Genre: Hurt/comfort

Plot: Darkness falls upon the Hashira estates, triggering some unwanted flashbacks.

Manga Spoilers

Darkness

The wind was howling. Heavy snowflakes were being whipped through the sky. The air was bitterly cold. Anyone who set foot outside would immediately regret it. Normally people would find this type of weather unbearable.

Not Obanai and Giyuu.

The two were cuddling each other, wrapped in a blanket to help keep warm.

Neither of them really minded the storm that raged on outside. As long as the Water Estate stayed lit, they'd be fine.

However, the light was not meant to last.

The wind forced a window open. The gust was so strong, all the candles in the room went out, plunging the Water Estate into darkness.

Giyuu's eyes widened at the sight of shadows consuming every corner. Immediately, a flashback played in his mind. The very incident that sparked his path to becoming a Hashira that happened all those years ago.

"Hurry! Into the closet!" Tsutako frantically said, ushering her little brother into the closet.

"What's going on?" Giyuu asked, fear rising in his voice as he sat down on the floor.

"Don't worry. Just stay in there and be as quiet as you can. Don't come out, no matter what. I'll be sure to come back for you!" Tsutako instructed as she closed the door.

Giyuu knew better than to argue. He backed himself into the corner of the closet, hugging his knees to his chest. He tried to be patient, but the anticipation of what was going on was killing him.

He heard strangled screams of pain. He knew those sounds were coming from Tsutako. He also heard a voice that he didn't recognize. It didn't even sound human. It sounded ... horrible. There were splattering sounds and squelching, followed by more screaming and gurgling. Whatever was causing these sounds seemed to be laughing in triumph. Giyuu desperately wanted to help. But he also didn't want to disobey his older sister. He hugged his knees closer to him, whimpering a little. Tears started to roll down his cheeks. He didn't know what to do. All he knew was that he was that something bad was happening and that he was scared.

The noises died down. And then there was silence.

Nervously, Giyuu slipped out of the closet and crept down the hall. When he got to the room where the noises were coming from, he slowly peeked through the doorway.

What he saw would scar him forever.

Tsutako laid slain on the floor. Her stomach was ripped open, revealing her insides. Her throat was torn. Blood was everywhere, soaking her body and the floor around her. Her expression was full of fear, pain, and death.

Looming over her was what Giyuu could only describe as a pale-skinned monster.

A demon.

He thought those only existed in those stories that the elderly tell kids to scare them into staying in bed at night. And now here one was, having just killed his sister with her blood soaking his claws, mouth, and teeth.

Giyuu's eyes widened and his breath hitched. He clamped his mouth over his hand to prevent him from making any sound. The creature hadn't seen him yet. He needed to get out of here. Quickly, but quietly, Giyuu raced back down the hall and to the nearest exit. He had never felt so afraid in his life.

It was snowing outside, but he didn't care. Once he had gotten a safe enough distance between him and his house, he let his emotions spill over. Tears streamed down his face as he threw his head back and screamed. Screams of fear. Screams of grief. Screams of sadness.

He knew that nothing was ever going to be the same.

"Giyuu!"

Giyuu jolted and he shook the memory. The Water Estate was lit again and the window was shut. The wind continued to howl outside. Obanai sat in front of him, concern filling his eyes.

"Wh-Wha-...?" Giyuu muttered, blinking away some tears that had formed.

"Are you okay?" Obanai asked in a shockingly soft and concerned tone.

Did I worry him that much? Giyuu wondered to himself. "Y-Yeah, I think so ... why?"

"Well, the room got dark and then you started having a panic attack," Obanai explained. "Your irises dilated, your breathing got staggered, you started shaking, and you started crying. I tried to get your attention, but you were unresponsive. So I got the window shut and relit the candles, hoping it would help, but you didn't even notice."

"Oh," Giyuu said, quietly. He looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry."

"No, don't apologize," Obanai said. He gently cupped Giyuu's face and held it so that they were making eye contact. "I just want to help. Are you okay?"

"I'm feeling better now," Giyuu admitted. "I just ... I had a flashback about ... that night."

Obanai immediately knew what Giyuu was talking about. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Giyuu's eyes welled with tears again. "I just don't want to lose anyone else ... first my sister ... then Sabito ... I don't want to be alone again."

Obanai cupped Giyuu's cheek with his other hand. He used his thumbs to wipe the tears away. Kaburamaru let out a small hiss of comfort as they slid off Obanai's shoulders and onto Giyuu's. "Gi, listen to me. We're demon slayers. Hashira, even. We've been trained to take down demons so that we don't lose anyone else. Believe me. They've affected my life as much as yours. I get how you feel. Which is why I'm going to do everything in my power to protect you from them and be there for you."

Giyuu nodded and started to cry a little harder. "And that's why I want to protect you, as well. I don't want to lose you, too."

The two boyfriends hugged each other tightly. Giyuu buried his face into the crook of Obanai's neck and cried. Obanai rubbed comforting circles into his back.

After a bit, Giyuu finally calmed down.

"Feeling better?" Obanai asked.

"Much," Giyuu replied. "Thank you for helping me."

"Of course. Anything for you."