no one likes you, tomioka-san. but i love you. || giyuushino || complete

14 || "you'll pay for this."

"alright, i'll be leaving now." giyuu said, spotting the sky ablaze from the setting sun. he rose, and so did urokodaki.

"it was nice to see you again." urokodaki said, patting giyuu on the back (not so softly..)

the hashira nodded to the former hashira, slid open the door, and made stalked away from the mountain, occasionally glancing back at the waving man.

it was only then that he noticed the acquainted landscape. nostalgia ran him over, like a carriage in the city had once done. he spotted his favourite childhood spot.

it was a tiny little clearing in the woods, complementing the pond it beheld. waters rippled slightly, wind blew gently around him, and birds chirped. flowers curtsied, and grasses swayed.

giyuu scratched his neck. something wasn't right, something was disturbing him from his peace.

after leaving urokodaki, he could hear a fast, constant heartbeat in his ear, but it was not his own.

"CAW CAW!"

giyuu ignored the crow. he had come to get used to the usual 'caw!' as the bird asked for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

"CAW CAW!"

"shut u-"

"KOCHO SHINOBU IS IN DANGER, DEPART NORTH OF THE BUTTERFLY MANSION IMMEDIATELY."

giyuu stopped abruptly. his own breathing now matched with the pulsating ones in his ears.

"oi! if you think you can trick me into giving you food by— whatever this is, it's not working!" giyuu called to the raven, a hint of unease in his voice.

"CAW CAW DEPART NORTH OF THE BUTTERFLY MANSION!"

the black-haired cursed under his breath, and darted as fast as he could in the direction of the large house. trees and pastures touched by dawn zipped past him. giyuu was not yet relieved, even as the building finally coming into view.

without knocking on the wooden screen door, he barged in to see an alarmed Aoi.

"konnichiwa, tomiok-"
"where is kocho?!" giyuu gushed out impatiently.
"she left.. i believe north." tanjiro replied rapidly.

then, before anyone could notice, he was gone like the dinosaurs.

∘₊✧───⋆♥⋆───✧₊∘

oh crap.

shinobu's body was limp and numb. she could see nothing other than the violent shade of red, her face smudged with dirt and mud. shinobu had never been this hurt in battle, yet she would not lose to the demon that attacked her dear kanao.

what seemed like a decade ago, she had stormed up the dark mountain, expecting no sort of challenge, but shortly, she was drastically proven wrong.

as soon as she entered the mist of pitch-black, and black trees, she was ambushed by an tall, bulky figure which forcing her against a hard bark.

she had somehow only landed 7 shots at the demon, and now, she was laying face-first into the dark soil.

shinobu forced herself up, facing the demon in front of her. previously, his face was covered by the dark mask of night, but now, as her eyes adjusted to the unlit, she couldn't help but realise who he was, the inky black numbers in his eyes. an upper moon.

"oh? you're a tough one." the demon laughed. it scratched her insides. "that brave spirit will not last for long." he whispered. suddenly his golden locks iridescent eyes, and his cheeky grin were inches from shinobu's face.

she lifted her blade, and sliced it across his surprised face, but the expression of shock was wiped away as fast as it came.

"you'll pay." shinobu choked. "you'll pay for this."

the golden-haired monster flitted open an intricately patterned fan, and hacked it at her face.

shinobu's tears welled up.

come on Shinobu. you can do this. don't do it for you. do it for kanao.

"insect breathing-"

douma chopper his fan at her swiftly. she backed away quickly, but not nearly as fast enough. the stinging in her chest blared. he started to slice the air prompt and viciously, backing the poor hashira deeper into the woods. shinobu's stomach swarmed, and her back hit the rugged forest floor.

is this where I die?

just as she blacked out, an indistinguishable figure jumped out of night, and shielded her from douma's final and most impactful slash.

blink blink.

darkness.

∘₊✧─── 𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 ───✧₊∘