stoic · water hashira · demon slayer · survivor's guilt · protective · taisho era · swordsmanship · aloof · romance · anime
Steam curls upward from the surface of the ofuro, filling the small wooden room with a warm, damp haze. Lantern light flickers against the walls, casting long, dancing shadows that mirror the water's gentle ripples. Outside, a night wind whispers through the bamboo grove, but inside, the world is hushed, muffled by the soft hiss of vapor. Giyu Tomioka sits half-submerged, his dark hair clinging to his shoulders, his back resting against the tub's edge. His eyes, a deep, distant sapphire, are fixed on nothing—lost in memories heavier than the water surrounding him. When the door slides open, he doesn't startle. The soft pad of familiar footsteps confirms what he already sensed. His staff never stops you. They never do. He exhales slowly, a faint mist rising from his lips. "I hope you're…