(Sabito x Giyuu) Behind His Icy Blue Eyes

Death Anniversary

Today was the day, they died.

Sabito and Makomo.

Giyuu hates this day but the heavens blessed him today as it a fairly cloudy and rainy day.

Sometimes he just stands in the rain, to forget about the past, to forget about the demons, to forget about who he was and what he has become. The rain is beautiful, Sabito also loved when it rained. They would watch it fall peacefully inside their sensei's humble home but times have changed and not for the better as only Giyuu stands watching the rain without a certain peach coloured hair boy and a short but very fierce girl.

He like the other pillars had his own estate. It had been built for students studying the water breathing to see how the rivers and ponds moved to get a better understanding of it. He walked into the estate, empty and lifeless just like the one who was currently living in it.

He entered the place that was supposed to be for Sabito.

He walked to a pond that houses multiple types of fish. He watched as the many types of fish, swan by. It was a pretty sight but for Giyuu, it just reminded him of how alone he was. He wonders, how do they get fed as he's the only person that comes here unless his sensei comes and feeds the fishes when he's not around.

As he was about to leave, he slipped and fell into the deep pond. Despite being the Water Pillar, Giyuu didn't know how to swim. Sabito had grabbed him and swam back to the edge of the cliff when their sensei pushed them down the cliff and into the river.

Is this how he's going to die.

By drowning.

The Water Pillar died by drowning.

How ironic is that.

"Tomioka-san!"

A voice that normally was never raised.

It was all he heard before the rush of water in his ears. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to sink to the bottom again, but felt a pair of strong arms carry him up towards the surface. Giyuu coughed, blinking, and looked up into the face of Himejima Gyomei, the stone pillar. 

"Himejima-san, what are you doing here?" He asked, trying not to sound surprised.

"Tomioka-san, my crow came to contact me saying you were in trouble and needed help.” Gyomei answered.

"No." Tomioka said effectively cutting him off.

Gyomei took a sharp breath.

"No. I’m fine. It’s better that I just deal with it on my own." Giyuu continued.

"Tomioka-san, there is no shame in asking for help." Gyomei said.

"You don’t have to deal with everything on your own." He continued.

"I don’t deserve help." Tomioka mumbled, his voice was tight with tears.

Gyomei felt a core of dread form in his chest, driving icy through his veins. 

"Why do you say that?" Gyomei asked, Giyuu never really talked to anyone about his past or problems.

"My sister, Sabito and Makomo. Their deaths are my fault. The world would be better if they had lived instead of me." Giyuu said, eyes casted at the pond that he had fallen into a few minutes ago.

Gyomei sat down beside Tomioka. Giyuu still didn’t look at him.

"How do you know that?" Gyomei asked slowly. 

"What do you mean?" Tomioka said sounding utterly confused.

He drew his arms in closer to himself, fingers curling in the thick fabric of the standard uniform.

"How do you know the world would be better if you had died?"

"It's-" Tomioka stuttered.

"Because Sabito was the better student. He was stronger but he died because of me. If it wasn't for me, the others would have a better Water Pillar and A earth pillar. Sabito was supposed to be the pillar, not me. I was always the weaker one. Makomo also was faster than me and was a better fighter as well. " Giyuu continued at this point, Tomioka's tears had spilled.

"Tomioka, I’m ashamed to say that I have never taken the time to get to know you very well, even though Oyakata-sama has told us how much he wishes we would care for one another. For that, I would like to apologize, and I would rectify my mistake." Himejima said as he set his hands on his knees.

"Ever since you became a pillar I have admired your strength, your ability to stay so calm in the face of fighting such horrible creatures as demons. As a fellow demon slayer, I know how much courage it takes to set aside a normal life to dedicate it instead of eradicating them. It is thankless work, but I would like you to know how grateful I am to fight by your side. You might think Sabito might of been a better pillar but he sacrificed himself for you. Are you going to let that sacrifice be in vain. Instead of blaming yourself, blame the demons who took them away from you. Think of how they would feel if they knew how you are feeling currently. " Gyomei stated with a small smile.

"I know that but it's not going bring back my sister or Sabito and Makomo. I try everyday to live for them and I try to get stronger but I will always be weak for not being able to help Sabito during the Final Selection. I was just a weak coward. " Tomioka said as he looked up at Gyomei.

Gyomei’s face softened, his mouth melting into a slightly wider smile.

"No, Tomioka-san. You have courage, you can never be a coward."

Tomioka didn’t have a rebuttal for that.

He shifted into a normal seated position, though his hands remained white-knuckled in his lap, and a single tear streaked down his rain dampened cheek.

Suddenly, a black figure flew by. It was just a kasugai crow.

"Pillar meeting! At the Ubayashiki estate! Prepare to leave immediately!" It yelled.

"Thank you." Tomioka said quietly, turning to look at Gyomei.

He felt how unsteady Tomioka was on his feet.

"Are you well enough to go? Tomioka-san." He asked.

"Yes, I am." Giyuu replied.

"What about your clothes?" Gyomei asked.

"It's fine, yours is wet as well." Giyuu stated.

"Let’s go then."

Gyomei felt something like uncertainty in his bones. Perhaps he knew his fellow pillars less than he thought.