Chapter Text
Giyuu and Kyojuro walked side-by-side through the Ubuyashiki mansion gardens. A long, straight row of Japanese pine trees, almost as wide as they were tall, ran along side the gravel path.
They were here to meet with master Ubuyashiki and the other hashira. This had been scheduled in the morning to avoid the heat of the day, and the couple had arrived early to make the most of the cool mountain air. They made their way past a narrow stream, its gurgle hiding the usual hum of insects, to sit together, secluded in the shade of a Sakura tree.
Giyuu felt his boyfriend lean against him and take his hand.
"Isn't this a bit... obvious?"
"We're fine. No one comes back here," Kyojuro murmured, burying his face into him.
Giyuu looked out on the estate's well-kept lawn, still green despite the heatwave. Kyo was probably right, and he did need to worry less...
He relaxed, and let himself enjoy the moment.
Then Kyojuro leaned in and kissed him.
His heart began to beat faster. Of course, they had done this before, but in the safety of one of their homes: not somewhere like this... It would be ok, right? They'd never been disturbed here before, the Ubuyashiki estate gardens were huge. Still, maybe they should wait to get home before they...
Fuck it.
Giyuu leaned in to kiss Kyojuro, who pulled him in until they were face-to-face. He leaned back, feeling Giyuu’s weight on him and taking another kiss.
"What. The hell. Are you two doing?"
They sat bolt upright, looking around to see the wind hashira, Sanemi Shanizagawa, his fists clenched and his lip curled into a snarl.
"I always knew there was something wrong wrong with you, Tomioka."
Kyojuro stood up. He certainly wasn't smiling like usual. In fact, he looked far too calm.
"Don't talk to him like-"
"You don't tell me how to talk, freak!" Shanizagawa snapped,
"You know, I used to look up to you."
He stepped closer to Kyojuro, at which point Giyuu also stood up.
He looked at Giyuu, and then back to Kyojuro. They both met his gaze.
"This has nothing to do with you, Shanizagawa," Kyojuro said. His tone was still unusually flat.
The morning was drawing on, and the sun was already rising above the garden wall.
Shanizagawa looked back at the couple.
"Master Ubuyashiki will be waiting for us soon."
They watched him leave.
Once he was out of earshot, Kyojuro visibly slumped. "I'm so sorry, Giyuu. I shouldn't have done that here. That was stupid."
"Don't blame yourself," Giyuu sighed, "He's always been a piece of work What’s his problem?"
They sat in silence for a moment.
"It's getting late. We should head in soon."
They both sat in there usual places in the meeting room. The other hashira where chatting while they waited for Ubuyashiki to arrive. Giyuu felt himself sweat, and not only because of the heat. He tried to listen in to every conversation at once. Were they talking about him and Kyo? Surely not. If Shanizagawa had said anything, there would be questions at least.
Giyuu looked around. Shanizagawa was talking as usual. Any traces of anger and disgust were gone, or well-hidden. For a moment, they made eye contact, and Shanizagawa’s face was once again filled with contempt, before returning to normal as if nothing had happened.
Ubuyashiki entered the room accompanied by an assistant, and silence quickly fell over the gathered hashira. They knew that every topic discussed would be a matter of life and death, and that any one of them could be sent to fight. It weighed heavily on all of them.
First, Shanizagawa and the love hashira Kanroji Mitsuri each reported on their previous missions, giving intricate dovetails about the demons that they had faced. Then, Ubuyashiki discussed various reports which had been deemed deserving of close attention from high ranking corps members, regularly stopping to allow the assembled hashira to speak.
By the end of the meeting, many issues remained to be discussed, and the hashira were ordered to return the following morning.
Giyuu and Kyojuro left as quickly as they could without being impolite, and immediately made their way through the court yard toward the exit while the other hashira were talking again. They both wanted nothing more than to get home and have some time to think, but they wouldn't get it yet. Shanizagawa wasn't finished with them.
He cut them of in the courtyard, out of sight of the other hashira.
"Look at you two leaving together! Why the rush?"
His voice mocked friendly curiosity.
"What do you want?" Giyuu replied, desperately trying to be as calm as he sounded.
Damn. He could have swore that they had lost him.
"What you two have been doing is sick," he spat.
"It's got nothing at all to do with you! Why do you even care?" Kyojuro retorted.
He was beginning to lose his patience.
Shanizagawa stepped uncomfortably close to him, his face and his voice filled with venom.
"So what, I'm supposed to act like it's ok? should I just chat with you in meetings? Should I let you into the masters home, and act like it's ok?" How is that fair to any of us! How is it-"
"My my~ You seem angry mr Shanizagawa. Has mr Rengoku done something to upset you?"
All three men froze and looked around.
Shinobu Kocho was stood at the entrance to the court yard. Smiling as always. Unreadable as always.
It was impossible to tell how long she had been there; she was always unnaturally quiet.
Shanizagawa stepped back. "I-"
"Maybe we should discuss this after everyone has calmed down?"
Her voice sounded sweet, but there was something behind her smile that was difficult to place. Shanizagawa mumbled something, and left back towards the house.
"Are you ok, mr Rengoku?"
"I- fine. I'm fine."
"Listen, Kocho..." Giyuu tried to interject
"You two should head home. Don't Forget that we have another meeting tomorrow!"
She followed Shanizagawa back towards the other hashira.
Giyuu and Kyojuro made eye contact, and continued leaving without saying a word.