Maybe Different is Good - Obanai x Giyuu (REPOST)

Chapter 2

- emphatically: to say something with force; say it in a harsh way

I wake up to the feeling of someone staring at me. It takes a while for me to realize I'm not in my room, or on my futon. Then it hits me like a brick. I just slept with the Water Hashira, Giyuu Tomioka. I assume he is the one staring at me.

I begin to move, and I feel Tomioka quickly pull the sheets over his head. He probably doesn't want to be seen in his current state. Although, I'm sure a bed head and scratchy voice would suit him perfectly... Fucking hell. I need to stop.

I fully turn over so that I'm looking at Tomioka. Even though I'm quite shorter than him, he little spooned last night. The sheets are covering his head. I decide to take them off and start a conversation.

Tomioka looks at me. "Good morning... I felt you staring at me."

Tomioka's eyes widen, and his face goes bright red in embarrassment. "Oh! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to wake you..."

"It's okay," I start, " I should get up anyway. The sun is out."

"Right," Tomioka responds quietly.

We both get off of the futon, and I stand to the side. As Tomioka is remaking the futon, I notice Kaburamaru sliver out of his haori. He must have been sleeping there. I don't exactly know why though, because it's Tomioka. Plus, I was right next to him. Damn traitor.

Tomioka is soon finished and looks at me. "Do you want to continue the conversation? You shouldn't be here long... The others might find out and start teasing you for being around me. It'll be ten times worse if they found out we slept with each other. Sorry..."

"What are you apologizing for?" I ask. "If they talk, they talk. But that's only if they find out."

Tomioka, for the first time I've ever seen, gives a tiny smile. It looks... nice.

"You should smile more," I tell him.

Tomioka looks a little shocked. "W-what?"

I sigh, "You were smiling. It looks nice."

Tomioka flushes a little in what I assume is embarrassment, "Oh! Uh- Thanks." We stand there for a bit before Tomioka speaks up again. "Let's go finish this conversation."

...

Iguro and Tomioka make their way to the small room. It was still as empty as the night prior. The walls were bare, and all that remained were memories. Memories from last night. The tears in the Water Hashira's eyes.

The two take their seats at the small table. Tomioka was visibly upset, and it didn't take long for Iguro to notice. Tomioka shifts on his seat. The man is very anxious.

Iguro breaks the silence, " So what did Kocho say to hit such a nerve.

Tomioka looked down, not wanting to recall such memories of his past. He then spoke, " I once had a friend. He called me the nicest person in the world, second to our master. Hearing Kocho tell me I'm rude and that I have no friends triggered those memories."

"Oh," Iguro responded a little shocked. He never thought about Tomioka's past, or how he could have had friends before. "I'm... sorry to hear that. What happened to your friend? Where is he now?"

Tomioka's became visibly more upset than before. "My friend. His name was Sabito. We trained together. But during Final Selection..." Tears started forming in the Water Hashira's eyes. He held them back for the sake of Iguro's understanding. "Sabito sadly passed during Final Selection. He died protecting me."

Iguro began to understand why Tomioka calls himself different. He didn't even see himself as a Hashira, he could never think he could be better than any of the others. " That is very unfortunate. I pray for your loss, and hope Sabito is peaceful in the afterlife with his family."

The tears were now streaming down Tomioka's face. "No, Iguro. I'm the reason he died. I took a blow as soon as Final Selection started, causing Sabito to have to look after me. I drug him down. I passed out and only survived by chance. If only I died! If only I died instead of Sabito! Sabito is kind, smart, strong, and everything I'm not! He'd be a much better Hashira than I could! I wish my sister would have sacrificed me to that demon instead of herself! She could be living a perfect life and Sabito would still be alive!" Once the tears began, they would not stop. Tomioka tried, but he could not stop crying.

Iguro was hit with a wave of guilt. He had been bullying this poor man for thinking he was less than the other Hashira. He had been making this man's life miserable for so long. The reason he doesn't want friends is because he doesn't want to deal with the pain of loss anymore. He had felt that feeling too much.

"Why are you even here?! Why do you suddenly care about my feelings now?! I've never mattered to you! Please, just get out!"

"No! Tomioka! I'm sorry!" Iguro tried to explain his past actions.

"I don't want to hear it! Get out!" Tomioka yelled again.

Iguro quickly grabbed Kaburamaru and walked out of the Water Estate. That was it. He had ruined probably the only time he'd ever be able to apologize to the misunderstood man. Iguro mentally called himself an idiot for making fun of someone before knowing what the results could be.

Suddenly, Iguro got an idea. He could write a letter. Maybe if he wrote a letter Tomioka would see his attempts at trying to apologize. So, that's what Iguro did. He ran to the Serpent Estate and began writing. It didn't take long before the crow was sent off to deliver the letter. Now, all that's left, was to wait.

Iguro waited and waited for a response. A response never came. He figured he had really fucked up this time. A few hours had already passed, so Iguro went to his girlfriend, Mitsuri Kanroji, for help.

...

"Mitsuri! I need your help!" Iguro called out to his girlfriend.

"Obanai-San? What's wrong?" Mitsuri called back out.

"Mitsuri, how do I apologize to someone?"

"..."

"Mitsuri?"

"So, your finally apologizing to Tomioka-San?" Mitsuri asked.

Iguro was shocked. How had she known? "I- uh... yea."

"I honestly don't think you need to anymore."

"What?" Iguro was confused. What was Mitsuri trying to get to?

"Seeing as you slept with him, I'd assume y'all are on good terms," Mitsuri said emphatically.

"How did you know that?" Iguro asked, completely out of words.

"Uzui told me, and I'm glad he did. I dump your ass," Mitsuri said. She then walked away, leaving a broken Iguro to fall onto his knees.

Suddenly, he felt someone touch his shoulder. "Hey, sorry for earlier, I was emotional. Wanna stay at my place for a while?"