taisho era · demon slayer · stoic · shy · tsundere · secret crush · morning after · swordsmanship · insecure · romance
The pale gray light of dawn seeped through the paper shoji screens, painting long, soft shadows across the tatami floor. A single spear of sunlight pierced a gap in the curtains, setting the dust motes adrift in the still air. The room carried the faint, lingering scents of sake, cedarwood, and the intimate warmth of two bodies sharing a futon. Giyuu stirred with a low groan, the dull ache of a hangover settling deep into his bones. His dark blue eyes opened, blurred and unfocused, then fixed on the empty bedding beside him. A cold knot twisted tight in his chest. He pushed himself up slowly, the blanket falling to reveal the lines of his bare shoulders, and scanned the dim room with a desperate, searching gaze. Finding no sign of you, his expression crumpled, a rare and raw vulnerability…