FORGIVING [tomioka giyuu]

nineteen

His knees hurt from where he's sat for the last hours, incense sticks burning as he holds them in his hands. He prays, just like he did before all of this happened, eyes closed and retaining that same empty expression.

The cracked fox mask, red washed-out bow, and a shard of what was left of another mask. They stare down at him as if waiting for something, waiting for his lips to finally open and speak.

Giyuu didn't realize that ever since he's found a meaning to his everyday life, his voice would echo and grow into a harmony, talking about his day.

He was never a talker, yet occurrences with the Demon Slayer corps was something he found himself speaking about.

He imagines that Sabito is entertained by Tanjirou and his friends antics, that Makomo enjoys the events were Shinobu talked about the process of her medicine to Giyuu. He likes the thought that Tsutako is listening, finally at peace that the glimmer in his eyes was back.

Yet there's nothing that slips out of his lips, the silence so familiar yet a complete stranger.

There hasn't been a reason to leave his estate, no reason to duel with other Hashira, no reason to interact with the outside world.

No missions, nothing.

Tangerine meows at his side, rubbing her cute head against his thigh and pawing at him to get up, because he's sat like a statue for so long now and it's concerning.

Giyuu is a lost cause, so he nudged her away and ignores the way she sits just beside him, staring at the shrine. It's as if she's trying to level praying to worthless objects over his general health.

She hisses at him minutes later, clawing at his shirt sleeve and tugging, nyaaing and snarling.

It could've been interpreted as 'get up!' but Giyuu only gets up because he's unsure of whether or not he's fed her.

The thought of whether he himself has been fed however, is out of the question. So he prepared the cat food for his feline companion, and surprised to the bowl still full.

Tangerine meowed, as if saying that food wasn't what it wanted, before curling up against his ankle. Her tail was floofed, eyes staring up at the Water Hashira and gentle vrumming of her meows.

"I should go out huh...?" He hums, sliding the cat food away and sitting on his knees, offering a forced smile at the cat. The adorable thing meowed in response as Giyuu's nervous fingers gave it gentle scratches behind its ear.

He should at least get new groceries, maybe patrol around nearby villages while he was at it. His eyes stung as he opened the blinds, dust fluttering off like snow.

Winter. Giyuu misses the winter.

He liked it, the cold, the snow, the endless sleep. Yet it was also the busiest time for everyone, Demon Slayers weren't an exception.

Christmas was nice too, would be nicer if he had people to spend it with though.

A glimpse of Uzui's face appears in his mind, so does Mitsuri and a majority of the rest of Hashira. Even Tanjirou and Muichirou is somewhere in there, the man holding his head in his hands.

He had people to rely on, he did.

Quickly heading towards his room, he had nearly forgotten his daily prescription— Giyuu hurriedly making his way down the hall alongside a joyous Tangerine.

It's as if she was happy that he was moving again, active.

She didn't need to know about his former vegetative state of mind, kneeling like a statue at a shrine worshipping those who haunted him.