Guarded Whispers (GiyuuSane)

8

Shinazugawa lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, another sleepless night. As the day's moments replayed in his mind, the face of Tomioka flashed before him. What was with him today? I'd never seen him like that, he thought, frowning. Why did he get so mad...? He recalled seeing Tomioka digging his nails into his skin and glaring at the princess. Weird...

°•○● The Next Day ●○•°

"Tomioka? What's wrong?" Tanjiro's warm, gentle aura appeared, interrupting the man's thoughts. "Ah... just the prince," Tomioka replied, sighing. Kamado leaned in, trying to understand the man's emotions.

"I want to have a better friendship with him..." Tanjiro's eyes widened, then softened with understanding. "Why don't you do something nice for him!" The statement caught Tomioka's attention, making him look up from the ground. "Like what?"

"Ohagi!" the younger one chirped. "The prince is always making it! Though he hasn't had time to lately..." Giyuu thought for a moment before agreeing.

"Yes, I'll make some and give it to Prince Sanemi when I see him... I think we can get along for sure if I do that." He ended the sentence with a merry smile.

"I'll help!" Tanjiro added, heading to the kitchen. Giyuu had never made ohagi before, but he was assured that Kamado had prepared it a few times. The kitchen staff watched curiously as the two usually independent bodyguards fumbled through the process, but they offered guidance when needed. The sight of the two men, usually so serious, bumbling around the kitchen, brought smiles to the faces of everyone present.

After a while, a sweet scent filled the air. Tomioka carefully shaped the ohagi, making sure they looked presentable. Tanjiro beamed with pride at their creation, and the two shared a moment of satisfaction as they surveyed their work.

"Do you think he'll like them?" Giyuu asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice. "Absolutely!" Tanjiro said with a reassuring smile. "It's the thought that counts."

Soon, time slipped by, and lunch rolled in. Sanemi sat down in his usual seat as Giyuu stood against the wall. After finishing his meal, a servant came in with a tray of the dessert. "Your Highness, the two bodyguards prepared ohagi!" she said with a cheerful smile. Sanemi's expression softened, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"He made these?" he asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice. "Yes! Aren't they so nice! Please enjoy!" She ran along, leaving the prince staring at the dessert in front of him. Sanemi picked up one of the ohagi, inspecting it before taking a bite. He chewed thoughtfully, then looked at Tomioka with an unreadable face.

"Hm... mine are better, of course." He looked back at the tray before stealing another.

The servant shot Giyuu a thumbs up. A sigh of relief escaped his lips. He knew Shinazugawa would never say his real thoughts. Seeing him eat them was enough for him.

Later, Genya and Sanemi were going over important information in the younger's office. "I heard from Tanjiro that your bodyguard made you ohagi," Genya said, looking up to his brother. Sanemi only nodded and went back to work.

"That's a first. Most of your guards were scared of you. Are you guys friends or what?" The eldest looked up with a frown.

"As if. I have no business making friends with him. If he wants to do sappy stuff like that in his free time, then so be it. He just needs to do his job."

Genya shrugged. "I thought it was nice of him." The only answer given was a scoff.

Outside the door, stood the two bodyguards. "Do you think he liked them?" Tanjiro gleamed curiously. "Well, the servant said he ate them all... so I'll take that as a yes."

°•○● Later That Night ●○•°

As Sanemi lay in bed that night, a small smile tugged at his lips. He replayed the moment in his mind, the taste of the ohagi lingering on his tongue. Sanemi found himself thinking about the gesture. It was simple, but it hit somewhere where no one had hit before. And he didn't like it. As he drifted to sleep, words played in his mind. Maybe Tomioka isn't as bad as I thought. Maybe, just maybe, there is potential for something more...

Meanwhile, Tomioka felt a warmth in his chest he hadn't experienced in a long time. The simple act of making ohagi had bridged a gap he thought was impossible to overcome. Maybe this was the start of something better, something deeper...

°•○●●○•°
Sorry for the short chapter :(
Updates will be slow cuz I sliced my thumbs 😅😛