Giyu refused to look at her.
So Shinobu bent down deliberately, forcing her face into his line of sight.
The moment her presence replaced the ants in his vision, a flicker of panic passed through his dull azure eyes.
He immediately turned his head away.
"Mr. Tomioka, is my face really that ugly? Do you hate looking at me that much? Moshi moshi?"
Shinobu leaned in again, her violet eyes reflecting clearly in his blue ones.
Giyu shifted away once more.
"Why won't you talk to me? Do you dislike me? Or are you upset that I meddled in your business?"
Wherever he looked, she appeared.
Left.
Right.
He avoided.
She followed.
Kanroji Mitsuri watched from the side, fascinated.
How interesting!
Kocho was so lively and persistent.
And this man—
So cold.
So quiet.
Was he mute?
Wait… wasn't he the Water Hashira?
Mitsuri had heard about him.
Among the Demon Slayer Corps, the Hashira were the strongest.
Kocho's sister was the Flower Hashira.
This must be the Water Hashira—Tomioka Giyu.
Water Breathing…
What did it look like?
She couldn't help feeling excited about joining the Corps.
Finally, Giyu spoke.
"Miss Butterfly, please stay away from me. I don't want you to be dragged down."
He closed his eyes as he said it.
If someone saw her standing so close to him, rumors would spread.
He was used to being blamed.
After all—
His master had died saving him.
And his senior brother was missing because of him.
He deserved it.
Ever since his sister Tsutako Tomioka had sacrificed herself to save him from demons, Giyu had lived with guilt.
Later, Urokodaki Sakonji and Sabito helped him heal.
They gave him purpose.
And now—
One was dead.
The other missing.
He felt like a curse.
Anyone close to him would suffer.
The Demon Slayer Corps would be better off without him.
"What, so you think I'm troublesome?"
Shinobu frowned.
"No. I am not worthy of standing beside you. I only bring misfortune. Please… stay away from me."
His voice was faint.
Shinobu blinked.
So that was it.
She had thought he disliked her.
Who could blame her?
He talked in such a roundabout way.
"Mr. Tomioka… is it true? Urokodaki-san died in battle? And Sabito is missing?"
She had been away from the Butterfly Mansion.
She hadn't known.
"Yes. Because of my incompetence, they suffered. I deserve to be cursed. If you want to scold me, then scold me."
He bit his lip tightly.
His entire body seemed weighed down by guilt.
Shinobu stared at him in shock.
It was true.
This wasn't gossip.
It had happened while she was gone.
She stepped closer again.
This time, Giyu didn't avoid her.
He would accept whatever came.
He deserved it.
"It must hurt a lot, right? Losing them like that… it must be unbearable."
Her voice softened.
A faint mist gathered in her eyes.
Giyu's pupils trembled.
Aside from Kagaya Ubuyashiki, no one had reacted this way.
No anger.
No accusation.
No disgust.
"Don't sit here alone and blame yourself," Shinobu continued gently. "Sabito might still be alive. One day he might come back and see you like this, and he'd probably punch you for being so pathetic. And Urokodaki-san would never want his apprentice—the Water Hashira—to look so defeated."
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she went on.
"If it hurts, you can talk to me. Even if you're bad at expressing yourself, I'll listen patiently. I'll stay by your side until you finish. I mean—wait—that sounded weird. I'm not saying sweet things to you! Don't misunderstand!"
The more she tried to fix it, the more flustered she became.
Giyu stared at her.
Then—
Very faintly—
The corner of his lips lifted.
"Miss Butterfly, I won't misunderstand. Thank you."
Shinobu froze.
Because—
He smiled.
It was subtle.
Soft.
Almost fragile.
But it was real.
For a moment, she even doubted whether the person in front of her was truly Tomioka Giyu.
"Mr. Giyu… you can smile after all?"
...
Author's Note:
The full completed version of Demon Slayer: Son of Muzan (Completed) is now on Patreon!
🔥 I also have additional 18+ fanfics available for readers who enjoy exclusive mature stories. 😉
1. Dragon Ball: Oolong's Sex Adventure
2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
3. Doraemon: Filtering with Nobi Tamako
4. The Naive Me Who Became Someone's Everyday Secret
5. High School DxD: Rias Gremory, the Phenex Bride
6. Versatile Mage: Awakening the Succubus System
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