The Moon Is Beautiful Isn't It? - 🌊🦋Giyuu X Shinobu Fanfic🦋🌊

Chapter 1 - Where It All Went Wrong

Swords in the grip of their palms. Determination marked on their faces and a burning fire radiating from the petite woman leading the charge. The two pillars rushed through the dense woods using their heightened senses to scope out their target. "We need to find this bastard. Quick" the Insect Pillar, Shinobu Kochou said as she clenched her fist. Unlike most times, she wasn't bothering with her cheery facade. This time was different. Their target warranted this behaviour.

Upper Moon 2. Otherwise known as Douma. The emotionless, masochistic, psychopathic leader of the Paradise Cult had been reportedly sited in the general area that the two were now roaming. Although he was undoubtedly a dangerous threat, it wasn't his status that garnered this attitude from Shinobu. This wasn't the first time she had encountered the highly revered Waxing Moon.

2 years prior, when she was but a 16 year old Tsuguko, her teacher and sister Kanae Kochou, otherwise known as the Flower Pillar came into contact with the Upper Moon. While she fought hard as she naturally would, she was fatally wounded before the demon vanished into the night before the sun could come up. While the older sister beckoned for Shinobu to not strive for revenge, she couldn't stop the fiery anger building up in her junior. And in her dying breathe, Shinobu was left with nothing but her sister's kind words and a description of her killer. A demon cloaked in red, boasted shining rainbow eyes and carried with him 2 gold fans that he used to cut down anyone unfortunate enough to come near him.

Needless to say, Shinobu was on the hunt. Vigilant to find her target and finally deal some justice for her sister. Though this task would prove difficult. The two had searched the forest for hours now with no results. Eventually, the older, more experienced of the two stopped in his tracks and gained the Insect Pillar's attention. "We should split up to look for him more efficiently. Our Kusegai Crows can rendezvous with each other to let us know if one of us comes into contact with him." He said with an aura of certainty to him. "Are you sure it's a good idea to split up against an opponent as strong as this? She replied. She may have been pissed off at the moment, but she was taking this seriously.

"We should keep a distance of 2km or less and communicate via Kusegai crow in case we find him." He said. Face straight as ever. She sighed in a slight worry. Her eyes softened from their ever determined expression as she remembered the last time she let someone close deal with Douma alone. "You don't have to worry about me. I can handle it on my own for at least a little while" he explained with a short smile. "I'm not worrying about you dumbass. I just need to make sure we succeed here" she replied, internally cringing at her lie. She enjoyed teasing him most of the time. It was playful of course, and it did well to mask her true feelings of the Water Pillar. "Make sure you stay on alert. Though I'm sure you won't in this case" He concluded as he turned round to go back to the mission. Hand gripped upon his Nichirin hilt running through the forest. Shinobu mimicked her partner's actions as she returned to her state of immense concentration.

Despite her heightened state of alert, Shinobu couldn't help but get a bad feeling about this. Something about Giyuu traversing the forest alone before running into 'him' made her stomach go funny. She had long admired the other pillar since they had first met. She remembered seeing him for the first time in one of the Hashira meetings. Her sister had taken her along as her Tsuguko for the first time. It was exciting for her to see all the other pillars. The peak of the Demon Slayer Corps.

At the time, the roster was quite a bit smaller. Muichiro and Mitsuri weren't present at that point. Her first impressions of each pillar were... interesting to say the least. The stoic Gyomei. The enthusiastic, friendly, loud voice of Rengoku. The mysterious, not to mention quite scary, Iguro. The flamboyant Uzui. The aggressive Wind Pillar Sanemi who would be surprisingly tame around her older sister. They each accompanied her sweet, tender and calming sister. But the one who stood out to her the most remained perched away from everyone else. Giyuu Tomioka. She had admired his strong build and handsome face. But something about him was different from the other pillars. It was almost... distant to her. She felt an urge to want to get through to him. He had given off an aura of solitude that lasted for a long time. One filled with grief and sorrow. Something she could often relate to. Though she wondered. What if she could get him to open up. Yes he had just met him, and they hadn't even interacted at that point, but she still felt that she knew him better than everyone else there. Bar Oyakata-sama of course.

Eventually, following her sister's passing, she had joined the pillars as their newest member. She had managed to bond with Mitsuri, who much like her had just joined not too long ago. But of course, she had looked forward to interacting with the raven haired mystery boy who bore a half and half haori. Coincidentally, luck had been on her side, and the two would be paired for her first mission as a pillar. It was enjoyable for her. Giyuu was quiet as she had expected. Perhaps too quiet. For anyone else at least. But she was determined to get through to him. No matter what. She would tease and belittle him slightly to gain a reaction from him. And though their interactions were scarce, she appreciated them. Though she wouldn't admit it to him.

After a couple missions, their interactions became more than just tease and response. There were times where they would engage in normal conversation and she got to know him a bit more. His favourite food? Syake-Daikon. Favourite colour? Midnight Blue. Favourite animal? Foxes. Before she knew it, she probably knew more about him than anyone else in the corps. Information that she would value as a victory in her book. Before long, she considered him a friend. Not to mention someone she had secretly crushed on. She had contemplated telling him for a while. Even letting it slip out at one point. Having asked the pillar if he thought the moon was beautiful one night. A common courtesy that blew right past his head. She would often sigh at the man's obliviousness.

Douma on the other hand had haunted her dreams for years now. She would often wake up in a cold sweat reliving the dreadful morn in which her sister had passed on. Sometimes, it would be recreated with other loved ones. Kanao. Mitsuri. Aoi. Oyakata-sama. The other girls at the estate. And of course, Giyuu. The last words of her sister played in her head on repeat every other night. 'Cloaked in red. Rainbow eyes. Attacks with fans.' would create searing headaches for her late in the night. And the feeling she was getting right now. The image of life draining out Giyuu's deep blue eyes. That thought. That made her sick.

A long distance away, Giyuu traversed the forest on alert for the cult leader. He wanted to take out this threat for her. From the conversations he had had with her and the other girls at the estate, he had a vague idea of what had happened the last time she encountered this demon. Though his suggestion employed strategy, his main motive remained hidden from Shinobu. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he cared for her. Though he once viewed the insect pillar as an annoying nuisance on his streamlined life, he eventually grew to like his partner. Akin to a mosquito transforming into a butterfly in his eyes. He wished to protect her. To prevent another person he cared for leaving him to death's cruel grasp. His sister, Sabito, Makomo. Thoughts of all the fallen he had grown to love clouded his mind. All in a whirlpool of grief and emotion. He couldn't let Shinobu get added to that. Not another. Please God not another. Please don't take-

**CRASH**

Giyuu stopped in his tracks. Putting his mind on pause to detect his surroundings. He saw a dust cloud dispersing in front of him. The normal dull grey mixed with a strange, vibrant blue hue that was alien to him. Suddenly, the air grew cold and it was hard for him to maintain his breathing. He pondered what was going on but his mind quickly came to the correct assumption. This was the work of a powerful blood demon art. Certainly coming from a strong source of power. The target he had been searching for, stood right in front of him.

"Well, what do we have here?"