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Tomioka wishes he had been closer, wishes he would’ve been able to help when Uppermoon 6 and Tengen were fighting, but he wasn’t. When the crow had called any nearby Hashira to aid him, he knew no one was going to be able to make it quick enough. He was at the Red Light District for god's sake!
So all he could do was pray, pray that Tengen Uzui had made it out ok. That he wouldn’t end up like the deceased flame pillar.
“Tengen Uzui, along with other slayers as aid, have defeated Uppermoon 6!”
It was sufficient to say that he had almost broke down on the spot.
________
When the crow had finally delivered the message, the damn crow had delivered it a week late. An entire week! He almost thought that he…
Well.
He shouldn’t get so mad at his old crow, it was probably confusing and scary for him, aswell. So it was fine. Thankfully Kanzaburou had been able to tell him of the next Hashira meeting, the meeting that Tengen hadn’t arrived to himself.
Giyuu was shaking in his boots the entire time waiting for the meeting to start, or waiting for Tengen to arrive. He was sure everyone had seen his distress, but he couldn’t afford to care at the moment.
Shinobu, thankfully, had noticed his horrible panic and had told him that Tengen did indeed live, along with a handful of other information.
Tengen had apparently gone on the mission with his wives, and Tanjiro and his friends as well. Giyuu barely had time to react to this before Shinobu assured him that they were all perfectly fine. She knew, as they had gotten healed thoroughly at the Butterfly Mansion. That was good. Giyuu trusted Shinobu and the other butterfly girls.
Shinobu had also informed him that his crow was extremely late to deliver the message, as the dates he had given her didn’t even match up with when his crow told him they needed backup.
She recommended to him to ‘get a new crow’, which Giyuu immediately shut down. “It isn’t his fault for making me worry.” He had said.
She giggled at this, it seemed funny to her that Giyuu was so worried when Uzui was already healed. Well, ‘healed’, she had told him he lost an eye, and an arm. He was the only one with that harsh of injuries though, and the rest of the slayers were doing much better.
Other than someone named ‘Inosuke’, he didn’t really care much about that.
She seemed to want to speak more, but Ubuyashiki had arrived and the meeting had started.
He mostly went over what Shinobu said, and included a description of the Uppermoon, saying that it may help for future battles.
While describing them, Giyuu shuddered. Two demons? Both Uppermoon 6? He felt sorry that Tengen had to be the only hashira there, it must have been a difficult battle.
Ubuyashiki then spoke about Tengen, compliments mostly. About how this was a huge step forward for the Demon Slayer Corp. Giyuu agreed, defeating an Uppermoon was a huge accomplishment.
Then he said that Tengen was going to retire.
And Giyuu felt his heart drop.
It shouldn’t have, really. It was quite guilty, really, for him to want Tengen to stay. He felt guilty. Tengen should be retired now, proudly so. He had defeated an Uppermoon, and lost hand. He should be spending the rest of his life with his wives happily.
Giyuu should be happy for him.
Giyuu shouldn’t want him to stay a slayer for him.
That was selfish.
Giyuu didn’t listen much to the rest of the meeting. He just couldn’t focus. It was mostly stuff Shinobu had said to him earlier. So he tuned it out, and stared at the ground.
Shinazugawa had apparently noticed his lack of attention and hit him harshly in the side with his shoulder. Giyuu finally looked up to find Ubuyashiki wrapping up the meeting. ‘Goodbyes’ and ‘Good lucks’ for future missions. Just as he seemed done, and Giyuu was just about to stand, his name was called.
“Tomioka? Could you please stay behind and speak with me for a few moments? The rest of you are dismissed.”
The rest of the hashira did as they were told, left quickly, as he stayed in the bowing position. He heard Shinazugawa’s snickering and Shinobu’s singsong voice momentarily, then it was nothing but silence. It was somewhat comforting, simply being in the quiet presence of Ubuyashiki. He was let bask in this feeling for a few minutes before he was asked to join Ubuyashiki.
Inside the house, he was led to a small table with two cups of tea being poured for Ubuyashiki and himself, Ubuyashiki was already seated across from him. The other two girls were now not beside him, but now standing in two corners of the room.
He waited for Ubuyashiki to take a sip of the tea, not speaking unless spoken too. What would he say anyways?
Ubuyashiki then asked him questions, how he was doing, if he was eating alright, if he had slept today, you know, normal questions. Shinobu had also asked him these questions, but he never answered. Truthfully, at least. He was sure she knew he was lying though.
Then Ubuyashiki got to Tengen.
“So, Tomioka, may I ask what your relationship with Uzui is?”
Giyuu’s face brightened. Of course Ubuyashiki would know. He knew most things. He wouldn’t be surprised if Tengen had already told him, he was more talkative like that. Giyuu sighed and told him. Everything. Everything he already knew.
Ubuyashiki didn’t stop smiling once during this conversation.
“So,” He asked. “I take it you are worried about him, and his retirement.”
Giyuu nodded, which was pretty stupid. He thinks he's done this to Gyomei too.
“Yes. I am… worried.”
Ubuyashiki smiled and dug deeper. “Worried. Hm. You seem slightly more than worried. You seem upset. Do you not want him to retire?”
Giyuu knew it would come to this. Spilling out all of his dirty secrets to Ubuyashiki of all people. He thought it would at least be Shinobu first.
So he told Ubuyashiki that he was selfish. For wanting Tengen to stay with him, even though he had his loving wives. Even though he had no hand. He just wanted Tengen to stay with him. So incredibly selfish.
Ubuyashiki shook his head, disagreeing?
“Tomioka, I don’t see why you can’t see him. It may be selfish of you to want him to still work as a Demon Slayer right now, but I don’t think that’s exactly what you want.”
Giyuu was confused.
“I think… that perhaps, you miss him. And you know you will miss him in the future. And I think that is fair, you are lovers after all.”
Giyuu blushed once again, now self conscious of the girls in the corner of the room. He was sure they didn’t care, but he was still embarrassed.
“So, Tomioka, go see him. Vist him when you wish. I know being a hashira can make that difficult, so I will try to ease back on your missions for now.”
Giyuu’s eyes widened. He..? Did he?
“Master, but that wouldn’t-”
Ubuyashiki put his finger to his lips.
“Shh, now. No one will know. However this won’t last forever, so make the most of it.”
Giyuu nodded, his face slightly wet. God he really wished the girls weren’t in here right now.
He gave a quick thanks to Ubuyashiki, although he was sure he could never thank him enough. He left the house and started sprinting a path that he knew very well, a path that he had been through many times.
He was going to see Tengen.