Due to an unfortunate incident as a child, Giyuu was left with two things, being unable to use any regular breathing style and scars reminding him of what happened that night and why he'll never be as strong as his fellow hashira. He managed to fix one of them by making his own style but no matter what he did the scars would never truly leave, an ugly reminder of why he'll never be as strong as the others.

However, she thinks otherwise.

A/N: This is a role!swap au, so Shinobu is the water hashira and Giyuu is the insect hashira, and Makomo and Sabito swapped with Kanao and Aoi, and Tsutako with Kanae.

-linebreak-

Giyuu can't help but stare anytime he sees them. How can he not?

Three lines across his back he got when he was a child- when he was 5- that changed his life forever. All brought upon a singular demon.

Three lines that changed his life forever.

Three lines he hates.

Three lines that stretch from his left shoulder to his right hip are permanently embedded into his skin never leaving no matter what he does.

Three lines that left him unable to learn water breathing, inferring him to make his own: insect breathing.

Three lines that made him want to become a demon slayer so no one would have to suffer like him.

Three lines that made him burn with shame, with the reminder of how he'd never be as strong as the others.

Three lines that destroyed his life.

Three things he hates about himself staring right at him in the mirror anytime he changes.

How can anyone love someone as destroyed as him?

Surprisingly, someone can.

Arms wrap around his waist and he doesn't think much of it- he's more surprised he didn't hear the door open instead- until a soft pair of lips kiss down on his jagged, twisted skin. Instinctually he tenses, breathing hitching slightly as he looks over his shoulder to see Shinobu being the one responsible for it. He opens his mouth to ask but she beats him to it. "I can bet you that no one has ever kissed them before so I'm doing it now," To assert her point she plants another kiss on the scar and starts to make her way down one of the longer jagged lines.

"S-Shinobu-san," He stutters feeling as if all of his breath has been whisked out of his chest, corner of his eyes starts to burn as he stares down at what she's doing. Warmth bloomed in his chest as he feels his face heat up. She continues pressing kisses on the scarred skin of his back.

Three long jagged scars reaching from the top of his left shoulder down to his right hip, the middle being the longest. Three scars that changed his entire life, changed what he could do, changed whether or not he could use a normal breathing style, changed everything about him and who he was. Three twisted pieces of skin he hated with every inch of his being.

Three long jagged scars she currently kissing unlike anyone had ever done before.

It felt so surreal.

He felt so loved.

Tears leaked from his eyes as she continued to kiss the skin, going from one scar to the other until eventually she was done. The Water Hashira let out a sigh, resting her chin on his shoulder and nuzzling into the crook of his neck, placing a kiss there as well.

After many beats of silence, Giyuu, finally spoke up.

"Does it disgust you?" His voice shook as she spoke, low and quiet so only she could hear it.

Shinobu just shook her head, hugging him a little tighter. "I don't care, it doesn't matter to me, I think it's kinda hot honestly,"

And Giyuu snorted, his usual smile worming its way onto his lips and she felt a smile trying to tug its way on hers. There we go, she thought, that's better, start smiling again.

She moved her hand to his right waist, thumbing circles into his skin occasionally catching the scar which made his breath hitch. Minutes passed and neither of them said a word, instead, basking in the plentiful silence they were given.

"Is this why you hate demons?" She asked, rubbing a line along the rough skin. Numbly, he shook his head, sighing as he crossed his arms. "It's... One of the reasons, the main one but it's one of them..."

She paused in her movements, looking up at him. "Do you want to talk about it?" Curtly he shook his head.

More silence.

"They aren't... That bad if you really think about it..." Shinobu suddenly mumbled against the skin of his neck and he looked down at her, letting out a small: "Oh?"

She tighter her grip on him, moving her head down to the skin of shoulder blade and pressing a feathery kiss there. "It proves something about you? Don't you think?..." He only stayed silent and Shinobu realized she was all on her own. She silently cursed to herself. "...Like you survived it, right? Despite what happened you survived and lived to tell the story, that's something you can be proud of."

He didn't answer her and she just huffed, leaning her head against his back. "I don't know... I'm... I'm not really good at these kinds of things," A small light chuckle bubbled out of his chest as he tilted his head, staring down at her. "I can tell Shinobu-san, I was starting to think you'd give up at soon enough."

Violently, she flushed at the comment, pulling back and curling her fist, glaring at him. "H-hey! I'm trying to help you, you have no right to talk to me like that!"

He just rolled his eyes with a smarmy expression. "You also had no right invading my private quarters like that yet here you are, now shoo, I need to change."

With a sharpened glare, she turned on his heels and left, directing him one last look before she closed the door. "You hang around Sabito too much," She grumbled before she closed the door and got a great laugh out of the other Hashira who turned towards the closed door and called out:

"And you yell too much! You wonder why you can no friends, it's because of your temper!" Then with a smile, returned to what he was previously doing, not really sure what he had to worry about in the first place.

A/N: Sabito and Makomo made him who he is with influences to be more like his sister included, don't @ me.