The Blacksmith's daugther was a witch (Tomioka Giyuu x reader)

Chapter 24: Wilted Life

  Another three months have passed, it's gone by much faster than anyone would have expected. Hakumei has been training with Giyuu almost every week, hanging up with Kocho or Uzui the rest of the time. Kanroji talked to him from time to time as well as Rengoku. The Flame Pillar became very interested in the man that could drink more sake than Tengen himself (he still teased the Sound Pillar about that) and wanted to see what more he had in store. Still, they never talked too much. Shinazugawa and Obanai avoided the Demon Hunter and Himejima with Tokito were indifferent about him.

The (H/C) haired rounin would be leaving today to visit his home once again, as it was promised in his deal with Ubuyashiki. Giyuu wanted to find him before then. Why? The boy has never once used Dead Calm during their swordplay sessions, no matter how hard the hashira went on him. Not only that, by now he was convinced that there was something weird about his breathing style because he has seem those sparks and embers in the foam on his Water breathing techniques more than just a few times. Today would be the day he finally learned the truth about it all.

The ravenette was walking fast towards the Butterfly estate where Hakumei stayed, hoping to catch him before his departure. When he arrived at the gates, he noticed Kocho walking down the garden path back to her house.

"Kocho." he called out just loud enough for her to hear.

"Tomioka-san?" she turned her head around, her eyes holding a strange and foreign look of slight sadness.

"Have you seen Hakumei around?" he asked stoically, doing his best not to let his anxiousness and exciment seep into his voice.

But the girl just gave him a small smile and shook her head. He deflated inside at her next words.

"You missed him, Tomioka-san. Ren-kun will be returning in a few weeks."

And with that she disappeared into her mansion. He turned around on his heel, starting his walk back home. He was fuming.

I finally decide to ask him directly and he leaves before I get the chance to do so. Damn you, Hakumei! he thought to himself.

***

(Y/N) was sitting on her engawa, deep in thought. She just arrived back home yesterday but she already felt the familiar feeling of loneliness grasping her heart. When she was there, in the tranquil forest of lavender colored trees, she felt like the only person in the whole world. Now, not to take it the wrong way, she loved her mountain dearly, but the years spent on it were getting to her. After all, now that she has gotten a taste of the outside world, it felt as if the time has stopped in this place. The house, the forest, the garden, none of it ever changed. Not even the fearfull village down in the valley, nor the moss-encased grave of her father.

She sighed. Was it fate that she couldn't escape the loneliness in her soul even when she was away from here? That even when she was surrounded by her loved ones, pain stabbed at her heart because, except for the one with Shinobu, none of her relationships were real? Because she built a whole world, an entire beautiful world, upon the biggest lie? Or maybe it just was the destiny of every witch, no matter where she would be, she would always be alone. Surely someone before her tried to leave the mountain at some point, only to come back and never try it again.

She let out a deep breath and shook her head. No, she couldn't think like that! She would reveal her secret to her friends when the time was right and surely, being the good people they were, they would forgive her. She clutched her sunset colored sword guard in her palm. Kyojuro, lying to him was the most difficult out of it all. He has been her best friend for years, meeting her just as he became the Flame Hashira. He was always there for her, the only human that ever came back to see her again and now she was pretending not to know him at all. She wondered, would he frown when she exposed her lie to him? She has never seen his face without a smile but this, this could really be the final straw for him. Tears welled up in her eyes and she brought the gift he gave her close to her chest.