A Crack In The Wall / Giyuu X Sanemi/ Sanegiyuu

Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Unspoken Tensions**

Giyu waited as a couple minutes passed by he found himself sitting in silence. The person who knocked, Why aren't they coming in he decided to stand up and get the door only to open up to nothingness. 

His eyes darted around looking for something or someone but no one was out there. He looked down in disappointment hoping it was the one he yearned for. The guy he liked. Upon seeing no one he sadly decided and went to go sit down alone.

**NEXT DAY**

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Giyu sat in his room, the weight of the previous day's encounter still lingering. The knock on his door had been unexpected, and he had hoped it was the one he yearned for—the guy he liked. But when he opened the door, there was nothing but emptiness, leaving him disappointed and alone.

The next day dawned, and the tension between Giyu and Sanemi was palpable. The other Hashira noticed it too—the way their gazes clashed during the morning meeting, the sharpness in their voices. It was unusual, even for them.

After the meeting, the Master called them aside. Giyu and Sanemi stood before him, their expressions guarded. The Master's eyes bore into them, searching for answers. "What's with the tension?" he asked, his voice stern. "It's worse than usual."

Neither Hashira spoke. Giyu's gaze flickered to Sanemi, who remained stubbornly silent. The Master sighed, frustration etching lines on his face. "Fine," he said. "Go."

But he wasn't done. He summoned Shinobu and Obanai, assigning them a task. "Ms Kocho," he said, "find out what happened between them from Tomioka." Then he turned to Obanai. "And you, Iguro, get the truth from Shinazugawa."

Shinobu approached Giyu by the stream. The water flowed gently, mirroring the turmoil within him. She sat down beside him, her butterfly-patterned haori rustling. "Tomioka," she began, "what happened?"

He hesitated, then spoke. "Sanemi and I... we crossed a line. Words were said, feelings exposed." His voice was low, almost lost in the sound of the water. "I pushed him to much, and now it's like we're standing on opposite cliffs."

Shinobu's eyes widened. "You?" she whispered. "But Shinazugawa—"

"He's hurting too," Giyu interrupted. "I showed him my true feelings about how I feel about our situation and how I feel about him most of all and now it's like I've ruined it all, And now it feels like this whole situation. it's tearing us apart."

Shinobu leaned closer. "Giyu Tomioka" she said sternly. He looked at her as she used his full name, "What do you want?" As she said pointing to his heart.

He looked at the water, its ripples distorting his reflection. "I want to bridge that gap," he said. "But I don't know how."

Shinobu's hand found his. "Sometimes," she said softly, "you have to risk everything for love."

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And so, by the stream, Giyu bared his heart to Shinobu. The unspoken words hung heavy in the air, and she listened, her eyes filled with understanding. When he finished, she squeezed his hand.