Shinobu really isn't expecting someone to be knocking on the front door of the mansion so late at night. In the middle of a horrible rainstorm at that.
And she really isn't expecting that someone to be the Water Pillar either.
He is completely soaked, and has clearly been outside for quite a while by this point. He looks disheveled, not surprising given he's been out in this storm for who knows how long. But it's his eyes that capture her attention. She can't explain how she knows this, she can just tell it seems, but there's just something missing when she looks in them. And the already normally quiet pillar just seems very off.
Thank god he finally took up her offer to come over whenever anything was wrong. Because something is clearly wrong.
"Giyuu…" she starts before hesitating. She doesn't want to make him close up even more, by pushing him just yet. "...why don't you go get dried off? I'll set out some clothes for you. Have you eaten anything?"
He stands there for a few moments, almost as if he is lost and not all there, before shaking his head.
"Okay, while you dry off I'll make something quick alright?" She says, trying not to give away just how concerned she currently is, but it's hard because of how he looks currently. He gives a small, shaky nod before walking down the hall, and she lets out a small sigh of relief, at the fact he's not completely shutting down.
Soon Giyuu returns, mostly dry and in dry clothes as well. Hopefully he doesn't get sick because of this, she thinks. She made some rice because it's quick and she wasn't sure how much of an appetite he has right now.
As Shinobu serves him she hears him quietly mumble, "T-thank you."
While he eats they sit together in silence, but unlike their normal type of silence it's not comfortable or peaceful. Something just feels wrong.
After he finishes eating, Giyuu just silently stands there in the dining room. His eyes look empty, or perhaps just so very far away. Shinobu hesitantly reaches out to touch his arm and get his attention. He jumps at the touch before he looks at her and calms down a bit. But he looks as though he hadn't even realized she was there.
She has to ask him now, because this is very worrying, he's never been this out of it. "Giyuu, are you okay? Did something happen?"
He doesn't answer, but she hears him begin taking shuddering breaths.
"Oh Giyuu…" Shinobu thinks sadly, as she quickly guides him into her office and onto the couch there.
After a few moments Giyuu's breath hitches, and Shinobu's heart breaks when she sees the tears begin pouring down his face. She holds her arms out towards him, a silent invitation. He accepts, leaning towards her and letting her pull him into her tight and caring embrace, as the tears turn to sobs that wrack his entire body.
This isn't the first time she's seen him cry like this, but she is probably one of, if not the only person that has seen him like this. It's extremely rare that he cries, and Shinobu is pretty sure she could count the times on one hand. Which is what makes this even more concerning because even during those few times Giyuu has never been hurting this much. He's been there for her when she has needed to cry as well. She's not entirely sure what this is between them, because it feels like more than just friends but less than a romantic relationship. Perhaps closer to being like family, but she doesn't have time to think about that right now, because he needs her.
But every time he's broken down like this, it's made her hurt a bit more, wishing he would tell her why he hurts so much, and give her a chance to help him in some way besides getting him through it in the moment. This time feels a bit different than the others though, as if he is perhaps a bit more broken, a bit more hurt this time. And she just wishes she knew why, wishes she could make his pain go away…
So she does what she can, what she knows helps him during these moments. She holds him close to her, she talks to him. She strokes his hair, because that's something that always seems to help soothe him a bit.
Giyuu just sobs into her embrace, his normally still, stoic body shaking with waves of emotion and pain. His normally expressionless face, red and stained with tears, showing pure pain and sadness.
"It's okay Giyuu, It's okay. Everything is okay. I'm here, and I promise I'll be here as long as you need," Shinobu tells him softly, as he continues to sob. She doesn't ask again what happened, she will always ask at least once, but he has never given an answer, so she just calms him down and makes sure he knows he has someone that cares so very much about him. She wishes he would tell her, wishes so badly, however it does not deter her. She will be here for him either way, and hopefully, eventually he will open up more.
"Shh, it's gonna be okay. I've got you," she says, and now she has him laying with his back against her, keeping one arm wrapped tightly around him while the other soothingly strokes his hair. His sobs slowly begin to quiet, and she can tell he's beginning to fall asleep in her arms, and she's content to just hold him there while he sleeps.
In a few moments Giyuu is asleep, and it's the first time since he arrived that he looks relaxed and calm. Shinobu continues her actions, because even though he's asleep, she wants to make sure he is and remains okay, at least for a little while longer.
Shinobu presses a kiss to the back of his head while listening to the rain and Giyuu's breathing. She whispers, "Sleep well Giyuu, I'll still be here when you wake up. I promise."
