Giyuu Tomioka

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It was a troublesome and grotesque night. half of the villagers had died, at the hands of the greedy demons now pawing and tearing down each house they passed by. the sweet and comforting presence of your once reliable hometown, torn apart by the disgustingly long claws of the demon.

it had become futile to fight as it seemed the demons had gained some sort of twisted interest in you, tying you up to a nearby tree and wrapping a tight cloth against your lips.

you looked around, fearful and on the edge of giving up as one by one, the demons went on a rampage, killing every single living thing in their path. they showed no mercy as the agonizing screams and disgusting sounds of flesh—limbs being torn apart, never ceased.

you closed your eyes, praying to whoever was out there, praying that this—was nothing more than a dream. then suddenly, the sound of a sword—no, a katana, slashing through the air. you opened your eyes to notice the frame of a strange yet alluring man, leaping through the air and slashing one of the demon’s head off, spreading fear amongst the rest of the creatures.

his stoic yet stern expression held traces of contempt he made no effort hiding, remaining on his face as he cut down each and every one of their limps, hearing their guttural cry out of pain as the regeneration process slowed down with each attack.

there were no words needed as he cut them down, maneuvering his weapon through the air to swat away the traces of their, filthy blood that remained on his blade. he noticed you, out of the corner of his eye, approaching you with steady steps.

without a sound, he carefully untied the ropes that held your wrists bound around the rough bark of the tree, and the knots of the cloth they had used to seal your mouth, letting you breathe in the fresh air as you gasped out of relief.

no amounts of words were nearly enough to thank him, this man—his gaze though seemingly distant and stoic, radiating a sense of justice deep within.

after a few moments, your breathing back to normal, you dropped to your knees, bowing down to him as the other remaining villagers did the same, thanking him all in unison. some cried, some cheered and some even started worshiping him.

his grip on his weapon tightened slightly at this, demanding in a low, partially commanding and pleading voice to get up. ”please, get up. there’s no need for all this. i.. was just doing my job.” he says, humility laced in his tone.

his grip softens slightly as the villagers, including you, rise up from your kneeled positions. with a curt not, he turns away, ready to leave and you felt panic rise in you.

you couldn’t let him leave without having eaten anything, especially since you had done nothing but burden him with your incompetence. but before you could dare to chase after him, the kids seemed to have taken charge and blocked his path.

his stoic expression remained yet slightly coated with surprise as he looked down at the children.

”please don’t go yet! we have to thank you for saving us!” one kid exclaimed, holding up a basket of bread. ”there really is no need,” giyuu protested but quickly got interrupted as he felt a tug at his haori.

looking to the side he noticed a little girl, clumsily trying to wipe away the tears from her eyes as she hiccuped with each sob. ”thank you.. for saving my mom.. i was so scared.. i.. i dont know what i would do if she was gone..” she sobbed softly, her eyes turning a puffy red. giyuu had no idea what to do. he wasn’t sure how to comfort a kid but he would be a liar if he said that he wasn’t relieved to hear he could save the feeling of loss from these kids.

”pleaseee?” a bunch of other kids joined in, pleading in unison to get him to at least attend the festival they were about to host in his honor. he was overwhelmed and even if usually after these kinds of missions he’d retreat into his own bubble, away from all of the debris, he realized he may burden them further than he already is.

with a sigh, mindful of the little girl still crying her heart out, he reluctantly placed his hand above her head—trying his best to soothe her as he relented. ”just for a few hours and then, i shall leave.” he gave in, seeing the joy and excitement in most of the children's eyes as they ran to tell their parents and siblings.

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the festival was a blast, music, confetti and most of all, food. everyone was having a blast and giyuu, not being a fan of crowded places, opted for a quiet spot just above—quietly admiring the colorful scenery.

his sharp ears caught the sound of light footsteps, causing him to turn his head at the sound and try to gauge out who it was.

and to his surprise, it was you. the woman whom he had untied earlier. he didn’t realize it earlier but amongst all of the faces he had crossed, you were the one he recognized in a heartbeat, or should he say, stuck out the most.

his aloof expression remained, not twitching or changing ever so slightly as he noticed the basket of treats and goodies nestled in your arms. it looked quite heavy for such a frail and tiny looking woman like you but, after seeing that warm and welcoming smile on your face, not forced at all, he grew to have some faith in your ability.

bowing down briefly, you gently offered the basket to him, noticing his eyes flicker with surprise and conflict. ”is this, for me?” he asked, his voice calm yet there was a slight crease in his eyebrows as he watched you quickly nod with a smile.

”if this is about earlier, then there’s no need. as i told everyone earlier, this is what i do. I don’t need to be rewarded for something I already do enough.” he says, hoping his words were enough for you to retreat the food from him. ”you should return to the festival, with the others. you shouldn’t worry about me.” he adds, turning his gaze back down to the city.

”please, take this. it is a token of my appreciation. without you, i’m not sure everyone else would’ve made it out alive.” you plead, grateful for his help as you bowed down again, your forehead pressing against the concrete softly while your knees remained bunged up to your chest. ”i was useless when it came to them, unable to move and could only watch as a majority of them died. No amount of words could describe how truly grateful we are for your skills and compassion, so please, take this as a thank you.” you whisper, sitting back up, your hands resting on your knees and clutching the fabric of your dress as your determination shone through your gaze.

”i wouldn’t be able to sleep well knowing i haven’t done anything to repay you,” you admit softly, hoping that would be enough for him to accept your thank you. if it wasnt for him, you weren’t sure how everyone else would’ve made it out alive.

you could see the conflict in his gaze as he gazed into your eyes for a second before slightly nudging his head, accepting your offer. ”you really shouldn’t have, but, i’m grateful nonetheless.” he whispers softly, gently taking the basket as you handed it to him, eager to see his expression to the food.

as he takes a bite out of the delicious food, you take the opportunity to sit next to him to try and gauge his reaction, wanting to know if the food was up to his expectations.

your village wasn’t rich in ressources, you all made it through with what you had thanks to your knowledge but he seemed to be a man of high class, education wise.

those moves, weren’t any ordinary moves. you wanted to learn, even if all of your life you had been told no, lacked the education and tools you wanted to be useful, for something.