Work Text:
Giyū adjusted his katana belt at his side as he sat upon his designated tatami mat, the roughness of both materials keeps him grounded enough so he doesn't slip into his regressed mind state. He doesn't talk with the others even if he so desperately wants to keeping his hands held in his lap ever so still as to not give anything away. He just needs to survive this meeting with no mistakes.
Giyū remains silent waiting to be addressed. It's not one of their official meetings with the Master so he technically doesn't have to stay too long. It's just one where they gather to give each other updates and talk. So as soon as he can give his updates he can leave and be alone in his estate. Something he really wants to do as soon as possible.
Kyōjurō is giving his report in his usual boomingly loud voice, Giyū has long since gotten used to the Flame Hashira's loudness. Listening to the other's report hands clenching into fists in his lap while digging his fingernails into his palms in order to stay in a mentally older frame of mind.
The world is obviously plotting against Giyū Tomioka. It was supposed to be his turn to give his report but Tengen of course felt the need to jump in and praise Kyōjurō for the Flame Hashira's latest success.
"Thank you Uzui however I think Tomioka was trying to talk."
May the kami both bless and curse Kyōjurō for silencing the room. Bless him because yes Giyū had been trying to give his report as swiftly as possible until Tengen had interrupted him in the process which had annoyed the usually composed Water Hashira. But curse him too because now everyone's focus was on Giyū now. The silence of the room allowed for one to hear the Kasugai crows cawing up in the wisteria trees whose branches rustled in the spring breeze.
"Oh there wasn't much for me to report. There weren't any problems tracking down the demon and taking it out.
With his report complete he goes to get up to slip out and avoid any extra unnecessary interaction however his movements to slip out through the sliding doors of the room do not go unnoticed. He has been caught by none other than Sanemi Shinazugawa.
"Where do you think you're going Tomioka we're not done."
"I gave my report I am simply no longer needed."
Giyū's response only seems to anger Sanemi and the Water Hashira only knows this because he can feel the Wind Hashira's anger pulsating outwards into the room like a whirling storm. He just wanted to leave so he wouldn't be a bother to the other Hashira it wasn't like he was really one of them anyways.
"What because you're too good to stay to hear what the rest of us have to say? Are you really that arrogant that you can't stay for a full meeting? Think you're too high and mighty don't you?"
This was typical Sanemi behavior and yet Giyū couldn't handle it like he normally would. Normally he'd be able to let Sanemi's insults roll off of him the way water rolls off a duck's feathers however with his mind on the verge of regressing into a head space where he couldn't comprehend why Sanemi was being mean the words just stung like a bee.
"I don't think I'm better than you all I'm just not like yo-"
"There you go again with your 'I'm not like the rest of you' crap. If that ain't being arrogant than I don't know what is."
Sanemi's words struck like a Nichirin blade. The last ripple to making the tidal wave that was Giyū's mental state crash like a broken dam. The grip in which the Water Hashira had on the sliding shoji door tightened as tears fell from his deep lapis blue eyes without his say-so. The small whimper followed by more tears falling was not missed in the otherwise silent room.
No one expected the usually well put together Giyū Tomioka to fall apart like this, it felt wrong to be witnessing such a vulnerable state and yet no one made a move for a long moment. Tengen's usual lounging posture and loudness were quieted and switched for concern.Kyōjurō usually found with a smile wasn't smiling his eyes filled with sympathy.
And then there was Sanemi standing there close enough to Giyū to see the full extent of the break down. The Wind Hashira's hands clenched in fists at his side as his pale violet eyes which usually held nothing but rage were filled with something one would only see in the eyes of someone who once was an older brother. The look of someone who felt the need to make things right and protect what innocence remained.
Giyū's act of stoicism was finally cracked and shattered to pieces much like his fox warding mask had been all those years ago on Mount Fujikasane. Shattered, broken and no longer able to hold the tides of pain that he felt. Why couldn't the other's see that he was hurting? Why was Sanemi so mean to him? Why couldn't Sanemi be his friend? His mind couldn't understand these big things anymore. It hurt just trying to figure it all out.
Everything was too big for Giyū and he just wanted to go home to Urokodaki-dono. He must have voiced his want out loud without realizing so as everyone in the room looked at him with various looks, Tengen who would normally be lounging in a strikingly stupid position was sitting up a bit more straighter with a quirked eyebrow, Shinobu sat there with a knowing expression. Mitsuri had her hands over her mouth like she was trying to hide a sympathetic aww behind her haori's sleeve, and well Sanemi he let out a low scoff.
"Urokodaki? The old retired Water Hashira? What would you want the old man for?"
He just wants his old caregiver to tell him that it's going to be okay he doesn't want to be here anymore. Giyū isn't sure when his hands had started grabbing and pulling at his long obsidian strands, he's only aware he was even tugging harshly when he felt scarred calloused hands grabbing at his wrists to stop him. The feeling of being grabbed startled him slightly but he quickly registered he wasn't in too much danger after all he's in a room full of the most elite.
"Tomioka let go."
Sanemi's voice broke the deafening and almost suffocating silence it wasn't soft but it also didn't carry it's usual bite. It was probably the closest that Sanemi could muster to being kinder without giving up his tough guy act. The slight sternness to it though helped pull Giyū up from his drowning thoughts that were too big right now for him to focus on.
Though his hands still firmly held onto his hair refusing to let go seemingly focused on the fact that Sanemi still seemed mad at him. Why was he mad again? Was it because he'd not been good enough? He could do better. Be better.
He could get big again mentally and fix this. He just needed to stop being a crybaby first. He needed to be strong like Sabito and face his problems. Except he wasn't like Sabito, he wasn't even like the other Hashira either, he technically hadn't even properly passed Final Selection.
"TOMIOKA!"
Giyū flinches at Sanemi's loud very stern tone, the grip on his wrist is now looser, the feeling of skilled calloused fingers working his grip on his hair to ease up. He lets out a stubborn whimper he doesn't want to slip further under the stern care but it's hard when his mind is already wanting to sink down deeper and let someone else do all the thinking.
"Perhaps we should take him elsewhere for a change of scenery."
Giyū can hear Kyōjurō pipe up with caring enthusiasm however he notes how Sanemi holds a scarred hand up to stop the Flame Hashira's over eager approach.
"I can take care of Tomioka myself. I caused this mess it's only right that I fix it."
"I know. I wasn't suggesting you were incapable Shinazugawa, I merely want to help is all."
The room falls into another hushed silence, the only sounds are the Kasugai crows, the wisteria still being rustled by the gentle breeze, and the sniffles of Giyū who is still trying too stop his tears from falling. There's a slight bit of grumbling from Sanemi though Giyū barely pays it any mind since it seems directed at Kyōjurō.
"We'll go to the Wind Estate I doubt he can walk very far in this state considering he's gripping that door like it's the only thing keeping him up."
"Perhaps I could carry him there..."
Giyū can hear the other offer to Sanemi and honestly he doesn't know how to feel about that. He looks between the two with teary lapis eyes to see if they're seriously considering it an option. It's not long before Giyū's grip on the shoji door is being gently pried off and he's being lifted up into Kyōjurō's arms with a small hiccuped squeal.
"Just don't drop him Rengoku."
"I would never drop Tomioka."
Leaving the near suffocating space of the Hashira meeting and into the open space of the wisteria gardens was a welcomed touch. The scent of the spring breeze that carried the smells of nature with it helped ease Giyū's mind as he leaned his head into Kyōjurō's shoulder. It was like being taken care of by Sabito again, he liked how gentle the other held him like a protective big brother. It made sense that he would feel this way about Kyōjurō because he must be treating him the way he would Senjurō.
On the walk through the wisteria garden to the Wind Estate they pass by a koi pond an Giyū reaches his arms towards it while making a few not so understandable sounds to the other two Hashira's ears. Sanemi however seems to get the gist of it and guides them all over to it, Kyōjurō is very gently in the way he places the other down. The pond's water is cold and soothing as Giyū dips a few fingers curiously.
The ripples caused by his fingers dipping into the pond make the black, orange, and white koi fish dart away before they cautiously nibble at the tips of the new intrusion upon their usually undisturbed water. The sensation of their little mouths on his fingertips elicits an unguarded giggle a sound no one has heard from Giyū before.
"Figures you like water creatures."
Sanemi's voice sounds from beside him the Wind Hashira dipping his own scarred hand into the water as well. It's been a while since he got to be an older brother to someone but he thinks he's doing the right thing by joining Giyū in the activity he's doing. Sanemi was only going off of what he'd do if it where Genya and his big brother instincts must have been to far off because the other actually smiled upon noticing his hand joining in the water.
A bolder koi fish sleek, black, orange with little speckles of white darts towards Sanemi's hand swallowing the whole tip of he Wind Hashira's index finger curiously the act from the koi fish elicits another giggle from Giyū and Sanemi's chest feels filled with an emotion he hasn't felt in years. He feels whole again like some deep hole had finally been filled after years of neglect. The burning rage that usually rolled off of him melting away into care that he had locked away years ago when abandoned his own brother.
The gentle sounds of nature surround the three as they play with the koi until a soft yawn comes from mentally younger the toll of the dark haired boy's emotional breakdown crashing in after being given time to relax. The action of Giyū rubbing his curled fist over his eyes only further confirms the crash.
"Guess it's nap time huh?"
It's a simple observation on Sanemi's part and he carefully guides the other to his feet a silent look is shared between the two mentally older Hashira's they'll be all going to the Wind Estate to rest. Waving bye to the koi mostly done by Giyū who is being held once more though this time by Sanemi he nestles himself into the other eyes drifting shut as the crunch of gravel and the small rocking movements from the other walking lull him to sleep before they even arrive at their destination.
The arrival at the quiet and not to over the top Wind Estate was a swift one, Kyōjurō ever so being the polite one opened the sliding door to the estate since Sanemi's hands were quite full with carrying a now sleeping Water Hashira. The gentle rise and fall of the other's chest was relieving sign for the other two, it meant the other was finally at peace. The other could rest now without worry.
"We all heard him call for his old mentor. I think we should send word to the old man about Giyū. You know to let him know we'll take good care of him or whatever."
"You know, you don't have to pretend you don't care Shinazugawa, it is very obvious you do."
And hearing those words from Kyōjurō the Wind Hashira smiles softly as he places Giyū down on the spare futon in his estate because the Flame Hashira is write the storm does care for the tidal wave.