Archive of Our Own

“Ne, Tanjirou. I wonder if Shinazugawa hates me,” said Tomioka Giyuu, right after winning a soba eating contest with the boy he was talking to.

“Of course not, Tomioka-san! There’s no way he does! He probably just had a bad day. I mean... who would dislike you?”

Tanjirou’s eyes were sparkling with determination and kindness. Sometimes Giyuu wondered how such a small body like this could hold so much enthusiasm. He was radiating positive energy so much it felt like he was draining his too. Tanjirou was exhausting, and somehow intimidating, but he had no one to talk about this to. So… this will do.

He spent days trying to escape from him, but just one line about Sabito made him change his mind. How pathetic. And here he was… Eating soba with the boy he was avoiding so much. At least he won. There’s no way he would lose to a kid.

That boy had so much faith in him, and what for?

“You think so? He still might be upset over that one time he invited me to eat salmon daikon. I declined because I wasn’t hungry. Kocho told me it took a lot of courage for him to invite me. He must be the shy type. ”

“Oh! That might be it! He likes ohagi, remember? Maybe we should make some for him as an apology.” Tanjirou beamed at Giyuu.

“Ah, that sounds good. After all of this ends… If we survive… I’d like to give some to Shinazugawa-san and enjoy tea with him on the porch.”

“That sounds like something to look forward to. Ne, Giyuu-san. Let’s go here together with Nezuko, once we manage to bring her back to normal.”

“Sure.” The man gave him a small smile, which he rarely showed.

Tanjirou tried to take out his wallet, but Giyuu stops him.

“Wait. I’ll pay.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“Yes, go back to training.”

“Thank you! I will!”

Tanjirou bowed down and ran his way. Giyuu felt tired after interacting so much with him, so he decided to take a stroll home. He walked and admired nature on the way, a warm wind tickling his nape and making his messy hair even messier. A bird’s nest. That’s how Kocho liked to call it. He tried to comb it once. It was tough, because it has been a long time since he’s done it, and it was a struggle to take out the brush that got stuck in his tangled hair. It ended up looking weird. He didn’t feel like himself at all. ‘What’s the point of having a neat hairstyle if the only thing I do is fight demons? It’s not a date. The ponytail is enough,’ he concluded.

Giyuu looked up to the sky. The sun was hidden by a sea of grey clouds and the birds were flying much closer to the ground. It was going to rain soon and he didn’t bring an umbrella. He had to hurry.

Giyuu felt the warm water drops on his face. He took off his precious haori and held it over his head as he ran home.

Suddenly, he heard a tiny noise. He barely caught it. The man looked around, the material soaking up more water.

“Meow”

There it was again. Giyuu rushed in the direction of the voice. The meowing got louder. He walked into the bushes and found a small kitten hidden under a big tree root. Just one kitten. With a hurt paw. It was a grey tabby.

‘Where is its mother? Siblings? Cats usually have more children than just one.’

Then, he noticed some red drops on the grass, mixing with the rain, making them barely visible. The blood almost washed off, so he gave up on tracing the cat mom. The cat must be dead, either way. He had no time to look for it.

Giyuu crouched down, took the small being into his hands, and wrapped the kitten in his haori to keep it warm. He held it close to his chest and tried to protect the tiny head from the rain with his palm.

Suddenly, the feel of water drops falling on his head disappeared. Giyuu still heard the rain pitter-patter onto some surface. He looked up and saw a familiar face and an umbrella hovering over him.

“Oi, Tomioka. What are you doing here, out in the rain?”

“Shinazugawa…”

Giyuu felt so surprised the words got stuck in his throat. Sanemi’s face was this close to his only during sparring and even then, he couldn’t take a good look at it. His scars were visible from afar but he never noticed the unusual color of his eyes before. Violet.

"Beautiful…" whispered Giyuu.

“What did you say? Speak louder, dammit. Can’t hear you over the rain.” Shinazugawa spat out.

“Ah. I’m sorry. I said I found a wounded kitten. I wanted to take it to Kocho for examination.”

Giyuu got up and faced Sanemi properly. The other took a look at the cat.

“Poor thing… I didn’t take you for a caring guy, Tomioka. Or maybe you only care about pets? Like that demon girl you adopted. Was it worth it to risk your life just to break the rules?” Sanemi taunted the man, but Giyuu never wavers, so he tried to not show the other how the words affected him.

“It’s not a pet. It’s a girl… A poor girl who carries the burden of Kibutsuji’s curse. I want to believe in Tanjiro. I saw his determination, and I’m willing to bet my own life, that he will succeed in making her human again. She hasn't hurt anyone since she has been turned.”

Giyuu put a wet lock of black hair behind his ear as he walked alongside Sanemi under the umbrella. The cat seemed to be asleep.

Shinazugawa glanced at Tomioka, looking for some changes in his expression but he found none, which annoyed him further.

“Both of you are naive dipshits.”

“If you say so.”

“Tch… Wait. Did you wrap that cat in your wet haori? Are you dumb? Give it to me.”

“The cat or the haori?”

“The cat, obviously. My clothes are dry. Hold the umbrella for me.”

Giyuu took the umbrella from the other’s palm. Sanemi’s warm hand brushed against Giyuu’s cold and wet fingers. His hand twitched, almost dropping the umbrella from the unexpected skin contact.

“Hey, watch it.”

“Sorry.”

Sanemi took off the white material covering his shoulders exposing muscular arms littered with scars. Giyuu unconsciously bit his lip. Sanemi took the kitten from him and wrapped it in his haori instead.

‘He holds it so gently.’

“What are you staring at, Tomioka?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t play stupid. You were clearly staring.”

Giyuu didn’t respond. His eyes were locked on the road ahead.

“Oi. I’m talking to you. Don’t ignore me or you will be kicked out of my umbrella’s space.”

“I’m already wet to the core, so it doesn’t matter if you do.”

“Tch.”

They walked in silence. Shinazugawa didn’t kick him out for some reason. Though he said it was because he held the cat, Giyuu had to be the one holding the umbrella. Giyuu didn’t question it. He replied that he doesn’t care, but truth be told, he was getting cold, so the umbrella was very much appreciated.

But Giyuu never wavers, so he didn’t tell the fellow pillar. Any hardships he encountered should be dealt with by him and him only. This stubbornness could be considered his toxic trait, but there’s no way he’d ever actually admit that.

The cat managed to wake up. It was purring softly, snuggled into Shinazugawa’s chest. He scratched it behind its ear fondly.

Tomioka Giyuu was always a mystery to Sanemi. He consistently wore the same expression no matter what. That guy never took the bait. What a boring persona.

Sanemi always wanted to annoy Tomioka. To make him show a different face. He thought ‘Maybe this time it’ll work’ as he planned another one of his schemes. It usually looked like a child poking a sleeping animal with a stick, a shit-eating grin plastered on their face, saying “C’mon, do something”.

Why was Shinazugawa Sanemi, the wind pillar so interested in Tomioka’s expressions? No one knew. But a few people questioned it and they earned themselves a death glare. Uzui should mind his own business. He should know better than to pry like this for answers. The guy had the nerve to say he wants to bang Tomioka. Fucking asshole. There’s no way he would find a guy like him attractive.

Sanemi took a look at Tomioka who was still holding the umbrella over him. He was being quiet, as usual. Sanemi gave up on sparking the conversation a long time ago. Why did he try in the first place? Don’t ask him or you might end up with a bunch of bruises and a broken nose, just like Uzui Tengen did.

Soft face features, long-ass eyelashes, slightly upturned nose, tiny, soft-looking lips. Big, deep azure colored eyes staring right back at him. Sanemi felt himself drowning in them, gasping for air with each flutter of Tomioka’s lashes. Wait... Staring at him?

“Is there something on my face, Shinazugawa? You’ve been staring for a while.”

“It’s nothing. I wasn’t really looking at you. Don’t flatter yourself, asshole. I was just thinking about something.”

“About what?”

Tomioka rarely asked questions, and when he finally did Sanemi couldn’t even answer him. What was he supposed to say? ‘I was checking you out? To see if what Uzui said might be true?’ He came to the conclusion that Tomioka was indeed attractive and he hated it so much.

“None of your business, bastard,” Sanemi replied.

Tomioka averted his gaze from Sanemi’s face. An uncomfortable silence fell upon them yet again.

“We’re here.”

“I’m not blind. Knock on the damn door.”

“I was about to-”

Just as Giyuu outstretched his arm towards the door, they opened with full force revealing the small angry woman who stood behind them.

“You don’t need to knock. Shinazugawa is so loud I heard you from the kitchen. What’s so important to interrupt my dinner?”

Kocho Shinobu fixed her crooked hairpin and crossed her arms. Her stern look gave Sanemi shivers. Tomioka didn’t look any better. Serves him right. He couldn’t help but feel a slight pang of satisfaction to see Giyuu’s indifferent mask fall for a second.

Kocho could make anyone scared even though she was younger, smaller, and frailer than most hashira. You know what they say: short people are so scary because they have it closer to hell.

Tomioka looked at him as if trying to say: ‘go on, say something.’

Sanemi cleared his throat.

“Uh… We… Uhm… Tomioka found a wounded cat and we wanted to ask you to examine it.”

Shinobu looked at the kitten wrapped up in Sanemi’s haori.

“Oh? So you know how to be polite, Shinazugawa-san.” Kocho’s stern look was replaced with a mischievous grin.

“Please, just take the damn cat. I don’t want HIM of all people to keep me company for such a long period of time.” Sanemi gritted through his teeth.

“Oh? Someone is getting impatient. Come on in, then.” Kocho moved aside and let them inside the estate.

Aoi came out to see who was causing the ruckus. She looked surprised to see the wind and water pillar standing calmly so close without trying to kill each other. Shinazugawa looked impatient and Tomioka was drenched with rain. The girl wondered if she should offer help but after some thought, she decided against it.

Aoi went back to the kitchen and returned to preparing dinner along with Kanao and the girls.

Shinobu took them to the examination room.

“You two know that I don’t specialize in treating pets, right?” She said as she put the kitten on the table. She lifted its paw to estimate the damage. “Hmm… It’s not a deep injury so let me disinfect it and then I’ll just bandage it up.”

“Will it take long for it to recover?” Asked Tomioka.

“About a week or two I’d say. But I don’t have the time to take care of it so it must be one of you then.”

Shinobu worked carefully on the injury. The kitty hissed as she cleaned the wound.

“Hah? Can’t one of the girls look over the cat? I’m sure they would like it since it’s fluffy ‘n shit.”

“Shinazugawa-san, I can’t let them be distracted. They help me with patients. Also, they adopted a stray like... two weeks ago. I can let them have one cat, but no more. This is not a pet shelter.”

“But-”

“No buts, Shinazugawa-san. You guys found it so now it’s your responsibility.”

Shinobu’s face decorated a wide, sunny smile, but if you look closely you would notice a small vein popping on her forehead.

“Tomioka found it. I just kept it warm on the way.”

“Then, Tomioka-san. I guess it’s yours now. Congrats on becoming a cat mama!” She beamed at him as she put a now patched up cat in Tomioka’s arms. “I will give you a towel for it since your clothes are drenched.”

“Thank you, Kocho.”

“You should check on its wound each day and change the bandages. If anything worrisome happens you know where to find me. I recommend a check-up five days from now on.” An eerie smile still displayed on her face. “Now, you know where the door is. Goodbye~”

Sanemi and Giyuu got politely kicked out. It was still raining outside.

“Your home is quite far from here if I remember correctly,” said Sanemi. They still stood on Shinobu’s porch, under the roof.

“Yeah.” Nodded Giyuu.

They stared awkwardly at the puddles forming on Kocho’s front yard. Sanemi heard a small noise. He looked at Tomioka only to notice him rubbing his nose with a wet uniform sleeve. ‘Was THAT a goddamn sneeze? Tomioka does kitty sneezes, noted.’

“Wow, get yourself a napkin. That’s fucking gross, Tomioka.”

“All of my belongings are wet. I will have to wash them either way, so why would it matter?” He answered calmly but his eyebrow was slightly furrowed. ‘Was he irritated by the question?’ Sanemi noticed he was shivering. Most likely from cold.

A hurricane of thoughts ran through Shinazugawa’s head. ‘If that guy caught a cold it would be a bad situation for the demon corps, right? We need people, even if it’s a person like him. He’s a hashira too, after all. His house is quite a long walk from here. Should I give him the umbrella? But if I do I won’t have anything to protect myself from the shitty weather. Maybe I should-’

Tomioka took a step forward but got dragged backward immediately by Shinazugawa’s strong hand that gripped his shoulder. Giyuu almost fell but Sanemi’s hold prevented that. The raven-haired man hugged the cat to his chest tighter as if afraid of what’s to come next. Sanemi felt him flinch. Tomioka turned his head to look at him. Giyuu’s pupils were blown wide.

“Wha-”

“My home is closer. You don’t have an umbrella and there’s no way in hell I would lend you mine. I’m not doing this for you so if you try to say anything… Don’t. I’m worried about that little fella over here.” He pointed at the sleeping kitten. “And we can’t risk having one soldier less because you were dumb enough to catch a cold.”

“But-”

“Shut up. You will go home with me. We will feed the cat, you will spend the night and get the fuck out as soon as the sun rises, got it?”

Tomioka didn’t look grateful in the slightest. This whole situation was uncomfortable for both of them but it was Sanemi who made the offer so he had to now suffer the consequences.

“I don’t want to bother you, Shinazugawa-san.”

“I don’t want you to bother me either, but I told you my reasoning.” Sanemi scratched the back of his head. “I think I can handle you around. Just for tonight.”

Tomioka looked away. His cheeks were slightly red. Sanemi thought they should hurry before Giyuu actually DOES get a cold.

“Okay.”

“Fine. Let’s go.”

They reached Sanemi’s estate in about half an hour. Giyuu stood on the doorstep as Sanemi looked for a towel and a spare yukata for Giyuu.

“You know what? Just come in and go to the bathroom. It’s at the end of this corridor, on the left. Throw your clothes into the wash bin. I will bring you a yukata. Take a warm shower or something. I will take care of the cat in the meantime.”

“Shinazugawa…”

“What?”

“You’re a kind person. Thank you.”

“I’m really not… And as I said… I’m not doing this for you, so don’t thank me.” Shinzazugawa’s expression seemed to be much softer now, and a bit sad. As if the compliment hurt him in some way.

Sanemi disappeared behind the doorframe and Giyuu headed to the bathroom. The house was warm, so he already felt slightly better. But this didn’t change the fact that he still felt uneasy in this new territory. He didn’t have to be here. He could have declined, but now it was too late to think about this, as the rain turned into a thunderstorm.

His uniform felt heavy and stuck to his body. It was uncomfortable so Giyuu was happy to get rid of it. He started to take off layers of clothing one by one. As he was about to slide off his fundoshi, the door slid open.

Sanemi found what he looked for. He put the cat close to the already lit fireplace. It slept soundly. Sanemi also left two bowls nearby; one full of water, and the other with raw fish inside. The kitten seemed to be old enough to drink water by itself and eat solid food.

He left one worry behind and went to check on Tomioka. He took the yukata he prepared for him and the towel as well.

The water wasn’t running yet. Sanemi slid the door open. He saw an almost naked Tomioka Giyuu with his fundoshi half slid off his hip. His eyes immediately noticed how small the man’s waist was. The demon corp’s uniforms weren’t skin tight which allowed the slayers to have more mobility in battle but also hid their real body shape often. Tomioka’s body looked as if it was sculpted with utmost precision. Sanemi thinks to himself that he’d like to thank the artist and mentally slaps himself right after. ‘Thirsting after your colleague, and right after you invited him for the first time. Not fucking cool, Sanemi.’

He didn’t say anything, he couldn’t. Tomioka didn’t say anything either. He just waited in anticipation. He didn’t look bothered at all, by this. Nothing weird about this, right? They were both men. Why would it be embarrassing to see a naked guy? They both were equipped with the same type of genitals. ‘It’s only weird if you make it weird. Calm down, Shinazugawa.’

Shinazugawa cleared his throat.

“I’m leaving stuff for you here. I’m going to prepare the futon.”

“Okay.”

Sanemi left. His heart was pounding. He felt weird. He didn’t insult the guy since they got home. Out of character. That’s what he is. Why Tomioka of all people? That arrogant bastard. There are so many better guys than him. He wasn’t so shallow to go for the looks only, or was he? There must be something more to it.

Most of the time he felt irritated by his stoic composure. Like all the deaths around him didn’t matter, like he was better than most pillars because he never stood beside them. Tomioka always chose solitude. He never went out drinking with other pillars. Sanemi considered him to be strange. He also had a habit of falling asleep in random places around Oyakata-sama’s estate. ‘What is he? A fucking cat?’

Tomioka always chose his own paths and never crossed them with others unless he had to. Out of all the pillars, Kocho was the one to know him best but she didn’t know much either and didn't care enough to find out. His refusal to socialize angered him. But why? It’s not like he wanted to be friends with anyone. Especially not with him. Why did he even care?

He didn't like the guy but the thought of him being alone all the time was annoying. Sanemi didn't know if he wanted to beat his ass for avoiding other pillars or if he wanted to drag him close so he would stand beside them.

Shinazugawa got a headache from all this thinking. It seemed pointless. He couldn't reach any conclusion or maybe he didn't want to. He went into the guest room to take out the futon. He took it to the room with the fireplace in it and laid the futon out carefully.

‘This will do,’ he thought.

Sanemi then went to the kitchen. He passed the bathroom on his way. The shower was still on. He decided to prepare some food. He didn’t eat much today. He made Hachimitsu-Daikon (honey with daikon) along with Okayu (boiled rice porridge). Of course, it was an ABSOLUTE COINCIDENCE that the food he made was meant to fight and prevent colds.

Just as he finished making food Tomioka emerged from the bathroom. The yukata was slightly big on him, sliding off his shoulder a bit; long black locks clung to his face and shoulders, which were covered with a damp towel; his cheeks were rosy from heat.

“The food is ready, so eat up.”

Tomioka’s face displayed pure shock. ‘What is this expression?’

“Ah, thank you. It’s been a while since I ate a homemade meal.”

“Huh? Then what did you eat all this time?”

“I ate out mostly. I had soba today with Tanjirou,” Tomioka said as he sat by the table with Shinazugawa.

“Isn’t that a waste of money? It’s better to cook for yourself. The meals would be healthier, cheaper and the satisfaction of making a nutritious meal pays off always. Mother always taught me to respect food.”

Sanemi took a spoonful of porridge and put it in his awaiting mouth.

“I can afford it… And I always respect the cook. The food is really good and warm… And I’m really bad at cooking. So I’d rather have a warm meal made by someone else than make it myself and burn half of my kitchen.”

“I see,” replied Sanemi. ‘So pretty boy isn’t that perfect, after all.’

Giyuu tried some daikon. Sanemi observed his face for any suspicious reactions that could show he didn’t like the meal but found none, which was satisfying. Cooking is a pleasure by itself but it’s even better when it has a purpose. And watching someone eat the food you made and them enjoying each bite of it made the wind pillar feel proud of himself.

Tomioka now tried the porridge. ‘His face scrunched up. Why?? Oh. He burnt his tongue. I can’t.’

“Don’t laugh at me.”

“I’m not.” Sanemi smiled even wider than before. He didn’t even realize he was smiling in the first place but his cheeks started to hurt from grinning. “I could make us tea if you’d like.”

“Yes, I think I’d enjoy some.” A tiny smile danced on his face. Barely noticeable but magically enticing. It had to be Sanemi’s imagination but those empty eyes, the ocean void started to have a glint in them. As if the dark clouds swimming idly on a dark night sky disappeared revealing the moon behind them, so the ocean could reflect its light.

Sanemi felt his cheeks burn like never before. Somehow, seeing his smile for the first time ever felt really special. ‘I made him smile. Tomioka Giyuu smiled at me, me who hated him so much… Hated? Past tense?’ He never thought it could be so comforting to have someone around. Not to mention Tomioka, of all people.

He was so used to living alone that he forgot how it’s like to share a homemade meal with someone. It brought up warm moments with his family he forgot a long time ago for his own sake. They were so painful. Genya’s smile appeared before his eyes. ‘Nii-chan!’ he called in his memories.

His little brother. The only family he had left. It should be Genya sitting here, not Tomioka. But he couldn’t yet bring himself to apologize to him. ‘It’s for his own good,’ he thinks as he boils the water for tea. ‘Genya should have a normal job, a loving wife, and a bunch of kids. Eating demons. What a disgrace. How does he want to survive? That brat is so damn stubborn… I guess it runs in the family.’

Sanemi poured water into the cups. He let the tea brew for a few minutes. The man noticed Giyuu blowing on the spoon. It reminded him of his siblings. Again, a fond memory but still a painful one.

The more he thought about Tomioka, the more he resembled a cat in his behavior. Tiny sneezes, ‘techi-techi’ walk, cat’s tongue, proudness, having his own paths, showing affection to only the chosen ones, airhead, sleeps everywhere, grace in movements (during battle), big eyes. Yep, definitely a cat.

Shinazugawa took the two cups and put them on the table. Sanemi took his place and took a sip. ‘It’s good.’

Giyuu didn’t drink his but Sanemi already knew the reason why. He waited for it to cool down.

They didn’t say anything. They just enjoyed each other’s presence in silence. Sanemi nearly forgot the ‘shower incident’.

“Achoo!”

A familiar quiet sound.

“Bless you.”

“Thanks.”

Sanemi washed the dishes after they finished eating. Tomioka apparently didn’t want to be useless and offered to dry off the plates with a dry dishrag. Domestic. That would be the perfect word to describe the mood.

“I laid out a futon for you, by the fireplace. The cat sleeps there too so you could keep an easy eye on it.”

“Thank you. Uhm… Wouldn’t it be better if you slept there too? The nights are cold, you know.” Tomioka didn’t look at him.

“Uhm, sure. Yeah, that makes sense. I’ll… lay out my futon then and… go shower.”

“Yeah… I’ll check on the cat then.”

“Sure. You do that.”

Neither could look each other in the eye so they didn’t.

Sanemi felt refreshed after taking a cool shower. He noticed Giyuu sitting cross-legged by the fireplace stroking the cat’s fur. He didn’t seem to notice the other’s presence. The cat had his full attention.

“So what are you going to do with the cat? Will you keep it, Tomioka?”

Said man’s eyes flew up in surprise to meet Sanemi’s gaze.

“Ah, sorry. I didn’t notice you.” Giyuu looked at the cat again as if he could find an answer in the kitten’s curious eyes. “I don’t know. I can’t take care of it. I’m almost never home due to missions.”

“Thought so… Why don’t you ask Himejima-san if he can take the cat in? His little cat family is growing bigger and stronger with each day. I’m sure he will wake up one day because the united purring would get too loud.” Sanemi contemplated as he sat down next to Giyuu.

Tomioka’s shoulders shook. He tried to contain his laugh.

“What are you talking about? Hahaha!”

“I’m telling you, Tomioka. It’s not his house anymore. The rock estate belongs to cats. Himejima-san is just a resident at this point.”

“Pfft. I guess you’re right. But will the cats allow Himejima-san to take in one more for the family?”

“The cat council must decide.”

“Do you think they have that?”

“It’s a whole-ass society. Of course, they do, Tomioka.”

Giyuu laughed again. It’s a soft laugh. More of a giggle, actually. It sounds like a melody to Sanemi. His chest feels all soft and bubbly but then it tightens painfully. Stories like this… He used to tell them to his siblings and they would always love them even if they couldn’t always hear the ending due to them falling asleep. But that was the point so it was fine. His siblings… safe and sound… on the other side, in the land of Yomi.

Giyuu must’ve noticed the change of mood because he said:

“You okay? You got sad all of a sudden.”

“Yeah, just remembering some stuff… Either way, I think Himejima-san will gladly take this cat if you ask him nicely.”

“Yeah, I think I will ask him after the pillar meeting… Thank you.”

“For what?” Sanemi’s face displayed a look of full confusion. “I didn’t do anything.”

“You took me home, let me use your shower, made me a warm meal and now I’m about to sleep here, by the fireplace in warmth. I think that’s a lot.”

“Tch. I already told you why I’m doing this.”

“Doesn’t matter. A good deed is a good deed. You didn’t have to do any of this. You don’t have to be so stubborn. It’s good to let go sometimes.”

“Look who’s saying that. You ignored literally every single rule to help the Kamado brats and didn’t let go. You fucking swore to kill yourself if the demon girl bites anyone. Holy fucking shit. Sometimes I wonder if you’re crazy…You had nothing as proof she wouldn’t do anything yet you went this far… for strangers...”

“When I saw her protecting Tanjirou… I knew she was different. And I thought to myself: what if the boy is right? And I don’t regret my decision.”

“If you say so. I hope you’re right then. I don’t accept them yet, so they better work hard to prove me wrong… and, Tomioka… don’t stand so far during the meetings. Can you even hear anything?”

“I can hear perfectly fine. But if you wish for me to stand closer, then maybe I should.” Tomioka smiled softly.

‘I don’t hate it, that smile. You should smile more, Tomioka. This expression alone could make flowers bloom during winter.’

Sanemi doesn’t voice his thoughts. He lets the silence fall.

“Shall we go to sleep? It’s getting late,” said Tomioka.

“Shouldn’t you brush your hair first? It’s going to be all tangled in the morning.”

“I don’t really brush it. I don’t care anymore.”

Shinazugawa felt a vein popping on his forehead. He got up.

“Don’t. Move. I’ll be right back.”

Tomioka looked at him, puzzled.

Sanemi rummaged through his chest of drawers.

‘Where is the goddamn hairbrush?’

He moved a few things and found the brush underneath a lone towel. Why was it here? He didn’t know but it also didn’t really matter.

He came back to where he left Tomioka.

“Where have you been?” he asked.

“Turn around.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

Sanemi sat behind Giyuu and started to brush his hair slowly. The black-haired man sat perfectly still, almost too still but Sanemi paid that no mind. Some of the worst tangles he tried to brush with his fingers, black locks falling onto Tomioka’s back.

The man flinched with each brush of the scarred hand against his scalp but then he started to visibly relax.

Shinazugawa brushed Tomioka’s hair. More and more tangles got undone and his hair started to look much neater. Sanemi should be upset. Tomioka should brush his own damn hair but he just couldn’t stay angry at him.

Giyuu started to lean forward. Sanemi swiftly caught him and took a look at his face.

‘I can’t believe he fell asleep. He must’ve been really tired.’

Sanemi let out a dramatic sigh and laid Giyuu down on the futon he prepared earlier. He covered him, checked on the cat who went underneath Giyuu’s neck right after he got laid on the futon, and went to sleep himself.

It was a calm night.

Sanemi opened his violet eyes slowly and closed them forcefully right after they got hit by the sunrays and hid under the covers. He wasn’t really a morning person but duty calls, so he decided to get up.

Shinazugawa’s gaze wanders to where Tomioka slept. The spot was empty aside from a neatly folded futon and a ‘thank you’ note.

He heads to the kitchen, makes himself a simple breakfast, and then goes to the pillar meeting. He shares good mornings with fellow pillars aside from one. Tomioka is nowhere to be seen.

The meeting carries on without him.

‘Don’t tell me he got a fucking cold after all of this. I’m going to kill him if he does.’

Sanemi storms to Tomioka’s estate right after the meeting. He knocks but no one answers. He leaves.

“Shinazugawa. Are you looking for Tomioka?”

The voice behind him startles him.

“Himejima-san. Ah… Yes, I do. do you know where he went?”

“He got a message from his crow this morning. He’s on a mission now somewhere in Tokyo. He asked me to take in his cat right before he left. He woke me up but so I was a little irritated but when I felt its soft fur under my fingers I couldn’t help but cry. What a fragile being.”

“Yeah, never too many of them.” Sanemi smiled softly. All anger evaporated from him.

“Indeed,”

“Do you have a name for it, yet?”

“No, but your brother saw the little one today. He said he wants to name it so I let him. I left him with the cats now so I could go grocery shopping peacefully. My cats hate when I leave so Genya is a good distraction for them.”

‘Huh, so the cats are holding Himejima hostage.’ Sanemi snickered to himself. “Do you want me to accompany you?”

“I don’t mind.”

They walked slowly next to each other. Himejima was telling some kind of story at the moment but Sanemi’s mind was clouded with ocean waves and blooming smiles.

‘Don’t die out there, Tomioka,’ he thought.