Drabbles || GiyuShino

the hidden pages

"Courage lies not in silence, but in sharing those secrets."

--🦋--

The Butterfly Mansion stood silent under the beautiful night sky. Tomioka Giyuu, battered and bruised from his latest demon encounter, had sought refuge here for treatment. His wounds would heal, but the scars—the ones etched into his soul—remained.

Shinobu Kocho, the Insect Hashira, tiptoed into Giyu's room. The flickering candlelight revealed his still form—the Water Pillar who rarely slept. His chest rose and fell rhythmically, a testament to his exhaustion.

Shinobu's eyes fell on the worn leather-bound diary resting on his bedside table. Its pages whispered secrets, and curiosity gnawed at her. She had seen Giyu's stoic facade, his unwavering dedication to duty. But what lay beneath?

She approached the desk, her fingers tracing the embossed cover. "Tomioka Giyuu," she whispered, as if invoking a spell. The inked words within held fragments of his soul.

The first entry was mundane—a list of demon kills, weather reports, and terse observations. But then, she stumbled upon a folded page tucked between the leaves. Shinobu's heart raced. What hidden treasure lay within?

"Dear Diary," the inked words began. "Today, I saw her smile."

Her breath hitched. Her? Who was this mysterious woman? Shinobu read on, her pulse quickening.

"Shinobu Kocho. The insect Hashira with eyes like dew-kissed petals. She calls me 'Sad & Lonely Water Pillar' during missions. I pretend it annoys me, but truthfully, it's the highlight of my day."

Shinobu's cheeks flushed. Giyu had noticed her? The man who rarely spoke had etched her name in ink. She read further, the room fading away.

"Her laughter is like a butterfly's wings—delicate, fleeting. I want to hear it again. I want to see her smile, not just the polite one she wears for others, but the one reserved for me."

Shinobu’s grip tightened on the diary. Giyu, the enigma, harbored feelings? She imagined his cold blue eyes softening, his unruly hair falling into place. Her mind conjured an image of him writing these words, his stoic façade crumbling.

“I’ve never been good with words. But when she’s near, my tongue ties itself into knots. I want to tell her that her poison doesn’t scare me, that I’d drink it willingly if it meant seeing her smile.”

Shinobu’s heart swirled with emotions. Giyu, the water pillar, yearned for her. She flipped to the next page, desperate for more.

"Today, she touched my hand during training. It felt like lightning striking my veins. I wanted to hold on forever."

Shinobu's laughter bubbled forth. Giyu, the emotionless warrior, reduced to poetic mush. She imagined him blushing, stammering, and it was endearing.

"But demons still roam. Duty calls. I can’t afford distractions. Not even her.  So, I'll keep these words locked away, like a secret. Maybe one day, I'll find the courage to tell her."

Shinobu closed the diary, her heart soaring. Giyu's secret was safe with her. She'd guard it like her deadliest poison. And perhaps, when he wakes up next morning, she’d smile—the real one, just for him.

--🌊--