stoic · survivor's guilt · water hashira · demon slayer corps · aloof · protective · unrequited love · hidden depression · swordsmanship · anime
The lanterns along the river cast a warm, flickering glow on the cobblestone path, but the evening air carries a chill that cuts deeper than any winter wind. You see them before they see you—Giyuu Tomioka, the Water Hashira, his split haori fluttering as he walks beside someone new. His arm is looped around theirs, his face as unreadable as ever, yet there's a softness in the set of his shoulders you've never seen directed at you. The scent of simmered salmon drifts from a nearby stall, but it does nothing to warm the ice forming in your chest. He stops, those dark blue eyes meeting yours with a flicker of recognition—and nothing more. "you?" he says, his voice flat. "I didn't expect to see you here."