Chapter Text
"I've been watching you for some time
Can't stop staring at those ocean eyes"
.
.
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"Hey, honey" Yua smiled to a cat, which was sitting on her lap for the last 20 minutes. "Do you mind standing up from my lap? I have to train."
She was resting after a long,long train. The bamboos that she had cut were on the ground, her sword was on its sheath. She laid her head on the wooden column next to her. She closed her eyes as her hand slowly falled from the cat. The cat woke up from its very peaceful sleep and stirred. It was an almost adult cat, but Yua thought it's just a small baby for her. But it was strong, of course. Yua startled when cat jumped from her lap and left a big hairball behind. She smiled, and gathered the hair together.
"Take it, maybe you can make yourself a hat." She said as she put the hairball in front of the car, disturbing its cute cleaning time. She stood up from the porch and as she raised her head from the cat, she saw the water hashira. He has just arrived the trainin ground, and his eyes wandered around the training ground because he saw the cut bamboos on the ground. Yua smiled and put her hands on her pockets.
"Hello to you, too"
"Hi"
Giyuu kept her silence after that and started training quickly. Yua looked behind at him, for the last time, before shutting the outdoor of the training ground.
"This guy's been acting weird." Actually, it wasn't a new thing to Yua. The water hashira was known for his silent, strong demeanour; maybe asocial. Yua has no idea what kind of person he is. She just knows She thinks that there's a huge difference between having a past and having a -so to speak- traumatic past. She calls it "having history" because only the historical things are impressive and sad at the same time. All of the slayers in this town, and above the mountains are training for a reason.
"Yua-chaan!"
Yua turned around and saw Kanroji, she was running to her and smiling
"Hey, Kanroji-san?"
"Finally, you are here. Tomioka-san said you have just left, and I've been searching for you since then! How can you walk that fast?" She was talking like she was in a hurry, but she was her usual style. Yua smiled and raised her hand. "Okay, okay. Did something happen? Why were you searching for me?"
"We're going out tonight for some sushi. Rengoku-san said that place is new and their meals are like home-made!! We are really curious. So... If you are free tonight, do you want to come with us?"
Yua felt a warm feeling inside her stomach when Kanroji mentioned "Sushi". And then, she remembered her schedule, and the 5th patrol of the month which is tonight.
"I'd love to, but I have a patrol tonight. Maybe I'll join you another night." Yua said with a sorry expression.
Kanroji pressed her lips together and nodded. Yua knew that look. It says that she wanted to object, but there's no reason to say while you object. Because rule is a rule, work is a work. It was just a misfortune that their free day isn't her free day.
"Alright, if you say so..." She paused for a sec to look back and then smiled.
"Take care, okay? Eat something. I can hear your stomach growling there." Yua felt her cheeks going red for embarrassment. She chuckled and put her hand on her stomach, her fingers were keeping a rhythm.
"Okay, have fun there!"
Yua watched her ran away with a smile on her face. She sometimes wishes to be happy as much as her. She just thinks that killing demons is taking a toll of her. When she saw someone with that kind of energy, she can help but admire. But she has that energy, doesn't she?
She does not know neither.
Yua unlocked the front door and head inside. She had only an hour to eat till the sunset. Then, she will go to the grove near the opposite town and stat there for the rest of the night. She put down her sword on the other side of the door.
Her house was big enough for her. It was a usual, tradinational Japanese house with tatami mats, and simple furnitures, except the big piano and guitar on the corner of the room. She was the music hashira, she can play something so. Her place has six rooms, two of them are only for training. She wasn't fond of cooking, so she kept her kitchen simple as possible. Actually, most of the house was in an convenient design.
She quickly made her way to the kitchen and started packing something for the night.
a few hours later
As the moon showed up, Yua was walking around the forest. She walked through the abandoned dojos, ruins and temples for a long time. Then, decided to take a small break from patrolling all the forest again. She walked till she arrived one of the quite corners in the forest. This place has a quite mesmerizing view and there are trees around the spot. She sat down on the grass, looked at the view. This place feels like a small cliff, you can see the town under your feet and wind blows your face like a gift. Especially in this hot weather, these winds feels like a miracle to her.
Yua took a deep breath, rested her hands back on the ground. She raised her head, watched the stars as they dissappeared every time she focused on something else. She looked at the moon, murmured to herself.
“Full moon.” She mentally noted the cycle of the moon.
She has got a calendar full of phases of moon. She does it most of the time, but in those days, she has forgotten completely about the moon.
“What are you doing here?”
Yua startled by the voice that comes from her back and with a swift motion, she stood up, drew her sword in any chance of demons. But it was not a demon, it is the last thing to be a demon
“Tomioka?”
Her question was answered by a nod. Yua tilted her head and put her sword back to its sheath. She was confused a lot. Why was he here? What is he doing here? Isn’t today her patrolling day?
“What are you doing here? Why are you here? Today is my patrolling day for the forest, isn’t it?”
“I am patrolling too.”
“What?” She looked at him, her expression is readable curious.
“I am patrolling in the forest”
“You and me patrolling together for this little forest? Why? I’ve never seen two hashiras patrolling in this forest.”
“There are lots of missing people in the downtown. Oyakata-sama is suspicious about demons. It might be another one.” Yua put her hands on her hips, slightly offended because she was not the only one who takes care of this area. She can handle this place by herself.
“Oh. Then, why didn’t anybody tell me about this?”
“I dont know” He said and an awkward silence went between them.
“...Do you want to walk in forest together? Or should we seperate?”
“Okay.”
Yua stood up and started walking again, this time, Giyuu by her side. The silence that he gave to her was unbearable. He was always like that for Yua. She’s never seen him smile. Actually, she was curious about his smile. She could bet that a smile would fit him. He’d be pretty, to be clear. Yua hasn't seen Giyuu's expressions much. He always has a blank, zoned out expression on his face. She blinkled a few times, this was not the time to think about his smile. But damn, why is he staying silent like that?
“So, how are you?”
“Good, you?”
“Me too. And tonight is kinda warm, isn’t it? Or is it because of the trees?
“I don't know." Yua sighed, pinched the bridge of her nose. He was totally ignoring her, or brushing her off. Is that his usual demeanor? Yua was uncertain, she turned to him, frowning.
“What do you want me to do, Tomioka Giyuu? I feel like I’m in jail when I am on your side. Your silent is a punishment for me right now. This night is already boring, so please, don’t make it more boring!” Yua snapped out, her voice was like a shout, but a whisper. Tomioka looked at him like his usual expression. Then, he sighed.
“What do you want me to say, Hayashi Yua?”
“I don’t know.” “Neither do I.”
They kept walking silently untill Yua found something to speak.
“Hey, I’ve never come into a demon in these days. Maybe the present events are made by some… mafias? Or the dangerous people around the town? It was not a new thing.”
“Maybe. I’ve never encountered demons in this area for a while.”
“Or maybe a insane kidnapped them? Some pirates took them for trading?”
“Hayashi, you are ridiculous.”
“And you? You are boring as hell too!" She snappdd again. She would love to petrol with someone more sociable. But her expression changed when she saw his blurry face. This was new.
“Hey, did I say something wrong? I’m sorry.”
Tomioka gathered his composure and turned to himself, stopped and looked at her for a second.
“I just don’t know about you. I could be more careful if you told me a bir about what should I avoid while we are talking. I know it sounds weir-“ She started talking quickly, she didn't want to cause any misunderstanding. She was just being blunt, and nothing more. He has never treated her bad, right?
“That’s okay, let’s continue patrolling.” Giyuu answered, nodding to her which made her smile in relief. Then they started walking again.
His one hand was on his sword, prepared every time. His hair was flowing. His expression is unreadable and stoic as always, it is like a symbol of him. To be honest, Yua thought it looks good on him. Being emotionless. Staying like that without moving his any face muscle.
For God's sake, why was she thinking about that kind of weirdness? She startled and tried to change her mind to another thing. But she just want to rest her head and did not want to think about anything else, so she started thinking about things she knows about Tomioka Giyuu.
She became a hashira 2 years ago, same year as Tomioka. He was a water hashira, and student of the former water hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki. He was a strong hashira -of course, all of the hashiras are strong- and his breathing was learnt very professionally. And... Except?
She knows something about all of her co-workers. And why did they become a hashira. Well, she doesn’t know all of the hashira’s reason. But at least she knows something.
For example, Kaburamu doesn’t like bacon. Why does she know that?
Kocho has a nice library in her room.
She chuckles every time they eat lunch with Rengoku.
Kanroji-chan likes the lemonade that she mades
There are lots of things she knows about her co-workers. But… She knows nothing about Tomioka. Even his likes. Is he a cat or dog person? What is his favourite food? Damn, it is kinda offending.
Especially when she was trying to escape from her past with making a new future.
A future which makes no sense to him.
But she wants to know something about him
She has to.