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

Chapter 31: Sunset tears

Previously:

"Tomioka-san, wait!" called (Y/N) suddenly, her face no longer holding that happy expression, "I can explain!"

The man only glanced back with a glare.

"Save it."

And with that, he walked away.

Giyuu was walking quickly to his home, fists clenched, teeth gritted. How could she? He was missing her every damn day, worrying about her safety, and she has been there all along! Did she not trust him enough to tell him her true identity while residing with the Demon Slayers? Bitter tears filled his eyes but his pride wouldn't allow him to let them fall. Not for her.

He remembered how Kocho just suddenly started calling Hakumei 'Ren-kun'. He found it so strange at the time, now he understood that she must have learned of the secret, which made the two closer. What did the Insect Pillar have that he didn't? Why was it okay for her to know and not for him? He knew her for longer than the doctor, he woke up days before Shinobu! Was it something he did while on the Witch Mountain? Did he anger her somehow? He just couldn't understand why she would go through all the trouble of hiding from him when he would never spill a single secret of hers. Because she meant so much to him... but apparently, it was just one sided.

A memory flashed through his head.

"Do you like spider lillies, Hakumei?" he asked on the first day when the rounin visited his home, stopping to admire the peculiar flowers.

I do. Do you? (Y/N) wrote back, a strange shine in her eyes.

He though it was a weird question back then, considering they were growing in his own garden. Why would he plant something that he didn't like in front of his house? He was so tempted to answer 'they remind me of someone'... What would have happened if he didn't hold it back on that day? Would she realize how much he missed her and tell him that she was there for him? Would she let him know that it was actually her behind that disguise? Or would she not care at all? He wanted to hate her for hurting him the way she did, for lying to him for so long... but he couldn't.

Because he remembered how she would always tenderly touch the flowers in his garden with a distant look in her eyes when she thought he wasn't looking. How those (E/C) irises would gloss over when he sat of his engawa by the stone lantern replica, drinking green tea that couldn't compare to the one she used to make for him. Tomioka knew that it pained her heart too, constantly trying to conceal who she was. But he didn't want to admit that he now understood the strange actions of 'Hakumei'. How he would looks so sad sometimes, how he would reach his hand out to Giyuu but take it back right as he remembered he was no longer (L/N) (Y/N). There were so many signs but he missed every single one of them.

He knew that she was never supposed to leave her mountain, of course she couldn't just go around revealing her identity to everyone. Maybe she wanted him to find out without telling him directly... Be it because of the scent of green tea and wisterias that lingered in the air even after she'd left training or the awed look she would always give the sky when it was painted in the rich colors of sunset. But he wasn't paying attention to Hakumei Ren at those times, because his mind would always wander to the witch of the mountain - the person who was actually standing right next to him.

He felt terrible for not realizing it but angry that she didn't tell him at the same time. He wouldn't be so hurt by it if Kocho didn't know... but she obviously did. He felt as if he meant less to (Y/N) than the Insect Pillar and for the first time ever, a though like that pained him. He usually didn't care about what others thought of him but with her, he wanted to know that he was as important to her as she was to him. Because if he wasn't, the world would just be so much sadder... and yet, it seemed like he really didn't mean as much to her as he had hoped.