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It was all over.
After over a thousand years, Muzan Kibutsuji had finally been defeated. His plague would no longer haunt Japan, and everyone could now finally go on in peace knowing that they and their families were safe at night.
The Demon Slayer Corps was now officially no more. With Kibutsuji dead and the Upper Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki destroyed – along with the death of the Corps’ leader, Kagaya Ubuyashiki – the organization’s purpose had been fulfilled and thus disbanded. Those that survived were now free to go their own ways and finally be at peace with themselves.
It had been costly. So many lives had been lost, so much innocent blood had been spilled, and so many psychological scars had been inflicted by this whole ordeal. Scars that most likely would never heal with time.
Giyu Tomioka silently strode across the ground one quiet afternoon. His right arm had nearly been completely destroyed during the battle with Kibutsuji, but it would heal in time. Right now, it was placed in a sling and rested against the side of his stomach.
His former mane of black hair was gone, being much shorter and looser than before. He had to admit it was much more comfortable this way. The now former Water Hashira reflected on everything that had happened over the last 24 hours since he woke up from his three-month coma.
Kibutsuji had been defeated, but in one last gasp, remnants of his spirit nearly succeeded in corrupting Tanjiro Kamado. For a moment, Giyu felt he had failed the boy that had managed to succeed in stopping him from killing his sister, Nezuko, after she had been turned into a demon by Kibutsuji when he slaughtered the Kamado family all those years ago. Knowing he had failed them was the worst feeling he endured since his sister died.
This time, the roles had been reversed. A now human Nezuko managed to bring her brother back and drive out what was left of Kibutsuji from his body. It was a great relief to Giyu seeing his young charge had been brought back. He was now blind in one eye, but still whole. The two of them left with Zenitsu Agatsuma, Inosuke Hashibira, and two of the girls at the place he was now heading.
The Butterfly Mansion.
His deep blue eyes caught sight of the monstrous estate as he came around the bend. The sight of it made his heart start beating rapidly in his chest. He clutched the hilt of his nichirin sword as he finished the rest of the walk to the garden that served as the front lawn.
What was he going to say?
During the final assault on the Infinity Castle, the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho, had gone off on her own to face Upper Rank 2, Doma. He and Tanjiro were occupied with Upper Rank 3, Akaza, so he could not be of any assistance to her. From what he heard later, she had endured a difficult battle with the Upper Rank that almost cost Shinobu her life. Against all odds, she defeated Doma by poisoning him with a special poison she had developed just for that battle.
It was no secret the two of them had what could possibly be considered on the surface an adversarial relationship. Shinobu always seemed to be picking on him the most because he was an easy target. He was the quiet one of the Hashira while she always seemed to be cooking up a scheme behind those violet eyes of hers.
Yet, no matter how many times he felt those eyes looking him over like prey, he enjoyed her attention more than anything.
He wanted it to last forever.
Giyu now found himself standing inside the estate’s garden. Small butterflies fluttered around him, paying no attention to the new visitor that had entered their domain. His deep blue eyes scanned the garden.
His face stayed in its serious stare, but underneath, his heart rate escalated to the point of sounding like a taiko drum in his chest.
Just across the way was Shinobu herself. A butterfly had just landed on her finger so her attention was to the flying insect rather than anything else. She didn’t notice his presence.
Giyu tentatively stepped forward and did not stop until he was close enough to announce himself.
“Kocho.”
The former Insect Hashira looked up at the call of her name, which caused the butterfly on her finger to fly away. Her mouth curved into a smile.
“Tomioka,” she responded. “This is certainly a surprise. What brings you here on this day? I see you are still recovering. You must rest.”
“I’ve rested enough these last three months,” he replied curtly. Giyu looked down at his injured arm. “I simply came to make sure my arm was in good enough shape to get out of the sling.”
Giyu thought he saw disappointment flash across her face. That was strange. Shinobu was not one to bare her feelings so easily. What could be the problem?
“Very well,” she said. “Right this way.”
xXx
Giyu grunted as Shinobu gently undid the sling around his neck and eased it off his arm. He wasn’t in pain; just surprised by the brief rush of feeling in his arm as it was finally put to use after three months of inactivity.
“Gently at first,” Shinobu said in a caring voice. “Your arm hasn’t been used in three months on top of the severe injuries you sustained. Don’t dive into it so soon.”
He slowly moved his fingers, sliding them over his palm one at a time. There was no pain to speak of. The former Water Hashira went slowly for two more rounds before he was able to move his fingers at what could be considered a normal cadence. He then clenched his hand into a fist.
“How does it feel? Any pain?”
Giyu shook his head. “No. It feels fine. Thank you.”
She smiled. “You’re welcome.”
A feeling of calmness fell over the office. Giyu’s heart pounded in his chest at an even faster rate. How was he going to approach this? So many things he wanted to say for so long, but had been unable to.
Because of the enormity of their mission, Giyu did not allow himself to become too attached to anyone because he knew they could be gone at any moment at the hands of a demon. Many of his friends and comrades had died over the years while he had miraculously survived – though he felt he shouldn’t have. Now that his future was literally staring him right in the face, he didn’t know how to say what he wanted to.
“Now that the Demon Slayer Corps is officially disbanded,” Kocho said, “what will you do with yourself now, Tomioka?”
Did she read his thoughts? Witch. Then again, it was par for the course for the former Insect Hashira. Giyu liked that about her.
He scraped his top teeth along his bottom lip as he tried to form an answer. After so many years of keeping his emotions close to his chest, he had to undo all the programming he had put himself through to answer her.
He cupped her cheek.
“I’d like to stay here in the mansion with you,” he replied. “Forever, if that’s okay.”
A look of shock crossed Shinobu’s face, along with a hint of pink spreading across her cheeks. For the first time, he saw her get flustered. And it was a delicious thing to see. His whole body felt like it was on fire as well.
Hopefully she got what he was implying.
Shinobu did not say a word.
“I want to marry you, Shinobu,” he elaborated. “Tomorrow. I’ll be a good husband for you.”
That made her face even pinker. His heart felt like it was going to explode at any second from these nerves and all this waiting.
A smile spread across her face.
“Okay,” she said. “Then what?”
His expression softened, feeling a little more daring to express himself now.
“We get started on making strong boys,” he replied, a smile curving up his lips.
Shinobu giggled. “No, I think we need more of a woman’s touch around here. Especially since Kanao and Aoi left with Tanjiro and the others.”
He couldn’t help but chuckle as well. Without wasting a second, his lips pressed against hers in a passionate kiss. At long last, they could finally share this moment together. Shinobu would be his wife this time tomorrow, then their lives would truly begin.
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” he said as he paused the kiss.
Shinobu giggled again. “Very well…Giyu.” That was the first time she had used his first name. “I’ll marry you.” She hugged him. As she did so, he heard her whisper in his ear, “What do you say we get a head start on that right now? We are getting married tomorrow after all.”
Giyu leaned in to inhale the scent of her neck. It felt like being wrapped in a warm blanket. He wanted to feel like this forever.
He wasn’t going to lose her like he did his sister, Sabito, nor anyone else he loved. Shinobu would be his and only his until the very end of time.
He planted a kiss on her forehead before looking back into her eyes.
“Shinobu,” he breathed.
Without warning, he picked her up and carried her out of the office bridal style.
xXx
Giyu kept that promise until the very end.
He and Shinobu stayed in the Butterfly Mansion to the very last of their days. Along the way, they gave birth to five beautiful daughters and one son.
After their fourth daughter was born, Giyu wanted to stop, but Shinobu managed to reel him back in. One more daughter was born, and then Shinobu finally managed to give him a son.
Much to Giyu’s dismay, their son acted like Shinobu and was very attached to her. You could not win at life all the time, he supposed. His daughters made up for that by fawning all over him, asking him to be part of their daily activities when they were younger and doing all sorts of things to him. Things that Shinobu continued to never let him live down, like braiding his hair and dressing him up in kimonos.
As the years rolled by, the memories of all their battles and those that they lost along the way stayed strong in their hearts.
But all of the sacrifice was worth it.