A/N- To heal, you must accept the fact that you will hurt just for a little bit longer.

☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️

Narrator's POV

So here we are again, we see Giyu and Shinobu facing each other after the whole beach fiasco and a few other instances. And the atmosphere has never been so, stale. Even so, they try and start a conversation at the very least.

"It's nice to see you again Giyu, you seem to be pondering something. Do you feel well?" Shinobu would speak first, looking over at him as he just shrugs.

"I'm fine, nothing to concern about Kochou." He replies, trying to hide the bandaged hand, as it was the most noticeable of all his injuries.

"Really? I smell iron, did you hurt yourself? Are you bleeding from an incident again?" She replies, with Giyu just sighing at how perceptive this woman is. Nothing escapes her eyes, especially when it comes to his dumbass self.

"I really can't hide anything from you huh?" He replies, as the woman only nods and giggle at his statement.

"Yes, you can't. Now tell me so I can look at it and clean it up." She retorts, before Giyu just nods. With him explaining how Rengoku's fiance's gas station almost got robbed and how he got injured brawling with the two roberrers.

"So you're telling me, you grabbed the blade of a knife to disarm then. Failed at said disarming because they would go on to scratch your leg with said knife, and said knife was also jammed in your back because you tackled the perpetrator without any damn thought?" Shinobu recalls what he just told, looking at the man with disbelief and exasperation.

Giyu, just nods at this as a reply.

"You truly are a selfless idiot, an invulnerable idiot. How your face didn't bruise with the way you explained that gun smack is insane, are you sure you aren't a robot Tomioka?" She looks at her, shaking her head as Giyu just shrugs.

"Do you have an extra shirt? It's barely noticeable but some blood seeped out of the old bandages." Shinobu speaks, looking at Giyu who just shakes his head.

"This is my extra shirt, the other one I used was ripped, cause I was stabbed. You should know that right?" He speaks, not wanting to make it sound a joke but nevertheless Shinobu giggles.

"Yeah yeah, I'm a damn doctor. I guess you'll just have bandages around you, I'll ask Douma if he brought an extra shirt." She replies, as Giyu nods, taking off his shirt to reveal the bloody bandages.

Now it was time to take them bitches off, because boy were they already sticking and hardening after just an hour.

Giyu did this process himself, revealing his awesome toned and scar-riddled body of a Greek god. The stitching eventually showing themselves as Shinobu nods.

"Nice stitching, I take it you did this yourself somehow?" Shinobu speaks, starting to take the medkit out of her bag.

"Nope, Sabito and Makomo did." He replies, while Shinobu was impressed.

"They did good, however I'm surprised your ignorant nature let them do that." She jokes, while Giyu just smiles.

"Hey, I'm stoic not ignorant." He replies, making Shinobu laugh.

He's lucky Shinobu always brings a medkit, but then again she'll definitely make sure this stings because of the stupidty he just did.

He didn't really care that much though, dead nerves and all, but he did thank her for thoroughly cleaning it.

While the two talk about how Giyu would treat his wounds in the following days, we see Sanemi approaching them.

"Shinobu, your sister is calling for you." He'd speak, with Shinobu immediately going over to Kanae after she say a quick goodbye to Giyu and a thank you for Sanemi. This leaves the two men alone to chat.

"So, I heard you stopped a robbery over at Rengoku's fiance? Got to hand it to you, that was stupid but respectable." Sanemi speaks, looking at him with a grin.

"Yeah, got stabbed in the back, it's fine. You'd know that, you're scarred as much or probably more than me." Giyu replies, with Sanemi just scoffing.

"Yeah yeah, even then you still saved someone. That's respectable man, you know I hate you and all but what you did, I like it. Anyways I'll leave you to it then, Uzui also wanted to talk to you." Sanemi speaks, before taking his leave.

Hmm, he should probably go to Uzui then. But first, a beer for himself and probably a sandwich.

After taking said things, he makes his way towards the estate's gazebo, noticing the man with three wives taking care of the three's needs.

"Hey, you called?" Giyu approached the four, his bandaged self was presented to them.

The three women immediately rush to him, noticing the bandages wrapped all over as they look at him with concern.

"Tomioka, are you okay dear? What happened to you?" Hinatsuru would speak on their behalf first, as the pregnant women stare at him wanting his answer.

Well, he was supposed to answer when Uzui intervened, telling the incident himself.

"Don't worry girls, this man right here should be praised! He saved Rengoku's fiance from getting robbed! It's like divine intervention, but instead it's this brick wall here. Damn, dude how did you even take a stab to the shoulder blade without flinching?!" Uzui speaks in his ever boisterous tone, while the women just look at him with amazed but even more concerned eyes.

"Y-you got stabbed Giyu-san? Are you okay?" Suna speaks, looking at her while he nods.

"And you can't even take a punch from me you tall muscular bastard, what's your excuse?" Makio looks at Uzui, who was definitely offended.

"In my defense, I'm not as battle-hardened, battered and bruised as Giyu here, No offense Giyu." He replies to her, before looking at Giyu.

"None taken, and it's fine ladies. They patched me up twice in a span of just two hours. And what did you need me for Uzui?" He replied, looking at them.

Uzui immediately remembers wanting to talk to him, as he starts to tell the ladies that he'll be back after he's done talking to Giyu.

Uzui would then lead him to the garden, before starting to speak what he intends.

"So before I start, can you please promise me. Promise me that you don't tell my wives any of this, they'll probably kill me..." Uzui speaks, looking at GIyu sincerely.

"Did you do something stupid again? You get another woman pregnant? Come on, tell me I won't laugh I promise." Giyu speaks, looking at the taller man.

"You know how I have a bad relationship with my father, I'm afraid that when the kids are born... The cycle repeats you know? I'm afraid that I won't be the goddamn father they need, hell I don't even know if I'm just having 3 kids! My family is known for having numerous kids! A lot... of concerns... yeah..." Uzui explains, quite ashamed but Giyu listens intently.

Giyu knows his concerns, as like on their first life Uzui would tell him stories about his family whenever they visited the other Hashira's graves, Sanemi would also do the same thing too but it was mostly on Genya and Kanae.

"I understand your concerns Uzui, I have felt those same fears before, when I realized that I needed to be there for Iako now, to be her father. I felt the same way during the time Sabito and Makomo had their kids. Responsibility will always come, one way or another. We just do the best that we can, and learn from the mistakes you and others make." Giyu would give his input, looking at the man with sympathy.

"Glad that I can share something more than air and my friendship with you, thanks that... really made me feel a bit better." Uzui replies, before patting his back.

"Honestly, I just shared some insight. We all experience these types of things someday, rich or poor, young or old. Hell, even if we don't have to experience the same amount hardships as others do we all still experience them, yeah?" Giyu looks at him, with Uzui just nodding.

"Still, thank you dude. I guess we should probably head back now. They're probably wondering where we are after so long." Uzui speaks, Giyu agreeing immediately as both of them join the others.

Back at the party

After arriving back at the backyard, we see Giyu being immediately called in by Shinobu. Looks like she wanted to see how he was holding up.

"How's the bandages holding up?" Shinobu calls out to him as he just smiles, knowing fully well that she was teasing again.

"Quite well doc, now what're you doing here instead of socializing with the others again?" Giyu asks, looking at her as she chuckles.

"Just here to check up on my favorite patient, and I need a drink." She replies, before taking a can of beer.

"I see, how's Umi?" Giyu asks, looking at her as she drinks her beer.

"Still the same old kid, she's playing with Iako actually. She always wanted an older sister, and I guess your kid does the job perfectly." She replies, smiling before drinking from her can again.

"And Iako always did want to have younger siblings, she bugged me all the time during the first year I came back. Considering Sabito and Makomo's kids and all. But then again, she is still pushing me on a date, or to get married already." He replies, chuckling at the memory, before he grabs a stick of BBQ.

"I mean she isn't wrong Giyu, you need to settle down and have a happy ending too right? Everyone of our friends already have one, you should too." Shinobu replied, smiling at him as he solemnly and somberly smiles back.

A happy ending... Yeah, he knows how it works, he never got his and he probably never will... In all of his lives, he has never had a proper ending, and it hurts just seeing that the woman in front of her, the woman he always loved was so close... Yet somehow still so far away.

Even then, he chuckles at the idea making Shinobu smile. Which makes him smile...

"But I'm sure that you'll find the one for you. We aren't getting younger aren't we?" She jokes again, making Giyu smile as he nods in agreement. Well, he tried to smile.

"Yeah, I guess... But you don't have to worry about me okay? You already know I can handle myself, plus you already have a family yourself. Family first right?" He replies, trying to stray away from the conversation.

Shinobu smiles, before giving him a playful punch. While he still ponders on what she said, but for now he guessed he should just hang out with everyone else.

"Yep, but you're family too Giyu. You always have been, now how about you grab a beer too so we and join the others? I can drink a lot today knowing you're here. You do have the biggest alcohol resistance, it's funny how you beat Gyomei-san on drinking too." She chuckles, grabbing two beers, another for her and one for Giyu.

"Yeah, sometimes it's a curse, but sometimes I'm kinda glad I do." He replies, grabbing the can and opening it for a sip.

"Remember that time you were dared by Obanai to drink that entire bottle of scotch and you did? The look on everyone's faces when they see you still standing, and the fact that you were still the most sober one after the party! Haha, good memories." She recalls, smiling.

"Huh, I almost forgot that night. Was it the time I had to drive everyone home, where almost all of you barfed and made my car a landfill?" He asked, while Shinobu chuckles once again.

"Yep, sorry for the car by the way. What did you do with the rust bucket by the way?" Shinobu asks, as Giyu smiles.

"Burned it, smelled worse when I did. The smoke was enough to engulf the house." He replies, making Shinobu gasp.

"I'm kidding, I cleaned it. Thoroughly to the point that I changed the entire interior." Giyu replies, remembering that tedious job.

"And then you sold it?" Shinobu asks, while Giyu nods while smiling.

They continue to chat before Giyu notices that Douma wasn't around, that's weird. The man always liked his interactions with everyone of them.

"Hey Shinobu, I haven't seen Douma, where is he?" Giyu asks, looking at her as Shinobu sighs.

"Unfortunately my poor husband is sick, so he couldn't come here today. I told him we could stay be he really is stubborn saying that by us being there it risks us being sick ourselves, I tried to say that someone needs to take care of him but he still refused the offer. Honestly, I love him but he's really stubborn." Shinobu replies, as she took another sip from her beer.

"Huh, that's unlikely of him. He was always, well too healthy. I saw the dude survive as much shit as I did. Remember the time in highschool when he fell off that 15 foot treehouse after drunkenly stumbling over the stairs? We were so glad when he suddenly got hospitalized... Which I now regret bringing up since you know... Him being nice and all now..." Giyu reminisces, before taking it back as she chuckles.

"Nah, don't be. He always talks about the stupid things we used to do as teenagers, and of course his stupid decisions. As he would say *Nothing like remembering how much you've improved over the years, and all those very very bad decisions* because he said so, quite a lot actually." Shinobu replies, quoting her husband.

"Sounds like him, especially the last part." Giyu remarks, as the two share the laugh again.

They continue their conversation as Kanae and Sanemi look at the pair, Sanemi trying his best to hold onto Hana as the little one wriggles all around. Sekiro was playing with Umi on the couch.

"You know, those two still have chemistry even with all the shit that happened." Sanemi speaks first, looking at them. Kanae gasps at his use of language in front of Hana.

"Hey, no bad words when the kids are around. Although I do agree, they always did have that special something huh?" Kanae replies, Sanemi nodding.

Sanemi just nods, getting a slight chuckle from Kanae. We also see Sabito and Makomo approaching the pair with Makomo holding Yukira.

"Hey guy, you staring at the two too huh?" Sabito speaks, a can of beer at one hand and another to give Sanemi.

The man takes up the offer, as Kanae grabs Hana from his hands as she and Makomo would talk.

"Yep, still the same old pairing of Giyu and Shinobu and still the same old chemistry between the two." Sanemi replies, opening the can with a fizzle.

"If none of those bad things happened to them they would've definitely been the ones to end up with each other. Not saying that Douma is bad and all, he's great but there's just something about seeing the two interact." Makomo replies, with the others nodding in agreement.

"It's like they've known each other forever, I mean they did since we all did technically grow up together but it's like they've been through lives, a lot of them." Sabito comments getting some weird looks from the other three, but they kinda understood what he meant.

"That's a bit too farfetched, I mean past lives? No reason to believe such when we don't even know if it's real or not. But I do understand what you mean from that, they do seem like the *Star-crossed lovers who always reincarnate and suffer time and time again* type of pairing." Makomo replies, and oh dear was she on point.

Funny, she points it out but they'll never really know, for now.

They just nod and watch the two act as if they were the only two people in the world, as blissful emotions spill from their faces.

Unbeknownst to them, we see Umi behind Kanae, staring at her mom and the weird adult as she would always call him.

Well she likes her Uncle Giyu, it's just weird for her to see how close he and her mom is. You could say it's like she was looking at how her mom would interact with her dad. A perfect mirroring image of their lovey-dovey actions around her.

Definitely weird seeing the two interact, so in her little mind she had two ideas pop-up.

"He's taking mommy from daddy." or "He's taking mommy from me." there was no in-between.

So what was her plan? Pull mommy away from the weird adult, because that's what a good daughter would do. Although she was still a little too small for that, even though we consider that Shinobu is literally 4'11 and weighs like a few hundred pounds.

But even so, this 8 year old has a mission, and that's to stop the tall gloomy emo from taking away her lovely mom.

Giyu's POV

I didn't notice how much time has passed while talking to Shinobu and catching up with her, the sun was already setting and the Rengoku household was starting to light up with numerous LEDs.

They also had tiki torches all around the area, pretty neat. We look like we're in Hawaii with this atmosphere.

I was about to start another conversation with Shinobu when I saw Umi running towards us, but more like towards Shinobu. She gave her mom a massive hug as she tugs her shirt, looking at me cautiously.

Weird, I feel hostility from an 8 year old. What did I do this time?

"Hey there baby, you hungry?" Shinobu would ask, looking down at her as she shakes her head as a reply. Her eyes seemed to still be glued to me, other than the hostility I feel as if I'm an animal invading her territory. God, this kid looks so much like Shinobu that she even has her creepy scowl. Still, I should probably greet her.

"Hey Umi, how are you kid?" I knelt down to her level, smiling as I greet her.

She just looks at me for while, I can still feel the hostility from her eyes. I look at Shinobu as chuckle, I'm guessing this has been going for quite a while.

"Umi, greet your Uncle Giyu. Sorry about her, she's been overly attached ever since the kids in her school started teasing her that she's just adopted. And I know what you're going to say, I already talked to them, their parents and the teacher." Shinobu would speak to her, before turning to me for an explanation.

I guess that works, although kids these days sure know how to make other kids feel hurt. Maybe I can help with this... Although, I suppose this isn't my job since she's not my kid... Hmmm... You know what, let's do this.

"I see then, I understand what she's going through. Remember 1st year junior high?" I'd reply looking over at Shinobu, she looks at me perplexed for a second before the memory suddenly hits her.

"Oh yeah, I nearly forgot about that... Was it that stuck-up girl with the rich parents?" Shinobu asks, while I nod.

"Yep, one of the weirdest and funniest things I've been accused of." I chuckle, but it doesn't make anyone else laugh.

"Yeah... As you can see Umi your Uncle Giyu likes self-deprecating humor, a little too much. And it's not funny, right Giyu?" Shinobu replies, as she gave me the same expression Umi had a while ago, it's like I'm looking at weird mirror room, they look so identical.

"Fine, it wasn't. But don't worry about those kids, Shinobu and Douma are your parents. Nothing changes that fact, blood-related or not. But as I've already said they're definitely your parents, you're the spitting image of your mom, just with blue eyes from your daddy having rainbow ones, and having frosted tips like your mom, except they're in the color of your daddy's hair." I'd reply, before I look over at Umi and explain to her about the situation.

She looked at me, slightly shifting away from her tight grasp towards her mother.

"R-Really?" She'd ask, her eyes peering at me as she waits for my reply.

"Yes Umi, you're a perfect combination of both your parents. And even if you were just adopted then you'd be the luckiest little girl in the entire world, because you would have two of the most loving and caring people as parents. Funny ones at that, so you'll not only have parents but best friends right?" I reply, smiling at the girl as she thinks for a second.

"I guess so... Mommy and Daddy are my best friends for now since they haven't given me a sibling yet." She bluntly replies, I see Shinobu suddenly spit her drink and starts coughing from what Umi just said while I also chuckle from seeing this reaction.

"That's great that you understand, truly the daughter of your mother aren't you? You're as curious as she was when we were younger." I replied, looking at her as she comes to me a bit closer.

"Really? Does mom really look like me? You've been telling me about it for a while now." She asks, really curious.

"Oh yeah, I always bring pictures of the both of us. Here's me and your mom when we were in elementary, your Aunty Kanae took the picture and we were unaware of it." I spoke, giving her the picture I took from my wallet, it was a little faded and worn out.

Shinobu saw me give her the picture, as she recovered from the whole "Haven't given me a sibling yet" statement from Umi. She looks at the picture, probably forgetting about it from the many years that has passed since then.

"Huh, I do look a lot like mommy. And is that Mr. Cuddles?! So you also weren't lying when you told me it was yours before you gave it to me mommy?" She states, before looking over at Shinobu who nods.

"Yeah, Mr. Cuddles has been with us for 3 generations now. And I'm surprised that you still kept this Giyu, gosh we were so cute back then... Now we're old, wrinkly and sagging hehe." She replies, before turning her attention to me as I just smile and nod.

I was about to reply when Umi would beat me to it.

"Mommy you like my older sister, so you aren't old yet!" She replies, as Shinobu just smiles.

"Yeah that is true, we're nearing forty but you still look the same from highschool, and college." I add as she just laughs.

"I can't say the same for you, the look sure but you already dress like a dad in his 40's. Shorts, sandals and polo shirts." She replies to me, and I couldn't deny it now.

"Yeah, you dress like daddy and he looks old too." Umi butts-in, as me and Shinobu both chuckle.

"She isn't wrong though, Douma likes his shorts and sandals, I can't even convince him to wear something else most of the time." Shinobu adds, while I just smile. I guess me and Douma have the same old dad fashion sense then.

I guess that I am old now, hmm...

Narrator's POV

While the three continue their conversation, we look over to the rest of the group, that being Gyomei, Rengoku, Mitsuri, Obanai and Muichiro and his uncles Michikatsu and Yoriichi and of course the Kamados and the teens.

They are currently talking about the recent events of Giyu getting stabbed, and of course him saving Iori.

"Wow! Tomioka-san really took that knife to his back? And he shrugged it off? He's really something!" Mitsuri remarks, as she munched on her favorite sakura mochi.

"Yes indeed, Sabito rambled about it before we could even exchange pleasantries. Tomioka being resilient has been a given, even with my time in the military, no one has been more bruised, scarred and immune to pain as Tomioka. Even Sanemi admits that his own scars are nothing compared to his." Gyomei's deep voice would reply, as the giant of a man would remember the talks he and Sanemi would have during his visits.

The rest who have known Giyu for a while nod, remembering incidents that added to Giyu's scar collection.

"Remember that one time he got hit by a arrow during our PE class on archery?" Obanai brings it up, as Mitsuri gasps remembering that particular scene.

"Oh yes I do Iggy! The arrow pierced over his arm but he just broke it and took it without flinching! He was just surprised that someone shot him!" Mitsuri replies, while Iguro nods.

"Huh, Tomioka truly is something! Not even a hint of pain?" Rengoku asks, while the others nod.

This conversation was overheard by Sabito who was only supposed to get some drinks, as he now joins the conversation with an entry of his own.

"There was also that time he got his arm bent and dislocated during one of our martial arts lessons. Everyone, especially his opponent started to panic but he just snaps it back to place, bones popping as they return back to their original state, it even started bruising but Tomioka didn't say a thing and continued to fight for a few more rounds and winning all of them." Sabito would speak, remembering being one of those people Tomioka beat in said incident.

"Yeah, he handed our asses to us even though he just got his forearm dislocated." Obanai replies, smiling as he still remembered the pain of getting judo thrown to the ground.

Shinobu, who just finished her conversation with Giyu would approach the group interested on what they were talking about.

"Hey guys, whatcha doing?" She'd approach them, as Mitsuri would give her best friend a hug.

"Shinobu! We were just talking about tales of Giyu and his insane durability." Mitsuri would reply, as Shinobu would mutter an 'Oh'.

"Can I join? I know a lot of those." Shinobu would reply, as Sabito chuckles.

"Shinobu, of course you do. You were basically in all of them." Sabito would smile, as Shinobu rolls her eyes and smiles.

"What can I say? We were always the trouble in the double." She replied smugly, making the others smile.

"Indeed, you two were rather inseparable." Gyomei speaks, as he chuckles.

"Oh god, speaking of that I just remembered the story I was supposed to tell." Shinobu speaks, remembering the embarrassing story.

Sabito was already laughing as he knows which story was it in specific.

"I'm guessing by Sabito laughing, it's more funny and embarrassing than it being an accident." Obanai remarks, as Rengoku would go beside him nodding furiously in agreement.

"Well yeah kinda, but it did hurt a lot, I think." She replies, as the others except Sabito would raise their eyebrows in confusion.

"You think? What does that mean Kochou?" Rengoku would speak before the rest could ask, curious on what she meant.

Shinobu sighs as she tells the story to them fully.

"Well, it was during me and Giyu's study sessions. We decided to go to Kanao's room to study since we were the only two at the house at that time-" She speaks, before Sabito teases her with an 'OoooOoo scandalous!'.

The rest chuckle as Shinobu would, before continuing.

"Anyways, we were about halfway done the lesson when Giyu noticed one of Kanao's My Little Pony plushies, one of which he picked and showed to my face. It was Twilight Sparkle, and as he quoted "You kinda look like her" which I didn't."  She continues before stopping, as Mitsuri would already ask a question.

"Aww, I love My Little Pony! Me and Kohai watch it all the time!" Mitsuri squeals, remembering the times she and her son would watch said show.

"Me and Umi watch it too, Douma likes it a little too much but anyways as I was saying Giyu would pick it and up suggest watching the show while we reviewed, which was stupid but I agreed anyways."  She replies, stopping to breathe which Sabito would take advantage of by saying a remark.

"And this is going to be my favorite part of the story." Sabito speaks, as he remembers this one quite vividly.

"Yeah yeah, I know. Basically we ended up watching 3 seasons of it the whole weekend, and the worst part was we were sleep deprived, mostly me considering the unholy amounts of coffee he can chug and him not needing sleep as much as I do. Well we were about to head to class when we just dropped dead asleep while we were heading up stairs to our classroom, got this nasty bugger because of it." Shinobu finished the story, before showing the scar that ran along her left elbow.

"Yep, I was the one who had to carry the two to the clinic because of the nasty fall. Luckily for Shinobu here she just had the cut from it getting nicked by one of those railings. Giyu however, broke a few ribs and even risked paralyzing the dude. But what does he do? He immediately walks out the hospital the first second he wakes up." Sabito replies, remembering said incident.

"Yeah, and I was there for a few days just from this scar. I still can't believe he survives things like this, without any permanent damage at all." Shinobu adds, as the others chuckle.

"He's quite the specimen I must say, and other than that he has quite the sharp memory on him. He remembers everything to the miniscule detail, it's amazing." Gyomei replies, before everyone agrees.

"But he's denser than a blackhole infused neutron star." Obanai would add, which was indeed true.

This joke was heard by Giyu who suddenly appeared behind them, as the rest of their group followed him.

Uzui who has the strongest hearing of the group would pat his buddy's back, before speaking.

"You just proved his point Giyu." Uzui replies, before chuckling with the rest who heard Obanai's joke.

And with that, we see Giyu giving the most confused look ever. As everyone around him started to party and have fun. Luckily for him, Iako would explain it to him after they have dinner.

But, in typical Giyu Tomioka fashion, he got even more confused. As he spends the rest of this trip pondering about his denseness, which in itself was quite the watch.

And with that, another chapter is done!

😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈

A/N- Yes, I write like this now. Because fuck schedules am I right? I have 7 things to draw in Biology, a quiz on Physics tomorrow, and an Academic Paper due Friday this week, AND EXAMS ARE NEXT WEEK AND WE HAVE TO PERFORM A PLAY WTF BRUH. (PHILIPPINES MY LOVE WTF IS THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM!). Anyways bye guys!