Another month had passed since Mitsuri and Giyuu visited her family's house. The visit had gone smoother than she could've hoped, with Giyuu being quickly accepted into the family. He still didn't refer to them as father, mother, and brother much, but she didn't mind it. Giyuu always gave off a traditional and old soul feeling to her. He was probably waiting until after the ceremony to start. With the agreement of her family moving in, she was right in that she didn't feel as lonely as she did before. The Love estate was as lively as it had ever been. In her excitement, she had invited Kyojuro to meet them and to share a meal, and to help her with meeting Urokodaki-sama.
She didn't believe it would be much of an issue, as Giyuu told her, he viewed him as his mentor and teacher. She couldn't help but feel there were underlying feelings however. Being as dedicated to the heart and emotions as she was, she felt there were missing pieces she couldn't see. Mitsuri found herself realizing that her and Giyuu really had influenced each other more than she could've thought. He became more physically attentive and unafraid to show affections, and here she was having real ideas and moments of deep thought. She laughed to herself as she finally heard knocking at the door. She quickly rushed past her family as opened the door and smiled. "Kyojuro, you came!"
Kyojuro smiled as he greeted his friend and former student. "Of course I would, you sent me an invitation after all!" He laughed happily as he was invited in. Before long, he finally found the rest of the Kanroji family. "Ah! I am pleased to make your acquaintances! I am Kyojuro Rengoku, Flame hashira, and your daughter's former teacher!" Kyojuro bowed as he sat down at the table with them. "How would you like me to address you all?" He looked around as the matriarch of the family was the first to greet him. "Don't worry about anything formal, you taught our daughter how to keep herself safe. You're a friend of the family because of that. I'm Suki, my husband is Kokoro, and our son is Bashira." Kyojuro nodded as he smiled to everyone.
"Mitsuri! May I ask why you are wearing the haori nearly identical to Giyuu's? I've always been curious of his with its separate patterns, but now you have one as well!" He looked at it as it was the mirrored haori they both had seen the first night they stayed at his estate. It was in a nearly spotless condition, and now he believed it was gift worthy to Mitsuri. His curiosity was soon satiated when Suki had spoken up. "Oh apparently it's a haori he made from parts that had a lot of sentimental value. It must really mean a lot if she accepted it as an engagement gift."
Mitsuri scrambled as she rushed past Kyojuro and started to shake her mom as she was betrayed by her own family. "Mom! That was supposed to be a secret! I was still planning on how to make the invitations for next month!" She continued to cry out loud as wanted everything to try and be a surprise. She knew that she already called Giyuu 'husband to be' in the past in front of the others, but she at least she didn't say they were getting married yet! "Congratulations Mitsuri! It is absolutely amazing to hear that this is happening already! I cannot wait to attend!"
Kyojuro could barely contain his excitement as he could only smile wider. To see how far Mitsuri had come had set his heart ablaze with pride! He watched as Suki finally escaped her daughter's grasp as she looked towards him. "If you don't mind Kyojuro, she has a few other questions for you. After she's done with her private businesses, we can all eat." Mitsuri turned her attention back towards Kyojuro, nodding with a smile. "I even asked her to make you some sweet potatoes, you can have them as soon as we're done."
Mitsuri and Kyojuro moved out onto the engawa, sitting in the warmth of the afternoon sun. "Ah! Isn't the sun just lovely?" Mitsuri smiled as she closed her eyes and basked in the sun's rays. Kyojuro smiled and sat upright. "It truly is! I am thankful this was not set at night, asking me if the moon is lovely would be awkward with your relationship with Giyuu!" Mitsuri looked towards him with a confused look, tilting her head to the side. Kyojuro laughed as he saw the opportunity to explain. "To ask someone if the moon is lovely is to declare your love for them! If they say yes, it means they reciprocate the feeling!" Mitsuri went into shock from this revelation, covering her face with embarrassment with her sleeves "We accidentally confessed to each other before we even knew what that means, if we aren't already together this would've been so much worse to learn."
"Anyways Kyojuro, I wanted to ask you about a few things. First, I want to ask if you have any advice on meeting Giyuu's sensei. We leave for visiting him tomorrow. I just-" She sighed as she looked down. "What if I scare him with how weird I am? What will happen if he doesn't like me? Giyuu met my parents, but this isn't a family member! Just a teacher!" She threw herself backwards to lay down on the engawa. "Think of it like this Mitsuri! I don't think he will be as hard to deal with as Giyuu himself was! If you've already taken on the hardest part of a problem, the rest of it will be easy by comparison! Even if he does not like you, that does not mean Giyuu will love you any less! He is too good of a man to do that!"
Mitsuri thought of the words he said, believing it for a moment. She couldn't help but still worry. It was easy for HER to get Giyuu to open up, Shinobu and Kyojuro had tried for years with next to no results. That still left her to worry about how the actual meeting would go. "I'll just have to leave it up to the meeting, that's the only way I'll stop worrying. But the next question, and you're perfectly alright to say no! There's no pressure!" Kyojuro looked towards her with curious intent. "I was wondering if... You'd like to be a godfather in the future." She placed her hands on her stomach, lowering her head with a smile.
Kyojuro physically reeled back in shock, having to lean back against a beam for support. "You and Giyuu already did that?! How can you already tell?! Are you sure you want me for that position?!" This was perhaps the most nervous or anxious he had ever believed himself to be. He was curious if this was how his father reacted when he first learned he was going to become a father. "It's been two months already Kyojuro." Her face became red as she began to remember how thorough her and Giyuu decided to be in their endeavors. "I've been talking with mom, and the more time passes, the more I'm convinced. Morning sickness, moments of feeling horribly tired, sensitivity."Giyuu had told me he already asked Shinobu and she agreed. It made sense given how much he trusts her, which is why I'm asking you. I've always seen you as a big brother, and I can't think of many others that I trust as much as you. Like I said, it's alright if you say no, I don't want to force it on you." Kyojuro focused on every word as Mitsuri spoke, she said everything with a gentle conviction. She said everything with confidence, but still spoke softly. He smiled, happy to see she was ever changing but stayed true to herself. "I accept! I will be of aid however you need of me!"
Mitsuri smiled as she pulled Kyojuro into a hug, who was more than happy to return the gesture. "Like I told mom, the wedding is next month. But please, make sure you don't tell anyone else. This really was meant to be a surprise for everyone." Kyojuro nodded as he stood, helping her up as well. "I will not tell a soul! Let us continue talking about this while we eat! My very soul has become ablaze, the only thing that will calm me down is a delicious shared meal!" The duo shared in a warming laugh as they returned inside, happy that they still can rely on one another after all this time.
Mitsuri found herself in front of the Water estate once again, happy with how the previous day had gone. Giyuu had gone through his nervousness and worry when he came to her door, and now it was her turn. She had the utmost faith that their relationship would endure past the meeting if it went bad, but she grew weary of if it would cause a wedge between him and his teacher. She shook the thoughts away as she knocked on the door. After several minutes, Giyuu finally came out greeting her with a smile. "Mitsuri. Are you ready to see Urokodaki-sensei?"
She nodded as she still tried and failed to hide a look of mild worry. Giyuu dropped his bags as he held onto her, rubbing the top of her head. "He'll like you, don't worry. He had to deal with me, Tanjiro, as well as Sabito. Each of us were a handful in our own right, he's more accepting and caring than your thoughts are making you feel." Mitsuri squirmed in the hug as she stayed in his arms. "I know, I know. It's just my brain being mean. Looks like it's your turn to be the one assuring me huh?" Giyuu kissed her forehead as she smiled back up at him. "Every step of the way, even when I know it'll be alright."
"You remembered to pack the cold weather clothes right?" Mitsuri nodded as she had her family double check her bags before she left. "I even requested from Shinobu a pair of slayer uniform pants. If it's as cold as you say it can be up there, I'll be ready." Giyuu nodded in relief, his mind traveling back to the time of his training. "I almost want to thank that place, with how little oxygen we were getting during training, I think it helped my blood to get use to pulling more oxygen for my techniques." Mitsuri looked at him with awe and worry, trying to imagine just what kind of training he had to endure. She was wondering if she had to be thankful for the training Kyojuro put her through.
Just like with the trip to get family, the trip to Mt. Sagiri took days to reach their destination. Giyuu wasn't kidding when he said the cold weather needed to be prepared for. Even if the terrain and the weather was harsh, it was beautiful to take in. The view of the mountain from a distance almost gave an untouched feeling of nature with how far it was from anything else. It was cold in nature, but still amazing in its own right, it reminded her of Giyuu. "I'm still nervous, but this place almost gives a serene feeling." "Things will be more than alright don't worry, also don't worry about the mask."
Mitsuri was confused by this, keeping her thoughts mixed around as they came across a small shack. A man was coming out, he was wearing a blue wave patterned haori with clouds scattered across it. He looked normal as far as she could tell, but then she noticed what Giyuu was talking about. He was wearing a red tengu mask with a long nose, it honestly caught her off guard as she instinctively stood behind Giyuu. She looked up to him as Giyuu seemed unfazed by his appearance. "Urokodaki-sensei, we've arrived." Giyuu spoke out as the man finally paid attention to them. "Ah Giyuu, I could recognize your scent from down the mountain. I was just wondering how long it would take you to actually get here."
"That nose of yours is still as strong as ever sensei." Giyuu dropped his bag as his former teacher pulled him into a hug. It had been years since he'd seen the man, he hadn't set foot on the mountain since returning from final selection. To be back, back at the place he considered a home, it felt soothing. "Good enough to tell that this woman is someone important to you. Your scent has mingled with hers. Come now, introduce me to her." Giyuu let go of the hug while feeling embarrassment wash over him. With age apparently came the desire to lose all tact and subtlety. "Sensei, this is Mitsuri Kanroji... Soon to me Mitsuri Tomioka."
Sakonji quickly turned to Giyuu, not expecting this answer with how the last time he heard from him. It had been several months since he had heard from him through their letters, now he could see as to why. He looked towards the girl, instantly noticing the haori she wore. It had the remaining halfs of Tsutako's and Sabito's cloth. "H-hi though Urokodaki-sama, as Giyuu said, I'm Mitsuri Kanroji. Giyuu and I plan to wed next month, and we thought it was only fitting to see you, for me to try and get your approval to marry someone like him." She smiled as she gave off the scent of fear, but he didn't need to smell it as she already looked anxious. He did the only thing he could to put her at ease. Taking off his mask, he gave her a light smile. "Thank you, for taking care of one of my children."
Mitsuri had recieved what she could only describe as emotional whiplash. She was feeling fear and worry over how the meeting would go, and now she was seeing a face as kind as the master's. He pulled her into a hug and she was happy to return it if it meant no longer needing to worry. "Thank you for whatever it is you did to him, I haven't felt he was this happy since before he finished training. Or when he would be with Sabito having their moments of rambunctious childhood." She smiled at the idea of a tiny uncontrollable Giyuu that wasn't afraid to be happy.
Watching him put the tengu mask back on, he gestured for them to follow. "Come now, bring yourselves in. I was making tea anyways, I'll get the other cups ready. And you!" The duo watched as he turned and pointed to Giyuu with an accusatory finger. "I want answers as to just how this happened. You don't write for months only to spring this on me? I recieved your letter you would be visiting with someone after all this time, but with it to be your wife that you told me nothing about? I should make you sit in the waterfall again!" Mitsuri laughed as she watched Giyuu's shoulders physically sink. They followed Urokodaki-sama into his shack, placing their things down and meeting at the small table in the middle.Now then, I would like answers from the beginning, and I would like them from Mitsuri. You're the only thing that's been able to pull Giyuu out of the ocean of sadness he has been in for some years now. Please, tell me what you have done for my boy." Mitsuri looked towards Giyuu wondering if it was alright with him to talk about it. He nodded his head as he held her hand. "Well Urokodaki-sama, it all started when I met Giyuu at the master's estate. I didn't know at the time, but I was being made into the newest Hashira. I was lost in the mansion and Giyuu found me and helped me go where I was needed. After the meeting, everyone had told me how Giyuu made it his mission to be alone, a part of me refused to let that happen anymore. I wanted to be his friend."
"After that, he gave me these socks I'm wearing." She pulled up the pants she was happy Shinobu gave her, revealing the dark blue socks. "He said they were extra protection since I wear the skirt that was issued to me, but then others began to say it was the first time Giyuu gave anyone a present. He ate with us, twice, and even defended me when bystanders commented on my eating habits. When he did that, I couldn't help but start to realize I wanted him as more than just my friend. We had a... heated conversion, and in the midst of it, I accidentally confessed. That was two months after we met, and now six months ago."
"Everything was going great, we were happy, loved each other, we didn't have any plans to be married yet. Then Nezuko's and Tanjiro's trial happened. Where I learned about what Giyuu would do if Nezuko ate a human. He gave me his last name then and there and had one of our friends take me away as he bet his life Nezuko wouldn't attack. That was two months ago." Giyuu tightened his grip on her hand as she leaned against him. "With his life now on the line, we're doing everything that we can. We saw my parents last month, we came to see you this month, and the wedding is next."
Sakonji looked towards the couple, not anticipated this kind of story. They took what was a reasonable choice of action in his eyes. Himself and Giyuu had their lives on the line for Nezuko, both not knowing what day could be their last. If he had found someone he could say he loved, he wouldn't deny he'd probably do the same. "I do not blame you both, your choices are your own. Giyuu, my only wish was that you told me of her sooner. When you stopped writing me, I will admit I worried." Giyuu lowered his head in shame, feeling guilt that he made him worry. "My apologies, the only excuse I have, is that I was learning once again what it meant to feel alive."
Sakonji couldn't help but smile under his mask, smelling that Giyuu truly was in a happier place. "It's no worry now my boy, you were getting better, recovering, healing. I can't be mad at you for that." Giyuu smiled at the words, happy that he was even getting support from him. "Uh, Urokodaki-sama?" Mitsuri was about to ask something before Sakonji raised his hand. "Please, just Sakonji from now on you two. Giyuu won't admit it openly, but I'm the closest thing he has to a father. Every student I take in, I saw and cared for as my own flesh in blood. Giyuu is no different, and now I will be having you as a daughter figure. You have my approval." Mitsuri smiled warmly at the idea and agreed. "Sakonji, why do you wear a tengu mask?"
"You saw this face, no demon would take a face that gentle seriously. He needed an intimidation factor. It worked on his students as well." Giyuu drank his tea for a moment of peace before finding himself getting hit with wooden cutlery. "I will make you cut those boulders with a knife if you do not learn how to show respect to the person who helped raised you and teach you to survive." Mitsuri tried as best she could to stifle the laugh that reached her mouth, but failed as she fell over laughing. She fell onto her back and wrapping her arms around herself. The men shared a look at her, before succumbing to laughter themselves.
With the laughter passing and the tea done, Giyuu and Mitsuri moved their things to the old student quarters. Giyuu felt nostalgia as he stood inside the tiny building once again, noting it felt smaller to him. "Hey Giyuu? What did Sakonji mean by boulder cutting?" Giyuu looked into his memory as he saw himself and Sabito together, side by side in front of twin boulders. "Every student of Urokodaki-sensei had one final test before he allowed them to move to final selection. If you could cut a boulder in half, you were allowed to move forward." Mitsuri's jaw had dropped but felt her eyes light up. "Can I see where it happens?!" With a laugh and a quick nod, Giyuu lead her to the old training grounds.
After some time walking, the couple had finally made it to the training arena. He looked around, his eyes wandering to old scars of the land he and Sabito left. Looking towards the center, he saw a boulder that was sliced in two. "This must've been Tanjiro's, Urokodaki-sensei must've been adamant on getting him to quit and gave him this one as a deterrent. Too bad he didn't realize how stubborn that boy was. It's a clean cut as well." He walked around the boulder, inspecting the size and thickness of the behemoth of rock.Mitsuri looked up to the boulder, almost feeling weak in the knees. "That's the final test?! Suddenly your strength makes a lot more sense when you're forced to do this as a beginner." She remembered how easy Giyuu had caught her when she charged into him on several occasions. Even helping pull her family and luggage on a cart with minimal issue. "Kyojuro must never learn of this practice." Giyuu shook his head and looked to the boulder. "I don't doubt Tanjiro will be his last student, he never took anyone after I came back from final selection. The only reason he took him in is because I sent them to him after witnessing what happened at our first encounter."
Mitsuri walked towards the boulder, placing her hand against it as she actually thought of the siblings. A part of her still wanted to be upset that Giyuu's life was in their hands, but she knew she couldn't do that. Giyuu chose to place his faith in them, they were just victims of demons who earned a second chance. She was pulled out of her thoughts when Giyuu hugged her from behind. "I'm gonna go help get food ready for dinner. I warned him how much would need to be prepped, but with his age I'd like to help him get ready." She nodded and gave him a quick kiss as she continued looking towards the boulder, almost mesmerized by it. "Even If being a slayer has caused him this much pain, I'm still glad he became one. His strength to keep moving forward after everything is just one of the things I fell in love with about him."
"He really did become a hell of a man huh? I'm glad he finally found peace with everything, thanks for helping with that." Mitsuri jumped and fell back as she looked up to the new voice. Looking up to the boulder, she saw a boy wearing a fox mask and had peach pink hair sitting on top of it. "My apologies for the surprise, I just wanted to have a one on one talk. Especially with how it has to do with someone that's very important to the both of us." The boy jumped down as Mitsuri continued to keep her eye on him. It was obvious that he was talking about Giyuu, but this boy didn't seem that old at all.
"So then, what is it you want to talk about?" Mitsuri watched as the boy stuck his hand out to her, wanting to help her up. She hesitantly accepted it, but was surprised at how strong he was. "Giyuu, what else? It's been a while since I've seen that smile of his. At one point I had to slap him and threaten our friendship because he was trying to say he wished he died instead of Tsutako. That was the first time he became all gloom and doom. It certainly wasn't the last." Mitsuri was almost started to feel uneasy with how this kid seemed to know about this. The last time Giyuu talked about something like that, it was the night they had their second argument. She remembered how he cried out saying everyone was gone, the pain in every word he spoke shook her to her core. "Who are you?!" "You already know me, you're wearing half my pattern after all."
Mitsuri felt her words die in her throat as her eyes focused on the person in front of her. It had to be impossible, he had to be dead! He was supposed to be dead years ago! Her eyes looked down and she saw that pattern, the green and yellow geometric pattern that she and Giyuu shared. "Tell me something only someone close to Giyuu would know!" The boy claiming to be Sabito leaned back against the boulder. "Salmon daikon is his favorite meal. Tsutako would make it whenever he was sad or sick. It always got him to smile whenever he was feeling down during training. Is that a good enough answer or do I need to break out the embarrassing secrets next?"
Mitsuri began to feel doubt leave her mind as she learned of his favorite food the first time she visited his district. He spoke with such confidence that it sounded believable. Demons were one thing, but are lingering spirits meant to be real too? "Are you really him? But how? You've been dead for years so how are you here in front of me?! If you really are Sabito, why didn't you say anything to Giyuu?!" Sabito walked up to her, finally taking his mask off as it sat to the side of his face. "Spirits with business left to attend don't move on until things are taking care of. Tanjiro already avenged me and I moved on, but then I looked down and saw you two arrive. I had to claw my way down here just to come back to this place."
Mitsuri saw that he really was just a boy, barely looking any older than thirteen. His eyes gave a stern but confident expression. The scar on his face almost gave him a resting smirk, but she could tell he was serious in every word. "And I didn't reveal myself to Giyuu because he doesn't need me anymore. I know my best friend has been hurting, but he's moving past it finally. I saw his eyes, his smile, I haven't seen that since our training days. After I died, I saw that idiot blame himself for what happened to me for years. I told him if he ever regretted living or wanted death I'd disavow our friendship. Now though? He's finally looking like he wants to live again, not just going through the motions."
"First Tsutako watched over him, then I did, now it's your turn Mitsuri. He's going to do whatever he can to try and keep you safe because of what happened to us, but you need to watch his back too. As much as he's been good about controlling his emotions before, he's a big softie." Sabito jumped back up to the top of the boulder, giving a smile of relief. "Promise me you'll take care of him, and if he really wants to help us, tell him to live on. We're always with him, and we always will be." Mitsuri looked up to Sabito, almost looking as he was preparing to leave again. He was trusting her with being there for Giyuu, Sakonji and Sabito were the closest thing to a family he had left. He couldn't let them down "I will! I promise!"
She watched as he hopped down behind the boulder, she quickly ran around to see he was gone. She let go of her breath as she had to face the realization he really was a ghost. She hadn't noticed it until now, but the training area was coated in fog that was slowly dissipating. A part of her wanted to question if this really was what happened, but it seemed as real as the sun itself. She shook her head as she quickly returned to the shack Sakonji lived in. Finding Sakoni and Giyuu sat at the table, Giyuu turned his head to face her. "Mitsuri, I was actually about to come get you. I hope everything was alright up there."
Mitsuri looked towards Giyuu, a part of her wanted to tell him what she saw. She wanted to tell him she saw Sabito, and that she promised him she'd watch over him. She chose against it, not wanting to see him get worked up or for them to she she'd somehow gone crazy. Instead, she laid down slowly as she rested her head on his thigh. "Everything was fine don't worry, I just had a sweet little fox visit me and I got distracted." She smiled up to Giyuu as she took one of his free hands. "Hey Giyuu?" He looked down at her as he held some chopsticks with food in his free hand. "Promise me no matter what happens, we'll both live on and take everything on together? That we'll always be there for each other?"
Giyuu looked down to her with a confused expression. They hadn't had this kind of conversation for months now, something had to have spurred this on. He wanted to ask what happened to cause her to ask this, but he decided to ease her worries came first. Feeding her a piece of smoked fish from his chopsticks, he followed by placing a kiss on her forehead. "I promise Mitsuri." They gave each other a reassuring smile and continued to eat from where they were. Sakoni watched as the couple found peace within one another, smiling under his mask. "To think I'm finally going to become a grandfather, it fills my heart with a joy I cannot describe." The trio sat in a quiet peace as they continued their meal, speaking only when to talk of pleasant memories, or of a hopeful future.