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The snow had been falling since morning, thick and relentless, blanketing the surroundings in a soft white silence. Ren stood at the gate of the village school, his breath misting in the cold air, his small hands clutching the straps of his satchel. He was the last one left, the other children having already rushed home to warm fires and hot meals.
But Ren didn't mind; he liked walking alone, the only time he got peace and quiet, and he was sure that his sisters would be waiting for him ahead. The silence was peaceful. The snow muffled everything and turned the world soft and quiet, and Ren could finally hear himself think.
He was about to turn toward home when a voice called out behind him.
"Ren! Wait up!"
Ren turned. A boy was running toward him, his dark hair dusted with snow, his cheeks flushed from the cold. He was taller than Ren, broader in the shoulders, with warm brown eyes and a friendly smile that seemed to light up the grey afternoon.
"Shoyo," Ren said, his voice soft. "I thought you left already."
"I did but I thought I forgot my scarf." Shoyo grinned, gesturing to the red scarf that was already wrapped around his neck. "Can you believe it? And I only realised when I reached here that I was wearing it the whole time. My okasan is going to kill me because I am going to be late."
Ren's lips twitched. "Your okasan wouldn't kill you."
"You don't know my okasan." Shoyo fell into step beside him, his shoulder brushing Ren's. "She's terrifying. She once made my dad sleep outside because he forgot their anniversary."
"That seems reasonable."
"It was winter!"
"Then he should have remembered."
Shoyo laughed, a bright sound that echoed in the quiet street. Ren felt something warm bloom in his chest. Shoyo was the first friend he had made on his own, not through his siblings, not through his parents' connections. Just his. Someone who liked him for who he was, not because he was the quiet omega son of famous demon slayers.
"So," Shoyo said, "do you want to walk home together? My house is on the way to yours."
Ren nodded. "Okay."
They walked in comfortable silence, their footsteps leaving twin trails in the fresh snow. Shoyo didn't try to fill the quiet with chatter, and Ren appreciated that more than he could say.
"Hey, Ren?" Shoyo said after a while.
"Yes?"
"I was wondering..." Shoyo scuffed his boot in the snow. "Do you want to come to my house this weekend? My okasan makes the best mochi, and I got a new game from my uncle. It's a board game, not like a fighting game or anything. I know you don't like those."
Ren felt his heart skip. He had never been invited to a friend's house before. His siblings always came with him, or his parents, or someone. But Shoyo was asking just him, and him alone, and that made it so special.
"I..." Ren started, but before he could answer, a sharp voice cut through the quiet.
"Ren!"
Ren turned. Yuki and Akari were standing at the end of the street, their faces flushed with cold, their eyes fixed on Shoyo with expressions Ren had never seen before. They looked like they wanted to kill him.
"Neechan…Neesan…" Ren said, stepping forward. "What are you two..."
"Come here," Yuki said, her voice brooking no argument. "Now."
Ren glanced at Shoyo, who had gone pale. "I should go," Shoyo said quietly, stepping back. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ren."
He turned and hurried away, his footsteps echoing in the silent street. Ren watched him go, something cold settling in his chest.
"Ren," Akari said, her voice sharp. "We need to talk."
The walk home was silent. Yuki and Akari flanked Ren on either side, their expressions thunderous. When they reached the Water Estate, they steered him into the main hall, where Kaito and Haruki were waiting, their faces grim.
"What's going on?" Ren asked, his voice trembling as he threw his hanten on the floor. "Why are you all so angry?"
"We're not angry," Haruki said, his voice gentle. "We're worried."
"About what?"
"That boy," Yuki said, her voice cold. "Shoyo. You can't be friends with him."
Ren stared at her. "What? Why?"
"He's an alpha," Akari said, as if that explained everything.
"So what?" Ren's voice was rising. "You're alphas. Tochan is an alpha. Otōsan is an alpha. What does that have to do with anything?"
"Ren." Haruki stepped forward, his mismatched eyes soft. "It's not that he's an alpha. It's that we don't trust him. There's something off about him."
"Not fair, Onisan. You don't even know him!"
"We know enough," Yuki said. "We saw him at the school festival last month. He was hovering around you, always finding excuses to be near you. And at the village market, he was watching you. Always following you."
"So what? He is my friend, my only friend, and I know he wasn't following me! He was just..."
"Ren", Yuki's voice was firm. "We're your older siblings. It's our job to protect you. And we're telling you, he's not good for you. Stay away from him."
Ren felt something snap inside him. "No, you can't tell me what to do!"
"Ren", Akari tried.
"No! " Ren's voice was loud, shaking, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "You don't get to do this! You don't get to control who I'm friends with just because you're older! Shoyo is my friend! He's the first friend I've ever made on my own, and you're trying to take him away from me!"
Yuki's expression hardened. "Ren, you're being dramatic. We're just trying to protect
"I don't need your protection!" Ren was crying now, tears streaming down his cheeks. "If Shoyo is a bad person, then let me find out for myself! Let me make my own mistakes! That's what growing up means, isn't it? That's what you all did!"
"You don't have the capability to see who is trouble and who is not!" Yuki snapped. "How will you make the decision if he is good or bad if you do not even know how to talk? Someone as quiet as you cannot make that decision!"
She stopped. The words hung in the air, sharp and cruel. Ren stared at her, his face pale, his tears freezing on his cheeks.
"So, I am an idiot because I am quiet," Ren whispered, his expression flat.
"Yuki," Akari said, her voice sharp. "That's enough. Ren, ignore what Yuki…"
But it was too late. Ren had already turned, his small body trembling, and he was running. The door slammed behind him, and then he was gone, swallowed by the falling snow. Akari made a move to follow him.
"Let him be for a while," Yuki said. "Till he calms down and understands that what we are trying to do is for his own good."
"It's snowing, Yuki! Don't be a stubborn idiot, and it is your fault that Ren is outside only in his thin uniform," Akari snapped, shaking her hand off. "Haru, Kaito, go run and get Ren back inside; it is too cold outside."
"Yes, Neesan," Haruki said as he and Kaito ran outside, but it was too late. Ren had disappeared, and the search began immediately.
Kaito ran to the garden, his white hair whipping in the wind. Akari checked the courtyard, the dojo, and every room in the estate. Haruki searched the forest path, calling Ren's name until his voice went raw. Yuki stood frozen in the doorway, her face pale, her hands shaking.
"I didn't mean it," she whispered. "I didn't mean it."
"Neechan", Haruki grabbed her shoulders. "We need to find him. Focus. You can have your meltdown after we find Ren."
It was an hour later when Giyu returned from visiting Tanjiro and Kanao, who had given birth to their first child earlier that morning. Sanemi and Obanai hadn't yet returned from work, and when Giyu stepped into the main hall, he found chaos.
Yuki and Akari were in tears. Kaito was pacing, his hands in his hair. Haruki was the only one who looked calm, but even he was pale with worry.
"What happened?" Giyu asked, his heart dropping.
"It's Ren," Haruki said, his voice steady. "He ran out. Neechan scolded him.
"I didn't mean it!" Yuki sobbed. "I didn't mean it! I just wanted to protect him, and I said...I said..."
"Explain," Giyu said, his voice sharp. "Now."
Haruki told him everything. Ren's new friend, Shoyo. The confrontation. The cruel words. Ren's flight into the snow.
"He's been gone for an hour now," Haruki finished. "We searched everywhere. The garden and the forest. We can't find him."
"I know where he might be," Giyu said. "All four of you, do not go out and get lost. It is starting to snow heavily. Wait for your fathers and tell them I have gone in search of Ren. Tell them I'll be back." Giyu picked up a discarded hanten from the floor and rushed out.
The secret garden was empty Giyu stood in the clearing, the cherry blossoms long gone, the snow covering everything in a thick white blanket. The silence was absolute. Ren wasn't there.
Giyu's heart began to pound. The snow was falling harder now, the wind picking up, and he could barely see five feet in front of him. He searched the forest path, again looked around any other that Ren might have taken, but he didn’t find him anywhere. The storm was intensifying, the wind howling through the trees, and Giyu knew he had to find Ren soon or they would both be lost. His anxiety piled up as he looked at the darkening sky, his heart in his mouth as he ran.
"Ren!" he called, his voice cracking. "Ren, where are you?"
No answer.
Giyu pushed deeper into the forest, his feet sinking into the snow, his breath coming in ragged gasps. It was getting colder as the snow fell heavier, but he couldn't stop. His son was out here somewhere, alone and scared and freezing.
The wind howled around him, and Giyu felt tears prick at his eyes. He couldn't lose Ren. He couldn't. Ren was his youngest, his quiet one, the one who reminded him so much of himself. If something happened to Ren...
"Ren!" he screamed, his voice raw. "REN!"
And then he saw it: an abandoned cabin, half-buried in snow. Giyu ran, hoping and praying to Kami that he would find his Ren there. He burst through the door, his heart pounding, and found Ren huddled in the corner. Giyu's legs almost gave way in relief. Ren was wearing only his thin school uniform, his shoes soaked through, his face blue with cold. His knees were drawn up to his chest, his arms wrapped around himself, and he was crying. Silent tears, the kind that hurt the most.
"Ren!" Giyu dropped to his knees, reaching for his son, and put the hanten around him. "Ren, I'm here. I'm here."
Ren looked up. His eyes were red, his cheeks stained with tears, his lips blue. His breathing was fast, too fast, his chest heaving with the effort of drawing air.
"K-Kaachan?" His voice was a whisper, barely there, broken and terrified. "I c-can't find the way back. I tried, Kaachan. I t-tried, but I got l-lost in the s-snow…"
"Breathe, baby. Breathe." Giyu pulled him into his arms, trying to warm him, trying to stop the shaking. Giyu shrugged off his warm hanten, the thick, winter one that Obanai had bought him years ago, and wrapped it around Ren's small body. It was far too big, swallowing him completely. Giyu doubled it and made sure no part of Ren was exposed to the cold as he held him close to his body. "I'm here. You're safe now. You're safe."
Ren's small hands fisted in Giyu's clothes. "I'm s-sorry," he sobbed. "I'm sorry for r-running out. I should have stayed. I sh-shouldn't have..."
"No, no, baby." Giyu pressed a kiss to his head. "Don't apologise. You were scared, and you ran. That's okay. That's okay."
"I was so s-scared, Kaachan. I thought I thought I was going to d-die out here. I thought I'd never see you again." Ren was hyperventilating now, his small body trembling violently. "And I'm s-so angry at neechan. She said I'm s-stupid. She said I can't see who's bad. And I l-lost the way back and I thought…"
"Ren." Giyu's voice was firm but gentle. "Look at me."
Ren looked up, his eyes wild with panic.
"Breathe with me, sweetheart. In... and out. In... and out. That's it. You're doing so well."
Slowly, Ren's breathing steadied. His sobs quieted to hiccups. He leaned into Giyu's warmth, exhausted and spent.
"I'm sorry," Ren whispered again. "I'm sorry for worrying you."
"Don't apologise." Giyu held him tighter. "You were scared. And you were angry. And that's okay."
Ren sniffled. "But I l-lost the way back. I thought I knew where I was going, but the s-snow…"
"Ren." Giyu tilted his face up, meeting his eyes. "Listen to me. I'm not angry at you. I'm not angry at anyone. I'm just relieved, so relieved, that you're safe. That's all that matters."
Ren's eyes filled with tears again. "But I'm so angry at neechan. She s-said those horrible things."
"I know," Giyu said softly, rubbing his back. "And you have every right to be angry. What she said was wrong. It was cruel, and it hurt you. Your feelings are valid."
Ren nodded, his small face crumpling. "I don't want to talk to her. I don't want to see her."
"That's okay too." Giyu stroked his hair. "You don't have to forgive her right away. You don't have to talk to her until you're ready."
"She said I'm stupid."
"Yuki was wrong to say that. She was scared, and she said something she didn't mean. But that doesn't make it hurt any less, does it?"
Ren shook his head, fresh tears spilling down his cheeks.
"Ren." Giyu cupped his face, his thumbs brushing away the tears. "If you need to be angry, be angry. If you need to yell, yell. If you need to hide, hide. You can always go to the secret garden; no one knows about it except us. But please, baby, don't run away like this again. Don't disappear into a storm so far from home that I can't find you."
Ren's lower lip trembled. "But I didn't want to go to the garden. I didn't want them to find me."
"I understand." Giyu pressed his forehead against Ren's. "I understand that you needed space. And I will always give you space. But please, sweetheart, if something ever happens, if you ever need to run, run to our room and lock it, and I will make sure no one gets to you. I promise. Run to a place where I can reach you. Because if something happened to you, if I lost you
Giyu's voice cracked. He swallowed hard, trying to control the tears that were threatening to spill.
"If something happened to you, Ren, I don't think I would survive it. You are my son, my baby, my heart. And I can't. I can't lose you."
Ren's face crumpled. He threw his arms around Giyu's neck, holding on with all his small strength.
"I won't run away again, Kaachan," he sobbed. "I promise. I won't."
Giyu held him close, his own tears falling silently into Ren's hair. "Thank you, baby. Thank you."
Giyu shivered in the cold.
"I'm still cold, and you are cold, Kaachan. I am scared," Ren whimpered.
"I know, sweetheart. I know. And I'll be fine; I am just worried about you." Giyu pulled him closer, pressing his body against Ren's, trying to share what little warmth he had left. "We're going to stay here until the storm passes. Then we'll go home. Okay?"
Ren nodded against Giyu's chest. "Okay."
Ren leaned into him, his small body finally relaxing. "I'm still angry at Nee-chan," he mumbled.
"That's okay."
"And I'm still scared."
"I know." Giyu pressed a kiss to his head. "But I'm here now. And I'm not going anywhere."
The storm raged for what felt like hours. The wind howled, the snow piled against the cabin walls, and Giyu held his son, whispering reassurances and singing soft lullabies. Ren's shivering slowly stopped, but the continuous falling snow made Giyu's heart clench with fear.
"Don't fall asleep, Ren," Giyu said, his voice firm but gentle. "Stay awake for me, okay?"
"I'm tired, Kaachan," Ren mumbled.
"I know, baby. But you need to stay awake. Just a little longer."
Ren nodded, his eyes fluttering. Giyu held him tighter, rocking him gently, and prayed that the storm would end soon.
When the snow finally slowed, Giyu could barely move. His limbs were stiff, his fingers numb, his face raw from the cold. But he forced himself to stand, cradling Ren in his arms, and began the long walk home.
The journey was agony. Every step was a battle, his feet sinking into the snow, his body screaming for rest. But he kept moving, one foot in front of the other, driven by the desperate need to get Ren home.
When the Water Estate finally came into view, Giyu's legs gave out. He collapsed in the courtyard, his arms still wrapped around Ren, and the door burst open.
Sanemi and Obanai were there in an instant, their faces pale with worry. They had been sick with worry, pacing the halls, refusing to rest. When they saw Giyu and Ren, their faces crumpled with relief.
"Giyu!" Sanemi was on his knees, his hands on Giyu's face. "Giyu, you're freezing. You're…”
"Ren," Giyu croaked. "Ren first."
Obanai took Ren from Giyu's arms, carrying him inside. Sanemi lifted Giyu, his arms trembling, and carried him into the house.
They were both blue with cold, shivering violently, their lips cracked and pale. Sanemi and Obanai stripped them of their wet clothes, wrapped them in warm blankets, and held them close by the brazier.
"I am never setting a foot outside home ever again," Sanemi whispered, his voice cracking as he held Ren. "Never again."
Obanai said nothing. He just held Giyu close to his heart, his mismatched eyes wet with tears, and refused to let go. But when Giyu didn't stop shivering, Obanai ran to get Ito-san.
Ren was okay. Sanemi held him tighter in his arms, the terror at the thought of losing his youngest son having shaken him to his core. The cold had been severe, but Ren had been wrapped double in his and Giyu's hanten, sheltered from the worst of the storm. He was tired and scared, but he was fine.
But he refused to talk to Yuki.
When she tried to approach him, he turned away into Sanemi's chest. When she tried to apologise, he covered his ears. He wouldn't look at her, wouldn't speak to her, wouldn't acknowledge her existence.
"Ren," Yuki said, her voice breaking. "Please. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean..."
Ren shook his head and huddled closer into Sanemi.
"Give him time," Sanemi said quietly. "He needs space."
Yuki nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. She retreated to where Giyu lay, her face pale, her guilt a palpable weight.
By the time Ito-san came, Giyu was already running a fever. He had started coughing, a deep, rattling sound that shook his whole body. His breathing was laboured, his skin clammy, his eyes glassy.
"Giyu," Sanemi's voice was tight with fear. "Giyu, can you hear me?"
Giyu mumbled something incoherent, his hand reaching for something that wasn't there.
Ito-san examined him as the children gathered around, their faces pale with fear. Yuki and Akari were crying, their guilt compounded by the sight of their mother, their strong, steady mother, lying helpless on the futon.
"This is my fault," Yuki sobbed. "If I hadn't said those things, Ren wouldn't have run away, and Kaachan wouldn't have."
"Yes, it is your fault. If only you…"
"Akari, let it be. It's fine. Giyu is going to be fine," Obanai interrupted Akari, pulling the stricken Yuki near him.
"Yuki." Obanai's voice was soft. "Blaming yourself won't help. Apologise when Giyu is awake. I am sure Ren will also…"
"No," came Ren's muffled voice from Sanemi's chest. He refused to get down from his father's lap.
Obanai and Sanemi exchanged a troubled look over Ren's head and understood that they had another stubborn omega on their hands.
"It's fine, Ren. It's okay, love," Sanemi soothed him, and when Obanai tried to take him from Sanemi's hold, Ren refused to go to him, directing his accusing blue eyes at him. Obanai couldn't bear to have his youngest angry and apologised again and again till Ren came to him willingly.
"Giyu has fever and cough, not hypothermia, which I am thankful for," Ito-san finally said after examining Giyu thoroughly. Sanemi and Obanai let out a sigh of relief, but to the children who didn't understand the medical terms, it terrified them, and they crowded around Giyu, refusing to move away at all.
Ito-san checked Ren and announced that he was fine, just a slight chill, nothing that a warm soup wouldn't cure. She pinched his cheek and called him naughty for worrying his entire family. When he pouted, she gave him a sweet from her bag.
"I-I am s-sorry for making you all worry," Ren murmured long after Ito-san had left, his face drawn with guilt and his eyes never leaving Giyu's pale face. "But I couldn't find my way back because of the snow…I am sorry."
Sanemi looked terrified at Ren and was unable to move at the thought of how close they had come to losing Ren. Obanai cupped his small face and made him meet his eyes.
"Ren, baby, I understand you were angry, but next time don't run so far that we cannot reach you, okay?"
"K-Kaachan also said the same thing…he said I can go to your room and lock it and not go outside…" Ren whispered, his lips wobbling as his eyes filled with tears.
"Yes, do that, okay, love?" Obanai said, kissing his forehead. Ren gave a wobbly nod and then, in a trembling voice, asked Obanai,
"Is…is Kaachan going to be okay?"
All the older children also looked at Obanai, their faces pale and drawn. Obanai swallowed hard.
"It's going to be okay. Giyu only has a fever, he is going to be fine and wake up soon."
"Promise?" Ren asked, his eyes filled with worry.
"Yes, I promise."
The next three days were a blur of fear and worry.
The children refused to leave Giyu's side. They took turns sitting by his futon, holding his hand, pressing cold cloths to his forehead. Yuki and Akari were the most frantic, their guilt driving them to work tirelessly, fetching water, changing clothes, and keeping vigil.
"He's going to be okay," Yuki whispered, her voice fierce. "He has to be okay."
"He will be," Akari said, but her voice trembled.
At night, they slept on the floor, their futons crowded together, their bodies pressed close. They refused to leave Giyu and Ren alone, taking shifts to watch over them.
Sanemi and Obanai were no better. They barely slept, barely ate, their eyes fixed on Giyu's pale face. Sanemi held his hand, whispering reassurances that he wasn't sure Giyu could hear. Obanai pressed kisses to his forehead, his tears falling on Giyu's cheeks.
"Come back to us," Obanai whispered. "Please, Giyu. Come back."
Ren stayed close to Giyu, his small hand wrapped around Giyu's thumb. He was quiet, his eyes red-rimmed, but he refused to leave. When Yuki tried to approach, he turned away, but he didn't run.
"Ren," Yuki said, her voice soft. "I know you're angry. You have every right to be. But I need you to know that I love you. I love you so much. And I'm so sorry for what I said."
Ren was silent for a long moment. Then, slowly, he looked up at her.
"You hurt me," he said, his voice small.
"I know." Yuki's eyes filled with tears. "I know, and I'm so sorry. I was scared, and I said things I didn't mean. I was scared, Ren, and I am sorry."
Ren looked at her. Then, slowly, he reached out and took her hand.
"I forgive you," he said. "But don't say things like that again."
Yuki sobbed, pulling him into a hug. "I won't," she promised. "I won't."
On the fourth day, Giyu's fever broke.
He opened his eyes to find his family gathered around him, their faces pale with exhaustion, their eyes bright with relief.
"Kaachan!" Ren was the first to notice, his small face lighting up. "Kaachan, you're awake!"
Giyu smiled, his voice hoarse. "Hello, my loves."
Sanemi was at his side in an instant, his hand cupping Giyu's face. "You scared us," he said, his voice cracking. "You scared us so much."
"I'm sorry," Giyu whispered. "I'm sorry."
Obanai pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Not your fault. We would have done the same."
The children crowded around, their bodies pressing close, their voices a cacophony of love and relief.
"We were so scared," Kaito said.
"Don't ever do that again," Akari added.
"Please," Yuki whispered, her voice breaking. "Please don't leave us."
Giyu reached out, his hand cupping Yuki's cheek. "I'm not going anywhere," he said. "I promise."
Ren was asleep next to Giyu, his small body curled around him, his face peaceful for the first time in days. Giyu had refused to part with him since he woke up. Giyu closed his eyes, and the memory washed over him. The empty secret garden. The howling wind. The fear that had clawed at his chest, sharp and relentless, as he searched for his son in the blinding snow.
A hand on his shoulder made him jump. Sanemi was there, his face lined with exhaustion, his lavender eyes soft with worry.
"You're thinking about it again," Sanemi said. It wasn't a question.
Giyu nodded, not trusting his voice.
Obanai appeared on his other side, settling onto the futon, his hand finding Giyu's. "Tell us," he said quietly. "Tell us what happened."
Giyu took a shuddering breath. "When I didn't find him in the secret garden, I thought…" He stopped, his throat tightening. "I thought I had lost him. I thought he was out there somewhere, alone and scared, and I couldn't find him. The snow was so thick, Sanemi. I couldn't see two feet in front of me. And I kept calling his name, and there was no answer, and I thought…"
He broke off, tears spilling down his cheeks.
Sanemi pulled him into his arms, holding him tight. "But you found him," he said, his voice rough. "You found him, and you brought him home."
"I almost didn't." Giyu's voice cracked. "I was so scared, Sanemi. I've never been so scared in my life…" He stopped, unable to finish.
Obanai's hand tightened around his.
"Giyu." Sanemi cupped his face, forcing him to meet his eyes. "Ren is safe. He's home. He's sleeping right next to you, and he's fine. You saved him."
"I was so scared," Giyu repeated, his voice breaking. "When I found him in that cabin, he was so cold. His lips were blue, Sanemi. He was shivering so hard he could barely breathe. And he was crying, and he said he thought he was going to die. He said he thought he'd never see us again."
Obanai made a sound, low and pained. He pulled Giyu into his arms, holding him close, his face buried in Giyu's hair.
"It's fine. You found Ren now, and he is safe and sound, right?" Obanai said, his hand stroking the soft cheek of Ren, who whimpered and snuggled closer to Giyu. Giyu tightened his arm around him and kissed his head, and the anxiety slowly lost its grip on Giyu's heart.
"Yes, he is safe, and I am so thankful for that," Giyu whispered.
The next morning, Giyu found Yuki sitting alone in the garden, her knees drawn up to her chest, her face buried in her arms. The world was blanketed in white, but she didn't seem to notice the cold.
Giyu sat down beside her, his hand resting on her back. "Yuki."
She looked up, her eyes red-rimmed. "Kaachan."
"What's wrong?"
"We almost lost Ren," she whispered. "Because of me. Because I said those horrible things. If you hadn't found him, if he had…" She broke off, unable to finish.
Giyu pulled her into his arms. "Yuki, listen to me, love. Let's not dwell on the what-ifs okay..."
"I was mean to him. I said he was stupid. I made him run away. And if something had happened to him, and you fell sick because of me…it would have been my fault," Yuki sobbed.
"Yuki." Giyu's voice was firm but gentle. "It is normal to fight with your brothers and sister. Ren was hurt by what you said, and he needed space. But you didn't make him run into that storm. You didn't make him get lost. And you certainly didn't make him almost freeze."
Yuki sniffled. "But…"
"You made a mistake," Giyu said. "You said something cruel because you were scared. And you apologised. That's what matters. What matters is that you learned from it."
Yuki looked up at him, her eyes shining. Giyu smiled, brushing a tear from her cheek and pulling her close.
"You need to stop being so protective over him, Yuki," Giyu said after a while, as he heard footsteps behind him, but he didn't turn around to look who it was.
Yuki made a strangled noise.
"It's not you alone. It's everyone. And by everyone, I mean all the alphas in the house. I know you all feel protective over Ren, but if you overwhelm him so much, he is going to run away again and again."
"How do you know?" Yuki looked up at Giyu, her lavender eyes wide and panicked, but Giyu stroked her dark hair lovingly.
"Because he is just like me, and I hated…I still hate being controlled in any way. So, trust me when I say this, Yuki; as much as your instinct asks you to protect him, let Ren make his own decisions. And if anything happens, aren't we all here to help and support him?"
"That is going to be very difficult, Kaachan," Yuki said flatly, lifting her head and looking squarely at him. Giyu grinned and pinched her cheek.
"Then you are going to have to control that instinct, sweetheart."
"Kaachan…" Yuki whined.
Later that week, when Ren walked to Shoyo's house for the first time not alone, obviously, Ren had thankfully not protested a lot, and Sanemi accompanied him. Yuki, Akari, Kaito, and Haruki watched him go, their faces full of worry, but they didn't say anything.
"Trust him," Giyu said, appearing behind them. "He needs to make his own choices."
Yuki nodded. "I know. It's just hard."
"It always is." Giyu put his hand on her shoulder.
They watched as Ren disappeared around the corner. Then Yuki smiled.
"Okay," she said. "I'll try."
"That is all I want, sweetheart."