Chapter Text
It was a regular patrol night, but Giyuu was distracted with thoughts lingering on his recent interaction with Iguro. They happened to pass by in the same village a few days ago, and from across the road he caught Iguro giving him a glowering look. Giyuu couldn't understand why despite all the insults and dirty looks he received from the Serpent Hashira, he still had feelings for him.
It was reaching 3 a.m. when suddenly Giyuu felt a sharp pain in his chest, stopping him in his tracks. Fists clenched, he tried to regulate his breathing but suddenly he started coughing violently. He covered his mouth and into his hand, he felt the familiar warm liquid of blood as well as a couple of flower petals. After he stopped coughing, he held his hand out to look at the petals he had coughed out with a furrowed brow.
This had been happening for a few months, and Giyuu didn't understand what was happening. He didn't want to go to Kocho to ask about it either, even though he was sure she knew what was happening to him. He didn't want to be a burden and felt he deserved whatever punishment he was receiving.
After taking control of his breathing, Giyuu tried to shake off what had just happened. He planned to finish patrolling, return to his estate, and try to nap. He hadn’t been sleeping all that well the past few nights. Technically, he hasn’t slept well in years, but thoughts about Iguro kept him up at night, making his sleep schedule even more messed up.
Giyuu suddenly started coughing again, but this time, the pain intensified, and he coughed up even more flowers than usual.
Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to ask Kocho for some kind of cough medicine, just to take during patrol and missions because he didn't want to start coughing while fighting a demon. By some miracle, he hadn't been coughing as much for it to be concerning until tonight.
After catching his breath again, Giyuu tried his best to focus back on patrolling with a plan to visit the Butterfly Mansion later that day.
.
.
.
Giyuu didn't even bother with going home first because it was too far out of the way, so he went straight to the mansion and arrived a couple of hours later. Knocking a few times on the door, one of Kocho's assistants, Aoi, opened the door.
“Oh! Good morning, Mizubashira-sama. Are you here to see Shinobu-sama?”
He gave a short nod in reply.
Aoi opened the door wide open beckoning him. “Come in, she’s in her office right now.”
Giyuu took his zori off and followed the young assistant into the mansion.
Once they reached Kocho's office, Aoi opened the door. “Shinobu-sama, someone's here to see you.”
Kocho looked up from her desk and plastered a smile as she stood. “My, my. Are you finally making an effort to befriend the Hashira, Tomioka-san?”
“No.”
The Insect Hashira puffed in amusement. “Of course not. Well, what brings you here if not for a friendly chat?”
“I've been experiencing something strange for the past few months, and I was hoping you would know what's happening.”
As Giyuu was talking, Kocho pulled out two chairs for them to sit on.
“What is it?”
Giyuu hesitated for a second. “It's going to sound weird, but I've been coughing up blood and flower petals.”
Kocho’s smile turned into a shocked expression. “It's Hanahaki Disease.”
“What is that?” Giyuu asked with a frown.
“It's a disease caused by unrequited love. Tomioka-san, you're in love with someone?”
“N-no, I…”
Was he in love? That's impossible, he hasn't been since…
“ … I don't know.”
Kocho smirked. “Who knew the reclusive Tomioka Giyuu could ever fall in love?”
Giyuu gave her an unamused look.
She waved her hands and laughed, “Okay okay, I'll stop for now.”
Then, like a flip of a switch, she changed her demeanor to a more serious one. “There is something you have to know though. If you don’t confess to your beloved, then the pain will only increase. You'll also start to cough up fully bloomed flowers with their stem until you eventually die. As I said, confessing or surgically removing the flowers is the only cure. There is a catch though. If they're removed, you'll lose all feelings and memories of that person. If you confess, and the person doesn't reciprocate, then you'll die.”
“That’s dramatic.”
Kocho gave a small smile. “Agreed, but it is the conditions.”
Giyuu nodded. He didn’t particularly want to confess to- no. He isn’t in love with Iguro.
Suddenly Giyuu felt the sharp pain in his chest once more and started coughing even more than he had before. The petals he coughed into his hand seemed to feel heavier now.
“Are you okay, Tomioka-san?”
“It’s painful.”
“That pain will only increase the longer you wait to decide what to do,” Kocho said as she went around her office to look for something. She returned with a small box where she had dumped out several of her vials of poison. “Here, for the petals,” she said as she extended her arm to give Giyuu the box.
He gingerly took it and placed the petals inside. “Thank you.”
“Just keep it for now in case you have another coughing fit.”
Giyuu nodded.
“Now follow me so that we can get you washed up.”
The two exited the office and Kocho led the way to a sink.
“Wash up here, and I'll meet you in your ward. You remember where it is?”
Giyuu nodded and started to clean his hands.
All of the Hashira had their own wards if they got injured and had to be treated at the mansion.
Once he got to his room, Kocho already had a few medical supplies out.
“Come, sit down. I'm not admitting you, but I do want to check your vitals, she said as she started walking towards him with a stethoscope.
Giyuu begrudgingly unbuttoned his uniform shirt.
After the Insect Hashira finished her examination, she went to sit next to Giyuu, who was still sitting on the bed.
“Now when did this start again?”
“A few months ago. Last night though, it got worse while I was on patrol.”
“And you thought to see me? I'm flattered!” Kocho said with a big smile and placed a hand on her chest.
“No. I only came to see you because I didn't know what it was, and I didn't want to risk another episode occurring while fighting a demon.”
“You really know how to charm a girl.”
Giyuu stared blankly at her.
She lightly elbowed him. “Learn to laugh a little, Tomioka-san. Now tell me, who is it that has captured your heart's desire?”
Giyuu looked down at his feet which were dangling off the hospital bed.
“If you're going to confess, you'll need help because your social skills are hopeless.”
“I won't confess.”
“Then are you having the surgery?”
“No.”
Kocho furrowed her brows. “What do you mean? You won't confess or take the surgery? You'll die.”
It's what I deserve.
“I can't do either.”
“Well, why not?”
“Even if I confess, this person will never return my feelings. If I get the surgery, you said that I'll lose all of the memories of the person. In that instance not only will they immediately know that I had this disease because of them, but so will the other Hashira.”
“You do make a valid point ther- wait. It's another Hashira, isn't it? You're in love with another Hashira?”
Giyuu flushed.
“Who is it, Tomioka-san? You can tell me, I won't judge.”
Giyuu kept his head down, refusing to look up. “Just trust me when I say that nothing can be done.”
“Don't be dramatic, it can't be that bad.”
If I tell her, will she drop it? There's nothing she can do about it if she knows anyway.
Giyuu shifted and took a deep breath before looking up at his friend. “It's… Iguro.”
Kocho looked flabbergasted. “You aren't joking, are you?”
He shook his head.
“Out of all the people in the world, you chose the one who not only hates your guts but is also in love with Kanroji-san?”
Giyuu looked down again in shame.
“How did this happen?”
“ … ”
“I’m sorry, that’s personal. I didn’t mean to pry.”
Giyuu shook his head to indicate that it was okay.
“Well, I suppose you're right on both accounts then. You can't confess, and you can't have the surgery. However, I still recommend the surgery. So what if the Hashira find out you were in love with Iguro-san? You can't just die because you're afraid about what the others will think! If anything, it'll help you by showing everyone that you're not closed off. You know, that's the reason why no one likes you. They assume you don’t talk to anyone because you think you’re too good to associate with them. Showing that you can fall in love will make them understand that you’re not impersonal.”
Of course, Giyuu knew that Shinazugawa and Iguro were under the impression that he had some kind of superiority complex, and he never corrected them because it was easier for them to believe that than to tell them the real reason why he didn’t interact much with anyone. He didn’t realize this sentiment was shared with the rest of the Hashira.
He looked back up. “It doesn’t matter either way. Iguro and Kanroji are already in love with each other, even if they haven’t realized it yet. I can’t do that to either of them. Having the surgery might complicate things between them.”
Kocho sighed, “I don’t know if that’s sweet or foolish. Your life is still on the line you know.”
It doesn’t matter.
Giyuu started coughing again. Kocho quickly reached over to Giyuu’s other side to grab the box and shove it against his chest. She then reached into her pocket and took out a handkerchief.
Once Giyuu had stopped coughing, he stared into the box that contained his blood and the petals that had come out of him. It was strange seeing it like that, it felt a little too real.
Kocho then held out the handkerchief for him to take in one hand, and in the other, she pointed to her mouth saying, “Here, you’ve got a little…”
Giyuu took the cloth and started wiping his face, crinkling it in his hand when he finished. “Thank you.”
“You’re still avoiding the issue at hand, Tomioka-san,” the Insect Hashira smiled sweetly. “Since the disease has been present for the last couple of months, you still have a little bit of time to figure out if this is what you want before your condition worsens. Who knows, maybe by then you’ll have changed your mind!”
I won’t.
Giyuu nodded, just to end the conversation.
Kocho then stood up and walked over to where her medical supplies were. She grabbed a bottle and a cup, pouring some of the bottle’s contents into it. Walking back, she extended her arm so that Giyuu could take it. “Here, it’s a regular cough medicine. It won’t do much for the pain in your chest from the flowers, and I don’t know how well it will work for cough relief, but at least it’s something.”
Giyuu took the cup and drank the medicine, knowing she would only let him leave once he did. “Thank you.”
Kocho smiled. “You’re welcome. Now, there’s nothing else I can do for you. You’re in good health- or as healthy as you can be given the circumstances. I will also repeat this, at least consider doing the surgery if you don’t want to confess to Iguro-san. If you are to die while being a Demon Slayer, it should be by protecting people against those demons. Not because you’re too stubborn to allow yourself to feel love.”
“Sorry, I thought Kanroji was the Love Hashira.”
Kocho rolled her eyes. “I’m trying to help you.”
“I don’t need help.” Giyuu then stood up to leave. “I’ll see my way out.”
Shinobu also got up and walked over to hand him the medicine bottle. “Goodbye, Tomioka-san! And I better receive regular updates from you. For both your condition and your decision~!”