Genre: Fluff

Plot: While being alone with Obanai, Giyuu decided to ask a question.

Confessions

What are the odds of everyone being out on a mission at the same time? Except for me? Giyuu thought to himself as he wandered down the paths. He looked around at his surroundings. There wasn't a single person in sight. He was alone. I guess that's normal for me...

The Water Pillar continued to wander, trying to think of something to do to pass the time, when he felt as though there was a pair of eyes on him. He turned to see what it was, but he saw nothing. He continued to search until he saw a pair of red dots coming from a nearby tree. Curiously, Giyuu walked over to see what it was. As he neared, a long white creature slithered down the trunk. Giyuu immediately recognized it.

"Kaburamaru?" Giyuu questioned, coming face to face with the albino snake. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you with Iguro?"

The snake only responded by looking up into the tree. Giyuu followed Kaburamaru's gaze to see Obanai peacefully sleeping in a tree branch.

Guess he didn't have a mission like the others. Giyuu thought to himself. He smiled softly at the sight of the Serpent Pillar. Despite Obanai's cold-hearted demeanor, Giyuu couldn't help but feel an admiration for the shorter male. He's talked about it to Shinobu, only for her to say it was a crush and start teasing him. Giyuu was annoyed by this, but part of him wondered if Shinobu was right and it was a crush.

Even if it was a crush ... Giyuu knew there was no way Obanai liked him back. The Serpent Pillar always seemed cold-hearted towards everyone except Mitsuri and Sanemi. He especially seemed cold-hearted towards Giyuu.

What did I do to him that makes him dislike me? Was it letting Nezuko live when I first met her? No ... he was like that even before then. Why?

Meanwhile, Obanai felt the Water Pillar looking up at him. He didn't feel like dealing with Giyuu right now. He tried to let Kaburamaru know this, but the snake didn't listen. Keep pretending to be asleep. Then he'll leave.

Kaburamaru seemed to have heard his thoughts, because they prodded him hardly with their tail.

"Ow!" Obanai snapped at the snake. It didn't hurt, but he wanted to let his friend know that he did not appreciate that.

"Kaburamaru, if he wants sleep, you should let him," Giyuu said blandly.

Obanai inwardly sighed to himself. He appreciated Giyuu's consideration, but he knew he couldn't show it. He developed an image in Giyuu's mind and of he ever broke character, the blue-eyed male would notice. If he noticed, there was risk of his secret getting exposed.

The truth was that Obanai had a crush on Giyuu. The Water Pillar was always to stoic and mysterious. There was something about that Obanai found attractive. Not to mention Shinobu's daily reminder to Giyuu that no one like him. Obanai noticed this and couldn't help but sympathize with Giyuu. He knew all too well what it was like to be an outcast.

But there was no way Giyuu was gonna like him back. He probably doesn't even like guys. And how would everyone else react? Even if Giyuu did like guys and the other Pillars were supportive ... why would someone as beautiful and caring as Giyuu like a freaky tsundere like Obanai?

Obanai shook those thoughts away. Why am I thinking about the "what ifs" and they "whys?" It's not like I deserve his love. And he doesn't deserve mine. He deserves someone better.

"Are you okay? You seem spaced out and sad," Giyuu suddenly interrupted.

Obanai looked up to see Giyuu carefully balancing himself the same branch he was laying on.

The Serpent Pillar felt a blush forming on his face. Thank God for my bandages! He scowled a little at Giyuu and looked away. "Why would you care?"

"Why shouldn't I? We Hashira should stick together and help each other when need be, right?"

Obanai just shrugged, unsure of how to respond to that.

"And ... no one else is available. I might as well try to help. What's bothering you?"

"Tch. I'd rather not talk about it," Obanai scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Giyuu tilted his head in curiosity, his blank expression unwavering. "You don't have to tell me, then. However," He paused. There was something on his mind. Did he dare ask? ... Yes. Yes, he did. "can you answer me something else?"

"That depends. What is it?"

"You have a sharp tongue towards most of the pillars. You especially seem to have it out for me. Why? Did I do something to make you hold a grudge against you?" Giyuu asked, blandly.

Obanai felt a pang in his chest. He knew it wasn't Giyuu's fault for being so ... perfect. He knew it wasn't the taller male's fault for his sharp tongue. No. That was his own fault. And yet here Giyuu was, thinking he did something wrong. "No, Tomioka, you didn't," Obanai blurted, without thinking about what his next move should be.

Giyuu grew more confused by this. "Oh? Then ...why be more unpleasant towards me?"

Obanai sighed, as his face grew even more red. He stared at his lap in shame as his heart raced. He mumbled a quiet "It's because I love you."

"What'd you say? I didn't catch that," Giyuu remarked.

"I said it's because I love you!" Obanai snapped, once again not thinking about what he was doing.

Giyuu gasped in shock as he felt his face heat up. But then he recomposed himself when he saw the shorter male's eyes start to well with tears. Instinctively, he reached a hand out to wipe them away.

But Obanai responded by swatting his hand away. "That won't be necessary ... I know you don't care ... you're probably just pretending to ... hell, you're probably weirded out by what I just said ... you have every right to be ... I wouldn't even be surprised if you told everyone ... I wouldn't be surprised if they find it weird ... that's why I was so rude towards you ... I wanted to hide it because you guys don't have a reason to be okay with it." Obanai's voice cracked as he rambled out of pure fear.

Giyuu could only listen in shock. Obanai had always seemed so calm and collected, even when he literally said he was pissed off. To see him break like this was unnatural. Giyuu felt his heart clench. He had to do something.

"Iguro, listen to me. I would never out someone out of spite or any other motive. I don't find it weird at all. In fact ... I can't quite explain it, but I've always felt some sort of peculiar attraction towards you."

Obanai's tears briefly stopped. "Wait ... really?" he asked, softly.

Giyuu nodded. "Shinobu said it was because I have a crush on you. I wanted to think it was because she was trying to annoy me, but another part of me is convinced she's right. I think I fell for you, Iguro."

Obanai stared at the taller male in shock. He could barely formulate a sentence. "What- But- You- ... why?"

"I guess it's because I kind of see myself in you. Calm and collected under pressure, feeling like an outcast, a mysterious aura ... there's a lot I don't know about you and I find that intriguing. I wish to get to know you more," Giyuu explained, looking as dead pan as ever. But Obanai could tell he was serious.

"Tomioka ..." Obanai could feel his tears returning. Only this time, they were more happy. "I'd like that. I know it's hard for me to trust people, but I want to fully trust you. Think we can build that trust? And ... our relationship?"

A small smile fell on Giyuu's lips, making Obanai's heart flutter. The Water Pillar pulled the Serpent Pillar into a hug, surprising the shorter male. Kaburamaru wrapped themself around the two of them, as if approving of the relationship. Obanai recovered from the shock and hugged back.

"I'd love that more than anything," Giyuu said. "I love you ... Obanai."

"I love you, too ... Giyuu."