Chapter Text
CHAPTER ONE: Storm and Water
The Water Hashira walked silently into the meeting not knowing what it was about, ‘I’m pretty sure that I haven’t done anything to extreme and ive completed all my missions so what would this be about?’
As Giyuu walked in he noticed another Hashira there and with his luck it was the Wind Hashira Shinazugawa Sanemi. Giyuu went to the tree to stand in the shade while waiting for the master to arrive and a couple minutes later he did so both hashira went to their spot and kneeled.
While the master was talking about the mission with both boys. Sanemi looked at Giyuu and at his blue eyes staring off into the distance. He could never tell what Giyuu was thinking, his expression was always blank and most of the time he was silent. He continued to keep his gaze fixed on the master,
The Master was still talking about the mission both Hashira’s will be working on together but it ended after saying that tomorrow they would leave for it.
As both Hashira’s left (Sanemi first then Giyuu after) Sanemi waited for Giyuu to talk about the missio. caught you off guard when he finally spoke.*
“This is a dangerous mission. Why did you choose to accompany me? The Wind Hashira let out a snort of annoyance, his expression still cold, but there was a hint of surprise when Giyuu spoke.
"As if I have a choice?"
He said gruffly, crossing his arms and avoiding looking at Giyuu directly.
"The master thinks it's 'necessary' for both of us to go on this stupid mission together."
Giyuu couldn't help but to roll his eyes at Sanemi’s response, he should have expected that but still wanted to make sure
“Yeah, yeah, I understand. Let’s just try and cooperate in order to do this damn mission.“
He said bluntly, his expression still blank and stoic as he glanced at Sanemi for a moment before turning his gaze back to the distance. Sanemi's eye twitched, his teeth gritted at Giyuu's bluntness. His irritation flared, wanting to argue but he held his tongue back. He knew it was pointless.
"Tch, fine. But don't expect me to have any pleasant conversation with you, got it?"
He mumbled, his gaze turned away from the Water Hashira, focusing on the path ahead. Giyuu scoffed at his grumpy attitude.
“I don't expect any pleasant conversations from you anyways.”
He retorted, rolling his eyes once more, his annoyance evident. He was already getting sick of his hostility and the mission hasen’t even started yet, but he knew that they had to get through this damn mission together so he would just try his best to ignore him. ‘Get the job done fast quick and easy it shouldn’t take long but it could be a bit difficult if the master is sending two Hashira’s’
Giyuu’s thoughts were interrupted when Sanemi spoke “Just try to be less of a pain in my ass. Can you at least do that much?” He grunted in annoyance, his fists clenching at his sides. He couldn't stand the Water Hashira's nonchalant demeanor, it made him even more agitated.
“Oh, so now I'm a pain in your ass, huh? Well, guess what? You're not a picnic either."
Giyuu barked back, his voice dripping with hostility.
"And who even said I wanted to be paired up with you anyways?" His face remained stoic, but inside, he was getting seriously pissed off.
“Well, I didn't exactly ask to be paired up with you either, smartass. But we're stuck together, so deal with it.”
Sanemi retorted, his jaw tight, his gaze fixed firmly straight ahead.
“The faster we finish this mission, the sooner we can go our separate ways.” Giyuu said trying to end the conversation already as it was giving him a headache
Woth thaf Sanemi let out a scoff, his frustration rising with every word they exchanged.
"Oh, trust me, I'm just as eager to be done with this as you are. The less time spent with you, the better."
*He growled, his eyes narrowing at Giyuu's stoic expression. He couldn't stand how the Water Hashira always seemed so damn composed. It drove him insane.*
"Just keep your distance from me and try not to get in my way. I don't need you slowing me down."
With that Sanemi walked away and went to his estate. Later that night, Giyuu found himself having trouble sleeping, the events of the day replaying in his mind. No matter what he did, he couldn't seem to find a comfortable position.
"Damn, this is pointless..." He mumbled to himself in frustration, sitting up on the bed and running a hand through his hair.
He glanced towards the window, the soft moonlight streaming in and casting a silver glow on the floor. His thoughts kept disturbing him.
Meanwhile, in the Wind Estate, Sanemi was in his bedroom as well, tossing and turning on his futon. He couldn't get a wink of sleep. As for his mind kept wandering back to the Water Hashira.
"Damn it all..."
He muttered under his breath, gritting his teeth in frustration. He couldn't believe he was losing sleep over Giyuu of all people. He tried to push the thoughts away, but they kept creeping into his mind.
"Stupid Giyuu..." Sanemi said with a turn flipping over still trying his best to sleep
As the hours ticked by, Giyuu's sleeplessness grew more and more unbearable. The silence of the night seemed to amplify his thoughts, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find any relief.
He let out a deep sigh and swung his legs over the bed, deciding that he wasn't going to get any sleep anyways.
"This is ridiculous..." he mumbled, standing up and walking over to the window, gazing out into the quiet darkness. As he stood by the window, lost in thought, a sudden idea popped into his brain. He considered for a moment, his expression conflicted. But his curiosity and restlessness eventually got the better of him.
With a resigned sigh, he quickly slipped on some comfortable shoes and quietly made his way out of the room. The Water Hashira silently stepped out into the cool night air.
”Maybe I just need some fresh air” He walked through the eerily quiet corridors of the estate, making sure to keep his steps light and silent. As if anyone was around to hear him anyways.
He eventually found himself at the entrance, and with a deep breath, he pushed open the door and stepped outside.
The cool night air enveloped him as he continued to walk out of his estate, and he took a moment to admire the tranquil beauty of the night sky. The moon hung high above, casting a soft silver glow over the landscape.
As he stood outside, he couldn't help but find himself looking at the stars admiring just how pretty they looked tonight and plus with the moon light.
The silence of the night enveloped him, and Giyuu closed his eyes for a moment, letting the tranquility wash over him. He had to admit, it was a welcome distraction from his restless mind. He leaned against a tree, a sense of calmness settling over him.
He stood there for quite a while, taking in the peaceful atmosphere, by doing this his mind started to drift off. Despite his efforts they kept on going back to a certain Wind Hashira. He mentally cursed himself to even starting to think about him. Mix of annoyance and curiosity started to build up inside him.
Why couldn't he stop thinking about you, even during a quiet night like this? He grunted, trying to shake off the thoughts, but they continued to plague his mind. He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated with himself. Giyuu took another deep breath, letting it out slowly. He knew he should head back to bed, but something was keeping him rooted in place.
He stood there for a few more minutes, trying to push the thoughts away, but they stubbornly clung to his mind. Giyuu started to think about the conversation the shared earlier and he just couldn’t quite understand you both didn't get along, and yet here he was, unable to stop the thoughts that kept popping up in his head.
He glanced back towards the estate, contemplating whether to return to bed or not. He ended up staying for a few more minutes just thinking about what had happened today and what will happen tomorrow then with that went to bed.
Meanwhile, back in the Wind Estate, Sanemi was still awake, tossing and turning in bed. His mind was wide awake, filled with thoughts of Giyuu. The damn Water Hashira just wouldn't leave his head.
He grumbled under his breath, annoyed that he couldn't get the other man out of his mind. He tried to reason with himself, telling himself that he had nothing but disdain for Giyuu.
"Damnit... Why can't I get you out of my head? I hate you, so why do I keep thinking about you..." Sanemi sat up in bed, frustrated and annoyed with himself He couldn't understand why he was acting like this. Sure, he disliked Giyuu, but why was he so consumed by thoughts of him?*
He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. This obsession with Giyuu was driving him insane. He had to get control of himself.
"This is ridiculous..." he muttered, running a hand through his messy white hair. "I... I shouldn't be so fixated on him. I don't like him... I don't... I do nt like fucking Giyuu Tomioka" Sanemi lay back down in bed, but sleep was still evading him. Every time he closed his eyes, images of Giyuu's stoic face would flash through his mind.
When he tried to go back to bed all that was in his mind is every detail of his interaction with Giyuu- his blank expression, the way he spoke so calmly and rationally, and his damn apathetic demeanor that frustrated him to no end and how earlier he seemed so really pissed.
Sure Sanemi has seen Giyuu look pissed before but it doesn’t really happen that often. It’s like he’s some robot with that blank look on his face where when his true emotions come out they don’t really stay for that long. Like he doesn’t want anyone to come close to him.
He let out an irritated huff, turning over in bed and burying his face in the pillow. Why couldn't he get Giyuu out of his head?!. Sleep was still evading him. Every time he closed his eyes, images of Giyuu's stoic face would flash through his mind.
He could still remember every detail of their interactions - his blank expression, the way he spoke so calmly and rationally, and his damn apathetic demeanor that frustrated him to no end.
He let out an irritated huff, turning over in bed and burying his face in the pillow. Why couldn't he get Giyuu out of his head?! What felt like ages to Sanemi he finally fell asleep.
As the night slowly turned into early morning, Sanemi started to slowly wake up and by that everything started to come back to him. He had lost some sleep because he couldn’t get Giyuu out of his mind. As he sat up he tried to think about what what was he dreaming about and just his luck it was about the one person he wanted to get out of his mind.
In his dreams, he relived their encounters - the heated arguments, the intense staring contests, the moments when their gazes lingered just a bit too long... rubbing his eyes and trying to shake off the remnants of the dreams that still lingered in his mind. "Just great," he muttered to himself, "Even in my dreams, I can't escape him."
He got out of bed, feeling a mix of irritation and confusion. ‘Why was Giyuu haunting his thoughts even while he slept? It was as if the Water Hashira had imprinted himself on my brain, refusing to let go.’ Sanemi thought. With that went about his morning routine, but his mind kept drifting back to Giyuu. The images of their encounters from yesterday replayed in his head like a broken record.
As he ate breakfast, he couldn't help but feel a pang of irritation every time his mind conjured up the image of Giyuu's stoic, blank expression. He hated how the other man seemed to be always calm and composed, no matter the situation. It was like he was unfazed by everything, including Sanemi's hostility.
Sanemi finished his breakfast and prepared himself for the mission. As he packed his equipment, he couldn't help but feel a mix of frustration and anticipation. On one hand, he dreaded the prospect of spending the entire day with Giyuu, but on the other hand...
No, he shook that thought off. This wasn't the time for such thoughts. He was going on a mission, a dangerous one at that. He had to focus on the task at hand, not on the damn Water Hashira.
Giyuu’s waking up POV: (isk how to transition this)
Giyuu groaned as sunlight flooded into the room, waking him up. He squinted his eyes, trying to adjust to the brightness. He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and glancing at the window.
"Damn it..." he muttered to himself, realizing that he hadn't gotten much sleep at all. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, still feeling drowsy and far from rested. ‘Guess I shouldn’t have gone/stayed out that late’ he thought as tiredness started to hit him.
He got up and reluctantly got dressed, a sense of exhaustion weighing on his shoulders. He knew he had to be ready for the mission, but the lack of sleep was already taking a toll on him.
He splashed some water on his face, trying to wake himself up. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, noticing the bags under his eyes. 'Great, I look like a zombie,' he silently thought to himself.
He finished getting ready, his movements sluggish. He tried to shake off the tiredness, but it clung to him stubbornly, making every action feel heavy. He picked up his sword and strapped it to his side, taking a moment to steady himself.
He took a deep breath, trying to push aside the sense of fatigue that threatened to overpower him. 'Just have to get through the day,' he told himself, though he couldn't help but feel like it'd be a long and tiring one.
With each step he took, Giyuu could feel the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him. He was determined to push through it, but the lack of sleep made even the simplest movements feel like a herculean effort.
He finally arrived at the designated meeting spot, where he found Sanemi already waiting. He tried to mask his exhaustion with a stoic expression, but the dark circles under his eyes betrayed his weary state.
Sanemi noticed Giyuu's weary appearance as soon as he arrived, his sharp eyes taking in the dark circles under the Water Hashira's eyes. Despite trying to keep up his usual calm demeanor, it was clear that Giyuu was exhausted.
A part of him couldn't help but enjoy the fact that the usually composed man was showing some sign of weakness. But another part of him felt... a pang of concern.
He tried to push those thoughts aside, though, refusing to show any hint of concern. Instead, he gruffly asked, "You look like crap."
Giyuu scowled at Sanemi's rude comment, his irritation evident despite his tired state.
"Thanks for pointing it out, genius. What gave that away?" he replied, his voice laced with sarcasm. "I barely slept last night. Not that it's any of your business."
Sanemi rolled his eyes at Giyuu's sarcastic response, his annoyance flaring up.
"Yeah, well, sorry for stating the obvious. It's hard to miss those dark circles under your eyes. You look like you've been dragged through hell and back."
He crossed his arms, fixing Giyuu with a skeptical gaze.
"And why didn't you sleep? If you're so damn tired, you're going to be useless in the field. We need to focus on the mission, not your insomniac problems."
Giyuu's irritation flared at Sanemi's blunt and critical remarks, but he knew he couldn't deny the truth in them.
"It's not like I chose to be awake all night, idiot. I couldn't sleep, alright?" he retorted, his exhaustion making his patience thin. "Trust me, I would have preferred getting a good night's rest."
He ran a hand through his messy tied hair, trying to compose himself.
Sanemi's expression hardened at Giyuu's snappy retort. His annoyance was growing at the Water Hashira's stubbornness.
"Well, that's just great. Of course, you had to be a night owl on the night before an important mission. Brilliant choice, really."
He let out a scoff, shaking his head in disbelief.
"And here I was hoping for a partner who was actually functional and ready to work, not some sleep-deprived wreck."
Giyuu's jaw clenched at Sanemi's harsh words, his exhaustion making it harder to hold back his annoyance.
"Do you think I wanted to be wide awake all night? Seriously, how stupid are you? I tried everything to sleep, but it just didn't happen. Trust me, I would've loved to be fully rested just as much as you do and by the way you don’t look so great either like you haven’t slept so don’t come after me if you did the exact same thing."
He let out a sigh, feeling frustrated at himself for letting his lack of sleep affect his usually controlled demeanor.
Sanemi's eyes narrowed at Giyuu's rebuttal. He hated the fact that the Water Hashira was right. He had indeed had a restless night himself, tossing and turning without any luck.
"Don't compare me to you, at least I don't look like a damn zombie."
He shot back, trying to deflect from the fact that his own sleep had been just as troubled.
Giyuu's irritation was reaching its limit. The lack of sleep had frayed his nerves, and Sanemi was really pushing his buttons. He Why don't you quit with the bullshit and cut me some slack. We're both not at our best right now, so save the damn insults. He fired back, his exhaustion making him lose patience with the Wind Hashira's constant jabs.
Sanemi's jaw clenched tighter at Giyuu's scathing words. He couldn't argue with the truth that they were both in a less-than-ideal state, but he wasn't about to back down.
"Oh, quit being such a crybaby. I'm just being honest. You look like hell, and I'm not about to sugarcoat it."
He retorted, crossing his arms tighter across his chest. "And just because you can't handle a few insults, doesn't mean I have to coddle your precious feelings."
Giyuu gritted his teeth at Sanemi's unapologetic response.
"I'm not asking for coddling, you arrogant prick. I'm just saying that maybe you could try not being such a jerk for once. Especially since you're not exactly looking your best either."
He shot a critical glance at the Wind Hashira, “and don’t we have a mission to complete let’s go we’re just wasting time”
Sanemi bristled at Giyuu's words, the accusation hitting a sensitive spot. He scowled, clearly annoyed that the Water Hashira was calling out his own lack of rest as he clenched his fists at his sides.
"Yeah, alright, whatever. Let's get this damned mission over with. But don't expect me to save your sorry ass when you pass out halfway through."