Work Text:
The Hashira meeting was supposed to be routine.
At least, that was what Giyuu told himself.
He sat in his usual place, slightly separated from the others, his expression as unreadable as ever.
Around him, the other Hashira talked.
Mitsuri occasionally whispered something to Shinobu.
Rengoku spoke loudly enough that everyone could hear him.
Sanemi looked irritated.
Obanai occasionally glanced toward Giyuu with the same expression he always wore when looking at him.
Disapproval.
Annoyance.
Giyuu was used to it.
He was used to most things.
Being ignored.
Being disliked.
Being told he was difficult.
Being told, directly or indirectly, that he didn't belong among the Hashira.
Usually, he could endure it.
Today, though, something was different.
Giyuu had barely slept.
His thoughts had been particularly cruel lately.
Every mistake he'd made seemed to replay endlessly.
Every person he'd failed.
Every person he'd lost.
Every reason he had to believe that perhaps everyone would have been better off if he'd never become a Hashira at all.
He kept his eyes on the floor.
Nobody noticed.
That was good.
He didn't want anyone to notice.
If they noticed, they'd ask questions.
If they asked questions, he'd have to answer.
And Giyuu didn't know how to explain any of it.
So he stayed quiet.
Like always.
---
The meeting continued.
Giyuu listened.
Mostly.
Words drifted around him.
Mission reports.
Demon sightings.
Supply problems.
Assignments.
He understood the words.
He just couldn't make himself care.
His chest felt heavy.
His eyes burned.
He blinked.
Once.
Twice.
A tear slipped down his cheek.
Giyuu immediately wiped it away.
Nobody had seen.
Good.
He lowered his head farther.
Another tear.
He wiped that one away too.
Then another.
His fingers trembled.
He clenched his hands inside his sleeves.
*Stop.*
He tried.
He couldn't.
His breathing became uneven.
He looked toward the door.
He could leave.
Maybe.
But leaving would draw attention.
And Giyuu didn't want attention.
So he stayed.
He stared at the floor.
And quietly cried.
---
Obanai noticed.
He wasn't sure when he'd started watching Giyuu.
Perhaps he'd been watching him because Giyuu was being unusually quiet.
Which was saying something.
Perhaps he'd simply happened to glance over at the wrong moment.
Whatever the reason—
He saw.
A tear.
Then another.
Obanai's eyebrows furrowed.
*What?*
Giyuu looked miserable.
Not his normal miserable.
This was different.
His shoulders were trembling.
His head was lowered.
His hands were shaking.
Obanai looked away.
He should ignore it.
He and Giyuu didn't get along.
They rarely agreed on anything.
Giyuu was frustrating.
Difficult.
Infuriatingly silent.
Obanai had spent plenty of time telling himself that he didn't particularly like him.
So why was he still looking?
Another tear slipped down Giyuu's face.
Obanai's expression tightened.
Enough.
He quietly moved.
Mitsuri noticed him stand.
"Obanai?"
He ignored her.
Giyuu looked up.
His eyes were red.
For a second, their eyes met.
Giyuu immediately looked away.
Obanai stopped beside him.
"What are you doing?"
Giyuu's lips parted.
"Nothing."
His voice cracked.
Obanai stared.
Giyuu lowered his head again.
Obanai crouched beside him.
"You've been crying."
"I'm not."
"You are."
Giyuu didn't answer.
Obanai sighed.
"You don't have to lie."
Giyuu's shoulders shook.
Obanai's irritation disappeared.
Not completely.
But enough.
He knew what it looked like when someone was trying desperately not to fall apart.
He'd seen it before.
He'd felt it before.
And suddenly, Giyuu didn't look like an annoying fellow Hashira.
He looked exhausted.
Terribly exhausted.
Obanai's voice softened.
"Come here."
Giyuu blinked.
He looked confused.
Obanai hesitated.
Then held out one hand.
Giyuu stared at it.
His expression crumpled.
And something inside him gave way.
---
The regression happened quietly.
There was no dramatic change.
Giyuu's body remained exactly the same.
But his thoughts—
They became smaller.
Softer.
Much, much younger.
The complicated thoughts he'd been drowning in became too difficult to hold.
His memories remained.
But they felt distant.
The Hashira meeting became confusing.
The voices became too loud.
The room became too big.
Obanai's hand became the only thing that made sense.
Giyuu stared at it.
Then slowly reached.
His fingers curled around Obanai's.
Obanai's breath caught.
"Giyuu?"
Giyuu didn't answer.
He simply held on.
His eyes were wide and wet.
Obanai understood.
"Oh."
He sat beside him.
"You're little."
Giyuu blinked.
He didn't seem to understand the words.
Obanai didn't press.
He simply squeezed his hand.
Giyuu immediately moved closer.
Obanai stiffened.
Giyuu pressed against his side.
The meeting continued around them.
Nobody seemed to understand what was happening.
Obanai looked toward Kagaya.
The Master had noticed.
Of course he had.
Kagaya's expression was gentle.
He gave Obanai a small nod.
Permission.
Obanai looked back down.
Giyuu was staring at him.
"Okay," Obanai whispered.
"I'm here."
Giyuu's fingers tightened.
Obanai stayed.
---
For a while, Obanai didn't know what to do.
He had never imagined himself taking care of Giyuu.
Especially not like this.
Giyuu's usual quietness had become something different.
He wasn't simply choosing not to speak.
He seemed unable to.
His eyes followed Obanai constantly.
Whenever Obanai shifted, Giyuu's grip tightened.
Whenever someone spoke too loudly, Giyuu flinched.
Whenever Obanai looked away, Giyuu's expression became worried.
So Obanai stopped looking away.
He stayed focused on him.
"You're okay."
Giyuu stared.
Obanai repeated it.
"You're okay."
Giyuu's lips moved.
No sound.
Obanai leaned closer.
"What?"
Giyuu tried again.
"Oba..."
Obanai froze.
"Yes."
Giyuu swallowed.
"Oba."
"Obanai."
Giyuu stared.
Then his face relaxed slightly.
"Oba."
Obanai almost smiled.
"Close enough."
Giyuu leaned against him again.
---
The meeting continued.
At some point, Mitsuri looked over.
Her eyes widened.
She whispered something to Shinobu.
Shinobu looked.
Then immediately softened.
Sanemi glanced over.
His eyebrows rose.
Rengoku looked over too.
His expression became unusually quiet.
Nobody said anything.
Obanai gave them all a look that clearly meant:
*Don't.*
They understood.
For once, every Hashira remained quiet.
Even Sanemi.
Even Rengoku.
Even Shinobu.
Giyuu didn't seem to notice any of it.
He was focused entirely on Obanai.
---
Eventually, Giyuu's head began to droop.
He was exhausted.
Obanai noticed.
"You tired?"
Giyuu blinked slowly.
Then nodded.
Obanai looked toward the others.
The meeting was nearly finished.
Kagaya continued speaking calmly.
Obanai kept his voice low.
"You can sleep."
Giyuu looked uncertain.
Obanai understood immediately.
"You don't have to listen."
Giyuu's eyes began to close.
"Sleep."
Giyuu rested his head against Obanai's shoulder.
Obanai froze.
Then carefully adjusted himself so Giyuu was more comfortable.
He didn't care that everyone was watching.
Not anymore.
---
The meeting ended.
Nobody immediately left.
Kagaya gave them all a gentle look.
"I believe Tomioka should have some quiet."
Mitsuri nodded.
"Of course."
Sanemi stood.
He hesitated.
Then looked at Giyuu.
He seemed uncomfortable.
But not angry.
"Is he gonna be okay?"
Obanai glanced at him.
"Yes."
Sanemi nodded.
Then left.
Rengoku followed.
Shinobu stayed behind.
She looked at Obanai.
"Do you need anything?"
Obanai shook his head.
"No."
Shinobu smiled.
"All right."
She left too.
Soon, only Obanai, Giyuu, and Kagaya remained.
Kagaya spoke softly.
"Thank you, Obanai."
Obanai looked down at Giyuu.
Giyuu was still holding onto his sleeve.
"I didn't do much."
"You noticed."
Obanai was quiet.
Kagaya smiled.
"Sometimes that is enough."
---
Giyuu stirred.
His eyes opened.
He looked around.
Immediately, his expression became frightened.
Obanai was still there.
Giyuu relaxed.
"Oba."
Obanai looked down.
"Yes."
Giyuu reached for him.
Obanai allowed him to take his hand.
Giyuu held it with both hands.
Then he looked at Kagaya.
Kagaya smiled.
"Hello, Giyuu."
Giyuu stared.
Then looked back at Obanai.
Obanai nodded.
"He's safe."
Giyuu seemed satisfied.
His eyes drooped again.
Obanai sighed.
"You're really tired."
Giyuu nodded.
Then, barely audibly—
"Stay."
Obanai went still.
He wasn't sure why that word hurt.
Maybe because Giyuu had asked so quietly.
Like he wasn't accustomed to believing anyone would.
Obanai looked down at him.
"All right."
Giyuu's eyes closed.
"I'll stay."
---
By the time Obanai carried Giyuu back toward his estate, Giyuu was asleep.
Physically, he was still the same Hashira.
Still the Water Hashira.
Still a grown teenager.
But mentally, he was somewhere around one year old.
Too young to understand the complicated emotions that had overwhelmed him.
Too young to explain why he had been crying.
Too young to understand why the world had felt so heavy.
Obanai didn't need him to explain.
Not tonight.
Tonight, he just needed to stay.
Giyuu stirred against him.
His fingers curled into Obanai's haori.
"Oba..."
Obanai looked down.
"I'm here."
Giyuu relaxed.
Obanai kept walking.
He thought about all the times he'd been angry at Giyuu.
All the times he'd called him difficult.
All the times he'd decided that Giyuu simply didn't care about anyone.
Maybe he'd been wrong.
Maybe Giyuu cared too much.
Maybe he'd been carrying far more than anyone had realized.
And maybe—
just maybe—
someone should have noticed sooner.
Obanai looked down again.
Giyuu was sleeping peacefully.
For once, there was no sadness on his face.
No guilt.
No loneliness.
Just sleep.
Obanai pulled his haori a little more securely around him.
"You don't have to be alone tonight."
Giyuu didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
His grip loosened.
His breathing stayed steady.
And Obanai continued walking.
He had no idea how long Giyuu would remain little.
He had no idea what would happen when he eventually returned to himself.
He only knew one thing.
When Giyuu woke up—
Someone would still be there.
And this time, it would be Obanai.