Chapter Text
In the quiet of the night, the trained swordsmen are often alert, stealthily patrolling the mountains, forests, rivers and towns. They silently maneuver in the shadows, eliminating whispered threats before more people are aware. By dawn, there is no evidence of their presence beyond a few droplets of blood scattered on the roadside.
That is how most nights pass. Yet even the silent warriors need to breathe - not only physically, but mentally, spiritually, emotionally breathe. And once in a while, they are afforded a night that is as quiet to them as it is to those they protect.
~ • ~
The water estate is silent aside from the creak of the panels beneath his feet. He slides the door open to his bedroom and sighs as he resigns himself to what he anticipates to be a restless evening. He puts down the lamp he was carrying onto the small table at the side of the room, pulling out a few crumpled letters that were hidden in a drawer.
He doesn't mean to ignore the senders.
He just doesn't know how to reply.
Flattening out the first letter he received today, he hummed while reading through Tanjiro's updates. The lighthearted letter was easy enough to read through, at least. The man rests his chin on his palm, considering how he might respond. There was nothing of importance to convey tonight - and any message of true importance Tanjiro was sure to receive from others.
He files this letter away with the others.
He unfolded the second letter with a bit more hesitation. He was never sure what would be included in Kocho's letters.
Right as he pulled the folds in of the paper apart, he heard the quietest step on the engawa outside his room. Very few people would visit him, and even fewer at this hour. He grabbed his sword from the floor, just in case.
A minute passed in silence, with the water pillar staring at the shadow on door.
"Won't you come out, Tomioka-san?"
A familiar, sweet voice. He put his sword back down as he stood up to slide open the door, revealing a petite figure, clad in a familiar butterfly patterned cloth.
"Kocho."
"Took you a while," she remarked, with a teasing smile.
"This is my bedroom."
"I know that."
He raised an eyebrow before responding with a neutral hum.
"Won't you at least invite me in for tea?"
The man sighed before gesturing to her to come inside. He placed a few pillows on the floor before leaving his room to boil some water for tea. It was going to be a longer night than he anticipated.
~ • ~
She glanced around the room when he left without a word. (That stubborn man, she would have another talking to him about his manners another day.) A familiar piece of paper laid on the small desk in the corner. Her letter earlier today, informing him of her intention to visit. Well, that was all the more reason he should have let her in immediately instead of making her wait. She huffed to herself in amusement.
She made herself at home, getting comfortable on one of his provided cushions. The door open to the engawa let in the soft moonlight, highlighting the emptiness of his room. Ever the minimalist, she noted.
It was a few moments of silence where she simply enjoyed the night air of the water estate.
Soft footsteps - she opened her eyes to the sight of him carrying a tray of tea back into the room. (Although, she did note that he hasn't bothered with changing out of his sleep wear. Her smile widened a bit. Perhaps they were finally getting a little closer.)
He walked over to the engawa, looking back at her and tilting his head. She suppressed a laugh. Still not one for words, she supposed. But she got the gist of it.
~ • ~
He put down the tray of tea and filled up the cups. She sat down beside him. Too close.He took a deep breath. His skin prickled a bit where she brushed against him. He ignored the sensation and handed her a cup of tea, which she accepted gracefully.
He stared into his cup, the steam from the tea gently rising into the dark air around them, pushed around by the breeze, barely illuminated by moonlight and the soft glow of the lamp from inside the room. The tea was hot. The entire side of his body that faced her was hot. This wasn't exactly comfortable. It was stranger to him than the pain of injury and the burn of training.
He wasn't even sure what to say - he didn't get around to reading the letter after all.
She spoke up first, as usual.
"Isn't the moon beautiful tonight?"
He looked up at the moon - and looked back at her. He blinked slowly, not entirely sure of her meaning. When wasn't the moon beautiful? He watched her carefully, the wind had died down but a slight breeze continued to push stray locks of hair around her neck and into her face. He lifted a hand to her face but stopped just short of touching her. He waited for her to turn around, with that knowing smile on her lips, before he pushed the escaped strands behind her ear.
The tips of his fingers burned.
"Tomioka-san. Aren't you bold tonight?"
He felt strange in his chest, and he looked back down to his tea. He buried his burning fingers in a fist beside him.
A small palm covered his nervous hand, and the entirely of his fist started to burn as well. Her delicate fingers searched for his, teasing the fist open. He refused to look up.
"Relax now, let me enjoy this night too."
He relaxed his hand, allowing her fingers to intertwine with his. The back of her fingers were decidedly too cold - a contrast with the tips that had been warned by the tea. He sipped his drink, trying not to think too much about her touch.
After what felt like ages, he managed to look at their intertwined fingers.
"Your hand is cold." He stated simply. Wrapping his hand a bit tighter around her fingers.
"Are you trying to warm my hands for me?"
He considered her question before hesitantly putting down his cup of tea and offering up his other hand to her.
"Did you want me to?"
She covered her mouth with her free hand, chuckling, before taking his offered hand.
"I never said anything about wanting it, but I suppose I'm not against it."
His face flushed as he wrapped both her hands in his. His burning hands warming up her freezing ones. He played along with her teasing but he wasn't sure where she wanted to go with this. Or perhaps he knew but he would never dare to assume.
~ • ~
She stared at their connected hands. He was so warm, such a contrast to the chilly personality that he used to block others out. She supposed this was as good of a time as any. A breath. She tried to calm the heavy beating of her heart that had been screaming at her since the first brush of their skin.
She lifted her face to see his blush and concerned eyes. His beautiful, deep blue eyes. And laughed.
His face twisted in confusion, which only made her laugh more.
His hands loosened around hers and she grabbed them back, pulling him closer. Close enough to feel his breaths on her nose. Her smile only teased him more.
"Come closer," she whispered.
He opened his mouth in protest, a few nonsensical syllables spilling out before he closed his mouth again. She rolled her eyes, and pulled a hand out of his grasp to cup his cheek. She pulled his face closer and brushed her lips on his stiff jaw.
"Thank you," she whispered in his ear, making sure her lips touched the delicate skin.
She pulled away quickly, taking a good look at the slightly hunched, red-faced confused man before her, before nodding in satisfaction. Keeping one of her hands linked with his, she picked up the tea cup that she had set down and sipped the sweet liquid. It was already cool.
"Jujube tea?" She asked, nonchalant. She stared down at the teacup, trying to hide the blush that was starting to creep up her neck as well.
She heard him shuffle beside him, never letting go of the hand that still held on.
"You're too pale," he offered as an explanation. She knew the warming properties of the tea, but was surprised he knew. That he chose a tea for her, to help her feel better, brought the blush straight up to her ears. Jujube tea wasn't going to help her, not with what she was already poisoning herself with, but the sentiment was nice.
If only they lived in different times.
She gave an exasperated sigh before eyeing him.
"If only you'd take care of yourself with even an ounce of the same consideration to give to others. There would be less misunderstanding, you know?"
He shrugged, a slight pink still coloring his cheeks.
She looked back at the moon. It was beautiful tonight, yes. If only it could be just as beautiful every night.