Between Earth and Water|| Demon Slayer

Chapter. 01

 "See you tomorrow!" Giyu nodded as Mitsuri said goodbye and ran off to her complex. It was getting late, so Headquarters was pretty quiet. Today's mission wasn't difficult, but he was already tired. Today marked the anniversary of Tsutako's death, marked another year of agonizing guilt and pain. All he wanted was to lay down in bed with a cup of sake as he had been doing for years, drowning himself in memories and self-deprecating thoughts.

"Tomioka! Hey!" He looked up tiredly, flinching slightly as Rengoku threw his arm around his shoulders.

"How was your mission? Any injuries?" Rengoku asked. He had way too much energy for sundown, but then again, he always did.

"It was fine. I'm not injured." Giyu mumbled back.

"Good to hear! Don't forget, we have lunch with the new Hashira tomorrow." Rengoku replied while patting Giyu's shoulder. Giyu sighed; he had completely forgotten that a new Hashira was joining the ranks. To him, this was another person that he had to interact with until this was all over, until Muzan was finally eradicated alongside the remaining demon population.

"Don't remind me... Do I have to go?" Giyu sighed, pushing Rengoku's arm off of his shoulder.

"It would be great if you did! Lord Kagaya wants us to get to know her, since she'll be working with us often!"

Giyu sighed again, rubbing his eyes slightly. "Fine. I'll be there, I guess. Is the new Hashira even here?" He asked quietly.

"She's over there, in the fields. Doesn't talk much, but I think she'll be a good teammate." Giyu glanced over to where Rengoku was pointing, noticing a girl sitting in the tall grass. He couldn't see her face, and she seemed to be sitting by herself. Just another weirdo within the Corps, he thought.

"Yeah, okay. I'll see you tomorrow." Giyu mumbled. 

"See you tomorrow! Get some sleep!" Rengoku called back as he walked away to his complex. All Giyu did was groan in response; sleep was not in the cards tonight.

As soon as he got inside, he did exactly what he planned. It was a swift motion for Giyu to open the cabinet and grab a choko glass, a motion he was all too familiar with. He didn't even bother sitting at the table, on the couch, or even on his bed. He slumped down against the wall, watching the sake fizz and bubble while he poured it out. He reached into his pocket and pulled his wallet out, opening it to the photo he'd been carrying since he was a child. 

"I'm sorry, you'd be disappointed in me." He mumbled, staring at the photo of Tsutako carrying him on his back, looking down at the smile he had then. That smile seemed so unfamiliar now, as if it never existed to begin with.

The photo was enough to start a long night of drinking and regret, his emotions melting into a state of angry remorse and heart wrenching guilt.