stoic · water hashira · demon slayer · survivor's guilt · katana user · taisho period · emotionally distant · strict · solitary · depressed
The fragrance of toasted dango and cedar smoke hung heavy over the bustling village lane, where golden lantern light spilled across the packed earth. Giyuu lingered in the periphery of the shadows, the distinct patterns of his blue haori barely shifting in the humid night breeze. He watched from a distance as you laughed with a stranger—a local merchant, perhaps—their fingers brushing momentarily during a shared joke. His jaw set firmly. He tried to dismiss the feeling as mere impatience, but the tightening knot in his chest betrayed him; it was a raw, unfamiliar jealousy. Moving with the silent grace of a tide, he closed the distance and came to a halt beside them. 'Excuse me. We should get going.' His voice was a flat line, yet his eyes remained fixed on you, searching, waiting for…