Chapter Text
Tomioka Giyuu is an enigma.
One might think that getting closer to the Water Pillar would help them get to know the raven-headed woman better, but Shinobu has been friends with Tomioka for a long time, and even she could not read her friend most of the time.
Though quite frankly speaking, Shinobu’s type of befriending people would typically be annoying the shit out of the person until they learned how to tolerate her, so perhaps Tomioka has accepted her fate of being Shinobu’s main victim of her “friendly” jabs without realizing that the latter is actually trying to befriend her.
So, realistically, aside from Shinobu constantly annoying Tomioka into forging a friendship with her, the latter did not speak much to other Pillars.
And thus, Tomioka Giyuu is bestowed the name: The Ice Princess.
Well, kudos to Shinazugawa for giving her the nickname as a sarcastic remark the other day, because Shinobu had fun laughing at Tomioka’s expression when the man called her that. In the usual, typical Shinazugawa fashion.
Honestly, that day was the most expressive Tomioka had been, and Shinobu is talking about how Tomioka’s eyes minutely widen and her slightly apart lips forming an O for a second before reverting to her usual blank look.
“I am not a princess,” she said, curt and clipped to those who don’t know better.
Well, Shinobu does know better. And only someone who knows where to look would notice the faint blush on Tomioka’s cheeks that appears and vanishes the second she looks again.
With that said, if she were to be really honest, Shinobu should not be surprised that Tomioka would spare the Kamado boy and her demon sister. She should have known that her friend has a stupidly kind heart that bleeds for people like Kamado. Shinobu resents her for that.
Because, it is at that exact moment that Shinobu could not read Tomioka, and her friend has been nothing but silent since the whole thing started. Shinobu wants to feel betrayed, but looking at how Tomioka fiercely defends Kamado from the Snake Pillar, Shinobu could see the blatant protectiveness akin to a lioness protecting her cub, so she keeps her mouth shut.
And then, when Shinazugawa decides to be a shitty asshole by stabbing the demon in the box, Shinobu was once again surprised by the sheer ferocity Tomioka exuded.
“You would want to put the box down now, Shinazugawa-san,” Tomioka glared, her voice quiet but the warning under her tone is impalpable.
Her grip was gentle when she maneuvered Kamado onto his knees, but her eyes are hard and indignant as she stared Shinazugawa down like the latter was an insect beneath her shoes.
The Wind Pillar bristled, pulling his sword harshly as blood pooled over his sword and a scream sounded from inside the box awakened Kamado from his frenzied stupor.
Before Tomioka, or anyone really, could react, the boy jumped up with such speed and rushed towards the Wind Pillar, jaw clenched and veins protruding from his forehead. The boy, even with his arms tied, managed to land a hard smack with his own head, which Shinobu swore she heard something cracked and it's not Kamado’s skull.
Shinobu sighed. Then, before anything could escalate further, Oyakata-sama made his appearance and everyone got down on their knees. (Iguro had to force Kamado to do so.)
Shinobu could barely remember what happened during the meeting, only that she’s distantly aware that the demon girl -Nezuko- had turned away from Shinazugawa’s blood. A Marechi’s blood.
A pleasant surprise, she supposed. After that, the Kakushis carried both Kamado siblings away while the Pillars resumed their meeting. Same things, as always, and Rengoku was to be sent on a mission to the Mugen Train. Yada, yada, yada….
And then, Tomioka Giyuu fainted.
It’s comical, really, how Tomioka’s body hit the ground with a soft thud, followed by panicked exclamations and Oyakata-sama’s worried tone.
As the doctor, Shinobu did her job swiftly and effectively when examining her friend. She reported, more to Oyakata-sama than to anyone else, “Tomioka’s body temperature exceeds the normal degree and I believe there’s an abnormal activity in her bloodstream. I need to get her to my clinic for extensive examination, Oyakata-sama”
When she received an affirmative nod, she summoned a Kakushi to escort Tomioka to the Butterfly Estate, excusing herself and ignoring other Pillars’ as she quickly jogged back to her clinic.
Tomioka ought to stop doing stunts like this, Shinobu cursed to herself.
After the Kakushi placed Tomioka on the hospital bed, Shinobu immediately begins her work. She could faintly hear hushed whispers from behind the doors, and the doctor had to suppress the sigh she wanted to let out.
Unfortunately, even after multiple exams, Shinobu could not find anything amiss except for there is an unusual circulation in Tomioka’s bloodstream, and even then there’s no other abnormal issues. She would not admit this, but Shinobu is getting worried.
Countless thoughts came washing over her brain, and Shinobu is taking everything within her to calm down. She checked Tomioka’s vitals again, and her results still bore no results.
Not poison, not disease, not fatigue, not everything! Then what?
What is it?
“….Kocho?”
Tomioka’s soft voice almost made her jump, but she merely turned her head towards the voice, and Shinobu would never admit to anyone that her heart stuttered in her chest at the sight of Tomioka widely awake and not dyingdyingdyingdying-
“How are you feeling, Tomioka?” She slips into her doctor persona easily, “Do you feel any discomfort?”
She checked Tomioka’s vitals, and this time, there’s no unusual circulation anymore. Tomioka seems to be healthy and dandy like she hadn’t faint during the meeting with a body temperature exceeding 39 degrees.
“….”
“None?”
Shinobu was used to Tomioka’s silent treatment, so she does not hold it against her. Tomioka is always quiet.
However, when Shinobu was done checking Tomioka’s vitals and moved to take her hand away from her friend’s wrist, she did not expect to have another dainty hand holding tightly against her own smaller ones.
Like Shinobu has said, Tomioka Giyuu is an enigma. No one could ever read her.
Even so, Shinobu was acquainted with Tomioka for so long she could consider them as friends, as annoying as she could be.
Even then, Shinobu never witnessed Tomioka express any sort of feelings, sans her minute changes that was a twitch of her lips and the tiny furrow of her brows, let alone watching Tomioka cry.
Right now, though, massive streams of tears made way down on Tomioka’s smooth porcelain cheeks, with her dainty hands gripping onto Shinobu’s like she’s going to disappear if she lets go.
“..Tomioka-san?” Shinobu gently calls, twisting her hand to take a hold of Tomioka’s hands properly, “Are you alright?”
She did not receive any sort of response, it seems. Tomioka is too deep in wherever she was trapped in, and Shinobu did what she thinks is the best solution at the moment. She slowly steps into Tomioka’s personal space, making sure to telegraph her movements and gently wrapping her arms around Tomioka’s thin shoulders. Even when crying, Tomioka is silent.
Shinobu shushed her like a mother would to a child, with her unoccupied hand occasionally brushed back Tomioka’s silky black strands. The body in her embrace trembled, and Shinobu tightened her arms until they are borderline suffocating, though Tomioka seems to not mind and instead basked in her warmth even further.
“Shh, you’re alright now. I’m here.” She did not know what implored her to say that, but it worked anyway. Tomioka’s body relaxed the longer she murmured the same words over and over again.
“I’m here.”
So, both friends spend their day together in each other’s arms. One having more questions than the other.