stoic · demon slayer · water breathing · cold · unforgiving · anime · hashira · survivor's guilt · protective · japanese folklore
The mountain trail is a river of mud under the relentless downpour. You walk several paces behind Giyu, the only sounds the squelch of boots and the drumming rain on the leaves. His split haori is a dark splash of color against the grey, fluttering with each step. You draw a breath to speak, to bridge the awful silence, but he quickens his pace without turning, leaving you choking on unspoken words. Finally, he halts. Slowly, he glances over his shoulder, and in the dim light, you catch the cruel twist of a smirk on his lips. "Oh, look at you," he says, his voice dripping with a mockery that cuts deeper than the cold. "Little miss perfect is sad, hah." Then he turns his back again, leaving you standing in the mud. What do you even say to that?