𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬

Walking Forward

The forest was quiet as Obanai and Giyuu walked back toward the Ubuyashiki estate. The sun was shining through the trees, lighting their way. They had finished their mission, defeating the demon, and now it was time to report back to Kagaya Ubuyashiki, their leader.

ut something bigger had happened between them omething they weren’t used to yet.

Walking side by side, things felt different now. There was something unspoken between them, something they hadn’t fully figured out. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, but it felt heavy with all the things they hadn’t said yet.

After a while, Obanai broke the silence. “You’re always so quiet,” he said, his voice softer than usual.

Giyuu glanced at him. “You’re not much of a talker either.”

Obanai gave a small shrug. “I guess that’s true.”

They walked in silence for a few more moments. Giyuu wasn’t usually one to start conversations, but now he felt curious. He wanted to know more about Obanai, especially after everything that had happened between them.

“What made you want to become a Hashira?” Giyuu asked, his voice calm.

Obanai looked ahead, thinking for a moment before answering. “I wanted to protect people. I guess that’s the simple answer. What about you?”

Giyuu hesitated. He had never liked talking about himself, but with Obanai, it felt different now. “To protect people, too. And to make sure no one else has to go through what I did.”

Obanai nodded, understanding in his eyes. “Yeah. That’s something we all understand.”

They kept walking, the sound of their footsteps the only noise in the quiet forest. After a while, Obanai’s mood seemed to shift. His shoulders tensed, and he looked down at the ground, his thoughts clearly heavy.

Noticing the change, Giyuu asked, “Is something bothering you?”

Obanai sighed softly, still staring at the path ahead. “What if... what if no one supports us? Especially Oyakata-sama?”

Giyuu stopped walking for a moment, turning to face Obanai. His eyes were calm, steady. “𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝
𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬,” Giyuu said, his voice firm but gentle. “𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮.”

Obanai blinked, taken aback by how direct Giyuu was. He felt his heart race, his doubts swirling in his mind, but Giyuu’s words brought him a sense of calm he hadn’t felt in a long time.

“You really mean that, don’t you?” Obanai asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Giyuu nodded. “Yes. I mean it.”

Obanai felt the tension in his chest ease a little, though the worry hadn’t completely disappeared. “I want this too. I just... I don’t know how it’s going to work.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Giyuu replied, his tone reassuring. “Together.”

For a few moments, neither of them said anything more. They just walked, side by side, feeling the weight of the world around them but also the quiet strength of each other.

As they continued their journey, the path ahead seemed less daunting. Whatever challenges lay ahead, they knew they wouldn’t face them alone.

----
Short ass chapter