Giyu pulled his haori tighter around himself and shivered slightly. It wasn't that it was particularly cold, but Giyu was particularly nervous. It had been a couple weeks since he had that intense moment with Sanemi where he was forced to confess, but even so they never had the whole "what are we" conversation. In fact, they hadn't even had the "what do we say and how do we act in front of others" conversation.

Sure, there were moments after that, when they had met up, just the two of them, in secret. The moments were rushed and thrilling, but Giyu craved them like they were air, and his soul was drowning. This issue, that had been in Giyu's mind since the night of the confession, suddenly became a lot more pressing when the Master had called an emergency Hashira meeting to discuss something important. It would be his first time seeing everyone since his relationship with Sanemi had advanced further than…well further than enemies, and Giyu didn't know how to act.

Sanemi didn't say not to tell anyone, but then again he also didn't say that Giyu was allowed to tell anyone, and Giyu felt that he needed Sanemi's permission before speaking. Would Sanemi be open about their newfound relationship? Would he be subtle? Would he just continue playing the hating game? Goodness, would he ignore him? Giyu didn't know how Sanemi was going to act in front of the other Hashira, let alone what he himself would do. Would Sanemi hate him if he tried to talk to him? Would Sanemi hate him if he didn't?

"Ara ara~ Tomioka-san! My, do you look conflicted. Penny for your thoughts?"

Giyu forced his mind back to the present, and realised that he had made it to the meeting location. The Master hadn't arrived yet, but all the other Hashira were present, Sanemi included. Giyu searched his face, but Sanemi gave no indication that he even recognized Giyu as worthy to look at. Giyu felt his heart fall, and he quietly took a seat on the floor as far away from the wind pillar as possible. Unfortunately, that seat was right beside the insect pillar, who was trying to speak to him.

"Tomioka-san," Shinobu continued, with a sickly sweet smile on her face, "don't you know, it's rude to ignore a colleague? This must be why nobody likes you."

Giyu turned to look her in the eye, but didn't answer.

Shinobu wouldn't take the hint. "You're quiet as always. Why not lighten up a bit? You know, if you joined me for some fun, you wouldn't be so tense all the time," She giggled, her words thick with playful teasing.

Giyu clenched his fists, but still refused to answer. The room suddenly fell into a deadly silence. Giyu looked up, expecting to see the Master before him, but was instead met with Sanemi's eyes, flashing with the unmistakable flicker of jealousy. The tension in the room grew as he pushed himself to his feet, and with heavy deliberate steps, began to stock towards Giyu.

"Enough," Sanemi growled, his voice low and dangerous as he grabbed Giyu's arm with more force than necessary.

Shinobu raised an eyebrow, about to speak, but Sanemi's glare silenced her.

Without another word, Sanemi pulled Giyu away from the other Hashira, dragged him to the back of the room, and pushed him up against the wall with a surprising gentleness, considering the force of his movements. Giyu stood there, breath catching in his throat as Sanemi loomed over him. His face burned with embarrassment and confusion, yet his body refused to move.

Sanemi pinned his wrists to the wall above his head, eyes boring into Giyu's with a mixture of frustration and something far deeper, something possessive. "You're mine," He spat, his voice thick with emotion, as though he had to prove it. His eyes stayed locked onto Giyu's, challenging him to deny it.

Giyu's pulse raced, and his heart felt like it might burst. He tried to look away, but Sanemi's grip was unyielding, and he forced Giyu's chin up, forcing him to look into his eyes. Remembering Sanemi's previous actions the night of the confession, Giyu didn't dare to push against him. However, he was reminded that the entire room was watching them this time, and his discomfort only grew.

"I-I didn't…I wasn't the one who…" Giyu stammered, his throat tight with the need to prove his innocence. He couldn't explain why he felt so exposed, why everything seemed so intense all of a sudden.

Sanemi growled, and ducked his head to whisper in Giyu's ear. "Say it."

"Say wha-" Began Giyu, but Sanemi jostled him roughly.

"Don't play dumb! Tell them how you feel about me, just how you did that first time. Explain to them why you aren't just for sale. Tell them. Tell her."

Giyu's eyes widened, and his breath quickened. His heart was in his throat, and the weight of Sanemi's words crushed him. He couldn't just confess in front of everyone. He felt like an object; something Sanemi owned. He felt weak, like he had no control. His chest tightened painfully as he fought back the wave of emotion threatening to break free.

"Say it. Now." Sanemi demanded lowly, his voice no longer a question.

Giyu's hands trembled, but the truth spilled out before he could stop it. "I love you," he whispered, his voice barely audible but unmistakably honest. His cheeks flushed bright red, and his heart hammered in his chest, his head spinning with the weight of what he had just said. They had never said "I love you" to each other before. Giyu didn't know what to expect.

"Louder!" Sanemi barked, and jerked his head in the direction of the Hashira, who were watching in stunned silence.

"I- I love you. I love Sanemi!" Giyu choked out, voice shaking.

Sanemi's gaze softened for a brief moment before his lips curled into a grin. He leaned in closer, his breath warm against Giyu's skin. "Good. She needed to hear it." The entire room was silent. Giyu's heart thudded in his chest as Sanemi stepped back slightly, eyes still locked onto his.

"Now kiss me," Sanemi commanded, his tone less harsh than before but still firm.

Giyu froze, unsure how to respond. His entire body was on fire with embarrassment. His heart was pounding in his ears, and his hands were shaking from where they were still pinned above his head. Words were one thing, but a kiss? In front of everyone?

But he had to obey.

Slowly, hesitantly, he leaned forward and attempted to press his lips against Sanemi's. On his first try, their noses bumped together clumsily, and Giyu cringed, pulling back and tilting his head against the cool wood of the wall behind him, hoping Sanemi would let it go. When the white haired man shifted impatiently, Giyu tried again, this time nudging at Sanemi's cheek before giving up and burying his face in the crook of Sanemi's neck.

The room seemed to hold its breath.

Then the sound of a loud smack echoed through the space, as Sanemi's hand landed on Giyu's backside, causing him to jump in shock and let out a small whimper. "Get a grip, Giyu," Sanemi growled, his impatience clear.

Uzui's voice cut through the tension. "Oh, look at that. Giyu's got a bit of a submissive side, huh?"

"I didn't think the water Hashira was the type," Iguro added with a sly grin.

Tokito just cringed. "I do not need to see this," he complained, but didn't turn his head.

Sanemi's eyes flashed with irritation. "Shut up, all of you," he snapped, his voice laced with venom. "If you've got something to say, say it to my face."

Without warning, Sanemi reached out, grabbing Giyu's wrist with an unexpected force. While the other demon slayers' eyes widened at the sudden, aggressive action, Giyu didn't even flinch, but the pressure in his chest tightened. He knew what was coming, but it didn't make it any easier to endure. Sanemi pulled Giyu forward, his lips crashing down on Giyu's in a kiss that was equal parts rough and commanding. It wasn't the type of kiss Giyu had imagined in his most private thoughts. It was a statement. A demand for attention- for respect. It was something that Sanemi needed, and Giyu was always willing to fulfill Sanemi's needs. The force of it made Giyu's head spin, and his body froze in shock.

When Sanemi finally pulled away, he didn't break eye contact with Giyu. His expression was unreadable, a mix of anger and something darker, more possessive. The room felt impossibly still, and Giyu could hear the frantic beating of his own heart. His face flushed a deep red, his chest tight as the embarrassment of the kiss washed over him. He didn't know what to say, and for a moment, the words seemed to stick in his throat. His hands shook slightly, and he lowered his gaze, unable to meet Sanemi's intense stare. There was something about Sanemi's presence; his unwavering confidence that made Giyu feel both humiliated and oddly reassured.

After a moment, he felt Sanemi's grip loosen, and finally release.

"Let's go somewhere private," Sanemi muttered, his tone softer but still carrying an edge of possessiveness.

"But the Master-" began Mitsuri. Sanemi bumped into her rudely on the way out, effectively silencing her.

Once they were out of the main room and away from the prying eyes of the others, Sanemi stopped and looked down at Giyu, his expression shifting from frustration to something more vulnerable. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I shouldn't have acted that way in front of everyone. I just… I couldn't stand seeing Kocho like that with you."

Giyu shook his head, wiping tears he didn't even realize he had cried from his cheeks. "It's o-okay. I just… I don't know how to handle it when you're like that."

Sanemi looked at him seriously, his gaze softening. "I'll try not to do it again. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

Giyu took a deep breath, his face still flushed from the earlier events. "I… I don't mind, actually. It just… makes me feel like I'm losing control, but I kind of like it."

Sanemi's expression shifted again, this time taking on an amused and slightly predatory appearance. "Have a bit of a submissive side, don't you?" He parroted Uzui's earlier words.

Giyu blushed and ducked his head, lightly shoving at the taller man. "Shut up."

Sanemi smiled and pulled the water pillar closer to himself. "Seriously though, I'm sorry. I just…lost it back there. I won't make you feel like that again. Not unless you want to, Giyu. But when it's just the two of us… your tears, your smiles, all of it, it's just for me. And I don't share what belongs to me."

Giyu flushed deeper and buried his face in Sanemi's shoulder, gripping the fabric of his haori tightly. He let out a shaky breath, his heart still racing. "Mmm, you don't need to prove anything. Course I belong to you."

Sanemi held him tighter, his voice soft. "No one else will ever see you like this again. Only me, Giyu. I love you."

Giyu nodded silently, too overwhelmed to say anything more. At that moment, he knew clearly what he and Sanemi were. He also knew that whatever came next, he would face it with Sanemi by his side.