Chapter Text
Umi was born into this word quite loudly. Even the midwife was surprised at the vocals on the tiny girl. Her sister, Tsutako, covered her ears in the other room.
“Dad, why is the baby so loud?” The father, Kai, blinked.
“Tsutako, that’s just how babies sound. Do you want to go see it?” Tsutako nodded, and Kai brought her into the room. The mother, Yuki, was holding the small bundle of blue blankets.
“Mom, what are we going to name it? Is it a boy or a girl?” Yuki smiled at her daughter.
“It’s a girl. We are going to name her Umi. Look at her eyes, they hold the color of the sea.” Tsutako looked at the small child. Her eyes were open wide. The deep blue was so vibrant, it didn’t even look real. She resembled Kai. Same deep eyes, same fluffy black hair. Umi sneezed. Tsutako jerked back, then laughed.
“She’s so cute. She’s perfect.” Yuki nodded, her eyes sleepy.
“Yes. Tsu, you will be the perfect older sister.” Tsutako smiled.
5 years later
“Tsu! Tsu! Look, I look like a boy!” Umi jumped up around Tsutako’s legs, trying to get her older sister’s attention. Tsutako, who was making dinner, glanced down. Umi had her hair in a low ponytail, and she was wearing her dads old Yukata. It was way too big for her, but she was still the spitting image of her father.
“...Yes Umi. You look like how our father did when he was alive.” About two years ago, a sickness swept through the village and their parents passed. They still had cousins, but it wasn’t the same. Umi didn’t remember much, and they only had a few pictures.
Life had been hard, and since Tsutako wasn’t allowed to get a job yet, their extended family sent in money monthly. It helped, but Umi still didn’t understand why Tsu couldn't get a job.
“I do? Did he have long hair?” Tsutako turned back to the food.
“Sort of. He usually had short hair, but he would let it get long”
“Tsu… Can I tell you something? I don’t want you to be mad at me…” The tone in Umi’s voice made Tsu pause, the vegetables forgotten.
“Umi, you can tell me anything. I will never be mad at you.” Tsutako got down level with Umi, and attempted to make eye contact. Umi glanced away. She had never been great
with eye contact.
“I want to be a boy.” Tsu felt her heart crack, just a little. There was another kid in a village over, who had felt a similar way. She had been belittled brutally. Tsutako didn’t want Umi to share the same fate.
“Oh, Umi, I can’t be mad at you for that. You know I will stand by you through heaven and hell. Can I ask you some questions?” Umi nodded.
“How long have you felt this way?” Umi thought for a moment.
“Since forever. I just didn’t say anything.” Tsutako nodded.
“Do you have a name you want to go by?” Umi nodded.
“Giyu! I think it means loyalty and courage! I want to be that when I grow up!” Umi- Giyu’s eyes were sparkling with excitement, happy to see that Tsutako is willing to accept him.
“Alright Giyu. Do you want me to cut your hair? Make you some more boyish clothes?” Giyu thought for a moment.
“Just the clothes please. I like my hair long!” Tsutako nodded.
“Alright. We’ll go for fabric tomorrow. Now leave me be, I’ve gotta finish the salmon daikon” Giyu jumped up and down.
“Yay, my favorite!”
TIMESKIP LIKE ANOTHER 5 YEARS
“Tsu, what..?” Giyu rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
“Giyu, get in the closet. Now.” Tsutako was standing in front of the futon, holding a knife, her back to Giyu. “There’s something in the house. It’s not human. I can feel it.”
“Tsu, tomorrow’s your wedding! Don’t get hurt, let me-” Tsutako shoved Giyu towards the closet.
“You are my top priority right now. Get in the closet Giyu. Now.” Giyu shut his mouth and stumbled into the closet. Tsutako tossed her haori at him, and whispered, “Hide under
it.” Giyu nodded, and then shut the door.
Peeking through the slats in the door, Giyu watched as a form entered the room. He couldn’t see everything, but the silhouette was that of a woman. He heard Tsutako yell, and
then a sickening crunch. A horrible gurgle, then silence.
The woman glanced out at the dimly lit sky, then ran. Giyu had his hands over his mouth to keep from sobbing. He tentatively opened the closet door, and stepped out.
Blood seeped into the tatami mats, and Tsutako was lying on her side, knife still in hand, her eyes glazed over. Giyu screamed.
ANOTHER TIME SKIP SORRY
“Mr. Ito, I’m of course devastated to learn of my fiancee’s murder, but surely-”
“I’m afraid sending her out to her uncle is the only answer. It is of the opinion of the village leaders that Umi Tomioka is criminally insane and responsible for her sister’s death.”
Giyu sat outside the door, tears flowing down his face, curled around Tsutako’s red haori. Her bow was in his pocket. No one was ever going to believe him, were they?
The door slid open, and Kaito, Tsutako’s fiance stepped out. He crouched down.
“Hey kiddo.” Giyu looked up at Kaito. His green eyes were watery, but held no malice. “Mr. Ito is gonna have you stay with your uncle. I-”
“I didn’t do anything! It was a monster woman! It came in and killed my big sister!” Kaito nodded.
“I know Giyu. I believe you. But no one is listening. Maybe it’s for the best that you go visit your uncle. We’ve collected some of your stuff for you to take.” Kaito handed Giyu a small brown bag. It weighed almost nothing.
“Your sketchbook, some pencils, and a phone so you can call me are in there. Your uncle will be here tomorrow.” Giyu took the bag with shaky hands.
“I’m not insane.”
“I know bud. I know.” With that, Kaito stood up and walked out the door. Giyu waited a few moments, then stood up quietly. He pulled on Tsutako’s haori, then placed her bow in the bag. Tiptoeing outside, he looked up at the snow falling, then down the street. No one saw him.
He bolted out, and started down the street. He ran past a kid (who looked mildly traumatised) with white hair and a fresh scar, who looked surprised as Giyu sped past him. As he reached the end of the main village street, he heard shouting.
Not bothering to turn around, he veered off to the side and started up the mountain. His boots crunched in the snow, and the cold air burned his lungs but he kept going.
It felt like hours, but Giyu finally paused for a breath. He was tired, and hungry. His vision swam, and he fell to his knees in the cold snow.
“Just… a quick nap.” He shut his eyes, and keeled over. The bag was still clutched in his hands.
He stirred, and felt warm. Odd, wasn’t he on the mountain? He heard muffled voices, a boy, maybe his age, and an older man. They sounded concerned, and then hot soup was fed into his mouth.
He sputtered, fully awake now. He was wrapped in a blanket, fresh clothes on, and he could see Tsutako’s haori drying across the room. He glanced up, and came eye to eye with a man, possibly in his late thirties, holding a soup bowl. Next to him was a boy with peach hair, a scar on his cheek, and striking lavender eyes.
“Oh. You’re awake.” The man shot a look at the boy.
“Sabito.” The boy held up his hands in surrender.
“Sorry Mr. Urokodaki, I was simply stating the facts. Hey dude. I’m Sabito!” Sabito held out his hand, and Giyu stared at it like it would attack him. Then, after a few seconds, when Sabito didn’t take his hand away, Giyu shook it.
“I’m Giyu. Giyu Tomioka.” Sabito nodded, satisfied.
“That’s a- never mind.” Mr. Urokodaki smiled warmly at Giyu. “As you heard, my name is Mr. Urokodaki. I’m a retired enforcement officer. I’m teaching young Sabito here as well.” Giyu paled.
“Like, police? I– am I in trouble?” Urokodaki held up his hands.
“No, not at all. A hunter found you on the mountain and brought you here. We’re simply trying to help.”
“Yeah, you were basically half-frozen. We had to wrap you in like 4 blankets.” Urokodaki sighed.
“Yes Sabito.” Giyu watched as they bantered, almost like father and son. He smiled softly. All of a sudden, Sabito turned to him and said:
“You look like a fish.”
“Sabito!”
“What, I’m right! His eyes look like they know the secrets of the stars and yet they look like there is nothing behind them.” Giyu blinked. Once, twice. And then he laughed.
“I suppose I do look like a fish. But fish can be smart.” Sabito’s eye lit up.
“You like fish too?! Ohmygosh, what is your favorite fish??”
“To see? Rays. But to eat? Salmon.”
“Oh, I love rays too!” The two boys immediately clicked, chatting away about fish and the ocean and everything two (very autistic) 12 year olds can talk about.
Eventually, Urokodaki told Giyu what him and Sabito really were doing.
Training to become demon slayers.
Giyu immediately knew that was what killed his sister. He joined Sabito in training a few weeks after he recovered.
The training was hard, and both boys hitting puberty was… interesting to say the least. Giyu had to learn to bind his chest by himself so neither Mr. Urokodaki nor Sabito could see his chest. But he learned to breath carefully, using all the techniques he learned and was able to succeed without too much panic.
“Hey Giyu, I have a secret to tell you.” Sabito turned to face giyu on the floor. Giyu was wrapped in his sister’s haori, sketching some salmon they had seen earlier in the day while training.
“I’m all ears.”
“I have a crush.” Giyu looked over at Sabito.
“On who? The only people here are the occasional hunter, Mr. Urokodaki, and me- oh.” His face turned pink. “Oh. But-”
Sabito held up his hand.
“Now you owe me a secret. It can be something real, or something stupid. You decide.” Giyu thought for a moment, face still pink.
“Uh. Okay. Hm. I do have one, but… it’s kinda odd.” Sabito sat up, face serious.
“I said you looked like a fish when we first met. Nothing you can say will make me think you are weird.”
“Uhh… Iwasbornagirl!” Sabito blinked.
“Oh. Okay. I think I knew.” Giyu whipped his head around, hair hitting his face.
“WHAT.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure Mr. Urokodaki knows too. We just didn’t question your choices cause its you, and we didn’t really care anyway. You’re still Giyu.” Giyu felt his eyes water.
“I…” He rushed over and threw his arms around Sabito.
“Thank you Sabito.”