𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬

Fractured Bonds

Giyuu Pov:

The sun was beginning to rise as Giyuu Tomioka made his way to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters. The morning chill still clung to the air, but Giyuu hardly noticed. His mind was preoccupied, thoughts swirling as he recalled the events of the previous day. He'd returned late from patrol and barely slept, his mind troubled by the strained interactions with the other Hashira. The tension between them was undeniable, and Giyuu couldn't help but wonder how much longer he could endure it.

When Giyuu finally reached the main hall, the other Hashira were already gathered. Their leader, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, stood at the front, his calm presence commanding respect from everyone in the room. As Giyuu quietly entered, he noticed the subtle glances from the others some curious, others wary. He knew what they were thinking, but he kept his expression neutral, as always.

"You're late, Tomioka," Obanai Iguro remarked, his tone as cold as his gaze. The bandages covering the lower half of Obanai's face didn't hide the hate in his eyes.

Giyuu didn't respond. He knew any excuse would only make things worse, so he remained silent, taking his place among the group.

Kagaya, sensing the tension, spoke in his usual gentle tone. "Thank you all for gathering today. We have several important missions that require immediate attention. I've paired you accordingly."

Giyuu listened intently as Kagaya assigned each pair or group to their respective missions. His heart sank when he heard his name paired with Obanai and Sanemi Shinazugawa. The room fell into a brief, uncomfortable silence as everyone processed the news.

Obanai's eyes narrowed, and Sanemi let out an annoyed huff. "You've got to be kidding me," Sanemi muttered under his breath, but Kagaya continued as if he hadn't heard it.

"Your mission is to investigate and eliminate a group of demons that have been terrorizing a village near the mountains," Kagaya explained. "They are reported to be highly dangerous,there was a possible seeing of lowermoon 2 (pretend that the two lowermoons are one together like daki amd gyutaro), so I trust that the three of you will work together effectively."

Obanai and Sanemi exchanged a look, their displeasure clear. Giyuu simply nodded, accepting the assignment without complaint. He didn't have the luxury of questioning Kagaya's decisions, even if it meant working with those who seemed to despise him.

"Prepare yourselves," Kagaya concluded. "And remember, you are stronger together."

The meeting ended, and the Hashira began to disperse. Giyuu lingered, hoping to avoid another confrontation, but he could already feel the weight of Obanai's glare. Before he could slip away, Mitsuri Kanroji approached him, her usual bright smile tempered with concern.

"Tomioka-san, are you alright?" she asked, her voice soft.

He was taken aback by her concern. It wasn't often that anyone asked him how he was doing, and for a moment, he didn't know how to respond.

"I'm fine," he finally said, though the words felt hollow even to him.

Mitsuri frowned slightly but didn't press further. "Just... be careful, okay? I know you're strong, but it's important to look out for each other, especially on a mission like this."

Giyuu nodded, appreciating her words even if he couldn't fully accept them. Before he could say anything more, Obanai appeared beside Mitsuri, his eyes narrowing at the sight of them together.

"Kanroji," Obanai said, his tone clipped, "we need to prepare for the mission."

Mitsuri glanced between them, her expression torn, but she eventually nodded. "Of course. Stay safe,Tomioka-san!"she added before turning to leave with Obanai.