Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Moonlight shines through a thick canopy of trees towards the crumbled ruins of a shrine, a large mirror encased in etched stone glimmering in the dim lighting.

The surrounding forest is eerily still, not a single animal moving, almost as if the world is holding its breath. Waiting.

Swift movement breaks the silence with a crash, heavy footfalls rapidly approaching the ruins.

The glass of the mirror ripples as a figure wielding a gun and sporting a purple yukata over a demon slayer uniform appears directly in front of it between moments.

“So this is where the demon hides…” Genya Shinazugawa mutters, placing a hand to the glass, silent as his hand sinks in to the surface. “Better make this fast…”

He disappears into the mirror, the ‘glass’ rippling like the surface of a clear pond.

The stillness returns to the forest.

Several days later, a Hashira is called due to the increasing number of disappearances around this temple ruins.

Giyu Tomioka arrives much to the same scene Genya had arrived to almost a week prior. The still forest, the mirror amongst the ruined building.

It’s just as unnaturally still as before, the mirror sitting oddly pristine in it’s place.

“So a Hashira has graced me with his presence..looks like me and my new pet will be eating wonderfully tonight~” The demon laughs, emerging from the mirror, its surface rippling violently.

The demon has the form of a rather thin pale woman, long silvery hair reaching her feet. “So, what is the name of our meal?” It asks, tilting it’s head.

Giyu doesn’t respond, drawing his sword.

“Ooh, a silent and mysterious one, I like~” The demon giggles, winking one pale eye at Giyu. “Too bad.”

She vanishes in a shower of shimmering light, her hand taunting him from within the mirror.

Giyu slices the mirror, though it merely reforms itself, as pristine as it was before.

Shaking his head, Giyu enters the mirror, his elderly crow Kanzaburo watching from a branch above as his friend vanishes from sight. Hashibami lands beside the elderly crow, watching tensely as the minutes pass on.

Dawn rose, with no changes to the mirrors state, nor either of their charges emerging from its smooth surface.

“Stay here, i’ll go.” Hashibami shouts, flying off as fast as his wings can carry him. Back to the masters manor he had just returned from when Genya didn’t emerge from the mirror days prior.

Its only after Hashibami has flown long out of his hearing range that the mirror crumbles, large chunks of its reflective surface littering the cracked stone floor in a bright mess.

For his age, Kanzaburo doesn’t fully hear Hashibami, but still stays, staring stunned at where the mirror once stood.

“Giyu?”

An emergency Hashira meeting is called the moment Hashibami returns to the Master with the news.

“My dear children, I fear I have worrisome news.” Kagaya addresses the gathered Hashira, sensing them tense. The last time they had all gathered, it was to announce Kanaes injuries that forced her to retire and Shinobus rise as the head of the Butterfly Estate, and as the newest Hashira.

He and his wife had been waiting on their arrival in the same room Hashibami had given them the news in.

“While the demon that had been causing disappearances in the strange ruins has been handled, it has not come without complications.” The Master begins, taking a moment. “We have a possible upper moon sighting, and an unfortunate loss.”

Shocked expressions range on the gathered Hashiras faces. It doesn’t take much to guess who the Master is speaking of, as Giyu is the only active Hashira not in attendance.

“No way that Tomioka let himself be killed like this”

Kagaya raises his hand for silence, continuing once his children quieten. “According to this Kasugai crow, the demon itself lives within a mirror, and the mirror itself is impervious on the outside as tested by Giyu himself before he entered the space and according to the last report, has not returned.”

Sanemi stared hard at the aforementioned crow.

Something about this specific bird felt familiar, an odd sort of dread settling in his stomach.

He should know this crow.

“As of right now, this is unpresedented. I will be sending two of you to investigate-”

“Send me…please…” Sanemi interrupts, stunning the gathered Hashira and the Master into silence. “Or don't, either way I'm going.”

He finally recognized whose crow is sitting next to the Master.

It's Genyas crow.

Genya.

Unperturbed by the interruption, despite it stunning him for a moment, Kagaya gives Sanemi a gentle smile. “Of course you may go, my child. Shinobu, would you accompany him?”

Her eyes flit to Sanemi and back to the Master, “Yes.” She feels the addition of her to the mission is meant to try to soothe the older Shinazugawa brother, as she too had recognized Hashibami.

It's very likely Sanemis statements about not having a brother are now true, and the Master is trusting her to help with the inevitable fallout.

“Very well then. You are dismissed, my children.” With this, the Master and his beloved wife leave the Hashira to plan.

“I'll see you at the butterfly mansion within the hour?” Shinobu questions Sanemi, only getting a silent nod from the white haired male before hes gone in a burst of speed.

“What's got him in a hurry, doesn't he hate Tomioka?” Tengen questions as Shinobu rises to leave to get herself prepared. “Oh right, that crow is his ‘not’ brothers, isn't it Kocho?”

As usual, Tengen is about as blunt as a hammer, and just as crass.

She decides to leave scolding the former shinobi to Himejima and the others, leaving towards her home without a word.

Tomioka…taken surprise by a demon?

Almost exactly forty-five minutes after she had arrived home, Sanemi Shinazugawa arrived at the Butterfly Manor, ready and waiting for her. 

Shinobu was just finishing giving directions to her sisters when he shows up without a word and a grim expression.

“Ah, right on time Shinazugawa-san.” She greets, tone carefully balanced.

She can see the way his eyes flit between each caterpillar sister, silently giving them a once over before his gaze moves to her, and Hashibami resting on her shoulder.  “Let's just get this over with.”

The entire journey following Hashibami is silent, neither Hashira wanting to speak or fill the ever thickening tension in the darkening sky.

It will be night soon.

“We have arrived.”

Giyus geriatric crow greets them as they enter the clearing, visibly distressed as he slams right into Sanemis bare chest.

To his credit, and despite declaring hate for Tomioka, Sanemi catches Kanzaburo and cradles the elderly crow under his arm.

There is no mirror standing in the ruins of the temple.

The only evidence of any mirror, is a stone slab with etchings in the shape of one standing boldly in the growing moonlight.

There's no sign of any demons here, only the remains of what Shinobu would assume to have been a beautiful temple when it was whole.

Shinobu may not have the hearing of Tengen, or that annoying Agatsuma brat, but she can hear the gears turning in Shinazugawas head as he stumbles around the rubble.

He's in shock.

Not that she blames him, she's sure she'd be the same way if this was her sisters last known location.

“No. Please no, not him, anyone but him.” Ah. Shinazugawa found something.

Sanemi cradles a familiar purple yukata and gun in his hands, the fabric torn in places, and bloodied.

Bunched in his other hand, is another familiar piece of fabric.

It's Tomiokas split designed haori, and the remains of his shattered sword, only a piece of blade sticking out of the cracked handle.

They've got a long journey home, Shinobu muses to herself, stepping forward and pulling her fellow Hashira into a hug and allowing him to openly sob over what little remains of his only remaining family member.

Shinazugawa stays silent the entire way back to the Masters estate, and another Hashira meeting is called, this time to announce the loss of the Water Hashira.

Shinobu finds herself the one to report everything they found, and to give the Master Giyus haori and sword.

The sword is set to be part of his gravesite memorial, the haori will be sent to the former water pillar who trained him.

Sanemi hangs on to his brothers worn yukata, getting one of Tengens wives to repair it, wearing it along with Genyas gun being strapped in a very similar way to how the younger brother had worn it when he was alive.

She knows the younger had a will, and both Himejima and Shinazugawa were mentioned in it, but what the younger left either of them is left unspoken.

Sanemis famous anger seemingly evaporates overnight, drowned despite Iguro and Rengokus best efforts to ignite something.

Not even Tengen or Kamado get a rise out of the wind Hashira anymore, even as the younger man is declared as the sun breathing Hashira, taking Tomiokas place in the meetings.

The only thing that didn't change was the ferocity Shinazugawa faces demons with, getting bad enough to make even Tokito worried.

Years pass.

Chapter Text

The sun is shining.

Flowers are blooming.

Birds are chirping.

On days like these…

Nothing written on grief truly captures what it feels like to go back to that house, to enter a place that feels frozen in time, as if they planned on coming back and returning to the meal they had left. The tasks left in various stages of completion scattered around rooms full of personal items, a fingerprint of their life, yet devoid of any life or feeling.

Sanemi avoided the stone estate like a cat avoids puddles of water, going so far as to take longer routes to avoid even seeing the edge of the property.

The Master wanted to let the man grieve, so they left him alone.

No one sees Sanemi outside of meetings, or a chance meeting between missions.

Every time, he looks more ragged than the last.

It’s like the fierce warrior has shattered from the inside, feral grin replaced with a pained grimace more reminiscent of the fallen Water Pillar than him.

“My children, I admit, I am worried about Sanemi.” A meeting was called, but notably, the wind hashira was not called. Away on a mission to check the swordsmith village, have his sword sharpened and rest a few days.

Kagaya knows that he likely won’t rest, despite his suggestion that the white haired man do so.

“I worry he will run himself into the ground at this rate, and we will lose yet another. Please, my dear children, do what you can.”

Teary eyed, Mitsuri chirps that she will do her best, rambling to Shinobu about making a whole feast for Shinazugawa upon his return.

Tengen pledges to make the flashiest encouragement he can, Kyojuro joining him in loud agreement.

“I must retire, my dear children, please take care of each other.” As the master is led out by his beloved, the gathered Hashira bow deeply.

Muichiro and Tanjiro walk off together, having already planned on sparring that afternoon before their mission together.

Tengen and Kyojuro loudly plan to try their way of cheering Shinazugawa up, sauntering off arm in arm as they head in the direction of the sound estate. The Rengoku brothers had moved in with Tengen and his wives months ago.

Obanai slinks off, one destination in mind.

The Wind Estate.

Sanemi is sitting at the edge of his engawa, meticulously cleaning Genya shotgun, piece by piece carefully taking the weapon apart with practiced ease.

“I know you are here, Obanai.” Sanemi comments, though he sounds ragged. Even with the others back to him, Obanai can see how heavily the purple fabric weighs down on his friend. “I don’t want to hear shit about how I'm ‘running myself too harsh’ or ‘need to rest’. What I need is to kill demons, not sit around and be fucking lazy!”

Obanai is not fazed at all by his friend's outburst, long used to the elder Shinazugawa brothers’ temper. In his own thoughts, he’s a little relieved that his friend is lashing out, more like the Sanemi he’s known from before the…the incident.

“Then you already know what i’m going to say, so I won’t bother saying it.” Obanai hisses out just as viciously, though a few octaves lower than a shout. “You will do him no good meeting him again this quickly. You haven't bathed, I can smell you from here and it’s clear to all of us that you haven’t been taking care of yourself either.”

Kaburamaru hisses, mirroring his master's mood as the two glare at the white haired man, whose back is still turned to them.

“Oh yeah, what would you fuckin know!” Sanemi finally turns to address Obanai, fully reconstructed and cleaned shotgun resting in his lap, glaring hard enough to melt steel. Sanemi looks like he hasn’t slept in weeks, untreated cuts and bruises decorating his skin looking harsher especially with his already pale skin looking sickly in the harsh sunlight.“He was the only one left, the only one and I…treated him like trash.”

Bloodshot purple eyes turn from glaring at Obanai to gazing, pained and saddened at the gleaming weapon in his lap. “All that’s left of him is this…this weapon, and his yukata.” A hand clenches the purple fabric, a small cut oozing on the back of his hand. “All I wanted was him to leave this life, to go and be happy with a wife and have a family of his own. Or a husband I don’t fucking care, I just didn’t want him doing this!”

Obanai and Kaburamaru listen, silent as Sanemi rambles on about Genya, ignoring as tears drop onto the shotgun.

“Come on. Get up.” Obanai urges once Sanemi has ranted himself out, half awake and mumbling apologies to people who aren’t here to hear them. Urging the taller up, Obanai nudges him towards the bathroom. “Sit here.”

It's disheartening really, how easily Sanemi lets Obanai order him around like this, following instructions as he’s cleaned up and bandaged.

An hour later and Obanai is thanking the estate workers as they hand him a clean yukata to dress his best friend in, turning to spot Sanemi asleep against the bathroom wall.

Sighing, Obanai allows Kabumaru to slither off of his arm so he can dress Sanemi and carry him to his own room, secretly glad that despite his smaller stature, he’s strong enough to carry someone much taller than him.

“Watch him for me?” Obanai asks Kabumaru, who nods as the serpent hashira leaves the room, determined to see what other things Sanemi has neglected, and to gather intel from the estate staff.

What he hears worries him even more.

They should’ve acted sooner.

When Sanemi wakes to the ceiling of his bedroom instead of the morning sky, he’s only mildly surprised. Maybe one of his attendees moved him when he fell asleep, but that wouldn’t explain the bandaged cuts, or the change in clothing.

“Oh, you finally woke up.”

Sanemi jerks up at the sound of Obanais voice from his doorway.

“The fuck are you doing here?!”

Obanai sighs, rolling his dual colored eyes as he holds an arm down to allow Kabumaru to climb up and rest in his usual perch.

“What I should’ve done a long time ago.”

Stunned silence echoes loudly in the room, neither saying a word as Obanai crosses the room to Sanemi in several steps, and hauls his taller friend up like he weighs nothing.

“I’m not letting the one person that I can actually call my friend let himself drown. Not like this.”

—---------------------------------------------------------------

The wind blows, rustling leaves on the hill that marks the multitudes of graves of fallen demon slayers. One figure walks among them, heading toward a small yet newer looking stone off to the side, next to a young wisteria tree.

A purple sleeveless yukata turned haori is draped over the figures’ shoulders, with a shotgun strapped to the back of their waist.

Sanemi approaches Genyas empty grave silently, a wrapped bundle in his arms and a pinched expression on his face.

“Hey Genya…” Sanemi mumbles, setting his bundle down revealing offerings of sliced fruit and incense. “...been a while, huh? Sorry your favorite isn’t in season, i’ll try to bring you some when they do.”

Four whole years, and every year on Genyas birthday, Sanemi made the trip with a plate of fruits in hand, always saddened that he couldn't bring him his favorite.

Setting the plate and incense down, his hand drifts to trace over the words etched into the stone.

Genya Shinazugawa

“Every year, and I still don’t know why I'm surprised that you are the only one either brave or stupid enough to come here while I'm still here.” Sanemi comments on his sudden company, one Tanjiro Kamado, grown tall enough to match Sanemis height.

“Genya is my friend, of course I'd honor him on his birthday.”

The usual offerings are in the Sun Hashiras arms. Acorns from the boar brat, pressed flowers from Nezuko, candy in the shape of watermelon from the whining yellow brat, and onigiri made by Tanjiro himself.

He’s explained why onigiri specifically to Sanemi multiple times now, something about it being the last meal the two slayers shared before Genya and Tomioka went missing.

It’s the same thing the brat says every year, and as lothe as Sanemi is to admit it, he’s glad his baby brother had such loyal friends. Even if one is too terrified of Sanemi to come near him, one starts a fight with anything that moves, and one can’t come out in the sun.

If he was a betting man, he’d bet that Tanjiro returns with his sister at night on Genyas birthday so she can honor her friend too, even if she isn’t there enough mentally to truly be there for him.

Sanemi doesn't care enough about that idea to really want to theorize about it. That’s more of Kanaes territory than his.

Patting his pocket, Sanemi huffs when he realizes he forgot his flint.

“Got a light kid?” He asks, ignoring the half protest of ‘I'm 18 Shinazugawa-san’ easily.

He might not be on friendly terms with Kamado, but he can admit to at least being on much better ones than their first meeting.

A flint is passed to his open palm, the incense stick lit and placed in the burner, the scent of lavender swirling around the two.

“I still miss him.” Kamado admits quietly. “Both of them.” Of course the brat would refer to Tomioka too.

As much as Sanemi wants to rant about the water hashira, it would be rude to Genya to do so in front of his grave.

That, and when the water hashiras teacher, a former water hashira himself, had come to the funeral, he and the rest of the remaining hashira had learned the truth about the person they had all thought was looking down on them.

A mask sits on Tomiokas grave, fox shaped with blue eyes.

Knowing the why behind the “I’m not like you” phrase hit harder than any of them had anticipated.

Turning his thoughts back to the present, Sanemi watches as Kamado lays his offerings down and says his own quiet prayer, including some of the sutra that he often heard Himejima mutter on a near constant basis.

“You learn those just for him?”

“Yeah”

“Oh…”

“Shinazugawa-san, would you be willing to join us later for-”

“No thanks kid, yer friends are loud.”

“Ok Shinazugawa-san. Please come in before it rains, I can smell a fierce storm on the breeze.”

Sanemi grunts as a response, not turning from watching the trail of smoke from the incense as it rises into the air.

Kamado doesn’t seem to take offense to his lack of an actual response, saying his goodbyes before walking off and leaving the remaining Shinazugawa alone, kneeling in front of the cold stone.

It starts downpouring an hour later, and Sanemi is still seated, seemingly ignorant of the rain having long soaked him to the bone.

Sanemi looses himself in how the cold rain feels against his barred skin and soaked clothing, similarly losing all track of time and place as he continues to stare into carved letterings.

The downpour suddenly stops right above his head, a blurry eyed Sanemi looks up to see an umbrella being held above his head, with a muscled arm connected to it.

“I don’t need your energy right now, Uzui, don’t have the care to deal with you. Not today. Don’t need your pity either.”

Tengen levels him with a look, staring down at him, equally soaked despite clearly having just arrived here from the Sound estate.

“At least come out of the rain, Shinazugawa.” Uzui speaks over the sound of the rain, and idle thought of how much louder the rain might be to the sound hashira if it’s already so loud to Sanemi. “You’ll catch your death out here, like this.”

Something in him snaps.

“Well, what if I want death to try! What if I want to ‘catch’ it out here, in this downpour? It’s-” His broad shoulders deflate, “It’s what I deserve, after all. I led my only living family to his own death, might as well have done the final blow myself, with how I treated and talked to him! Genya is dead because of me!”

Uzui shakes his head, bodily lifting Sanemi from his seated position and easily pulling the shorter male against his side, pulling Sanemi along despite him struggling to escape.

An odd look crosses the sound hashiras expression. “I know.”

“How the fuck would you know, it’s not like you didn’t basically kill your siblings? Weren’t you an only child?!”

The two stumble to a halt as Uzui stops moving, the rain the only noise in the cemetery of fallen Demon Slayers.

“I wasn’t.” Uzui mutters. “You already know I was a former shinobi, but I wasn’t an only child. So believe me when I say this, Shinazugawa, that I do know how you feel. Because I've been in your shoes.”

“What?”

Uzui ushers them forward again. “As shinobi, we were expected to perform certain tasks. I was never shy about telling why I joined the corp, not that you ever paid attention.”

“You mean…you…”

“Yes. Didn’t know it was them I was killing until the truth was revealed to me. Then me and my lovely wives left, I didn’t want to spill more human life.”

“...I’m sorry, Uzui…”

“It’s alright, Shinazugawa, that was years ago and my pain is not as fresh as yours. We can talk about it more if it helps, but at least let's get dried and fed first…after all…” Uzui brightens like the sun had come out as he spots his estate with his lovely wives at the door for them. “We’ve got three lovely ladies serving us a warm meal and dry clothes! Aren’t my wives the loveliest!”

A small smile graces Sanemis lips, “Yeah, guess they are…”

In the shadows of the downpour, two figures watch as the two hashira enter the brightly lit house, vanishing between one flash of lightning and the next.

Hinatsuru blinks in confusion as she glances back outside, sure she had saw something in the darkness, but dismisses the thought as she slides the door shut to the night.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki jerks awake, his beloved Amane waking beside him as he manages to sit up even in his deteriorated state.

“I believe we have long awaited company, my love. Will you assist me to the other room?”

Amane, bless her, rises and quickly dresses into a more appropriate outfit for visitors.

“Do these visitors have anything to do with the latest visions, dear husband?” She questions, helping him to stand and into a warmer yukata.

Kagaya smiles, turning his blind gaze to his wife. “I believe so, beloved. Visitors who will turn the war against demons in our favor greatly.”

The pair silently exit their chambers, quickly making it to the closest meeting room in the vast estate.

Two figures are kneeling as they enter, not turning their heads up until Amane signals that they can.

“I cannot express how glad I am that you two are alive. Please, tell me of your journeys these past four years.”

“We’ve been gone for four years?!”

Chapter Text

His lungs burn with the effort to continue to breathe, pain overtaking everything, what little thought he could manage focused entirely on keeping concentration breathing constant active.

He can’t die here.

They have to get back somehow, out of this cave, back home where the only large threats are demons themselves.

Hallucinations of Tsutako and Sabito greet him every time he manages to open his eyes, bloodied forms staring at him with pity.

There’s a voice screaming in his head that isn’t his, deep and gravely, shouting injustices at their captors.

He hasn’t seen the younger slayer that had helped defeat the mirror demon since they were plopped half-conscious and bleeding heavily onto a foreign forest floor in what he can only assume was days ago.

What was his name again?

Genya something…

What was his own name again?

Shit.

A sharp inhale punctuates past the white noise of pain, lurching forward…

The smaller figure on the futon lurches up, breaths heaving through strained lungs as he tries to gather himself. The blankets shift beside him, an arm gently pressing once to his own bare arm.

“Nightmare again?” A sleepy voice whispers in the darkness, easing him out of his racing thoughts.

That’s right, they had made it back home…if one would call one of the many guest rooms in the masters mansion of a home ‘home’ exactly.

The nightmare had been about something that had occurred years ago, decades.

Code is tapped into his arm, a question that takes him a full minute to decipher, asking if he’s ok with touch.

“Y-yeah.”

In all honesty, being held would feel nice right now.

Arms wrap around him, pulling him close to a warm body a little larger than his own lithe form, pulling him into an embrace.

“Distract me?” He whispers, voice soft in the quiet of the ‘night’, turning to face the other.

“You sure?”

“Yeah”

He can feel the cheeky grin the other responds with, shivering despite how warm he feels when lips press softly against the back of his shoulder.

Sanemi approaches the masters home, mind whirring with the possibilities of what mission he might be sent on.

He had been called to talk to the Master privately, asked to arrive a few hours before a Hashira meeting to discuss something important Oyakata-sama.

Pulling the purple yukata turned haori tighter around him, Sanemi lets his feet pull him towards where the Master requested they meet, mind full of thoughts. Too many to name.

Arriving at the destined room, he kneels at the closed door.

“Master, I have arrived.”

“You may come in, my child.” Master Oyakata calls from within, strangely sounding much better than he sounded at the last Hashira meeting. 

Maybe this is a good energy day for the master?

Rising, Sanemi steps forward, sliding the door open.

And stopping right in the doorframe.

“Master…” Sanemi trails off, not able to fully comprehend what he is seeing, not enough to look away, shamefully and full on staring at Kagaya Ubuyashiki.

The mark that had overtaken the masters face, the burn like scar that indicated the Ubuyashiki curse, had retreated from across the expanse of the mans face.

Instead of overtaking both eyes and his forehead, it was merely covering the left eye, and across half of the forehead.

One pale and one purple eye, much like Genyas was, look back at him.

“Please, sit my child. I will explain all to everyone once we are all here. First, there is someone I wish for you to meet by yourself, as he requested the two of you have some time before being bombarded with the others.”

Numbly, Sanemi steps forward, sitting seiza in the cushion the master motions him to without a word.

Master Oyakata smiles gently, motioning at the partially open door behind him.

“I need to get ready for the meeting, so I will leave you two to reconnect.” Oyakata-sama stands gracefully, practically glowing with renewed health as he moves smothly towards the door and opens it fully.

Sanemi finds words failing him as he stares back into the purple eyes of Genya, standing taller than he was when Sanemi last saw him.

“Hey, aniki.” Genya whispers, stepping aside to allow Oyakata-sama by him, before entering the room fully and standing as the door slides shut behind him.

“You…” Was this real? Had he been killed and this was his afterlife? A punishment of sorts or some twisted blood demon art meant to torture him with two of the things he wants most in the world?

“Breathe, aniki. I’m real, all this is real.” Genya takes a step forward.

Between one blink and the next, the elder Shinazugawa brother has launched himself backwards across the room, sword in hand. It’s vivid green blade hovers just above his barred arm, shaking from the tight grip the white haired man has on it.

Genya, for his credit, hasn’t moved.

Not much, at least.

His hands are raised in a placating sort of manor, fingers spread and no weapon of his own in sight.

“Aniki, I promise, it’s me. That mirror demon-”

Sanemi scowls, “Of fucking course, and i’m supoosed to believe that? That you were-” A tense pause, Sanemi struggling not to let any emotion other than anger show. “That you were alive, this whole time?!”

To this demon blood arts credit, hallucination Genya looks rather guilty.

“I will not fall for your petty tricks, demon.”

Blood flies as Sanemi slices his arm open, with the knowledge his blood will make any demon go crazy, and will break it’s blood art so he can be freed of this painful illusion and ready to kill another abomination.

“Aniki, i’m not a demon, this isn’t a-” the not-Genya cuts off again, looking torn between staying where he is, and approaching his brother with his bleeding arm.

For several tense minutes, neither brother move.

Sanemi makes the choice for the both of them, stomping towards the stunned figure, shoving his bleeding arm towards his face.

Instead of the teeth trying to go for his Marechi blood like he anticipates, a glowing purple hand covers the wound.

“What?” Sanemi rips his arm out of it’s grasp, wiping the blood off on his uniform pants to find.

Nothing?

A faint scar, at best, but the wound is closed.

This…this isn’t real, it can’t be!

He’s been to the empty graves, this can’t be fucking real. For fucks sake he altered Genyas yukata into a haori to wear! Hell, he’s wearing it right now!

“Aniki, i’m real, I promise. Please-” Genya begs his brother, hands reaching towards the slightly shorter male. “Please, we fought so hard to get back, I-”

“We?! Tomioka is alive too?!”

Genya nods. “Yeah, Giyu and I, destroying the demon shattered it’s mirror thing and threw us into some strange reality where shinobi reigned supreme. It…admittedly took us a long time to try and get back. Kinda got dragged into a huge war, almost died a few times, made a few friends along the way that helped us get home again…yeah.” He’s sheepishly scratching his uniform collar with his right hand, which much to Sanemis horror is carrying yet another scar.

A scar he shouldn’t have.

“I know this is a lot to process, really I do. A lot has happened-”

“Since when are you on first name basis with Tomioka of all people?” Sanemi interrupts, looking up from Genyas hand to his face.

Genya huffs, letting out a chuckle. “That’s what you focus on aniki? That i’m on first name basis with Giyu Tomioka?” A slight movement of Genyas left hand flashes something blue on his younger brothers hand.

Horror dawns on Sanemis face. “No fucking way, there is no fucking way you-”

“We have a lot to catch up on, Aniki, and hopefully with all myself and Giyu have learned on our…rather unwanted trip, we’ll have plenty of time to do so.”

This…Genya is nothing like the nervous kid trying to follow him, to talk to him from four years ago.

This Genya feels almost entirely like a stranger in his brothers skin.

“How long?” Sanemi asks, looking back up at Genyas face.

Genya looks back at him, confusion mirroring in their similarly scarred visages. “How long…what?”

“How long have you two been…” He trails off, waving his hand in the general direction of Genyas left.

Recognition sparks in Genyas purple eyes. “Oh, that. Well…we were locked there for far longer than our absence here, some weirdness about time and space, I don’t understand it myself.”

“For fucks sake Genya, just answer me! How long have you and Tomioka been f-” He couldn’t let himself say it. “Been on a first name basis.”

Genya looks contemplative, “We were stuck there for about twenty years so…first name basis started less than a year in, though…being captured and used for some sick madmans drive for power probably helped us bond a bit faster. Giyu had it worse than me, honestly, I think I was kept around to try and keep him compliant.”

Being used for WHAT?!

Compliant?

“Genya-what in the actual fuck?!” Sanemi shouts, wanting to reach over and shake his brother by his shoulders. “What do you MEAN ‘used you’?!”

Genya looks very uncomfortable. “Well…while there were no demons where we were trapped, some of the other humans there were…admittedly worse than any demon I ever encountered.”

“I’m never letting you out of my sight, ever again.” Sanemi grumbles, running a hand through his already messy white hair. “I regret ever thinking that being away from me would make you safer, turns out, I was wrong ok? First, you fuckin…vanish and then you return years later after I thought you had DIED only to find out you befriended the apparently ‘not so arrogant’ Tomioka!”

If Sanemi was standing, he would be pacing the room then.

An awkward chuckle is his first response. “Actually…Giyu isn’t my friend…he’s-”

“The master has arrived.” Kagayas precious children announce his arrival, he looking out to his remaining gathered children kneeling before him. Giyu and Sanemi aren’t present, as Giyu is hiding until called for and Sanemi is speaking with his younger brother. “You may rise, my children.”

Gasps of shock echo in the otherwise quiet gardens as they take in Kagaya Ubuyashikis improved condition, shock and amazement coloring their features, he taking joy in the fact that he can see them once more.

“As you can see, my dear children, the curse has been able to be weakened. It unfortunately is not gone quite yet, but a method of healing and weakening has been discovered.”

He allows them a moment to process this huge improvement.

“You mean, you have more time now?” Mitsuri Kanroji, her tears overflowing, asks.

“Yes, my child.”

“Since I know you all are wondering how, it relates to two specific children I had thought had been lost.”

Echoes of confusion sound through the open air, as he waits patiently for them to settle.

“Giyu Tomioka and Genya Shinazugawa have managed to return safely. It seems, the blood demon art that they and many others encountered trapped them in an alternate place, and they happened to be the only ones to survive such place. With the demons defeat, other methods were needed to be found to return to us. They struggled for what they have informed me at least twenty years there before managing to get back. Please don’t bombard them, my children.” Kagaya takes a breath, steadying himself. It had been a rather long time since he could make a speech of that length, but it is still tiring.

“Where are they now?” The gathered Hashira ask, Tanjiro the loudest, as he is friends Genya and holds brotherly affection for Giyu.

“Genya is speaking with Sanemi currently, I felt the brothers were owed a proper reunion before joining us. As for Giyu, he is waiting. You will see why soon.” Kagaya explains, turning behind him. “Giyu, please come here my child.”

Giyu comes out of the shadows of a tree nearby, only Tengen was able to hear someone behind the tree, he just wasn’t sure of who. Honestly he thought it was a Kakushi waiting for orders.

“Tomioka-san, are you ok?” Mitsuri, ever the most concerned for her fellow Hashira and one of the few that would be concerned for Giyu, stares horrified with the others as they see the jagged scar across the Water Hashiras neck.

Giyu sits facing them, near but not next to Master Oyakata.

“Somehow, yes.” Giyu answers after a tense moment, his usual blank expression tired and tense compared to what they remember it being. To people who never met him, he’d look calm, but they notice the little details.

“I have already gotten their story, so I will take my leave my children.” Kagaya allows his beloved Ayame walk him back into the house. “Please play nicely.”

As the master leaves, all eyes focus on Giyu.

“Hi…” Giyu states, just sitting there as they stare at the obvious changes since he went missing.

“Giyu-san, i’m so glad you’re alive!” Tanjiro cheers, grinning bright enough to be mistaken for a light source, his gaze turning worriedly towards Giyus neck. “Mostly.”

Especially the jagged scar across his neck and the hint of what looks like a burn going into the collar of his uniform, it being a lower collar than the one he wore the last time they saw him.

The same question is on their mind, even Iguro, who normally would not admit caring at all about the ‘arrogant water hashira’. 

“What happened?” “What’s with the scar?” “Is that a burn on your neck?” “Is Genya-kun ok?” “How did the two of you manage to get back?” “What did you two do?” “Why?” “How?” “What’s with the odd metal around your hand there?” “What’s with the new haori, and the boots?”

Giyu sits there stunned, it’s too much noise, too many voices at once he can’t…

Before Giyu can even remotely begin answering questions, Sanemi bursts out of one of the many doors lining the side of the masters mansion, eyes roving across the yard until they land on Giyu.

“You fucking bastard, i’m going to-”

A black blur tackles the Wind Hashira, knocking him aside before he can reach Giyu, a scuffle erupting from Sanemi and who at least three of them identify as Genya.

Surprisingly, Genya ends up sitting on Sanemi, pinning his elder brother with his own weight. Before their disappearance, Genya was much weaker, now he was just able to subdue one of their strongest Hashira.

“You can’t kill him aniki.” Genya comments, out of breath. “I won’t let you, and it’s against core rules anyway so…oh hey, sorry about this.” Genya apologizes, bowing as best as he can and still keep Sanemi down.

“Forgive me, Genya, but why is Shinazugawa-san trying to kill Tomioka?” Himejima inquires, his folded hands fiddling with his prayer beads.

“The bastard tainted MY little brother, is why!” The pinned Sanemi shouts angrily, renewing his struggling to get out.

“You know core rules state otherwise, Shinazugawa-san~” Kocho Shinobu cheekily taunts, not knowing and not caring about why he wants to murder Tomioka.

“It would be entirely unflashy to murder someone just after they’ve flashily returned from the dead!” Tengen adds his opinion in, grinning widely.

“I agree, best buddy!” Rengoku parrots, and the two laugh loudly, throwing arms over each others shoulders.

Muichiro nudges Tanjiro on the arm. “When did they get back again?”

“Oh, likely today, I think.” Tanjiro answers him, smiling as he’s glad his friend Genya and the big brother he adopted by force are actually alive. He can’t wait to return to the Water Estate and tell Nezuko.

She had been missing them greatly, often sitting in the empty Water Hashiras room, just sitting there.

Sanemi gets red in the face with anger, but relents.

“Fine…I won’t murder Tomioka, happy?”

The rest of the Hashira, minus Sanemi himself and Giyu, (and obviously Himejima, but yeah) look between each other and nod. “Ok.”

Genya doesn’t relent yet. “You promise, aniki?”

An annoyed groan is his response. “...promise…”

Smiling cheekily, Genya hops up, releasing Sanemi. Within a moment, Tanjiro and Muichiro have rushed over and hugged their friend.

“Genya, we’re so glad you’re still alive! The others and I have really missed you.” Tanjiro easily admits, grinning brightly.

“I agree.” Muichiro deadpans, “You were greatly missed.” The two shorter slayers pull Genya over to the group, urging him to sit between them and Giyu.

Tanjiros and Muichiro seem like they already know something, but they don’t say it out loud, merely enjoying the fact that Genya (and Giyu too for Tanjiro) is back.

“They have questions.” Giyu states when the trio sit beside him, Genya the closest to him with Tanjiro on his other side and Muichiro on Genyas other side.

“How is Genya supposed to answer their questions that you couldn’t, Tomioka?” Sanemi is just as aggressive as he usually is when talking to Giyu, but he sits beside Iguro without touching him. “You aren’t off my shit list, you arrogant bastard, and i’m not going to forgive you.”

“What did he even do, Shinazugawa-san?” Mitsuri asks, fearful.

Sanemi sighs, annoyed. “I’d rather he admit it, it pisses me off to know, much less fucking say it.”

Giyu exchanges glances with Genya. “What did you even say?”

“I told him we weren’t friends.”

Giyu just gives the other a deadpanned look, looking even more tired than before. “That’s a terrible way to say it.”

Genya snorts, “Like you did any better when you told Naruto and Sakura, idiot.”

The whole exchange seems…domestic, if anyone dares think it. Especially with Sanemi fake gagging next to Iguro; who is looking between the younger Shinazugawa brother, Wind and Water Hashiras like the two have grown a second head.

“This Naruto and Sakura are two allies you two met on your unanticipated journey, correct?” Himejima asks, moving his head as if to look directly at Genya and Giyu.

“Yeah. Actually, if it weren’t for those two and a few others we would’ve been stuck there for longer.” Genya answers, addressing the Stone Hashira.

“Why hasn’t Tomioka spoken much this entire time, not that he spoke much to begin with?” Rengoku asks loudly, boldly staring at the still silent Giyu.

“Apparently torture happened while they were gone.” Sanemi snarkily answers before Genya can get a word in. “Something like that.” He looks especially angry, that even Iguro scoots away a little bit.

“Is this true, Shinazugawa-kun?” Shinobu questions with her usual fake smile, a vein popped in her forehead.

Looking sheepish, Genya answers again. “Yeah, it was the worst when we first got there, but the ones we eventually called allies and friends stumbled on us and got us out. It…some permanent damage was done before that, sadly.”

“Like the scar on Tomiokas neck?”

Tense silence.

“Yeah…”

“Is that why the bastard won’t speak?” Sanemi hisses, surprising even Kaburamaru with his venom.

Genya gives his brother a disappointed look and a sigh. “Part of it, yeah.”

“What’s with the neck scar?” Iguro demands, Kaburamaru hissing with his master questioningly.

“I think that much should be obvious.” Genya snarks back, defensively. The movement flashes a faint scar on his neck too, but Genyas resembles the start of a…bite mark? “We were dragged into a fucking WAR, Iguro-san. A war, that lasted years, which was the biggest reason we weren’t able to return as fast as we wanted. Kinda hard to work things through when people all around you are trying to either kill you, experiment on you, or torture you for information you don’t have in the first place.”

This is an entirely new side to Genya that the Hashira hasn’t seen in full. Sure, both Shinazugawa brothers were known for their quick tempers, but never had Genya snapped at a Hashira like that before.

Everyone, even Iguro look horrified at the implication, even though Sanemi heard part of it before when he was reuniting with Genya alone.

Genya wasn’t finished. “They tried to turn Giyu into some kind of mindless weapon, and when that failed we both got tortured just because where we ‘appeared’ to them was bad timing or something like that! It took months, months of therapy for either of us to be able to so much as pick up a fucking bowl of rice! I-”

Giyus places his hand on Genyas shoulder, interrupting the taller demon slayers’ rant. “Genya, it’s ok.”

“Don’t comfort him, you fuckin-” Sanemi struggles to think of a word he deems harsh enough. “Freak!”

“If Giyu is a freak, then so am I Aniki.” Genya snaps back at his brother, surprising everyone.

“So i’m confused, how are they ‘freaks’ exactly?” Tengen questions, pointing between Genya and Giyu.

Sanemi scoffs. “You call yourself a former shinobi and you didn’t notice? Look at their left hands.”

That’s when everyone else catches onto what Genya had told Sanemi that had the Wind Hashira furious earlier.

There’s matching rings on Giyu and Genyas left hand, a very specific finger, and while they’re not any sort of traditional colors…it’s obvious what they’re meant to represent.

Genya isn’t friends with Giyu, at all.

They’re lovers.

The revelation gets mixes responses from the gathered Hashira, though none as angry as Sanemis was.

“So what, weren’t they out there for over a decade then? Besides, it’s not like marrying young is a new thing, the master married young after all.” Tengen comments flashily, waving his arm dismissively. “Giyu feeling anything at all sounds weirder than this.”

“The master isn’t My little brother ” Sanemi grumbles, “He can do whatever he wants.”

“A little brother you denied for years, up until you thought he died, or did you somehow forget that?” Shinobu calls out, not exactly happy about how someone who barely knew Giyu got further to making him open up than she had. Though, her attempts did have taunting the man relentlessly so maybe that’s where she went wrong.

Shinobu stands, “Well, as fun as this was, I need to manage the Butterfly Estate and fill Onee-san in.” She leaves with a wave and a cheeky grin. “Please come by for a checkup soon, that wasn’t a request by the way!~” She calls behind her to Genya and Giyu, a threat behind her eyes and voice.

“Let’s continue this later, I am certain that they are still tired from their journey.” Himejima states, voice leaving no room for argument.

Tanjiro jolts up, excitement lighting him up even more. “I have to let the others know so we can put together a feast for tonight!” Tanjiro leaps up, rushing off, Muichiro chasing behind him after a silent moment of thought. “We’ll see you later Giyu-san, Genya!”

Tengen rises, stretching. “As flashy as this has been, I must return to my three lovely wives. You coming best buddy?” Tengen stands to walk off, Kyojuro joining him as the two rush off, as his younger brother Senjuro was over at the Sound Estate with Tengens wives adoring the younger Rengoku.

“I’m done with this circus.” Obanai grumbles, “Good luck with your idiot brother, Shinazugawa.” As he begins to walk off, Mitsuri leaps up.

“Wait for me, Iguro-san!” She calls, and he stops to wait for her before the pair walk off together, hand in hand.

Himejima and Sanemi are the only ones remaining with Genya and Giyu.

He sighs, still aggravated but having managed to calm down from earlier. “Does he make you happy, Gen?”

“Yeah, Aniki, he does.”

“Good, he better.” With a glare leveled at Giyu, Sanemi stomps off towards the Wind Estate.

Himejima addresses his pupil. “Will you be staying now at the Water Estate with Tomioka-san, Genya?”

“Actually, I was wondering, if I could still keep my room over at the Stone Estate. Y’know, so I can visit and stay over?” In truth, Himejima had become like a second elder brother to Genya before the unwanted trip. He’s sure the large man knows it, but he never stated it out loud. “If it’s not much a problem?”

Himejima ruffles Genyas hair. “It will never be a problem, Genya. You are always welcome in my home. While I don’t usually like children, you held a special place with your honesty, despite it’s roughness. I would even dare to call you a younger brother. Don’t let Shinazugawa know, he may burst a blood vessel for sure this time.” The ever rare joke from the Stone Hashira.

Soon, Genya and Giyu are left alone.

“I’m sorry Genya, I weighed you down.” Giyu mutters, eyes gazing at his lap.

Pulling the slightly smaller and lighter man into his arms, Genya presses a kiss to the top of Giyus head. “It’s ok, you don’t weigh much to me, and i’m glad to carry you.”

Neither felt comfortable enough with the other Hashira to mention Isobu, or some of the other things that happened.

Not just yet.

Chapter Text

Two large shadows inhabit a vast space, the floors deep red and seemingly in an endless darkness that exudes deeper than their shadowed bodies. One is larger and outlined in gold, the other is smaller and in a deep blue. 

“Guess this is goodbye, huh?" A deep voice rumbles within the shared mindscape, two large shadows alone in the vast expanse of low light.

“It is" The shorter shape calls softly, voice deeper yet more weather-worn than the first.

“I'm glad we got to be siblings again, even for a few short decades through our vessels" The first shadow speaks, a tail smoothing over the top of the shorter shadow.

“Me too" One of the shorter shadows tails joins the taller one, 

“Be safe Isobu"

"You too Kurama. Tell the others I'll miss them”

“I will."

Genya and Giyu eventually leave the koi pond, hand in hand.

“He's still asleep, isn't he?" Genya whispers, holding Giyus hand as the duo head to the water estate, referring to Isobu.

Giyu takes a moment to respond, focusing inward to check. “Yes." His chakra fluctuates, showing up as a faint blue aura around him, almost invisible in the bright light of the day.

"Giyu?” Genya questions, "Are you ok?”

A long comfortable silence fills the space between them, Genya waiting for Giyu to speak. 

“I feel like we're going to wake back up in Konoha again" Giyu admits after a moment. "Like getting back is an illusion or dream and we're still there.” (Or they're back in their captors’ hands with Giyu fully locked in his own mind)

Genya squeezes Giyus hand, bringing Giyu out of his thoughts before they can spiral out of control.

“We're back, Giyu. I promise." Genya assures. "After so long, we're back.”

Giyu squeezes Genyas hand back as they approach the surprisingly clean walkway towards the water estate.

"It's…nowhere near as overgrown as I thought it would be." Giyu comments, looking up. "Do you think Tanjiro did this?”

Genya nods, walking in step with Giyu as they both move along the path.

“Knowing Oyakata-sama, he likely let Tanjiro, Nezuko and the other two stay there while you were gone.” Genya muses, thinking about Zenitsu and Inosuke.

Giyu huffs, looking at his husband amused. “Trying to scare me that I don't have a house anymore? Those two are chaotic."

Genya laughs, pulling a willing Giyu into a chaste kiss.

"We survived team sevens chaos, we can survive theirs.”

The water estate actually looks better than Giyu had left it that fateful day. 

The grounds are clean, fence even repaired from the holes Giyu had seen before the unplanned trip. 

Opening the gate, Giyu and Genya are bombarded with noise, multiple voices calling their names.

Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Nezuko swarm the duo with Zenitsu panicking in a corner as usual for the anxious thunder breather.

“Giyu-san!” The Sun Hashira cheers, Tanjiro having grown in the four years Giyu and Genya had been gone from this timeline. “We did our best to keep your estate in good condition, I hope it’s not too much. When Oyakata-sama asked me to become the Sun Hashira, I asked to stay in your estate. I hope we didn’t overstep.”

“What Gompachiro said.” Inosuke chimes in, standing proudly. “Without the whining about ruining your den.” There seems to be a cheerful aura about the boar-headed slayer despite his aggressive posturing.

Giyu shakes his head, placing his hand on Tanjiros head, ruffling his hair. “It’s fine Tanjiro.” Had Tanjiro actually stuck with Water Breathing and mastered it, the estate would have became his anyway.

“See! I told you Gichii would find it ok!” Inosuke shouts, almost knocking Tanjiro over.

The duo are tugged inside by a very enthusiastic Nezuko, humming cheerily, the muzzle no longer covering her mouth.

“Shes in the sun.” Giyu breathes, as stunned as Genya as he’s pulled along with Genya.

Tanjiro beams, walking to Giyus right. “While you were gone, actually. She…there was a choice i had to make over shielding her and killing a demon. Nezuko kicked me away. I thought for sure i’d lose her but somehow, she adapted.”

The large groups heads inside, with Giyu and Genya being pulled by a very excitable Nezuko.

Inside, there’s a wide spread of food, enough to feed all of them.

Watermelon slices, onigiri, bowls of simmered salmon with diakon, fried rice, pickled vegetables to name a few things.

Giyu perks up at seeing his favorite dish, grabbing a bowl of the salmon with daikon and holding it. It had been so long since he’d had a bowl from home. Sure, the food in the Leaf Village was fine too, but nothing beat eating simmered salmon with daikon in his estate.

“It’s still your favorite, right Giyu-san?” Tanjiro asks, seeing Giyu pick up chopsticks to eat.

Giyu nods, too wrapped up in savoring his favorite meal with a small smile on his face to respond.

Genya on the other hand, picks at the regular food, having piled a plate high with watermelon instead.

The motion of their eating makes the wedding bands on their ring fingers glint in the light of the Water Estate, catching the gaze of Inosuke, Nezuko, and Zenitsu.

“What the hell are those?!” Zenitsu shrieks, panicking as he points at Genyas and Giyus left ring fingers. “You two managed to get hitched with someone and i can’t even get my sweet Nezuko-chan to notice me?”

Tanjiro looks mildly uncomfortable, sighing. “I really wish you wouldn’t refer to my sister as yours, Zenitsu. She’s her own person, we’ve gone over this.” The sun hashira crosses his arms, looking very much like a scolding older brother.

“Yeah, Ziti!” Inosuke shouts, standing up with tempura sticking out of his mouth. He’s got his arms crossed and is laughing maniacly. “New mom can choose who she wants to be her mate herself!”

“While i appreciate the last half of your statement Inosuke, Nezuko isn’t your mother either.” Tanjiro sighs, exasperated at his friends’ antics. “Couldn’t you two save the weirdness until after Genya and Giyu-san have settled back in at least?”

Tanjiro seems to remember something, turning to Genya. “Will you still be living with Himejima-san, Genya?”

Genya opens his mouth to answer, getting cut off by another argument between Zenitsu and Inosuke centering around the tall, scary stone hashira and how Inosuke keeps trying to fight him.

“No actually.” Giyu speaks, everyone freezing at his tone. “Genya will be staying here.”

You can almost see the gears turn in the three slayers’ heads.

“Why? Not that i mind, Genya is a dear friend, but wouldn’t he want to live back with his teacher now that he’s back?” Tanjiro asks innocently, tilting his head, which Nezuko mirrors beside him.

“Isn’t it obvious, Gompachiro? The two of them are mated.” Inosuke states, surprisingly not shouting. “I can sense it.”

Tanjiro blinks, confused, before his gaze once again finds the rings on their fingers. Genyas is the same shade of blue as Giyus eyes, and Giyus is a deep shade of purple to match Genyas.

“Come to think of it, you do smell alike, but i assumed it was because you hung out a lot in that other world.” Tanjiro muses, thinking. “But you’ve only been gone four years, before that, you two were strangers so how…” Tanjiro trails off.

“We were in that world for several decades, pulled into a war we didn’t want to fight and were only able to get back thanks to the combined efforts of the people we met in our stay.” Genya mumbles, right hand seeking Giyus left under the table. “We were both in our late thirties when we left.”

“TH-TH-TH-THIRTIES?!” Zenitsu shrieks again, entirely shocked. “But your age difference!”

Both blink at Zenitsu like he’s grown a second head. “Is just five years.”

“Zenitsu, they don’t owe you an explanation.” Tanjiro scolds, passing Zenitsu another plate.

Giyu tones the bickering out, focused on eating his own food, a small smile on his face as he messily eats more of his favorite dish. Genya pauses every so often in his meal to wipe Giyus face from the rice he keeps getting there somehow, the two seemingly oblivious to the looks they’re getting from the trio.

They move like an old married couple, which they technically are, having been married for years in the other world before finally managing to get back home.

“You really do…” Zenitsu trails off, unable to look away, but wanting to.

The rest of the meal is lively, with Zenitsu and Inosuke having their usual chaos and Tanjiro playing peacekeeper between them. Nezuko sits quietly, watching everything with a wide grin.

She helps clean the empty dishes with the trio after the meal is done, all four of them refusing to let Genya or Giyu move a muscle as far as cleanup went.

“Goodnight Giyu-san, Genya.” Tanjiro grins cheerily, dragging Inosuke and Zenitsu towards the bathing room. Nezuko had already went into the wing of the water estate that Tanjiro had his room in, a separate wing from where Giyus room was with its own private bath.

Genya and Giyu walk to where Giyus room is, surprised by how clean the room is. Tanjiros doing, most likely.

“He even drew a bath, it’s fresh.” Giyu comments from the connected bathing room as Genya inspects the large futon. “Are you coming?”

Genya gives the futon one last look before joining his husband in the bath, Giyu having already gotten undressed and seated at the stool.

“Starting without me?” Genya pouts cheekily, teasing as he eyes Giyus form, glancing quickly over the sealing matrix that holds the still sleeping Isobu. He steps out of his clothing, feeling Giyus intense eyes on him the entire time.

Giyu smirks, pulling Genya to him by his wrist. “Who, me?”

Genya leans into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Giyu. “I’m still sure i’m stupidly lucky after all these years.” Genya hums against the nape of Giyus neck, feeling long fingers massage his scalp. “Love when you do that." Genya murmurs, all but melting against his husband.

Giyu hums, wrapping his arms around Genya, his one hand still massaging Genyas scalp. “Let me get your back first, yeah?" 

Genya complies, separating from Giyu with a bit of reluctance, seating himself at the other stool next to him.

As Genya lathers up his front, Giyus skilled hands trail down his back, massaging the scarred skin gently. Soothing the constant aches from them at least for a little while.

It's hard not to lean into Giyus touch, a breathy sigh escaping Genya as warm water is dumped over his head to rince him off.

Genya melts as Giyus fingers return to his scalp, massaging shampoo into his hair, a low noise escaping his throat. “I fucking love you."

Giyu huffs, amused as he washes Genyas hair. “I know." Amusement in Giyus tone as he rinces Genyas hair of shampoo and starts massaging in conditioner.

All too soon Giyus finished with Genyas hair, and Genya turns to get Giyus back and hair as well.

It's an all too familiar and intimate act, when they bathe together.

Genya cards his fingers through Giyus hair, massaging in the shampoo and smiling softly as Giyu melts against him with a soft noise. 

He can feel the moment Giyu relaxes under his hands. “You're too good at this Genya.”

Once they're both clean, they move to the tub to soak for a moment, limbs tangled and Giyu almost dozing against Genyas chest.

“Gonna fall asleep there Giyu?” Genya teases lightly, placing a kiss to Giyus shoulder.

Giyu hums, leaning back further against Genya. "Maybe.”

Giyu actually does end up falling asleep, Genya chuckling lightly as he dries them both off and carrying Giyu to bed after they're both in sleeping yukata.

The futon is just big enough for both of them, curled against each other.

“I love you." Giyu whispers sleepily as he half dozes again. “And I'm glad we made it back, even if we're still fighting in a war.”

Genya kisses Giyus forehead, slowly falling asleep too. "Love you too”

Sure, they were strangers when they were dropped in that other world, but fighting in a whole other war and all the things they went through pulled them together like how the moon pulls the ocean.