Fluttering Hearts Unveiled

Chapter 9

"My parents sold me into the slave market, I was there until I became 12 years old. Then, Nee-san and Kanae nee-san took me in"

"That's awful!" Zenitsu said

"Once the Kocho sisters took me in, I never knew pain again though. So everything worked out!"

"That's great! What about you, Aoi-san?" Tanjiro asked, Inosuke seemed more interested in what she had to say

Aoi served them all food. "I also came from a big family like you two, I had three little brothers. But once I came back from the kitchen to find corpses everywhere. The Kocho took me in while on a mission together"

"That's worse!" Zenitsu said, almost throwing up at the image of three little boy corpses at his head

"And you Shinobu-sama?"

"My parents were killed by demons, then Himejima-san rescued us and suggested we became Demon Slayers, and that's how I got to where I am today. But unfortunately, my sister didn't make it far into life"

"Oh, I'm sorry for that Shinobu-san" Zenitsu said

"It's fine! everything's fine" She insisted

"What's going on in here?" Giyuu came in

"Tomioka-san! Would you like to join us? We have extra food" Shinobu asked cheerfully

Giyuu looked around, Tanjiro and Aoi seemed to really want him to join them, Shinobu did too "Fine"

"Wait, really? That's great, I'll grab another seat for you" She rushed off

He inched closer to Aoi "How are you?"

Aoi almost started tearing up again, she knew that her teacher was the only Hashira to be clueless on her sister's plans, she also knew that Giyuu cared for Shinobu a lot.

Almost as if Shinobu didn't tell him about it because he wouldn't let her go through with it "Good, you know? I'm doing great"

"Did something happen?" He whispered into her ear. "Did someone do something do something to you"

"What?! I mean..." Aoi stuttered uncontrollably 

A shadow cast over Giyuu's head "Point me in the direction of whoever's a** I have to kick"

Authors note: No one's getting these references, but if you do, you're cool. If you don't, you're still cool

"No Tomioka-san, no one hurt me. Everything's going wonderfully" she said, putting on her best fake smile possible

"Okay, but if anything happens, you better tell me" he mouthed 'Did anything happen to her?' at Tanjiro, Tanjiro shook his head. Inosuke was eating too loud to hear, or there would have been a bigger interrogation

"I'm back!~" Shinobu said, placing a chair for Giyuu in between Aoi and Tanjiro

"Thank you Kocho" he sat down and was served food

"Ah? A thank you? You're getting better at speaking, Tomioka-san" Shinobu said

They had a grand talking, Giyuu periodically spoke, and whenever he did, it felt like everyone had to stop and hear what he had to say

"Well, goodbye Tomioka-san"

"Kocho, do you have time right now?" Giyuu asked, looking away shyly

"Yes? Why? Do you have something to talk to me about?" She asked

He nodded

"Okay then, let's go then" Shinobu said cheerfully

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Shinobu asked

"Nothing much, I just felt like spending time with you" Giyuu answered as he looked down at Shinobu

The next time she spoke, it felt more dangerous "Tomioka-san, what's this?" she moved his arm to reveal a large scar on a part of arm, it was bloody 

Giyuu hid it immediately "That's nothing"

She spoke immediately "No one could land a scratch here unless you revealed this side of you for more than 7 seconds, this is no accident. Who did this to you?" She asked interrogatingly

"Don't look into it like that. Everything's fine"

She didn't listen, her eyes widened instead "Giyuu. Is this? Did you?"

"What's going through your mind?" Giyuu was scared she'd figure him out

Shinobu looked Giyuu dead in the eyes "Why would you do that?"

He admitted defeat "You're really clever. Why I did it is irrelevant"

Shinobu pressed a deadly grip on his wrist "You are going to explain this, don't run away from it"

"What do you think it is?" he was trying to stall her until someone else came and she couldn't ask anymore

"Self harm."

"Shinobu, I've gotten over all of that. This was from a long time ago. Don't worry, I'm fine now, physically and mentally" he was half lying

"It doesn't look recent, and you don't seem to be lying" she exhaled "Fine, but you're coming to see me next week to check for any other scars"

"I don't need that-"

"That's no question, and if you won't come. I'll drag you there myself" She said angrily

'This is the first time I've seen her angry, Sanemi says she was moody at some point. I think I can believe that now' He nodded "What about you?"

"What?"

"Have you ever done something like that?" Giyuu asked

Her eyes widened "There's few ways to lie to you, Tomioka-san. I tried something when I was sixteen, after Kanae died" She explained "But that's a phase I've grown out of"

"You're growing paler" Giyuu said abruptly, catching her off balance

"Beg your pardon?" she said, in fear of him finding her out

"Are you sick or something?" he asked

"No no, that's just- err- It's nothing" she said after stuttering continuously 

He nodded  'She's lying to me, I don't know why, but she probably is'