Disclaimer:

I do not own nor claim all the rights to 鬼滅の刃 | Kimetsu no Yaiba | Demon Slayer; all rights are reserved to its respective creator, Koyoharu Gotōge. This is purely a work of fiction; names, characters, businesses, events, localities, and occurrences are all extrapolated from the author's writings and imagination or utilized in a fictitious manner. As such, any direct or indirect references to actual entities, dead or alive, or events do not, in any shape or form, resemble the opinions of the author.

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"..." = Dialogue

'...' = Internal monologues

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A girl smiled softly.

"They made it..."

On the precipice of death, she had finally achieved a peace of mind unlike anything she has experienced.

How funny, she mused, that the very people she was trying to kill are now the same individuals she aided in their deliverance from an infinite nightmare.

Perhaps that's because she was no longer bound by the Curse of Izanami.

Her body began to decay.

A thought entered her mind.

For all the sins committed, all the blood on her hands, and all the suffering she has wrought upon the lives of the innocent, she was surely going to be banished beyond the boundary and into the Land of the Dead, Yomi, where all deceased carry on a gloomy and shadowy existence in perpetuity.

In the end, she was bound to be a shadow with no heart. A silhouette forever locked in a perpetual cycle of sadness and longing.

The thought weakened her state of equanimity, but she accepted it as fate.

*Tug*

She felt a pull from her right sleeve.

She looked down.

Her body froze upon the reveal.

It was a young boy, probably eight or nine.

"I-Isamu...?" she gawked at the figure, instantly recognizing it as her younger brother.

The child beamed with brightness.

"W-Why are you here??" her voice quavered.

"Mommy is waiting for us!" he exclaimed.

She stared into the distance and saw the light.

Teardrops stained her pale skin, and her heart—once sequestered by the chains of grief and sorrow—surged beyond comprehension.

Emotions of the days of old, wistful memories of an innocent past, and a family that yearned to be whole again.

She saw it all.

"Etsuko..." an angelic voice beckoned.

Isamu subsequently grips her hand and begins dragging her, "Let's go, Nee-chan!"

Etsuko smiled.

Whether it be Yomi or Jigoku, she will accept her fate.

As long as her's is linked with that of her family.

As long as she has them, she can weather any storm.

She begins walking.

Kanashimi had been defeated.

Etsuko was freed.

..

..

..

..

..

*Drip*

*Drip*

Droplets of water, sourced from the tapering stalactites along the high-altitude ceiling, were intermittently released from the icicle-like structures by virtue of the Earth's gravitational force.

The resulting and pulsating rhythm of the droplets' descent reverberated throughout the entirety of this large, expansive cavern.

The material makeup of this chamber is analogous to that of a typical cave formation. However, there also existed some vestiges of artificial configurations—primarily concrete, metallic pipes, and other aspects of the old, decaying sewage apparatus.

Nevertheless, in spite of such ossified structures, the grotto retained the appearance of a picturesque cave fitted with underground natural wonders.

For instance, the bulk of the floor was inundated with a thin layer of water—attesting to the state of mild flooding that was in progress. But the water itself was drawn from a natural spring situated at the circumcenter of the chamber, which glistened with a bluish-green hue, thereby lighting up the vicinity.

What's more, the area around the spring was adorned with lush greenery seldom observed at such depths. The added benefit of this verdure was that the unsightly elements of the cavern—the remnants of the abandoned sewage system—were concealed by the vegetation.

It was within the confines of this unusual environment that the Insect Hashira awoke.

She was lying supine on the damp ground, hitherto in deep sleep before finally coming to her senses.

Shinobu groaned before slightly upraising herself from the shallow pool, consequently perched on her knees.

She looked around, still reeling from the lethargic effects of the prolonged slumber.

'Where am I...?' she pondered sluggishly.

It was then that she spotted a certain mismatched Haori about 20 feet (6 meters) from her present location.

The figure donning the Haori also lifted himself to a seated posture.

In an instant, they locked eyes.

"Giyuu..." Shinobu's voice resonated.

"Shinobu..." Giyuu acknowledged in return.

Their eyes dilated with shock, unable to utter a single word or phrase to herald the beginning of their long-awaited reunion.

It had indeed been long, too long.

The desire to see each other, to talk to the other, and to embrace each other, was far too strong for either of them to contain.

Because they knew they would find comfort in each other's presence.

Because they recognize that their bond is special in more ways than one.

The trials and tribulations they encountered thus far only served to corroborate those beliefs and strengthen their resolve in relation to their companion.

As if they have found salvation in the other, both have come to an understanding that they need each other. Without one, they cannot be whole; without their touch, they cannot feel the tremor of their heart; and without each other's presence, they may as well be blind to worldly affairs.

In each of their eyes, their partner is irreplaceable, their cherished companion is someone they care about deeply—to such a degree that even they have trouble comprehending its full extent.

And now, they were just meters apart.

That gap—that gaping hole in their hearts—can only be closed if they are in the other's company.

That much they knew.

So, instead of conveying their bottled-up feelings through words, they both simultaneously chose to impart such vital information through their actions.

Shinobu promptly stood up, still staring at her fellow Hashira.

Giyuu followed suit, also watching her in astonishment.

*Splash*

Giyuu briskly staggered forward, swaying a little while doing so.

*Splash*

Shinobu followed.

*Splash* *SPLASH*

She picked up the pace, taking only seconds to induce an accelerating motion.

*Splash* *SPLASH*

Giyuu followed.

Like magnets on opposite poles, they were pulled together as if by natural instinct—by a force of nature.

Finally, they are within arm's reach.

They instantly hugged upon contact, squeezing each other tight.

What's more, the net force caused by their run compelled Giyuu into spinning both himself and the petite lady in his arms along a rotating motion—or, colloquially speaking, a spinning hug.

"Giyuu! Giyuu!" Shinobu exclaimed with a large smile, pure joy emanating from her spirit.

"Shinobu...!" Giyuu grinned broadly, experiencing relief unlike anything he has felt before.

As if a thread had connected the inner sanctums of their souls, they were once again reunited, within each other's arms—with all the worries in the world gone.

This was preordained, after all.

Not by some abstract notion such as fate, no.

It was by their own volition: their own actions in the past, present, and future; their own convictions and resolve; and their own simple desire to see each other again—to talk again, to atone, and to understand.

Everything, all of it, was the product of their unwavering faith in the goodness of the other.

For Shinobu, it was the overcoming of her grief, the clarity in finding a new purpose, and the tales of a past she had wished to grasp fully, that led her to display such an outpouring of love and care for this man.

For Giyuu, it was his intense desire to protect her, the need to make amends for his mistakes, and the discernment of his partner's genuine convictions—the memories, the love, and the loss that pushed her to this point—that had allowed for him to physically and mentally express happiness, which itself is quite the sight to behold.

*Splash*

After a few seconds, Giyuu finally alighted Shinobu onto the ground, but he still refused to let go.

Shinbou, too, did not loosen her grip.

They remained locked in an embrace. A warm and loving embrace.

It was a scene of jubilation, affection, and tenderness.

This once again proved that physical and emotional separation was simply unsustainable for the two of them.

Their souls are so intertwined that the outcome of their livelihood hinges on the outcome of the other.

Indeed, Kocho Shinobu and Tomioka Giyuu harbor a connection that cannot be simply described in words: it transcends human reasoning and logical conclusion, precisely because it is so innate to their hearts and so purifying to the soul.

Of course, neither of them is thinking this deeply and thoughtfully.

They are simply living in the moment, only thinking about each other.

Nothing else.

"Shinobu..." Giyuu released his grip over her.

This prompted a curious Shinobu to let go as well, seeking to observe her partner's countenance.

They, however, retained a hold on each other's hands—both still wanting to keep in touch with the other.

They were now looking face-to-face, just inches away from each other—although, technically speaking, the difference in height meant that Giyuu was looking down upon Shinobu.

"Shinobu," he said again, "I—"

"Are you hurt?" she asked.

"Uh..." he was confounded for a brief moment. "No, I'm fine."

"Thank goodness," she exhaled.

"What about you?" he returned.

Shinobu beamed with pleasure, "I'm doing just fine as well, Giyuu."

Giyuu, now fully gazing upon her facial features, was wholly enticed by the image of this pretty lady smiling at him.

He felt this strange, burning sensation in his chest.

'Huh? Why am I so nervous all of a sudden?' Giyuu couldn't make out this penetrating feeling.

The only reference he can defer to regarding this odd feeling is when he was—according to his disciplined mind—ogling at Shinobu's matured body during the battle against Osore and during their convalescence at Akihiro Yui's place.

But this was different. It felt more intimate, more true to his heart.

He could feel his body temperature rise, much unlike anything he's felt before.

Still, memories of his perverted side aren't exactly appropriate for the given situation—at least according to Giyuu.

'Why am I remembering any of that...? And what is this squishy thing pushing against my chest?' his eyes glanced downward.

'... Nevermind.'

"T-That's good," Giyuu answered, flustered at both Shinobu's pretty face and his own unscrupulous thoughts.

A transient period of silence commences, with neither side able to contrive a topic of discussion.

'Pull yourself together! You'll become a disgrace if you can't even apologize!' Giyuu internally lambasted himself.

'I don't know where to start... How should I talk to him? How do I help him?' Shinobu found herself in a similar dilemma.

"Giy—" "Shin—"

Both of them simultaneously spoke and interrupted each other.

"Ara, looks like we both have something to say," Shinobu smiled.

Giyuu couldn't help but crack a grin, something indicative of the tension being lifted from the atmosphere thanks to Shinobu's little comment.

Taking notice of this development, Shinobu reacted: "You should smile more often, Giyuu."

"Is that so?"

"Mhm," she rested her head against his chest. "I personally like it."

Upon this maneuver, the resulting disposition made it so that Giyuu was unintentionally nuzzling against Shinobu's hair—arousing his spirit and physical incarnation.

He could scent the sweet, alluring fragrance customary to the Insect Hashira, further drawing him into a state of involuntary excitement.

Giyuu felt something funny on his cheeks, 'Why am I so tense? And what the hell is wrong with me? This isn't the time and place for such indecency... Stop trying to smell her, dammit!'

"Y-You go first," said Giyuu in a perturbed fashion.

"You look like you have something important to communicate," Shinobu proffered, looking up at the Water Hashira once more.

"Not at all," Giyuu replied curtly, becoming more flustered by the minute—especially since her charming face and emollient lips were within his line of sight again.

"Is something wrong? You don't look well..." Shinobu asked with great worry; she remained terribly concerned about her partner's well-being.

'I need to switch the topic before I do something even more stupid,' Giyuu panicked, attempting to salvage his beleaguered frame of mind before he gets too anxious.

"Giyuu?"

'Wasn't I going to apologize? What the hell am I even doing?'

Meanwhile, Shinobu was left perplexed as to why Giyuu was merely staring at her without response.

"Please tell me if something's wron—"

"Fish." he finally answered, speaking the first word that came to mind.

"Fish?" she was now utterly confused.

However, upon further consideration, Shinobu came to a realization.

She gleefully giggled at the thought, "Oh! You meant Salmon Daikon, correct?"

"Uh..."

"I guess it can't be helped, huh? You must be craving for some, as it has indeed been a while since you've munched on them!" she said whilst recreating a mental image of Giyuu eating the delectable dish.

'He's really cute when Salmon Daikon is brought up,' she reflected.

Giyuu, on the other hand, gawked at her. Albeit, it wasn't directed towards the Insect Hashira's comments.

Rather, he was scrutinizing her jovial expression: the laughter, the smile, and the exuding of wholehearted ebullience.

"You really are silly, Giyuu," she beamed with radiance.

Giyuu came to an instant revelation.

'Hah... She's smiling. I yelled at her, cursed her, and belittled her, but she is still smiling... I really don't deserve her,' Giyuu's thoughts became mired in a wave of self-deprecation.

Nevertheless, he pressed forward with unflinching determination: 'I can't be wasting time; I need to set things right. I need to ensure that I don't repeat the same mistake I made with Nee-san... I can't let history repeat itself again. Shinobu deserves better than what I'm capable of, so I need to force myself.'

"Shinobu," Giyuu comported himself.

"Yes, Giyuu?" She maintained her cheerful tone.

"I'm sorry...for everything..." he spoke faintly, yet his voice still echoed throughout the large chamber.

Shinobu's eyes widened.

Her expression thence softened, "Why are you apologizing, Giyuu?"

"The night of the Summer Festival. I said horrible things to you... I doubted you and assumed the worst. I hurt you... And I did it without even knowing your side of the story..." he muttered, regret and remorse of every kind invading his cadence and mannerisms.

"Giyuu..." Shinobu frowned.

"I didn't know how to handle that knowledge, the information regarding your plans for vengeance. I didn't want you to die, so I was desperately looking for answers. However, I became too drawn in my own paranoia; my fear for your life transformed into bitterness... 'Why didn't she tell me?', 'Why does want to leave me?', 'Do I not matter?', and so on... I felt insignificant, and I vented those frustrations onto you. It was irresponsible of me, and I am so sorry..."

The Insect Hashira was silent.

"I know you won't forgive me. And that's ok—I don't deserve forgiveness. But let me say it again and again: I am sorry, Kocho Shinobu, for everything—for doubting your sincerity, for belittling your trust, and for hurting you without justification..." Giyuu looked away in shame.

"Why..." Shinobu murmured.

Giyuu focused on her again. This time, she was the one looking downward.

She raised her head, a wistful expression of melancholy manifested along her lineaments, "Why are you apologizing...?"

"What do you mean?" Giyuu said with bewilderment.

"It wasn't your fault... It was all mine," she clarified.

Her words disconcerted Giyuu: "What are you saying...?"

"You were right. I should've told you about the plan. I'm the one at fault here. I'm sorry," she expounded.

Giyuu grabbed her by the shoulders, "No, that's not right. I'm the one at fault here, I have to be the one to apologize, I'm the one who's respon—"

"Giyuu..." Shinobu spoke gently, serenity emitting from the sound of her voice. "You don't have to blame yourself for everything..."

For some reason, that one singular sentence struck him hard. It struck him to the very core.

Because it touched upon one of the most defining features of his contemporary life: his lack of self-value.

He felt the sudden urge to defend himself, regardless of whether Shinobu knew what he was speaking of or not.

"Then why did it all happen... I have no one else to blame except myself—it's easier that way," Giyuu's downcast eyes were palpable enough to articulate his anguish.

Indeed, if he cannot blame himself, then how can he rationalize the innumerable tragedies and the suffering that has tortured his spirit and benumbed his mind?

How is he supposed to make sense of the absurdity he has witnessed?

"Look at me," Shinobu said soothingly.

Giyuu initially hesitated, but he ultimately obliged.

"You're not alone... I'm here with you, right here, right now. So please, don't carry those burdens alone," she supplicated with great tenderness.

She spoke with great insight, as if she understood his grief and guilt to such an extraordinary degree—as if she already knew everything about him.

It was at that moment when Giyuu realized something important.

'This whole time... she's always been there for me...' he reminisced.

Whether it was their missions, the night at the forest many years ago, or the weekly appointments, she was the only one.

He can only think of her.

He recalls the images relayed in the tunnel:

But then, Images of two Hashiras: the Water and the Insect. The silent treatment by the former and nonstop poking by the latter. This was what she aspired to preserve, to protect at all costs.

Because she will always protect the ones she loves dearly.

Perhaps this is what he wished to protect as well. Both Shinobu herself and this special bond they share. A bond that spans multiple years and multiple timelines.

Maybe that is really why he fights.

He had no one to protect, or at least he thought so. Now, he has her.

That is why he takes up the blade, risks his life, and refuses to stop.

Because, now, he needs to protect her.

Giyuu let out a heavy sigh, "I still have trouble agreeing with your sentiments."

"Oh my, I guess I can't expect you to agree immediately... But, whether you agree or not, I will stay by your side. I won't allow you to trek this path all by yourself," she asserted in response.

Something lit inside Giyuu, like a spark igniting a great conflagration.

"Shinobu," he assumed a more solemn bearing, "I can't allow you to do so either. Although I regret my conduct towards you regarding your plan to defeat an Upper Moon demon, I feel compelled to voice my utmost opposition irrespective of your stance."

Shinobu conjured a surprised look upon hearing this.

"In the tunnels," he began, "I saw visions... Visions of you."

Shinobu couldn't believe what she was hearing, 'He saw visions as well? Of me?

"I saw your family, all four of you," he goes on. "It felt... warm... like nothing I've ever felt before. I don't have a strong understanding of familial bonds, so I have trouble imagining the tenderness of a mother or the guidance of a father. But I was able to instantly comprehend the nuances and facets of such love through those visions. They were the best parents, weren't they?"

"Y-You saw... them...?" Shinobu stared at him with incredulity.

"And then there was your sister... I should've been able to understand your attachment to her, much like my attachment to my late sister. She meant the world to you, didn't she?"

"Yes..." Shinobu whispered, though audible enough for Giyuu to catch.

"You two made a promise after your parents' death: to protect the people whose happiness had not yet been destroyed," Giyuu was beginning to recollect everything he's learned thus far.

"When our parents died, Shinobu and I made a promise to never again let such a tragedy befall on others. That was our oath, an oath taken by those whose happiness was snatched away from the cold hands of this world..."

Not just from the visions in the tunnel, but also memories from the past, from previous visions he had, and from his own experience.

"I thought our service would be a coping mechanism to help the two of us move on from our parents' deaths. Unfortunately, I may have instead condemned my dear sister to a mindset of treating her service as more of a sacrosanct pact than a trip to therapy."

"But there was something else driving the both of you," he continued.

"And yet... I wonder if it was worth dragging Shinobu into this sort of life. Whether it was right for me to deprive her of a normal life."

"I sometimes catch myself hoping that she's never promoted, just so that she can never see combat..."

"Both you and the former Flower Hashira wanted to be strong enough to protect each other," Giyuu concluded. "Strong enough to never let death run its course against the other."

"H-How did you..." Shinobu was at a loss.

How or why does he know this? Did her sister convey such information in the past? Did the vision really reveal that much?

Shinobu couldn't figure it out.

"That's why her death broke you. That's why you surmised that revenge by sacrificing your very life was the only recourse. That's why you put everything on the line for this plan."

The Insect Hashira was utterly at the behest of this man. His analysis of her intentions, whether or not she has already discarded them at this point, was correct.

'Huh... I never really put such feelings into words... I guess I really won't ever fully move on from that...' she mused.

"If I understood any of that beforehand, then I could've prevented my outburst. I really am dense," Giyuu concedes.

"Hmph," Shinobu pouted. "Very dense."

'Doesn't even pick up on any hints,' she internalized her frustrations.

'Not exactly the kind of reaction I was expecting... But I can't be complaining here,' Giyuu was slightly baffled at the sight.

"But," his face furrows a bit, "even if the pain is too much, even if the memory of your late sister is what pushes you to do this, and even if you won't be convinced otherwise, I will still oppose your plan."

"Because, Kocho Shinobu, I will protect you no matter what. Even if it's against your wishes. That, I believe, is my purpose."

Shinobu's heart fluttered at the declaration, and time moved ever so slowly as her cognitive processes fixated on this peculiar man.

'He continues to surprise me to this day...'

Hope and affection gleamed in her eyes at the sight of this man.

There was a fundamental reason why she fell in love with him, and she's learning more and more about it with every interaction.

What more will she learn about him and herself, she wondered.

This all only served to strengthen her resolve—the resolve to heal him and, ultimately, save him.

"I shouldn't have devised such a scheme in the first place. I was being driven by hatred, blinded by it—so much so, that I didn't even think about the people around me. It was selfish of me, and I was too stubborn to let go of the pain... Even though you taught me otherwise long ago," Shinobu explained as her light, delicate tone exposed a more fragile side.

"I did?" Giyuu questioned.

Shinobu smirked, "Don't you remember? After Nee-san's death, you came to my office and gave me a little pep talk."

"Oh... Right..."

"..."

"..."

"Oh dear, you're hopeless," Shinobu sighed.

"Huh? What?"

"Giyuu, I'm telling you that I'm no longer conducting the plan," she elucidated.

"... Really?"

"Yes."

"That's... good..." Giyuu felt a little awkward, considering how he declaimed such a grand speech only to learn that she had already resolved the conflict.

"Although," she pulled herself up on her toes to whisper into Giyuu's ear, "I don't mind your unconditional protection at all~"

She subsequently lowered her heels and was back on her two feet.

Giyuu remained frozen: 'So this is what they mean by butterflies in your stomach...'

"I'm glad though," he managed to compose himself. "I'm glad... Your sister would be proud."

Shinobu smiled, "Tsutako-san would be as well."

"Tsutako-san?" Giyuu inquired.

"Oh, pardon me," she had forgotten to tell him. "You know the tunnel, right?"

"Yeah."

"That was a tunnel of memories. There, I met your older sister," she explained.

"Nee-san? You met Nee-san?" Giyuu immediately asked, his interest piqued by this revelation.

"Yeah... She's very pretty, you know," Shinobu affirmed.

"Why was she there?"

"As a guide," said Shinobu.

"Guide?"

"She guided me through the Tunnel of Memories. Your memories..." she finally revealed.

"..."

"I saw everything, Giyuu," she explicated. "Much like how you observed mine, I saw the critical moments in your lifetime... including the tragedies."

"..."

"It was hard, wasn't it?" she beseeched for his acknowledgment.

"How much did you see..."

Shinobu took a moment before responding: "Your life with Tsutako-san, your drunk father, the last conversation you had with Tsutako-san, Sabito and Makomo, the Final Selection, and..."

She could still feel raw pain from the last one, "And... your attempted suicide in the forest..."

Giyuu looked down in shame, "That's essentially all of it."

Shinobu gritted her teeth, "Giyuu... Promise me something."

"..."

"Giyuu, look at me," she commanded.

He didn't want to.

She knows everything.

She now knows the unforgivable sins he has committed.

The transgressions he had effectively violated in the past.

The shame of his ineptitude.

His whole life, he couldn't bear the guilt, the pain. How will she fare with such cursed knowledge? It will be worse for her.

She will definitely hate him now.

He can't look her in the eyes. The shame was too great.

He is used to being disgraced by people before. But for someone like Shinobu, he doesn't want it.

He doesn't want her to hate him. No, the pain will be unbearable then. He will not be able to live with himself if his only source of warmth and happiness is relinquished.

But it's a guarantee now. He can't do anything about it.

She will scorn him, despise him, and abandon him. There's no doubt about it.

Even if he wants to stay by her side, he has no choice in the matter.

"Shinobu... I'm sorr—"

"Giyuu," she interrupted, her voice quavering. "Look at me."

The Water Hashira mustered all of his remaining courage and did as he was told.

He raised his head.

Expecting to see a scornful expression, he instead witnessed a doleful countenance expressing sympathy of the highest order.

"Don't apologize," she spoke softly. "You did nothing wrong. Tsutako-san's death wasn't your fault, Makomo's death wasn't your fault, and Sabito's death wasn't your fault. None of it was your fault."

Giyuu frowned, "My actions led to their death—"

"Giyuu!" she shouted, tears now streaming from her eyes. "You've endured a lot, haven't you? You've endured too much. Too much for one person to bear."

She hugged him, "I'm sorry I couldn't help you before. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed it."

"W-Why are you apologizing..." Giyuu's voice correspondingly began to shake. "These are my sins... Why don't you hate me?"

"You idiot... how could I hate you? You deserve happiness just as anyone else..." Shinobu whimpered.

"But why?"

"If something were to happen to you, I would be worried to death. If you were to get hurt, I would tend to your wounds. If you were to get sick, I would do everything in my power to restore you to health..."

"If you were to die..." she paused, memories of the past flowing into her head.

"I am about to depart... like everyone else..." he said wistfully.

He left with a smile on his face.

'Goodbye... Tomioka-san... Until we meet again...'

She tried to hold back the convulsive gasps stuck in her throat, "... I would be heartbroken beyond reasonable measure..."

"..."

"So don't assume that I hate you..." she said gently. "Don't reject my feelings based on your preconceived notions..."

The Water Hashira remained hushed, but he returned Shinobu's hug.

"Don't leave me, never leave my side..."

"Never let go again..."

"Don't leave me without my permission... Promise me that you will never let go of my hand... Never leave me... Never let go again..." she mumbled, trying her best to allay the sobbing—images of Giyuu's attempted self-harm still lingering on in her mind.

Giyuu began to hitch gusts of air, his breath rasping in his throat.

He rests his face on Shinobu's shoulder, hoping to—however unrealistic—conceal his weeping.

The emotionless shell Giyuu had repeatedly tampered with was permanently destroyed, with the remaining shards hitherto strewn across his consciousness now being fully eradicated.

Never had someone known him so intimately, so deeply, and with such fervor and love.

He felt that he was unworthy of it all. And yet, he wanted to welcome her feelings with open arms; he was incredibly thankful for her deliverance.

He still has not fully come to terms with his grief and guilt.

But maybe... with Kocho Shinobu by his side, he can slowly pick it apart and heal his soul piece by piece.

Perhaps with someone like her, he can aspire to a more hopeful future.

As the Hashiras continued hugging, they did not cease their outpour of a diverse and complex range of heartfelt emotions.

They weep, Giyuu against Shinobu's shoulder, and Shinobu against Giyuu's chest.

But they felt a warmth in each other's embrace. A feeling of reassurance that the future will be OK if they have one another.

Each is a broken individual with innumerable flaws and sorrows.

But, together, they are complete.

She was truly his salvation, and he was hers.

Together, they are the manifestation of that pure love.

Love for each other.

..

..

They were both sitting on the lush greenery near the center, now fully calm and capable of holding a coherent conversation again.

Both had a visibly relaxed countenance, given how they released all of their volatile sentiments earlier.

"Thank you, Shinobu," Giyuu was the first to talk.

"What for?" she asked.

"... I don't know," he answered.

"Ara-ara, it appears the great Water Hashira can't even thank someone properly," she quipped.

"Perhaps..." Giyuu admitted.

"You're quite clumsy, aren't you?" Shinobu points out with a cheeky smile.

"Really?"

"Not that it's bad or anything," she grinned.

'He's really cute when he is,' she instead delegates the reasoning mentally.

"Is that so," said Giyuu.

"By the way," Shinobu started, "when I spoke to Tsutako-san, she wanted to pass on something to you..."

Giyuu turned to face her, "May I know?"

Shinobu glanced at her partner before smiling, "Certainly."

"She said..."

"May I ask a favor?"

"Absolutely."

"Tell Giyuu..."

"... climb Mount Fuji with your girlfriend," she did her best not to disclose any semblance of embarrassment.

"... What?" Giyuu was confused.

"Oh my, do you not remember?"

"Remember what?"

"The illustration you drew for your sister when you were young," Shinobu explained.

Giyuu gave a look of total mystification.

"Really? You don't remember?"

"I was probably four, how could I?" Giyuu countered.

"Fair... But that's still disappointing," said Shinobu.

"Actually..." Giyuu realized. "Now that I think about it, Nee-san used to pester me a lot about how I was cuter when 'I drew Mount Fuji.' She would usually say it when I misbehaved."

"Which she was absolutely correct about."

"... Right."

"Hm, maybe I should use that as well!" Shinobu suggested.

"Please don't..."

"You know, you were cuter when you actually came for medical check-ups, Giyuu," she pokes fun at both the aforementioned sisterly habit along with the implicit message about the Water Hashira not getting proper treatment.

"..."

"You were a lot cuter when you weren't always brooding!"

"I'm not always brooding..."

"And this is why nobody likes you, Giyuu," she pulls out the trump card.

"Yamero, Shinobu."

Shinobu giggled, "You haven't changed one bit, Giyuu."

Seeing her expression, Giyuu couldn't help but grin as well, "Perhaps. But you're more lively nowadays, Shinobu."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah..."

'Nee-san... Is that your way of telling me to stop half-assing things?' he conjectured on the meaning behind Tsutako's message. 

A few seconds go by without a word being uttered.

'Wait a minute...' Giyuu noticed.

'When did we...' Shinobu caught on.

'Start calling each other on a first-name basis?' they concurrently registered at the exact same time.

They both slowly turned their heads to face each other.

But, funnily enough, this maneuver prompted both of them to immediately look away—since they achieved eye contact due to their indistinguishable movements.

Shinobu blushed madly, 'I-I'm calling him by his f-first n-name!!'

She was simultaneously partaking in a victory lap and undergoing a scourge of awkwardness.

Giyuu, at the same time, waged another war against himself: 'You idiot! You're supposed to say Kocho, not Shi—... Shi—...'

It appears he was having trouble in the head as well.

"G-Giyuu..." Shinobu called out, her face displaying a bashful expression, "is that alright? T-That I call you 'Giyuu?'"

Giyuu's cheeks flushed at the sight of Shinobu: 'Cute...'

"G-Giyuu?" she called out.

"Ah- uhm... Uhh... I-I'm f-fine with it... A-Are you ok with me c-calling you... Sh-Shinobu..." he gently ruffles the back of his head in a reflex.

Shinobu grinned from ear to ear, "Y-Yeah..."

Giyuu was absolutely enamored with this image of Shinobu.

"G-Giyuu," she repeats.

"Sh-Shinobu..." he follows.

They both felt a throbbing within their chest. The rhythm of passionate love began to beat in their hearts.

This beat, from this day onward, shall never cease.

They were closer than ever before.

And they will continue to be drawn closer and closer.

Because, in the end, all they need is each other.

Nothing more, nothing less.

..

..

..

..

..

..

"Kanashimi has fallen. Osore is gone. Already, two of your siblings have been slain. How will you compensate for this, Zaiaku-kan?"

"I will address the intruders accordingly."

"And how will you do that?"

"I shall instruct Haji to deal with them."

"And what about you? Why won't you assist her?"

"Because I have business with you."

"Oh? The son finally goes through his rebellious phase?"

"If it means stopping this absurd ritual you have in store."

"Hahahaha... You foolish boy. That means you will have to kill me. Go ahead, strike me down!"

"Which I intend to do anyway. But not now."

"Biding your time? You know it will never end the way you want it to. It never has. My eyes foresee it—they see it all."

"Then hopefully they will foresee a better future for our family..."

"Father." 

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WAHOO, FINISHED AN ARC! 

NOW ONTO THE NEXT ONE!