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Becoming a demon slayer came with a lot of responsibility. Becoming a Hashira came with even more. It wasn’t that anyone complained about it because they all knew what they were signing up for from the very beginning. It was a responsibility that everyone took extremely seriously, and there weren’t many who had any regrets on choosing the path that they had.
That didn’t meant that they also didn’t yearn for a chance to let loose and relax once in a while.
So, when Master had suggested this small party as a treat for everything everyone had done over the past year, it had been met with resounding enthusiasm. Music, food, dancing - all luxuries that no one had the time to enjoy given their chosen lifestyle. However, once given the opportunity, everyone was sure to take advantage of it. You were no exception.
From the moment the party had been announced, you had been counting down the hours until it was time. It became the topic of all of your conversations, and you played through a million different scenarios in your head on how things would go.
What snacks would there be? What kind of music? Would you dance with anyone? Would anyone even want to dance?
These were some of the questions that swarmed your mind as the day drew nearer, and you were unable to turn your thoughts to anything else. Well, almost anything else. One of the biggest questions that seemed plagued your thoughts involved one of the other members of the group that you hadn’t seen much of since the day Master had told you all of the event.
Would Giyu be there?
It was to be assumed that everyone - including all nine Hashira - would be there. Tengen and Rengoku seemed almost as excited about the whole thing as you did, and while you hadn’t had much opportunity to discuss it with any of the others, it seemed to be unanimous that they would all be there. The raven-haired Water Hashira had always been a hard one to read, however. He kept to himself and you wouldn’t have been at all surprised if he decided to sit this one out, quite literally. You hoped you were wrong. You desperately hoped that you were wrong.
Even though he kept to himself, you had grown quite fond of Giyu. You couldn’t quite explain it, but there was a calming aura that settled around him, and whenever he was near, you could feel it slowly start to blanket you as well. You knew that he had a dark and traumatic past, but even so, he was still incredibly kind. He treated you with respect in every interaction you shared, and you had always been filled with the desire to get to know him better. However, his walls were so high you hadn’t managed to climb over them just yet. He always kept the right amount of distance for you to never truly see who he really was.
When you became a demon slayer, you had occasionally asked the others about him, but none of them were much help either. Shinobu was the only one who gave you any insight into his past, and even then, she had only given you a vague response ending in, “He should be the one to tell you the rest.” No one else seemed to know much more about him, and if they did, they shared the same sentiment Shinobu did. You understood their reasoning, but your inability to get close to him was growing increasingly frustrating. Maybe he didn’t want to be friends. Maybe you were wasting your time. You couldn’t know for sure, however, and that is what kept you from giving up completely. You just knew that he was worth the extra effort it took to get to know him.
So, when the day came, and you were finally getting ready for the big event, you were surprised to find that you were nervous. All the hype and excitement had melted away, and now your heart was racing in a completely different way. While you had been dying for some live music and an endless array of food, you suddenly found yourself filled with that want again.
He has to be there, you thought to yourself. And if he is, you’re going to see if he’ll talk to you again.
Slipping on the best kimono that you owned, you straightened out your hair and took a deep breath. Your room was silent, but in the distance, you could hear the music from the party that had already started. Your nerves had gotten the best of you and you were now running late, which only upset your stomach more. There was only a limited amount of time to enjoy yourself in this way, and you were going to miss it if you didn’t pull yourself together, and quickly.
Shaking off the little bit of insecurity you were feeling, you made the walk over to the courtyard where the celebration was being held and a smile was immediately brought to your face when you saw the festivities in full swing.
There were tables of food lined up on one side of the make-shift dance floor while the band was set up in the corner. There were several tables set up where various members of the demon slayer corp were mingling, and you could make out several of the Hashira munching away on plates of food while a few of the others were already on the dance floor. You could hear Rengoku’s laugh fill the air, even over the music, and your eyes scanned the crowd as you tried to pretend that you were thinking about where to start.
Really, you were looking for one thing - or person, rather - to see if they had really shown up or not.
Your heart started to sink when you scanned the large group of people twice and came up unsuccessful on your search. You tried to distract yourself by heading towards the refreshments to get a drink, but you couldn’t help the downturn of your lips in disappointment as you started to accept that maybe he really wasn’t going to come.
This really wasn’t Giyu’s scene, and you knew that. He was reserved and soft-spoken, and you were sure that he probably felt more than a little uncomfortable at big parties. You knew him well enough to know that, even a celebration like this one where he could forget about the world of demons for just a few hours, this probably wouldn’t have been his first choice in ways to spend the evening. That didn’t mean that you weren’t still let down.
“You look way too sad to be at a party right now,” a familiar voice boomed from behind you, and your heart lurched at the realization that your expression was giving away your inner thoughts. When you turned around to see Rengoku smiling expectantly at you, you did your best to force a believable smile onto your lips.
“Sad? Who said I’m sad?” You asked, feigning an ignorance that you were sure was completely transparent. The deep laughter that followed made it clear that he didn’t believe you.
“Your face did, silly! But it’s a party, so it’s about time to turn that frown upside down!”
Before you could say anything else, he was thrusting a drink into your hand, and you hastily accepted it to keep it from spilling all over your outfit. With another bright smile, Rengoku turned away from you, and before you could ask him what was in the cup he had just handed you, he had disappeared into the crowd. You sighed as you stared down at the liquid before lifting the cup to your nose and taking a small sniff. Your nose immediately wrinkled at the potent smell of alcohol and moved to set the drink down on the table beside you. You appreciated the effort he was making, but you weren’t in the mood for that kind of party.
Grabbing some water instead, you started your way around the open courtyard once more, desperate for a distraction. You found Tanjiro and Zenitsu eventually, and decided to spend some time catching up with them instead of pouting over your own disappointment. They were a welcome distraction, and for a few minutes, you found yourself fully immersed in the interaction and not thinking about the boy that was missing.
What kind of idiot wastes a perfectly good party pining after someone who didn’t even want to come?
After your conversation with Tanjiro and Zenitsu, you started to make your way over to the small group of Hashira that had congregated on the other side of the courtyard when something yellow and green caught your eye. It appeared off to the side of the dance floor, at one of the tables more off set from the rest, partially hidden in the grove of trees that resided nearby. Your heart leapt in your chest as you moved in its direction, hoping that your eyes weren’t playing tricks on you. You would have recognized that pattern anywhere. Could it be…
Your eyes widened when you saw Giyu sitting alone, his arms resting on the table in front of him as he seemed to be people-watching. You weren’t sure if anyone else had noticed him yet - or if he even wanted to be noticed - but you couldn’t stop your feet from carrying you over to him. A genuine smile had returned to your face and your heart was hammering in your chest as you drew closer. He must have heard your footsteps because, once you were a few feet away, his head turned towards you and his blue eyes locked on yours.
From the way his eyes widened, it was clear that Giyu hadn’t expected anyone to approach him, let alone you. Most of the time, you tried to give him his space, so this was one of the few times that you had initiated an interaction with him first. And this was definitely the first time you had initiated interaction with him alone.
“What are you doing over here all by yourself?” You asked, though you internally cringed at your wording. Giyu was always alone. You didn’t have to draw attention to it.
Instead of looking offended, Giyu just shrugged as his gaze turned back to the gathering of people as you pulled out the chair next to him. He didn’t seem bothered by your presence, but you also couldn’t tell if he was happy for the company or not either.
“I just wanted to come and see what was going on. Looks like everyone is having fun.”
The way the words fell from his lips almost sounded like he didn’t consider himself part of the group. It was almost as if he didn’t feel like he deserved to participate and that bothered you.
“Well, what about you? Are you having fun?” You asked, and suddenly, those blue irises were staring at you again. Your breath caught in your throat at just how blue they were up close, but you did your best to hide your internal reaction. You didn’t want to weird him out, and since he was impossible to read, you had no idea what he was thinking.
“Are you?”
You huffed at the fact that he had managed to evade your question, but you still smiled back at him as it was your turn to shrug.
“I am having a little more fun now.”
If he understood what you were insinuating, he didn’t show it. In fact, his expression didn’t change at all, and you shifted uncomfortably in your seat, determined not to be the first one to break eye contact. Giyu was such a strange guy sometimes, but his behavior and mannerisms thrilled you. He could be so mundane, and yet he was the most interesting person you had ever met. You were sure that you could spend hours just sitting next to him in silence if he would let you. The thought was a little overwhelming at first, but the warmth inside your chest assured you that it wasn’t such a bad thing.
He was the first one to look away, though you were a little disappointed when he did, as his attention was briefly stolen by the loud laughter of the other Hashira on the dance floor. The party had livened up even more, and more people were dancing and laughing than before. You smiled to yourself at the sight. Despite how much fun they were having, however, you weren’t tempted to join them. Well, at least, you didn’t want to join them alone.
“Giyu, would you like to dance?”
Immediately, his eyes were on you again, and the surprised look on his face when you turned to him was one that you were expecting. You hadn’t even expected to ask the question yourself, but once the thought popped into your mind, you had to voice it. Even if you got painfully rejected.
“Me?” He asked quietly, and you giggled.
“Do you know another Giyu around here?”
He shook his head, and you moved from your chair before extending a hand out to him as you waited for him to answer your question. He hesitated at first, and after a few long seconds, you started to worry that he really was going to turn you down. He really had no reason to say yes. Dancing? In a public space like this? With you? The more you thought about it, the more ridiculous it sounded.
Slowly, you started to lower your hand, but before it could fall all the way back to your side, a warm palm was pressing against it. Your eyes widened slightly as Giyu stood up, his gaze flickering from the group of people on the dance floor to you, and you could now feel the waves of anxiety rolling off of him.
“It’ll be fine. You can follow my lead.”
It sounded like something you would hear in training, and you were sure that sounded ridiculous coming from you to someone like him. However, the words did cause a small drop in his shoulders as he seemed to loosen up just a bit, and while he dropped your hand as you walked closer to where the music was playing, he was close behind you the entire way.
Conveniently, just as you arrived to the clearing, the music switched to something slower. A slow song would be less intimidating for the both of you, but it was also overwhelming in it’s own way. There wouldn’t be as much movement required for him to focus on, but the thought of having him close to you now felt like a terrible idea.
Not because you didn’t want to, but because you didn’t know how that would make him feel. Granted, he was still standing next to you and hadn’t tried to escape back to his compound yet, so you took that as a good sign.
You could feel the eyes of some of the other Hashira on the two of you, as well as your fellow demon slayer comrades, but you did your best to ignore them. Instead, you turned your full attention back to the dark-haired boy beside you, giving him your best reassuring smile as you reached out for him again.
“You still have time to say no,” you told him, your smile never wavering as you waited. You couldn’t let the onlookers see you flustered, and even if he rejected you now, you would find a way to play it off. But, you were surprised once again when he stepped closer to you, his hand reaching out to take yours again.
It was then that you truly appreciated the outfit that he was wearing, as when he was sitting down, you couldn’t properly see it. He was still wearing his signature haori on top, but the base layer of the outfit consisted of a dark black jacket, white-button down shirt, and a pair of simple black pants. It was both casual and dressy in it’s own way, and your heart fluttered at seeing him in something other than his uniform. He had gone out of his way to dress up for the occasion and that meant that he was more into it than he had previously let on.
As he stepped into your space, your hand gripped his a little bit tighter before your free hand moved to rest on his shoulder. His other hand hesitantly moved to your hip and his touch was so feather-light you almost didn’t notice it was there at first. His cheeks were now a light, dusty pink, and your smile grew at how adorably nervous he was.
“We can always stop whenever.”
Your reassuring words seemed to bring him continued comfort as he nodded again as the tension in his shoulders lessened just a bit more, though his eyes remained focused on the empty space between you. He was gazing at the ground, seemingly watching your feet as they slowly moved to the beat while he mirrored your movements. He still hadn’t said a word, but you also weren’t going to force conversation if he didn’t want it. You were already beyond elated that you had made it this far.
Dancing with Giyu in front of the entire demon slayer corps was not something that you thought would ever happen. He could have laughed in your face when you asked, or simply ran away, but he hadn’t. Instead, he was here, with you, doing his best to keep up with the dancing that you had somehow convinced him into.
As the song progressed, you could feel yourself being drawn in deeper, your body instinctively moving closer to his as your hand slowly slid from his shoulder to his upper back. You were so close now that you could smell him - he smelled like fresh water mixed with the soap that you were sure he used before getting dressed up. It was an intoxicating aroma, and you had to force yourself to remain composed and not get lost in it all.
You were so lost in your own personal fantasy, however, that you almost missed it when Giyu started talking. His voice was so quiet it could have been easily drowned out by the music, but you were so closely attuned to him that your entire body became more alert whenever he moved or spoke.
“Can I ask why you chose me?”
Your brow furrowed as you looked at him, his eyes still cast downward even though you knew that he was speaking directly to you. You wanted him to look at you so that you could drown in those ocean-blue eyes of his, but when he didn’t look up, you decided you wouldn’t force him.
“What do you mean? Why I chose you as my dance partner?”
Giyu nodded slowly, his cheeks turning a darker shade of red that you were sure he hoped you didn’t notice. Your heart thudded inside your chest, and you felt that pit in your stomach start to open up, much like it did any other time you noticed that Giyu was by himself.
“You could have chosen Tengen or Rengoku or anyone else who would have been much better at this kind of thing.”
He was still moving along to the beat with you, but you could see now that his mind was somewhere else. His reasoning struck a chord deep within you that made your entire being ache. You could see it in his deflated demeanor that he was prepared for a response that would hurt his feelings more than he would ever admit.
They turned me down. They were too busy. I thought it’d be funny.
Those were only a few of the possibilities that had flooded through Giyu’s mind, and while you couldn’t hear his thoughts, you could see his attempt at covering up the insecurities. He had a stoic demeanor for a reason, and it was easier to see now that it was all for self-preservation.
Slowly, you removed your arm from his shoulder, and moved your hand to gently cup his cheek. His eyes shot up to meet yours at the touch, and your smile softened as you tried to quell the fear that suddenly rose into his expression. His skin was soft beneath your palm, and while you wished nothing more than to stay like this forever, you knew that too much too soon would scare him away.
“I didn’t want to dance with Tengen or Rengoku or anyone else. I wanted to dance with you.”
His eyes widened even bigger than before, and a vulnerable look filled his face as he stared back at you without saying a word. His expressions had become more open in the last few minutes than you had ever seen before, and you felt grateful to see something other than resigned indifference. Your fingertips danced across his jaw before dropping back to his shoulder just as the song ended. Your movements halted, but you didn’t break eye contact with him for several long moments, in which you hoped he understood just how serious you were.
“So, thank you for dancing with me, Giyu. You made the night absolutely perfect.”
When you felt like the moment was finally over, you regrettably started to pull away so that you could give him some space. Asking for more would be too much for now, but you were more than satisfied with how things had turned out. One dance would hold you over until you could work out the next step in your plan on getting to know the mystery boy who made your heart race.
Before you could get too far, however, a hand was reaching out to wrap around your wrist, and you were shocked to see that it was Giyu who had stopped you. There was a sheepish look on his face as he glanced up at you before his gaze fell to the ground in front of him. You were about to ask him if there was something wrong when he moved to speak, his voice quiet, yet you could still clearly make out the words.
“W-Would you maybe… want to dance again?”
Butterflies roared inside your stomach as you nodded eagerly, your feet carrying you back to him without a moment’s hesitation. You were a bit startled when Giyu’s fingers laced between your own instead of simply clutching your hand, but you didn’t have any problems moving closer as his other arm snaked around your waist so that his hand was now resting on your lower back instead of your hip.
He didn’t have to say anything more for you to know that things had changed in that moment. When he rested his head against yours, his face now out of sight but the blush still ever-prominent in your mind, you knew that you had found the door that would now lead you deeper into his life, and while it was only a baby step forward, you were moving forward nonetheless.
It didn’t matter what the rest of the Hashira would tease you about later, because you had finally gotten what you wanted - just a moment to see for yourself how wonderful Giyu Tomioka really was - and you planned on digging deeper until you saw all of him, no matter how long that would take.