miss you.

He had expected it to come, and he was ready to give up if necessary. But, at the very least, he remained wishful that he would still have the same Shinobu Kochou, even if not in the romantic way as he wanted it to be. He thought lowly of himself, being unaware that he had this side of being a martyr. As what he had said, he would be of help whenever she needed one—and he meant it. He would be there for her even if she was to be with someone else, most likely until he became numb or his feelings finally started to ebb away. 

...

Only if it would happen. 

He couldn't imagine being, and what more, loving someone apart from her. The reason could be that she was the only woman who managed to gain access to his heart and take hold of it. 

Shinobu was his first love; the only woman he had ever loved and wanted to make it last for a lifetime. 

It was a good point to take into account that he wasn't exploring and seeing other women yet, as to why he could say this with finality. Notwithstanding, he wanted and so chose to stay faithful to her. 

"I will wait—"

"Hold on." Giyuu broke off. She lifted up her head and looked at him, her movement reflexively drawing his eyes towards her, "So, you really mean it?"

"Uhh... yes?"

"You really do?" she firmly probed. 

He nodded, answering her in a measured tone, "I do..."

"Is this not some kind of joke?" She straightforwardly asked it herself, giving Giyuu the ambivalent feelings of annoyance and delight. "Kochou, will I ask you for a date for naught?" He didn't intend to say the word he characterized this for, yet he blurted it out all the way. 

Date? "So this is actually a date? Like, romantic date?" 

He had no choice but to handle it with honesty. "Would it be fine with you to regard this as such?" He returned the question as he averted his eyes, and went on to say, "because it's a date for me..." he trailed off as he uttered those last words. 

There were words that could be used to describe what she felt right now, but it was all blended to at least have a single word for it. There was joy, seeing that this phlegmatic man beside her—who had been her partner-in-duty and eventually became her beloved—equally had feelings for her. She was drawn—got more drawn, actually, due to the reciprocity and his gallantry for asking her for courtship through this date; she appreciated it. But the word that would most accurately describe her altogether was that she was helpless... helplessly besotted with him. 

If she was the bolder one, he would be the reticent. It wasn't that he didn't entirely know how to express himself. He didn't only have the courage, or simply at times, he just didn't really want to do it. 

Additionally, he wasn't emotionally cripple at all to begin with. 

He would speak and reach out if he wanted to, especially if necessary. 

Necessary

It occurred to her that this was tantamount to being necessary, presuming that he made this effort to make advances to her. 

She was so saccharine on that part. 

Shinobu got caught in a trance as she gazed at him. She had let go of her inhibitions and allowed her impulse to take control; to rekindle that bolder side of hers to inch closer and kiss him on the cheek with her closed eyes. 

But it resulted in a different outcome. 

Giyuu saw her moving from his peripheral view, so out of reflex, he turned his face to her and inadvertently made their lips touch. 

His eyes widened, while Shinobu mechanically opened her eyes due to shock, getting alarmed that she felt her lips on his. All flustered, she immediately pulled away and turned her back to him, covering her lips. She felt her body heating up on account of realizing what she just did. Giyuu, on the other hand, thought that he was partly at fault. Even though it was Shinobu who had initiated the kiss, it seemed like she was about to kiss him only on the cheek—and they only kissed upon turning his face to her.

Although her move did shock him somehow, he admitted that he didn't dislike it either. He didn't want her to regard him as ungentlemanly and claim that he did this on purpose, so he wanted to apologize as soon as possible. However, Shinobu already got up and walked away, bringing her bangasa umbrella with her. 

"K-kochou!"

She tentatively glanced back at him as she walked away from him, but quickly turned her sight head-on and subsequently scuttled from him. He got up in an instant to catch up to her, "Wait!" 

She turned around and saw him already nearing her thus, giving her the inducement to speed up scuttling to outrun him. 

"Hey!"

Shinobu's pace faltered a bit to look back at him.

"Don't follow me—" then she bumped into a woman she didn't see on her way, causing her to almost stumble forward with the latter. With her reflexes as a pillar, she was able to hold and regain their balance. She wasn't totally running at full speed to cause an impact that could drag them over the ground anyway. All the while, he slightly lurched forward as a reflex to come and help her, but he held back as she had just said not to follow her. So, he remained standing in his position and watched them fix their respective stances. 

She apologized, and by good luck, the woman whom she accidentally bumped was kind enough to let this pass sans causing a scene and making matters worse. 

It seemed like the bumping scene gave them back the composure, as it somehow dwindled that sudden upswing of tension. Shinobu looked at him, and from her distance, she could note his orbs glistened when their eyes met. His visage reflected patience and meekness as if it conveyed that he was waiting for her cue to let him come closer. 

However, she didn't give it. 

Instead, she turned to her front, deliberately took steps forward, and glanced back at him. He let her go farther before starting to walk after her to maintain an ample distance apart from her. Shinobu was stealing glances back at him as she went on her own. He picked up on her behavior, thus deciding to fall in with it. 

The setup had been such: Shinobu dawdled by herself with Giyuu trailing behind from a fair distance. She intermittently looked back at him to check and feel him out. He let her lead their direction until they reached the boardwalk area of this waterfront park. 

She proceeded by the railing and stopped there. 

It was more breezy over here, given that it was built on an estuary. People were more fanned out here too, than at the riverbank earlier. It could be due to the width of the walkway that gave them adequate space to at least mill around. 

Giyuu gauged whether to come closer or not, and when and how it should be done. After a brief reckoning, he decided to attempt it. He moved calculatedly towards her until he managed to get near her. Shinobu saw him through her peripheral view, causing her to look at him directly. It flinched and made him halt on his tracks. She saw the same visage again, only that a combined tentativeness and alarm had been blended with it. He flashed her a small smile, which she then equally reciprocated before averting her eyes from him. 

She smiled, does that mean...?

He didn't wait for any other signs to further support his assumption, and just held onto it as he occupied the space beside her, and initiated to break the silence. 

"I am sorry for earlier."

It only reminded her of the kiss—of course, what else would it evoke? 

"It wasn't your fault. Actually, I should be the one apologizing," she spoke without getting into eye contact with him, "that was so indecorous of me... unless you did it as well on purpose? Which was unlikely."

"No, I did not... but..." 

"But what?" 

He wanted to say that he didn't dislike it to allay the discomfiture she might be feeling, but he didn't know how to say it without making himself seem like a pervert to her. 

Not to be ambiguous

"You don't have to be embarrassed, Kochou. I was at fault too, and..." he broke off shortly to decide which words he must use again and not to turn her off, "I honestly liked it that we kissed..."

It might be deemed improper for a bachelorette to feel giddy for this, but she couldn't help herself from getting the butterflies with what he said. It was only natural to preen, blush, and smile at hearing it, but she would like to be heedful for now, choosing to strangle the smile her lips almost made. Notwithstanding, there was a caprice of puckishness that fleeted on her, which she precipitously caught before it disappeared, thus made her tell, "So you like it that we kissed, huh?"

It was contradicting, but she thought it would certainly be fine if she would just do the same thing that he did to her earlier, albeit with an added challenging undertone. 

It roused something in Giyuu. Probably, it was due to the familiarity of the words she used and the puckish undertone they carried. 

The woodenness that seemingly put them apart was on the wane, finally enlightening the two that the ongoing ingratiation between them had just transitioned into dalliance. There were still the minuscule warnings that told them that they could just regard this as a part of the repartee when things turned out to be just a jest or rejection. But then, again, they already wanted to incline to their puckish sides now and give it a go. 

With his already incorporate courage, he upped the ante and said, "I said what I said, Kochou. And don't ask me that, as if you'll actually give me a real kiss."

Shinobu wouldn't back down. "Why don't you get it yourself?" She then looked at him and saw that his face was expressionless. It wasn't the same as the one she had usually seen on him. It wasn't phlegmatic nor annoyed, neither was it serious. It seemed more like he got into a trance that he could blatantly fixate his eyes on her this constant. 

She matched his gaze, but shied away from it sooner than expected. His eyes caused shivers to go down her spine with the enigma it showed. 

It was unaccountable, and it scared her. 

"Cat got your tongue, Tomioka-san?" Sniggering in veneered good-natured mockery, she dared a quick sideward glance at him. She suddenly felt nervous and planned to sheer away from the cause, fibbing, "By the way, let's get takoyaki? I got hun—" she was close to running away from him again, but bad for her; Giyuu had known better. 

Giyuu outpaced her and caught her by the wrist to turn her to him, startling her. 

"Escaping again, Kochou?" 

Her face burned from guilt, "What? I-I am not escaping!"

He stepped closer as he held her gaze, "What are you going to do, then?" 

The front-to-front proximity between them suddenly became so close that it flustered her again, rendering her motionless and unable to move backward. 

"Oh? Where has the puckish Kochou gone?"

He intended to kiss her right away as a response to her challenge. But he didn't want to appear aggressive and totally turn her off. Even though they had already kissed, it was inadvertent and still supposed to be just a kiss on the cheek. 

In her eyes, his lips twitched up into a simpering smirk as if goading her reaction. It matched what his eyes showed now: so light and playful, but was either tender. A visage that made her further cave in to such vulnerability and refrain from putting up her guard. 

Because it was her Tomioka-san. 

He dared to inch closer to her that Shinobu already needed to crane her neck up slightly, and much closer that they could now feel each other's breath puffing against their faces. "Push me away if you dislike what I am about to do," he asked her in a hushed tone, and proceeded to hold her face with his free hand. His movement was deliberate as he was waiting to be pushed away, but no hands were doing it as he went further, until his lips finally reached hers. 

If someone was just only seeing this from a lower view, it was as if they were perfectly placed at this area as the moon got obscured when their lips touched. 

They slowly drew away from the kiss and gazed into each other's eyes. Their eyes were like a vast scenery that allured them to gaze at it for a long time and stare at its seemingly endless horizon that their pupils created upon its dilation. 

Endless horizons that were as blue as the deep ocean and violet as a luxuriant wisteria tree. 

It was no different from the kiss. The kiss was enervating; it melted them, but its aftereffect was as equal as a roborant could cause. It gave them a certain feeling that shortly, it also galvanized a compulsion to do the kiss again. It was indeed chaste, but it conversely had the effects that a harmful addictive drug could also give: it was to forget inhibitions and public decorum, and chase that pleasure the kiss had given them. 

On their tacit look and current bearings, they satisfied such compulsion by sharing their third kiss in a torrid way. 

Through their eyes and actions alone, it was already limpid how deep their love was for each other. 

It went beyond words. 

It was unknown for how long it went, but it made them undeniably breathless and flushed after drawing away. However, the judgmental stares of the onlookers around the boardwalk told about its duration. Some were even whispering to themselves. 

It was a sight of faux pas to come across while milling around the park, so it was expected to merit such reactions from the strangers. In the midst of the judgmental stares, there were eyes that looked at them with naught but warmth and affinity. Upon looking back at each other, they found themselves back in a safe space, so comforting that it made them sportively smile even though they were still evidently flushed. 

Giyuu proffered his hand to her and bade, "Shall we leave now?" He successfully achieved what he had aimed for—and even got additional incentives for it. This date was beyond worthwhile to him despite the lapses. Anyway, he was still satisfied to call it a night. Moreover, Shinobu might already be exhausted by now. 

"Let me take you home, Kochou," he offered to her. 

A lot had betided tonight; he confessed to her and they already shared three kisses, one of which even singled them out to the public. The shameless exchange they did was already an implication that they must leave now. Although Shinobu still wanted to spend time with him, she was already exhausted, and they could still talk on their way home anyway. 

His gallant initiative, per se, brought a giddy smile to Shinobu, "Alright, Tomioka-san," and she didn't hesitate to take his hand as lief. He then set his pace faster, and she caught up, picking up on the notion to leave this place posthaste. 

Granted those might have already confirmed the authenticity of their romance, a label was still missing—and it ought to be settled.

The chance passenger seats for two that they were able to obtain earlier was befitting for a private discussion. They were at the end of the train, facing no one but the back of a chair in front of them. It might seem narrower than the other seats, but they unanimously like the privacy it offered. 

Shinobu took the window seat. Since they sat down, her eyes had been fixated on the scenery outside. The night view was quite visually aesthetic with the faraway lights outlining the establishments. It wasn't garish to the eye to stare at, but did it actually bring more enjoyment to her to make her stop talking to him?

She hadn't spoken to him since they had boarded the train. 

Maybe she's just really that exhausted...

How about their label, then?

I think it could wait until tomorrow? I could just drop by their abode.

As he went on with his internal monologue, Shinobu nestled her head on his shoulder and yawned out in exhaustion. She then grabbed his arm and pulled it to her side, embracing it as if it were a bolster before closing her eyes. 

She was going to take a nap. 

"Will you sleep?"

She responded to him only with a hum. 

It was enough for him to know how exhausted she was. Nevertheless, he failed to control himself from probbing, "Kochou? What are we?"

She did speak though, albeit tiredly, "Aren't we lovers now? Unless those kisses—especially the second sets—meant nothing to you."

He was exhausted as well, but it gave him back some of his energy to uplift his spirits and make him all smiles. Lovers? Yes! - He could only dare to say this to himself. 

She was now his girlfriend. 

He bit his lip, calming himself to stabilize his voice, albeit the satisfaction and pride were still audible in how he delivered it, "Lovers, it is. You can sleep now." She reacted by snorting in amusement and said in her trailing voice, "Thank you for today, Tomioka-san. I enjoyed it."

Giyuu spoke no more to let her rest. The time then elapsed peacefully with Shinobu taking a nap on her shoulder while he was gazing at the outside night view. All the while, the train had already gone by two stations. 

Shortly, the train went to another stop, stirring up once more the shuffles of both outgoing and incoming passengers. There was one more stop left before they arrived at their station, which was now up next. 

She was exhausted, so he was certain she was taking a nap soundly on his shoulder. He wanted to tell her something while she was asleep, planning to do it now before he wakes her up at the next station. 

A few more minutes, the train set into motion. He rolled the words off his tongue the moment the train moved faster and produced louder noises. It was to be certain that it would mute his voice saying, 

"I love you, Shinobu."

They planned to head straight over to Shinobu's abode. She was able to regain some energy from her nap anyway, so walking was fine. 

The kasugai crows of each of them then surprisingly met them along their way. Shinobu, together with the pillars in the hospital, was already informed that all kasugai crows were set to be disenthralled from their duties (of being messengers) after the disbandment letters were distributed. They could now fly around, but still not that far. They could only fly whenever they wanted and wherever they wished to fly off when the distribution was over. 

When it came to the pillars themselves, the new commander of the Demon Slayer Corps wanted them to fully recuperate first before summoning them all to the headquarters for a formal farewell. 

They supposed that Kanzaburo and En might just be checking up and accompanying them, as they were just flying around and perching on their own masters' shoulders from time to time. 

A discourse between them was what entertained them as they dawdled together (with linking arms), their voices interspersing with the noise omitted by the crickets around. Because it was Shinobu whom he was talking to, of course, this would hone in on when he caught feelings for her. 

She thought it would be difficult to glean it out of him, but then, he admitted right away.

"A couple of missions after the first, more or less. I couldn't exactly remember."

It left her stunned, yet smiling to herself. Calculating it, she cottoned on to how long Giyuu had been secretly loving her, even before she had started having such unprecedented feelings, which she initially described as bizarre and disturbing. But, as time went by, she had surmised that such feelings weren't like that at all. It was just rather addictive that it would control you and make you disregard one's rationality and favor the heart. 

Giyuu asked her the same question, which she responded with a more elaborated answered, "I think it was when you visited me at the Butterfly Estate after I'd severely gotten injured by the psychic demon."

He remembered it. It was a lower moon one. 

"Whyever? Because I visited you?" 

Now that he asked about it, Shinobu herself didn't know either the particular reason, "I really don't know, Tomioka-san, I just felt it. It could be due to appreciation, but I tell you, it was deeper than appreciation."

It had just moved her. It was all there was to it. 

With the allusion to a mission, it hearkened back to the days when they'd had no significant clue about Muzan's identity. It triggered Shinobu, reminding her of their fight with the upper moon two. As much as she was glad that they had both survived after defeating him, Kanae's memory was still a poignant trigger to her. Not to mention, she almost lost Giyuu because of him, too. 

She held and nictated her tears away, so he wouldn't sense anything amiss. But Giyuu knew this could trigger her, so he knew it was just right to change the topic into a lighter one... only if it was. 

"By the way, about Shinazugawa..."

"Oh, right. How did you two get along?"

It would just go back to the previous undertone. He inwardly rubbed his face for not thinking of it in an instant. 

"I mentioned to him about our fight with the upper moon two, and that it was the demon who killed our sisters..." he recalled their conversation to know which details he could segue to digress from the fight, "I also discovered he used to fancy her."

This was new to Shinobu, so she reacted accordingly. "Fancy her? Who? The wind pillar?"

"Yes."

Kanae was the one who was acquainted to Sanemi, so it was already given to her that it was her whom he had supposedly used to fancy... unless he had met Giyuu's sister some other time. 

"You're referring to my sister, aren't you? The late flower pillar?" She emphasized the last two words to make sure he was indeed talking about Kanae and not his sister. 

"Yes, Kochou, but... are you... mad?" He tentatively asked. 

"Oh, no. I am not," she breathed as she thought about it, "I just—I had no idea even before that the wind pillar took a liking to nee-san..." she remembered moments of her saying good things about the newly appointed wind pillar before... and that was all. Kanae was altruistic and receptive. She had never failed to find the goodness of people and always tried to understand them. This was her; this was how she was to everyone. So, it was difficult to distinguish her actions when it came to this, which might hint at anything. 

Had there been something? 

Well, Kanae would have confided in her if she had ever liked someone before, or when a man made advances to her. This could be just an unrequited admiration... unless she only didn't have a chance to tell her about it. 

It could have been a potential relationship for Kanae, but either way, dwelling on it was already pointless. 

But still, she got wistful over the hypothetical image of Kanae falling in love that appeared in her mind. It also brought about a series of scenes wherein she happily dated until it rolled the marriage scene next, and then the establishment of their family. Kanae had asked her to quit the Demon Slayer Corps. Being the older sister, she had only wanted the better (if not the best) for Shinobu, and that was to have a normal life, which allowed her to be happy and have a family of her own. 

At least, she could now work on it.

It might be too premature to say it with finality, but she could only imagine having that life with none other than Giyuu Tomioka. She only prayed that he thought the same. 

"Kochou," he called her out when she got pensive. 

"Hm?"

"Are you alright?" 

"Yes, whyever?"

"Your sister was mentioned..."

"It's fine. By the way, you still haven't told much about your sister. Her name's Tsutako, right?"

"Yes, but, Kochou..." he paused for a moment, "can we visit my family's tomb tomorrow? I'd like to introduce you."

She was flattered, "Of course, I would love to, and my family's too?"

"Definitely." 

They continued to talk up until they got to the Butterfly Estate, and went to the entrance designedly for occupants only. Giyuu entered the gates and accompanied her toward the genkan. She moved ahead of him and turned around, "See you tomorrow."

He smiled. "I'll go here and pick you up."

Before she might have it forgotten, Shinobu must return the favor before the night came to an end. 

"Tomioka-san."

"Hm?"

"The moon is beautiful, isn't it?"

It was the catch phrase that he always heard from her, so hearing it again made him chuckle, "It's been a long time since I heard that—does it mean something?"

Unbeknownst to Giyuu, Shinobu had heard him saying "I love you" to her earlier in the train. 

She took two steps back to him, held his gaze, and archly explained, "It means what you told me in the train earlier. You even called me Shinobu and not Kochou, remember?" It only meant that she had heard him all the while. An instinct fleeted on him that convinced him to explain it, but in hindsight, there were no more inhibitions to hold him back from playing along with her. 

"Why? Did you dislike it? And can't I call my girlfriend by her first name?"

My girlfriend. - It sank into every inch of her gut that it roused the dormant butterflies in it; to her heart, that it made it beat quicker again; to her face that she became wreathed in smiles and blushing; and even to her extremities that it propelled her to come to him and embrace him. 

He embraced her back and commented, "I didn't know you're this clingy."

"Why? Don't you want this?"

"I do."

"Then enjoy it."

She then drew away but held both his hands, their connected hands dangling between them. "So... good night?"

"Before I go..." he then unclasped his hands from hers and held her face, pulling her face for a fourth kiss. As they parted, a brief gazing ensued between them— "Good night, Kochou. You go first,"—after which Giyuu moved to kiss her forehead next, before drawing away. 

"Keep safe, and don't forget to close the gates."

"I won't."

She did what he said and already went up to the genkan, glancing one last time at him before she disappeared into inside.

To say that he was thankful and happy for tonight would be an understatement. They had indeed come a long way, but he wanted to start anew and consider this day as the outset chapter of another volume of his life, especially since they had survived the demons' depravity and he had managed to win her heart since then. 

As early as now, he would prove to her that he was deserving to be her husband. 

Shinobu was going to be his wife—

There was a lifelike sensation that suddenly shuddered him into liminal darkness and brought him back to reality. 

Giyuu's eyes burst open upon getting back to consciousness. He was sitting on the floor and leaning back against the wooden wall. 

The memories prior to this time went back to him, serving as a wake-up call that all of them were brought downward to the infinity fortress by Muzan.

Wait... it's all just a dream?

A pang of disappointment and pain pierced through his heart and chest, by which it almost brought tears to his eyes. This wasn't the right time to let his emotions get the best of him, but it was overwhelming that it instantly dragged him down, leading him to think, 

I shouldn't have woken up...

After waking up, he mechanically stared out upon realizing that it had been just a dream. 

It felt so realistic—they were so happy. 

That dratted psychic demon!

Would it even be considered a nightmare when it had put him under a spell that made him feel naught but happiness? 

Either way, he still chose to brush that rhetorical question off. 

He immediately stood up and grabbed his sword, collecting himself to regain his focus and vigilance in the battle. The water pillar was all prepared again to face any demons he would meet along the way, dashing on his feet towards the east wing. But it took him a couple of steps to realize something, or rather, someone was missing. 

Kochou

She's not here

Where is she?

He frantically looked back in the opposite direction and turned around, dashing towards a particular lair in which he had caught her fighting with the upper moon two singlehandedly. If he hadn't passed by to that portion of the fortress earlier, Shinobu could have been dead by now with how strong the upper moon two was. He told her that he was too strong for her, and that she needed to recover from her sustained injuries first and subsist before they would get back to him. 

Shinobu didn't actually comply, but he managed to carry her off from the lair and bring her to a safer place, and there finally convinced her. But, soon enough, the psychic demon whom they once fought faced them. He initially planned to take care of the demon by himself and didn't want to involve her in it, but she was stubborn. Nevertheless, she was still able to keep up and land a blow to the demon without straining herself.

It had taken a longer time to bring it down as it had gotten stronger than before, on account of getting promoted to upper moon five. 

It was a mistake to overlook something for just a second, because it had cost him to get hit by the psychic demon's bubble. He felt nothing was amiss at first. The moment he passed out due to his dwindling adrenaline, was when the poison took effect posthumously. Its blood demon art was to hypnotize its victims by putting them under a spell based on their deepest desires. Hence, the alluring nightmare. 

After getting back to reality, Shinobu was already nowhere to be found. He could only think of the worst-case scenario that she went back to that demon all by herself. 

He was taking the same path he had gone through earlier when he kept her away from the upper moon two. 

No... Kochou, please.

He was giving his all to speed up his pace, but still, it seemed like it wasn't enough... the time went slower on his end; it felt like it became a longer way off now.

Did the fortress reconstruct itself again?

No, it didn't. 

Upon seeing the door from a distance, he realized he had just gone through the same path as earlier. It was only on his mind; the urgency it warranted for him to arrive was what made it seem like slowing down time. However, no matter how fast he set his pace, it couldn't help him to even catch up and save Shinobu. 

He finally reached the lair and promptly slid the door open. 

It was too late. 

The upper moon two was up near the ceiling, holding Shinobu as if embracing her. He watched as her sword slowly slid off her hand and plummeted, bouncing upon reaching and hitting the board. 

N-no... this can't be... t-this can't be happening...

His lips gaped in shock as his eyes widened with tears welling up in them. It slowly dawned on him how worthless a water pillar he was for not being able to protect the people he cherished on his watch. Giyuu felt so helpless, yet an access of rage was on the rise, which was apparently the only source he could gain strength and resolution from to kill this demon, no matter what. 

It was so foolish of him to think that he was already satisfied after killing her, but witnessing that he was already absorbing her was what snapped him out, drawling out loudly, 

"Kochou!"—

The next scene was going to be awful that it woke Giyuu up before it actually happened. The stage play that they'd watched last night looked so realistically brutal. It was perfectly executed to the point that it gave him a nightmare involving it and his wife. 

But why did he dream about their first date, too and make it seem like it was just a dream?

Anyway, he sat up and got pensive over the nightmare. It was only brief because there was a small voice calling up to him, distracting him. 

"To-cha..." He looked around and saw Giichi wobbling up from his play mat and toddled towards him. The toddler then went closer to the edge of the bed and held up his arms to him, wanting to reach his father, "To-cha..." Gichii anticipatively gazed at him with his glistening ocean blue eyes. With this little lad's cuteness, he picked him up and sat him on his lap. He started fiddling with his small hands and feet, which tickled his son. 

The door then opened. He looked up and saw Shinobu standing by it in her yukata and apron. 

Her hair was coiffed in a half-up, half-down style. 

Ever since their first date, Shinobu had mostly put up her hair in that style as per his request, or she would just totally wear it down at times. He had told her that she could still style her hair according to her preference though, but she had insisted that it was alright. 

It was settled then, and he wasn't complaining. 

"You're awake," she came closer and sat down on the bed, "Did he wake you up? Giichi didn't want to leave you earlier, he cried when I brought him with me."

A pair of small arms stretched out to her, "Ka-cha!"

"Now you want to be with me?" She got Giichi out of his lap and stood up, carrying him on her arms. But it didn't go unnoticed by her that something was off with her husband, with his blank stare. 

"Anata? Is there something wrong? You're staring out."

She didn't need to know about it. 

He showed her a smile. "I just woke up, that is."

"Alright," she then tousled his hair, smiling as well, "I'll just go back to my cooking."

She was about to leave with Giichi on her arms, but he called out to her, "Tsuma?" He drew her attention towards him, her eyes getting fixated on him. Giyuu briefly stared at her as he thought about what he was going to do to anchor himself back, to purge that bizarre feeling in his chest. 

A touch. 

He stood up and walked over to her, holding up her face so he could give her a brief kiss. 

And a kiss. 

"I love you. Both you and Giichi."

Then words. 

It was out of the blue indeed, but hearing such words and sharing a kiss would never be random to them. 

"I love you too, anata."

He told her that he would follow them to the kitchen after fixing himself up. But he was asked by her to chop and bring additional wood chunks as well for the cooking. 

The stage play did evoke him the memories of the past, hence the nightmare. It was almost brutal as the demons were before—and could have what betided Shinobu had he not arrived sooner. It was a mere nightmare and shouldn't be affecting him, but it just felt so realistic. It brought him much disturbance to need to hold his wife just to prove that she is here, with him and their son. 

This was the reality. 

The reality that they now lived in. 

The life that they established and shared together. 

Shinobu had survived the battle with him, and they got together officially after their first date. They were happily living in normalcy and freely loving each other according to their hearts' content. The first date was succeeded by numerous dates. Shared kisses became more frequent, that some of it eventuated to a more amorous exchange. These were the deeds that they did as lovers, but as a family, ministrations for each other never failed to cease. 

Even though there were minor lapses in between, still, naught was changed. 

Shinobu still loved him no matter what, and Giyuu remained adamant with his decision to settle down with her. Just until the right timing was bestowed upon him, Giyuu then took it upon himself to make it legal and finally asked her to be his better half. Ever since she had caught feelings for him, she never thought of having someone else by her side in the future except him. She had been just awaiting his proposal so, there was no reason for her to feel hesitant and put herself off from saying "yes" to him that time. 

It was mirthful for finally being able to have a life together and establish their own family; however, their outset wasn't perfect either. 

It took a long time for them to conceive a child due to the wisteria levels in Shinobu's body, which had affected her conception. They had waited until a chance was given to have their child conceived, although it became compromising to the health of hers and their child. Mercifully, with their compliance to the prescribed interventions, Shinobu had carried off a high-risk pregnancy and eventually gave birth to Giichi safely. 

In terms of the life that they'd had in the aftermath, Shinobu pursued a formal education to be a bona fide physician. Upon finishing her studies, she turned the Butterfly Estate into an actual sanatorium for common people and became the owner-physician and apothecary there. As for Giyuu, he had helped in putting up and handling the sanatorium.  But destiny had worked differently on him, because he came across his brother-in-law in the sanatorium, and he was with his nephew. His brother-in-law was the one who'd mostly reached out and consistently kept in contact with him. Giyuu became open to him though, for the sake of his nephew (for his sister). Moreover, he wasn't involved in the plan of bringing him over to the asylum before—it was their other kin—so, he didn't see any problem to accept him. 

It took a long time for him as well to warm up to him totally, and take his offer to join his publishing enterprise. 

They seemed to be living in clover and could hire housemaids, but they wanted to be hands-on in managing their household as much as possible. They were receiving any forms of support from their colleagues anyway, especially from Kanao and Aoi. 

They were still in contact with the others and had had catch-ups, but not as frequently as before, since they had also settled down and become busy with their own lives. 

He reminisced about the moment when they had disclosed their relationship to the clique. Some had beamed while others had taken it nonchalantly. The reactions were divided, but the commonality that they shared was that they knew it.

His retrospection nearly flashed every detail of their journey prior to this day. If not for that nightmare, he might not have reminisced about it since he wasn't usually that sentimental. 

It was how disturbing it was to him. 

Anyway, it was a good thing either to look back and think that they had managed to end such battle themselves. 

It wasn't a good experience to remember, but their bravery and resilience that led them to this day was indeed a great feat to reminisce. 

There were other better expressions his wife had made that he had seen, but his mind chose to overtly remind him of Shinobu's labored mien upon his arrival at the fight and her unconscious, bleeding face after the battle. 

The need to seek his wife's presence and hold her resurged in him. 

He must hurry in fixing himself up. 

Shinobu had another day-off for today. She planned to just spend the time at home sans doing anything apart from doing menial household chores and casually bonding with her family. 

To have a rest, veg out, and be with the two people whom she loved the most. 

However, Giyuu needed to go to the publishing. A staff had come here earlier and informed him that his presence was sought there. It was already past noon, and he hadn't come back yet. 

Is he on his way home now? He skipped his lunch...

She mused as she went over to the wash line, carrying the wet basket containing the tablecloth that Giichi had spilled on earlier. It was a newly washed cloth and had just been gotten from the wash line earlier. After folding it, she had set it down on the floor table unattended. They had only washed two white cloths, so she didn't need to put them in a basket. 

Giichi was also there. Since he could now reach its level, he accidentally knocked over a glass (with juice) as he had attempted to touch it out of curiosity. So, upon getting back to the table, there greeted her a sight of a fallen over glass, a son playing with the spill, and a stained white cloth. 

Thus, she washed the white cloth again after lulling Giichi to nap. 

Maybe he had lunch there... they must have food there.

She wrung it in each portion and hung it over, spreading it evenly along the line. 

Should I have just packed him a bento? But he said it won't take that long...

Being preoccupied, she didn't notice or sense her husband sneaking up to her, so it caused her to flinch upon Giyuu's startling.  

Gaping, she turned around and playfully hit him on the arm. "You startled me!" But then, her reaction immediately wound down the moment she took in his face. His eyes and lips were smiling respectively, but its orbs reflected otherwise.

He was exhausted and harried. 

It worried her. "Anata..." Despite the enjoyment he had found in this new line of work of his, it still didn't save him from fatigue and tensity. 

"How's the publishing? Wanna talk about..." her sentence trailed off to a halt as Giyuu came closer and embraced her. He took a deep breath and went tighter in holding her close, basking in the comforting effect of embracing her gave. She read the room and decided to change the topic. "Are you hungry? Do you want to eat?" 

He drew away and looked at her, moving down his hands to hold hers. "What did you cook?" 

She told him the viands and began pulling him by the hand as she let go of the other. "Come, I'll serve it to you." 

They walked a few steps and then he called, "Tsuma."

"Hm?" 

He went closer again and whispered the words that had never failed to make her blush and give her the shivers. Giyuu didn't let go of her hand, so it halted him the moment he continued to walk as Shinobu remained motionless in her place. Her reaction gave him amusement, because for how many times he had used those statements, his wife wouldn't seemingly get desensitized to them. Puckish glimmer glistened in his eyes as a simpering smirk stretched the ends of his lips. It was a characteristic expression he unknowingly made up every time he acted so arch with her. 

And, Shinobu knew it so well. 

He looked back at her. "Oh? We haven't started yet, but I flustered you already?" 

The way his voice delivered it in a goading manner contributed to the fluster she felt; on the other hand, it pleased her to see that this lifted up his mood somehow, based on what she could now see in his eyes. It got additional sparks that were interspersing with the strain it reflected. Her presence was enough to overshadow whatever unpleasant feelings he was having, but touching Shinobu was another level and would always be his ultimate outlet, anchor, and feat. It was mutual; she also sought his loving yet aggressive touches whenever stress in the sanatorium became too emotionally overwhelming to her. 

And, they duly fulfilled their responsibilities in such a set-up. Although one could still initiate it, receiving such ministrations while in lassitude made it more pleasurable to both parties. 

She cleared her throat to collect herself. "Y-you eat first, anata, then show me what you got," she taunted, and proceeded to let go of his hand and walk ahead of him towards the engawa until inside, while mumbling, "You'll need a lot of energy for later."

It still reached her husband's acoustics. "I heard that—" it prompted him to follow her until he caught up and got on her side "—Why? Do you expect it to be that strenuous?"

It was her proclivity to tease Giyuu ever since then, whatever the context was. But, with his invitation and her current ovulation, her coquetry was warranted and had a rationale. 

This was an auspicious time to procreate again and lure him into lewdness. 

"We want a second child, didn't we?" 

It halted him in his tracks, allowing Shinobu to walk ahead towards the dining room. 

Two children were what they had talked about and agreed on having. before. However, witnessing how pregnancy had put her through difficulties made him more sensitive and undemanding for it, and became open to the idea that Giichi wouldn't be followed by another sibling. 

She stood on the doorframe and turned to him. "Anata?" 

He walked towards her. "Tsuma..." Something about his aura changed—and in his eyes. With that, the atmosphere drastically shifted. 

Giyuu grabbed her hands and sincerely stared at her. "We don't need to have a second child if you wish not to conceive anymore..."

"What? What are you saying?"

"What if it becomes high-risk for you again?" 

Oh... She knew what he meant. 

"Anata, I am very much healthier now than before," she reassured him, "I'm still within a fertility age anyway—and if you're worrying about the wisteria... it had been all excreted from me." 

"How can you be so certain about that?"

"CBC and urinalysis," she answered casually, as if it had no impact on her at all. His concern just dragged her love even deeper. "Don't you want a second child?"

"I do... but... your well-being is what I am most concerned about."

She was lucky to deserve and have a better half like him, and to beget her children. 

"Take it from me, anata. You have naught to worry about." She tiptoed and craned up to kiss him on the cheek, then pulled him over to the dining room. "Come on, eat."

He set up the table for himself as Shinobu prepared his meal. She left him afterwards and went upstairs, checking upon Giichi first before executing what she had thought earlier for him. 

Giichi usually woke up on or before dinner time, so they could have several hours prior to themselves. So, as per her plan, she then took every garment off but put her apron back on. 

She just had to lie still and await her husband to come. 

The moment prior to his arrival took long than it seemed, but it got dragged even longer when he actually entered and understood the scene. 

She had been wet—and prepared—since she had gotten naked, but he acted so painstakingly in taking in the titillating sight of her naked body being covered by a dainty apron; in sniffing the corners of her neck; and in touching the parts he wished to fondle according to his instincts. His erection grew larger each second; thus, it was getting obvious to her, satisfying her eyes and getting off on it. If he wouldn't do something soon, Shinobu might already grow restive at this rate. 

Does he want to go slow this time?

Yes, he did want to go slow. 

The courtesy call earlier might have expunged that mere disturbance that had bothered him earlier. But hearing the word wisteria hearkened back the information that he might not have had to have found out if not for the complications it had caused to her pregnancy. 

Giyuu had been taking medicaments for his traumatized soul to aid him in coping. However, the idea that he could have lost Shinobu could always give him that degree of agony and drag him down into a limitless void. 

The prescribed medicaments did help him, but he needed to anchor himself back to the surface—and that was by feeling up every inch of her body. 

It didn't betide her.

She is here with me. 

I am touching her and she responds accordingly. 

No one can take her away from me except time and death itself. 

She is yours as you are hers.

Litany of assurances incessantly came up to his mind after the other as he outwardly went on touching her and eliciting sensuous responses from her. Her florid face and closed eyes that are visually pleasing; her tight grip going in turns from the bed sheet and to his arms that it could bring up goosebumps to his skin; and her moans and gasps coming out of her gaping mouth that are music to his ears. 

"G-giyuu... anata—ah!"

The pleasure his foreplay gave was too much, it made her mind go blank for a while, before she actually thought of grappling his manhood and fondle it equally. The solace and pleasure her responses gave him also roused up additional feelings upon her touch. It brought him closer to switching up to his aggressive side, making him grunt. Shinobu then seized his face with her unoccupied hand and drowned him with an open-mouthed kiss. She was so close in seducing him and driving him insane, and all she must do was to put that clincher into words.  

"Please breed a child in me. I need your cum—"

He obliged, and did the deed that benefitted them both holistically. 

Sex definitely provided them the satisfaction and relief in terms of sensuality. But, above all that, was how it became so psychologically affective to them it could calm the storm within—which what made it lovemaking. 

The trauma of their past could always be repressed, but could either get triggered and draw out certain emotions anytime. But no matter how deep and heavy the unpleasant feelings it could evoke, they could equally always seek refuge in each other by any means they saw fit.