Many days had passed by after that incident.

Giyuu was shocked as Sanemi was genuinely being nice to him for a while.
It wasn't long before when they got sent to a mission together.

___________________________________________

It was the middle of the night in a secluded village. A cool breeze blew, rustling the leaves of the trees.
Fast footsteps could be heard, they just got faster and faster.
Sanemi took a deep breath in, his gaze lingering on Giyuu.

"You ready?"

Giyuu nodded in response.

The two ran fast trying to keep up with a Demon.

The Demon, turning back, realised he was being chased, he broke through the window of a small house, inside which screams could be heard.

"FUCK!"
Sanemi ran faster, trying to keep up. Giyuu followed up, behind him.

The Demon had a young, sleeping toddler, in his hand. He looked at the two Hashiras, panicking and trying to run faster than ever before.

"ICHIRO! NO!"
The mother, crying with fear, pleaded the demon to let go of her young child.

"STOP RUNNING, YOU BASTARD!"
Sanemi ran after the Demon, who jumped up high on the roof of a house.

Giyuu ran fast, trying to keep up with Sanemi, both running alongside each other.

Sanemi studied the Demon's actions, and knew for sure that he was about to throw the child off the roof.

His voice was loud and clear, piercing through the air.

"Tomioka! Save that boy, I'll look after the Demon!"
He leapt up, high in the air as he landed on the roof.

Giyuu nodded, his expression, a complicated mix of calmness and anxiousness. He ran after the little boy in hurry.

The Demon, now frightened, did exactly what Sanemi had anticipated.

Giyuu leapt up, catching the boy in the middle of the air, taking him to his parents as Sanemi took care of the Demon.

"Wind Breathing, Eighth Form: Primary Gale Slash!"
Sanemi leapt up, into the air, swinging his blade which generated torrents of wind, slicing up the demon almost immediately.

Giyuu looked at him, his expression relaxed.

As the dust settled and the adrenaline faded, Sanemi's chest heaved with exertion. He watched Giyuu take the boy to safety, his face relaxing a bit.

Damn demons, causing chaos wherever they fucking go...
He thought.

"Thank you so much for saving my son, we'll never forget this act of yours!"
The woman told Giyuu, almost crying with the fear of losing her child.

"It's nothing, so do not worry about it."
Giyuu replied, trying to seem calm about the situation.

"I will always pray for you, for such kindness, for putting your own life at risk and saving us. You're so young!"
She said.

"I really hope you have a great future ahead of you, and an amazing married life!"
She bowed in front of him.

Giyuu bowed back, his expression that of calmness. He acted as if her words didn't have any impact on him, but they triggered the slightest blush that creeped on his cheeks.

Hearing the exchange between Giyuu and the relieved woman, Sanemi rolled his eyes but a rare smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

As Giyuu returned to him, breathing a bit more steadily, he nodded.

"Looks like the boy's alright. Must admit, you did good."
Sanemi said.

Giyuu shook his head in denial.
"It was all you Shinazugawa-San."
He smiled, though it wasn't that evident.

Sanemi grunted, waving it off.

"Let's go back now, it's getting late..."
He said, his voice deep and nonchalant.

Giyuu nodded, looking back one last time at the family.
"Thank you, both of you!" She waved a goodbye to them. Giyuu waved back. "Take care!" He said, before facing Sanemi again.

As he walked next to Giyuu, Sanemi's eyes subtly shifted to his direction, studying his face, his smile, the way his eyes sparkled under the moonlight. He didn't understand why he was doing it.

And, what he felt.

Giyuu caught his gaze, looking at him, unsure of why he was staring at him.

"Is something... the matter?

Snapping out of his reveries, Sanemi cleared his throat.

"...No, nothing's wrong."
He replied, a bit flustered and trying to brush it off.

"O-Okay..."
Giyuu's gaze slowly shifted to the sky, it was a full moon night.

Sanemi followed his gaze, the sight of the full moon calming him. He took a deep breath, the tension seeping out of his shoulders.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?"
He murmured, almost to himself.

Giyuu was caught off guard as he was never so sweet with him, always shouting and restless.
Sanemi's genuine calmness caught him by surprise.

"Y-Yeah... you're right."

Sanemi chuckled at Giyuu's reaction, his gaze shifting back to him. The moonlight casted a silvery gleam on his features.

He looked at him with an intensity Giyuu had never seen before, his eyes glowing in the moonlight, filled with an inexplicable warmth.

"Sh-Shinazugawa-San...?"

Sanemi blinked and shook his head.

"Sorry... lost in thoughts." He was flustered, but tried to hide it with a frustrated expression.

"You must be tired..."
Giyuu replied, his expression made him think he just wanted to go to sleep.

Sanemi nodded, his expression softening slightly.

"Yeah, I am... This day was a long one!"
He said, stretching his arms a bit.

"Yeah, even I am tired."
Giyuu said, trying to keep the conversation going.

Sanemi looked at him curiously, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Well, once we're back, we both could use some rest."

Giyuu nodded in agreement. The next few moments went by in silence. It was awkward, but he woudn't complain, as long as Sanemi wasn't all mad at him, he had no complaints.

Sanemi remained silent, too lost in his thoughts to realize the awkwardness between the two. He looked away from Giyuu, his gaze lingering on the horizon. After a while, he turned back to face Giyuu, with a serious expression. "Listen..."

"Hm...?"
Giyuu faced him, his eyes locked with Sanemi's.

Sanemi's expression was grave, his eyes searching Giyuu's intensely.

"I don't... I don't want you to think that I'm upset with you."
His voice was low and sincere.

"You did nothing wrong. Understand?"

Giyuu's eyes widened at his words.

"Why would you say that... all of a sudden?" He asked.

Sanemi let out a deep sigh, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I know I've been... well, not the best person to you... And, I didn't want you to think that it was somehow your fault." He explained, his eyes on the ground.

Giyuu looked at him, his gaze way softer than before.

"...I think you're a really good person, sure, not at all times... but, recently I've realised that you're kind, and you care about everyone around you. And that, has made me like you more."

Giyuu said, smiling a little and looking at the ground.

"You don't have to say anything like that, you've been an amazing friend to me, and that's all that matters..."
He took a deep breath in, locking his eyes with Sanemi's again.

Sanemi's eyes widened, taken aback by his words. A faint blush creeped onto his cheeks as he looked at him, his expression a mix of surprise and maybe... Affection?

"You... you really think so?" He murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Giyuu nodded in response.
"Yeah."

Sanemi's eyes softened even more, his gaze never leaving Giyuu's.

"Thanks, Tomioka... for ignoring all that bullshit, and liking me anyway."
He took a deep breath in, a slight blush spread on his face.

"M-Maybe you're not so bad afterall..." He looked at him, a small smile escaping his lips.

Giyuu's eyes widen, sparkling and shining, though he still wore a calm expression.
"Really?"

Sanemi let out a chuckle, ruffling Giyuu's hair with a smile.
"Yeah, really. You're pretty damn hard to ignore, Tomioka."
He said, his voice sweet and affectionate.

Giyuu blushed softly, smiling back at him.

The two walked together, laughing and talking on the journey back to the headquarters.

'Thank you, Shinazugawa-San.'

___________________________________________

Me because I didn't sleep at all tonight:-
🤡

Anyways, eat this upp!

🍩;)