The Butterfly That Saved Him-A GiyuShino Story

Chapter Eleven:

     When Giyuu woke, he felt slightly light-headed and dizzy. His shoulder was wrapped in bandages, but it felt like a million arrows had been stabbed into it, and he winced at the pain. Giyuu rubbed his bleary eyes until his vision cleared. Where was he? The room seemed familiar....the Butterfly Mansion? Just then, Aoi walked in. When she saw him awake, she dropped her tray and cursed. As she cleaned up, she said,"Good, you're awake. We thought you might never....ugh, these Hashira! Always so much trouble." But I didn't even do anything, Giyuu thought as he watched her storm out.

    A few minutes later, a familiar Insect Hashira walked into the room. She had the familiar, fake smile pasted onto her face, but she didn't appear injured. It physically hurt Giyuu to see that smile, but he waited for her to say something. She didn't, and just silently handed him a glass containing a foul-smelling drink that was a deep, swamp green. Giyuu gulped it down quickly; it was very bitter and burned his throat, making his eyes sting. After a while though, he couldn't bear the silence any longer. "Kochou?" "Yes?" "Are you angry?" he asked hesitantly.

     There was a long pause. "Of course not. Why would you think that?" Giyuu stayed silent. Then he said,"Are you sure?" Shinobu was unwrapping his bandage and replacing it. After she finished, she sat down on the bed beside him. "You-are-such-an-idiot!" she exploded, slapping his good arm between each word. "Ow," Giyuu said tonelessly. Kochou talked over him. "Do you not care about your life? You could've died! What sane person throws himself in front of a katana unarmed?" 

     Giyuu looked at his feet like a school boy being scolded by his mother. Suddenly, Shinobu threw her arms around him. She was trembling slightly, which alarmed him. Giyuu froze. Was she....hugging him? "Arigatou, Tomioka-san," she whispered. "Please don't ever risk your life like that again. I don't deserve that." She was still speaking quietly, with her face buried in his shirt. Giyuu felt his heartbeat quicken as his stomach fluttered. Hesitantly, he held her to him with one arm around her.

     Then, he pulled back, gently lifting her chin with his finger. Tears clung to her dark lashes, and her starry amethyst eyes enraptured him. "Kochou," he said quietly as he brushed a strand of her hair from her face. She blushed, but didn't pull away. "Don't say that. You are everything to me. I would die before I let any harm befall on you." He felt his heart pound against his ribcage. "You are the only one who can make me so confused. Who drives me crazy like this. You're the one....I love." The last two words were said tenderly, sincerely. Shinobu watched him, her breath held. Giyuu hesitated. Then, gently, their lips met, and it was as if sunlight spread through his veins, soaring through him.

     He had never felt this light before, as if he were flying, his feet no longer touching the ground. It was just both of them now, the only people in the whole world. Finally, after what felt like eternity, Giyuu pulled away. Shinobu was blushing, and Giyuu imagined he looked the same. But then, she looked up at him and smiled. Not the usual fake smile that was pasted on her lips, but didn't reach her eyes. No, the kind of smile that made her beam radiantly, her eyes lit up and dancing.

     It was this smile he'd always wanted to see. And at that moment, their love for each other didn't need to be said in words. As both of them stared into each other's eyes, their many layers of protection disappeared. Fake smiles and cold walls peeled away as the two of them shared with each other their true selves. Not the Water Hashira and the Insect Hashira. No, now they were just Giyuu and Shinobu, two people who loved each other with all their hearts, and always would.

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     Shinobu sprinted to Butterfly Mansion. Almost six months had passed since she'd seen Giyuu, when he was badly injured. Since then, they hadn't shared a many missions and hadn't seen each other, save for twice or thrice. Now, her heart raced with anticipation at the thought that she would see him again after the semi-annual Hashira meeting.

     After the rather uneventful meeting, Shinobu hung behind after all the Hashira left, save for Giyuu. "Tomioka-san?" she asked as he stared off into the distance, as usual. When he noticed her, he turned and smiled. "Kochou." "Ara ara, you should smile more, Tomioka-san. It suits you." Giyuu blushed, which made her laugh.

   Without warning, he pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, "I missed you." "Tomioka-san! What are you doing? Someone might see!" Shinobu insisted. "Let them," Giyuu said, then he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers gently. Shinobu kissed him back without hesitating. "I missed you too," she admitted after they had pulled away. A squeal interrupted them. "Oh my god, you guys are so cute!" Mitsuri. Giyuu and Shinobu sprang apart. "I knew there was something between you two! You've been acting all different, and there's this weird smell when you're in the same room..."

    Shinobu didn't know who was blushing harder, her or Giyuu. "It isn't like that-" Shinobu started. "Please don't try to cover it up, Kochou-san. We both saw you." Obanai stepped out from behind a tree, and she could see the teasing glint in his eyes. Shinobu blushed harder, then decided to change the topic. "Oh, and what are you two still doing here, then?" Mitsuri and Obanai both turned red. "W-we were discussing our next m-mission," Obanai said quickly. "Oh really?" Shinobu asked, crossing her arms and smiling.  Mitsuri nodded fervently. "Then why are you blushing?"

     "It's very hot today," Obanai invented. Shinobu looked up and shaded her eyes with her hand. "It's rather cloudy today, don't you think, Tomioka-san?" Giyuu nodded. Shinobu smiled at the two flustered Hashira and called as she went, "Sayonara, Mitsuri-chan, Iguro-san. Let us know when the wedding is!" "It-it's not like that!" Mitsuri protested before they disappeared out of sight. "Ne, Tomioka-san, what's your next mission?" Shinobu asked as they walked to Butterfly Mansion. "It's with Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke, actually. Some city a few days from here." "Oh, all of them are at Butterfly Mansion right now, but they've healed and are being dismissed today." 

     "That's good." "Tomioka-san, do you remember that time we had a mission at a village, and the demon was controlling the river?" "Yes." "Do you remember what happened when you tried to find information?" "Yes." "You still can't lie to save your life, can you?" "..." "That's what I like about you. When you need to say something, it's so obvious from your expression." "Really?" he asked. Shinobu nodded, and they reached Butterfly Mansion. "See you later then, Tomioka-san," she called as she sprinted ahead of him.

     Giyuu just smiled.

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     "Master Tomioka!" It was Kanao. She ran to him, then doubled over, panting. "What is it, Kanao?" Giyuu asked, alarmed. Kanao never acted like this. She was usually so quiet and indecisive, relying on her coin for most things. "Can I talk to you?" Giyuu nodded and followed her. Out of earshot of even Zenitsu now, Kanao spoke anxiously. "It's about Master Kochou. I think she's in trouble."

Thank you again for reading, and please hit the vote button to see how Shinobu's in trouble. I hope it's not too cringy. Author-san out.