Where The Moon And Water Meets

by hasa3810

Summary:

It's a marriage of convenience. Giyuu married Tsugikuni because they both had something to gain. He was content with what they had. He just wishes the man he married wasn't Upper Moon One.

Kokushibou never meant for him to be affected this deeply.

—
4 things Giyuu notices about his husband before realizing he’s Upper Moon One.

Notes:

I don't know what I was on when I wrote this.

Chapter 1

It began as a marriage of convenience.

In the beginning, Giyuu had no reason to pursue marriage. He didn't seek romance the same way Kanroji did nor did he have stunningly gorgeous partners like Uzui. The idea of building a life with a significant other never quite crossed his mind. He thought of it in passing but never as more than a fleeting notion.

However, when he was proposed to by a man he didn't even know, he made the impulsive decision to accept.

The reasoning behind his acceptance was... Shinobu would call him stupid and he would agree. Giyuu remembered his sister and her fiancé being happily in love. Their wedding was a ceremony to symbolize the union they shared. but before his sister could don her shiromuku and wakaboshi, she had been brutally murdered by a demon. Perhaps she could have survived if she had prioritized her well-being over her little brother.

But because she died instead of her little brother, her little brother made the impulsive decision to accept a proposal just so he could live out what would have been her future.

Giyuu would like to think his marriage could have been worse. It's nothing like the blissful matrimony Tsutako envisioned for herself but Giyuu wasn't delusional enough to believe he deserved something like that. But he and his husband are...amiable.

They do not live in the Water Estate. No, that land belonged to the Water Hashira and Giyuu only had the title because he survived on someone else's time. He didn't deserve any of the privileges that came with being a Hashira. A boy who couldn't slay a single demon during the Final Selection had no right to live off of the luxuries that belonged to someone more deserving.

He supposes he's fortunate enough that his husband can afford a rather nice house. It's nothing grand like the territory of a lord but it's a lovely piece of property that suits them just fine. It's more than accommodating for the both of them.

On the days where Giyuu does not have a mission and is told by Oyakata-sama to recuperate, he spends his free time at the place he calls home. It's not as though he has friends to enjoy outings with or close comrades to drink with. He's not exactly a recluse but he's somewhere close.

He practices his Forms until his arms are sore in the spacious yard and when he reaches his limit, he takes a bath. He could simply wipe the sweat and grime away but he prefers the feeling of being completely clean. Uzui and his wives are always searching for new onsens to enjoy. He wonders if he should visit one as well. It would be a nice experience.

Afterwards, Giyuu would make a light meal. It's usually a bowl of rice with a side dish or two. Most of his meals feature some variety of seafood with simmered salmon being the most common. Sometimes, he'll get tired of rice and make cold soba noodles instead.

Then he'll take Kanzaburo to the engawa and pull out whichever novel he had been reading. There isn't really a specific genre to his collection of books. Mystery, romance, action; he reads whatever catches his interest. Although his husband does occasionally add to the bookshelves. He'll bring home puzzle books, bestsellers, or a decorative trinket and they'll find a place on the shelves.

More often than not, Giyuu will end up falling asleep on the engawa. Something about the warmth of the sun and the mundane nature of day offs make for a very relaxing nap. Kanzaburo, as if sensing his master's growing drowsiness, cuddles next to his head. He's getting old, he needs a nap too.

Giyuu always wakes up before the sun completely sets. The latest he's ever woken up was when the sky was dyed a searing orange and night was just around the corner. In his defense, cleaning the entire house and doing the laundry after a mission where he didn't sleep for two days made him very tired.

Around this time, he'll start on dinner. Tsugikuni isn't a big eater so he makes a smaller portion for his husband. Giyuu doesn't make any comments but in the privacy of his mind, he questions how such a small portion could sustain a man as large as his husband. His husband is taller than him and most likely one of the most muscular men he's ever seen.

When Tsugikuni does return, Giyuu would just have finished making dinner. His husband's footsteps are quiet, bordering on silent. But he hears him coming in anyway from the sound of the doors. As always, he makes a hum just loud enough for his husband to hear.

In terms of looks, Giyuu can say with confidence he got lucky. His husband is very handsome and Giyuu isn't seeing his face through rose-tinted glasses. He's stating an objective fact the same way someone would say the sky was blue.

"Tsugikuni-san," Giyuu greets as he places a bowl of rice in front of his husband's seat.

"Tomioka-san."

They don't call each other by their given names. Despite being married, they don't have the required familiarity or brazenness for that. It's not as though they interact with each other enough to develop the closeness most married couples would have.

Tsugikuni is a reserved man of few words. It's one of the first things Giyuu noticed about his husband and possibly one of his favorite qualities as well. Because his husband does not often engage in idle chatter, Giyuu does not have to force himself to respond. They mainly communicate through a system of unspoken signals and gestures and it's a system that's yet to fail them.

Filling the silence with small talk doesn't suit them so the only thing that could be heard was the sound of their chopsticks and quiet chewing. Although Giyuu does think about what he would say if they did have to converse. The only thing he can really talk about other than his monotonous routine is his profession.

Would Tsugikuni think him insane for speaking about demons? Would he deny the existence of demons and reconsider what sort of lunatic he married? Would he react poorly?

Demons are akin to myths and Giyuu had personal experience with knowing just how controversial their existence was. He still wakes up drenched in sweat from remembering how he begged for someone to believe him. He remembers crying until his eyes couldn't get wet anymore. He remembers screaming at the villagers who admitted him to the mental institution.

Tsugikuni is a good husband for not saying anything about his nightmares. He knows he heard him crying because he always brings him a warm cup of chamomile tea to soothe his nerves.

"Tomioka-san, I'll clean the dishes. You can retire for the night," his husband said, already getting up to take the bowls and plates away.

Giyuu wants to tell him he could clean the dishes as well. He spent the entire day lounging around and indulging in his hobbies. Washing a couple of dishes would be no trouble. But Tsugikuni wouldn't listen and Giyuu doesn't see the point in arguing over something like dishes. He can wash them tomorrow.

They don't talk for the rest of the evening.

 

---

 

Another thing Giyuu has noticed about his husband is his displays of affection. The two of them are not bound in matrimony due to some mutual infatuation. They're married because one needed a spouse and the other wanted to live out his sister's future. It wouldn't be too inaccurate to call them roommates.

That doesn't stop Tsugikuni from showing his unique brand of caring even though he's not exactly obligated to. 

Nightmares are a bitch to deal with but it's not so difficult when your husband has a perfectly brewed cup of tea waiting. At first, Giyuu worried his nightmares were inconveniencing Tsugikuni. But no matter how much he muffled his whimpering or how silently he cried, his husband was always waiting outside his door with a hot beverage. He always knows. If Giyuu didn't know any better, he would say his husband could see through walls.

They don't share a room much less sleep in the same futon. If that were a requirement, Giyuu would have refused the proposal. He's not sure he can handle that level of intimacy with anyone.

Every time Giyuu has trouble falling asleep, he heads to the engawa and watches the moon until his mind has cleared. The breeze is cool and the night air is crisp. The bustling liveliness of the day has withdrawn, leaving only calming solitude.

He never keeps track of how long he watches the moon. Sometimes, Tsugikuni would drape a haori over his shoulders, a wordless reminder to stay warm. Other times, Giyuu would lose track of time and end up falling asleep. He always ends up waking up in his futon. He doesn't need to ask questions to know who carried him to his room. It's not like Kanzaburo can carry an entire human man.

If Giyuu's hair tie gets frayed even a little bit, Tsugikuni would replace it. His husband never gave a warning before pulling whichever cord or ribbon he was wearing out. He doesn't mind since his husband always ties his hair back with a new accessory.

Red cords with orange beads, blue embroidered ribbons, white strips of cloth; Tsugikuni's purchases even extend into hairpins and combs. Giyuu's hair is long but does not compare to the length of his husband's ponytail. Yet it's Giyuu who has something new adorning his hair every odd week.

Days like this - the two of them sharing their sabbaticals together - are particularly domestic. The sun is high in the sky and the clouds are abundant. Tsugikuni is somewhere away from the windows, meditating in the shade of their house. Giyuu is making lunch and because today is a special day, he decides to make sashimi.

He had already shredded a good amount of daikon, washed the shiso leaves, and plated the garnishes. The slices he made weren't too thick or thin and they were perfectly even. His profession required a certain level of proficiency with the sword although it doesn't necessarily translate to skill in the kitchen. His sister was the reason he knew how to feed himself and his husband.

Tsutako was...

She was someone who only deserved the best. She was indiscriminately kind to those around her and was the best part of Giyuu's childhood. Their parents died before he could even form words so she took it upon herself to raise an infant despite being no more than a child herself.

It couldn't have been easy. Surviving alone was already difficult enough, taking care of another would have overwhelmed anyone. Many times, Giyuu wishes she had simply abandoned him so she could pursue her happiness. He can't tell if he's grateful or guilty when she doesn't let go of his hand.

Tsutako taught him how to cook and clean so he wouldn't be reliant on others when it came to basic chores. Every time he messed up, she would patiently teach him the correct steps. She never got angry at him despite the trouble he brought her.

If only-

Giyuu hisses, the grip on the knife going slack. He sets the blade down and assesses the cut on his finger. There's a deep line of red between his nail and knuckle. It's just a superficial wound but it still stings.

He's already stopped the bleeding with a breathing technique. All that was left to do was to find a spare piece of cloth to clean the blood. It's a shame he'll also have to throw out the tuna he was cutting. No one liked eating food contaminated by blood.

As if sensing his plight, the sun was hidden by a cloud, dimming the kitchen and making it harder to look through the cabinets. Giyuu would roll his eyes if it were a greater inconvenience.

Suddenly, he feels a hand on his shoulder. He's thrown off guard for a moment and he ends up turning around with more aggression than intended. It quickly melts into confusion upon seeing who was touching him.

"Tsugikuni-san?" he asked. "What are you doing?"

His husband does not answer. The hand on his shoulder travels to his wrist while another arm is around his waist, pulling him closer to his husband. This behavior went against everything he knew about the man he married. His husband was always respectful of his personal space.

Then, Tsugikuni licks the blood on Giyuu's finger. He doesn't stop until there's nothing left to lap at. It's bizarre enough that the slayer's head momentarily blanks. He can't think. All he can do is focus on the man drinking his blood.

Tsugikuni looks up but doesn't let go. His gaze was heavy and carried something Giyuu couldn't decipher. The stare was unlike anything he'd ever received from his husband. It's overwhelming enough for him to wonder if his husband somehow had numerous sets of eyes.

Finally, Tsugikuni lets go of him. The clouds blocking the sun are moving as well. Light filters in the kitchen.

"Be careful next time," he said before taking his leave.

Giyuu wonders if this is the first time he's noticed how weird his husband can act.

 

---

 

'Tsugikuni-san could pass for a lord,' Giyuu thinks to himself. It's something that crossed his mind multiple times since they met.

Tsugikuni has a certain bearing that only those of noble lineages had. The way he conducted himself was always dignified and perhaps intimidating as well. Coupled with his serious countenance and almost inhuman presence, it's no wonder why he could command attention with a mere flicker of his eyes.

A year has passed since their union. The moments they spend together are sporadic at best but never unpleasant. Being a demon slayer, and a Hashira at that, meant he didn't have a set schedule. He could be away for days or weeks on end and he understood if it was a dealbreaker. Not many wanted a cold and absent spouse.

Giyuu has nothing but compliments for his husband. Tsugikuni's work has a very demanding schedule so he always leaves before dawn and disappears for long periods of time. It alleviated any guilt Giyuu might have had if he married someone who didn't have an equally taxing calendar. Tsugikuni does not ask for much and he pulls his weight when he's home so Giyuu's workload doesn't get out of hand. And because their marriage was one of coexistence, they didn't rely on intimacy or romance to sustain their relationship.

Nevertheless, it doesn't stop Tsugikuni from asking him to accompany him to the night market. Every now and then, they'll go on an outing. It's rare but it has happened enough times for Giyuu to no longer feel surprised.

The night market is closer to a festival than a merchants' district with the laughing children and savory odors. Everywhere Giyuu went, he could smell the tantalizing aroma of something delicious or see a gaggle of children carrying a pastry or dessert in their little hands.

His sister used to buy him plum-flavored snow cones. He still remembers how refreshingly sweet they were during summer. Unfortunately, there are no stalls selling snow cones or anything of the sort. It's winter and obviously no one in their right mind would think snow cones were appropriate.

Even if there was a chance a vendor was selling snow cones, Giyuu didn't think he could stomach the sight of red-stained snow.

"Tsugikuni-san, I would like your advice on an issue I've been conflicted with," he said.

His husband does not answer with a verbal response but he does glance at him, waiting for him to continue. They pass by a few carts advertising charms to ward off demonic attacks.

"Let's say your purpose is to slay a certain race of beasts because of their brutal nature. But one day, you come across a contradiction to your purpose. Despite not being able to guarantee the beast will always fight its nature, you still decide to spare it," he says. They stop in front of an ornament stand. "Would you have conformed to the rules of your experience or given into your unstable hope?"

"Have you done something you weren't supposed to?" Tsugikuni inquires as he browses the selection of accessories. His neutral tone made it difficult to gauge his true intentions.

Giyuu takes a moment before answering, "Yes, I have done something I wasn't supposed to."

Not only had he failed to kill a demon, he willingly became its benefactor. The little sister who was turned into a demon and her older brother who desperately fought for her survival had...sparked something in him. Sending them to Urokodaki had been selfish of him but he wanted them to give the brother a chance of surviving.

Once the two of them get discovered, Giyuu... He's aware of what he has to do if the worst-case scenario happens. He'll have sort out a will by then. 

Tsugikuni hands over a small sum of money in exchange for a hairpin. It's a silver piece with the end resembling a tree branch. Attached to the end of the branch is a crescent moon with two strings of tiny metal rings and translucent beads.

He gathers Giyuu's hair around the hairpin, twisting it around the stick before fixing it in place. He nods, pleased by his handiwork, and then tucks his hand into his sleeves. They resume their walk through the market.

"No matter what you choose, you must have the conviction to see your choice to the end," he said.

"Mm."

 

---

 

Giyuu realizes his husband has a staring problem. It's almost laughable how he's never noticed before. After all, his husband's piercing gaze is something he's registered many times in the past. Yet he never paid much attention to it until now. He supposes it just escaped his mind.

While cutting, Tsugikuni watches his hands very intently. It doesn't matter what Giyuu is cutting. It could be vegetables, fruits, fish, or meat, and Tsugikuni's intensity doesn't abate. It's almost as though he's waiting for something to happen.

Giyuu can't bring himself to mind. It's not as though his husband is always home to watch him cook and it's not an issue that bothers him. Yet a specific memory hits him whenever he feels his husband's gaze.

So as an experiment, he drags the sharpened edge of the knife across his palm. There's a familiar burning sensation that comes with getting sliced but a clean cut is nothing compared to the injuries he's sustained on the battlefield. He lets the wound well up with blood and after deeming the quantity to be good enough, he uses a breathing technique to stop the bleeding.

He doesn't need to turn around or hear any footsteps to know his husband is behind him. His husband's distinctive presence is something that stood out.

Giyuu carefully cups his injured hand, making sure none of the metallic red drips on the floor. Cleaning blood from wood is annoying and he would like to avoid unnecessary housework. He slowly turns around in the direction of his husband. Movements too fast would only cause him to spill.

Tsugikuni looks dangerous... Giyuu never thought he would associate his reserved and aloof husband with a characteristic so violent. But that's the only way he can describe him right now.

There's something primal in Tsugikuni's gaze, something animalistic and wild. He looks hungry in a way Giyuu can't properly pinpoint. It almost reminds him of the many starving demons he killed. But this pressure wasn't anything like those beasts. This was...

This was stupid, borderline insane. Giyuu was an idiot for giving in to his impulses. But it was too late.

He offers his bloody hand, eyes wide and waiting. He doesn't know why he's playing with fire. He doesn't even know what he's hoping to gain from this.

Despite the gravity of the atmosphere, his husband is shockingly gentle. Firm but not forceful, his hand feels large and his presence even larger. It would be suffocating if not for the fact that Giyuu knows his husband wouldn't raise a hand to him.

Tsugikuni was naturally taller than Giyuu so when he pulled the short man's hand to his mouth, the blood dribbled down his wrist. Tsugikuni buries his mouth in Giyuu's palm, uncaring of the sanguine liquid staining the lower half of his face. His eyes do not stray from his spouse, pinning him in place.

Not for the first time, Giyuu wonders if his husband somehow has multiple sets of eyes. Two eyes couldn't be enough to carry all of that sort of petrifying pressure. It felt as though Tsugikuni could stare through him.

Mind blank and body unmoving, Giyuu couldn't prepare himself when Tsugikuni licked his wrist, gasping slightly. He should take his hand back, apologize for disturbing his husband so late into the night, and retire with some weak excuse. But he can't. He's paralyzed and he doesn't know if it's out of fear or something else.

Tsugikuni chases the last trickle down his wrist and laps it up. Somehow, he makes the act look predatory. Even though there's nothing left, he doesn't let go of the other's wrist. He opens his mouth and his teeth graze Giyuu's wrist.

He feels something sharp against a major artery. A fang? But that's impossible. Humans don't have fangs. Then again, some people are born with sharper teeth and unusual manias. He shouldn't rule out his husband being unusual just because he keeps to himself.

Yet...

No matter how much Giyuu tries to rationalize his husband's behavior, it doesn't stop the dread in his gut. He might get devoured by the man he married. And for some outlandish reason, he's not fighting back.

"...Tsugikuni-san..." he manages to whisper.

Just like that, whatever trance had overtaken them was gone. Tsugikuni breaks eye contact and hangs his head, hair obscuring his face and any expression he was making. Giyuu pursed his lips. He wanted to see his husband. So with his free hand, he tries to move away his hair only to have it intercepted.

Tsugikuni grasps the back of his hand, fingers curling in the spaces between and pulling it to his still-hidden face. He's holding both of Giyuu's hands to his cheeks with no intention of letting go. 

The two of them stay in that position, neither one willing to break the fragility. An inordinate amount of time must have passed because when Tsugikuni finally lets go of Giyuu's hands, dusk is peeking through the horizon. They don't bring up what happened that night, acting as if it never transpired in the first place.

 

---

 

It began as a marriage of convenience. It began over three years ago. It began like a surreal dream.

Giyuu had no reason to pursue marriage yet he readily accepted a stranger's proposal because of the opportunity it presented. A chance to live out the future his sister could have had, a fantasy built by guilt and wishful longing.

This marriage was not the sort of domestic bliss Tsutako deserved. This was a marriage in name only and Giyuu settled for something he would have never allowed his sister to accept.

But he has no reason to be unhappy. His marriage isn't what he envisioned for his sister, it's a union that suits him.

There are many things he noticed about his husband.

For one, Tsugikuni is quiet. The two of them do just fine in silence, usually finding it more comfortable than idle chatter. Tsugikuni is reserved and aloof in both his words and his facial expressions. Giyuu doesn't mind. He's of the same nature.

Tsugikuni has the disposition befitting of a lord. If he were born four hundred years ago, he would undoubtedly have a sizable estate to his name and all the respect that comes with being a lord. 

Although reticent, it doesn't stop Tsugikuni from expressing his own brand of affection. He's an odd man who doesn't seem to question himself. Giyuu doesn't complain about the way Tsugikuni takes care of him. If he weren't so socially crippled, he would have found his husband to be somewhat endearing.

Giyuu would be a liar if he said he wasn't fascinated by the quirks of his husband. For someone who looked so dignified, his staring could be uncanny. It could be called oppressive or suffocating or anything else but it was always overwhelming. Staring too deeply into his husband's eyes made Giyuu feel like a bird in a cage. Is it concerning that he doesn't see a problem? Perhaps that's why Shinobu calls him an airhead.

Tsugikuni's fixation with his blood didn't strike Giyuu as anything more than that; a fixation. It could feel dangerous in the moment but they always resume their regular routines.

Not once had Giyuu felt as though he had to be cautious of Tsugikuni. So why...? Why was he shaking so much?

Twenty minutes ago, Giyuu had been hemming a yukata to better fit him for spring before he received an emergency alert from a crow. Upper Moon One had been spotted in the area and Tokito was facing it alone. He needed reinforcement and he was available.

Without thinking twice, he dropped everything and grabbed his sword, following the vague directions. He runs to the outskirts of the town and deep into the surrounding forest. From there, he follows the sight of hacked-apart trees and destruction - a clear sign of battle. He only prays he isn't too late.

He spots two figures - one he identifies as Tokito and the other as Shinazugawa. The Wind Hashira must have also been nearby, hence why he arrived earlier. The demon they're engaging in is none other than Upper Moon One. It's nothing less than extraordinary for two Hashiras to hold their own against Kibutsuji Muzan's most formidable pawn.

Giyuu sees the attack before he sees the demon. There's a wave of slashes moving at impossible angles with the clear goal of bisecting Shinazugawa. Instincts take over and Giyuu blocks the attack with one of his Breathing Forms.

He grits his teeth, feeling his arms rattle. Mentally preparing for Upper Moon One's offensive power doesn't come close to actually experiencing how heavy his hits are. 

Suddenly, Giyuu stops breathing. He can hear someone faintly shouting something at him. Shinazugawa? He doesn't know. All he knows is that the man in front of him is supposed to be his husband.

His grip grows lax and as a result, his sword nearly drops out of his hands. A stupid mistake like that would cost him his life. He doesn't care. He can't find it in himself to care when he's face to face with someone who shouldn't...

His husband doesn't have six eyes. His husband doesn't wield such a revolting blade. His husband isn't a demon. He can't be a demon.

Yet it is undoubtedly his husband before him.

"...Tsugikuni-san...?"

Chapter 2

Tsugikuni Michikatsu had a wife. Kokushibou does not. His wife was a woman whose face he couldn't even recall. She gave him two children and he does not remember what they look like either.

Tsugikuni Michikatsu does not have a husband. Kokushibou does. His husband is a man of few expressions and fewer words. He is emotionally distant but not completely apathetic.

The two of them have a strange but pleasant relationship. It would seem impossible considering how one was a demon and the other was a demon slayer. Kokushibou had known from the very beginning the man he proposed to was a demon slayer, one of his natural enemies. A cursory glance was enough to tell him Tomioka had to be a Hashira. He saw a constitution refined by experience and skills that stemmed from hard work and talent.

His husband is certainly formidable and a battle with him would have been memorable. And there was merit in marrying a Hashira. But it wasn't for those reasons that he proposed. He had no ill intentions, no motive to use Tomioka against the Demon Slayer Corps.

Marriage was simply a means to blend into human society, a cover. That man has several human covers and more spouses than Kokushibou cared to keep track of. The number of identities of the progenitor of demons could only be surpassed by the number of humans he killed.

Kokushibou only needed his spouse to be someone who was low maintenance. Tomioka kept to himself, rarely spoke, and never made any demands or complaints. They were compatible with one another.

Living with Tomioka reminded him of days long forgotten - peaceful days that stretched the passage of time. The serenity was something he didn't know he missed but nonetheless welcomed.

Coming home to a warm meal and waiting body was...nostalgic. In his human life, he used to share meals with his wife. Now, he shares them with his husband. He does not remember if it was his late wife who cooked for him or if it was their kitchen staff. Whatever the case, he knows his husband prepares their meals with his very own hands.

Kokushibou does not sustain himself with human food. He is a man-eating demon. As such, his diet relies on humans. But eating a human in front of his husband is out of the question. He rather enjoys the peace and would rather avoid unnecessary drama.

So he puts in the effort to appear human. He eats the meals his husband cooks without question. Because of his demonic composition, he can't eat much without feeling ill. It's not so troublesome of an issue. At best, it's an inconvenience.

Yet Tomioka serves him smaller portions. Fewer grains of rice, smaller cuts of meat, less soup - enough to be manageable for his stomach. Tomioka does not say anything unnecessary, he only acts in silence. It's a favorable trait in their marriage. Kokushibou finds himself fortunate to have such a compatible spouse.

However, there are times where he feels pangs of unease. No matter how strong his husband may be, he is still just a human. He can succumb to colds and fevers. An untreated injury could lead to his death.

Sleeping on the engawa is harmless. But Tomioka doesn't dress himself warmly enough. It's...concerning. Kokushibou would find a spare kimono and drape it across Tomioka's shoulder. He doesn't tell his husband to return inside because it's not his place to dictate where his husband goes in their home. But during the instances where Tomioka ends up falling asleep on the engawa, Kokushibou carries him inside. A warm and soft futon is surely more comfortable than the wooden floors of the engawa.

They do not share a futon. They don't even share a room. They have their individual quarters since forcing intimacy wasn't in their nature. Out of respect for his husband, Kokushibou does not enter his room unless it's absolutely necessary.

When Tomioka has nightmares, he brews a warm cup of tea and waits patiently outside his door. He knocks with the expectation of waiting as long as he needs to. He's aware of the terrors that haunt his husband during the night. But asking him about them felt...inappropriate. 

They are married but in name only. There isn't any deep connection and blind trust that binds them. Should Tomioka ever confide in him, it must be out of his own volition and not some sense of obligation to answer.

His husband is quiet, they both are. But there are times where Kokushibou would get annoyed by his husband's equanimity. Calling the growing unease in his chest 'annoyance' would be too much but he doesn't know how else to describe it.

Lately, he's come to realize he doesn't like it when Tomioka tries to muffle his crying. His husband could cry as loudly as he wanted and Kokushibou wouldn't have minded. If not for the Transparent World and his demonically sharpened senses, he would have remained oblivious to the plights of his husband.

Seeing the frayed hair tie his husband wore had irked him. So he replaced it with finer accessories. By all accounts, his husband is a lovely sight to behold with an equally demure and elegant disposition to match. Exquisite hairpins and finely woven ribbons suited him better.

Tomioka didn't seem to mind the gifts. If he didn't like them, Kokushibou would have noticed. If he didn't like them, Kokushibou would have distanced himself immediately.

But Tomioka never voiced any sort of disapproval. If anything, his gestures seemed to be reciprocated well.

They are not bound by love but Kokushibou found himself satisfied by it. He had no qualms with his husband, nothing to complain about. The peaceful days they shared made him feel as though his humanity had been returned to him. It was calm, like the lull of a still ocean. He felt as if those pleasant days would continue forever.

He's a fool for stepping into the ocean.

A man who abandoned his wife, children, and humanity did not deserve peace. A man who deceived his husband for three years did not deserve peace. A man who caused such an expression to don his spouse's face does not deserve peace.

"...Tsugikuni-san...?"

Stop looking at him like that, he wants to say. Stop shaking so much, he wants to say. Stop.

He's not sure when he had dropped his blade, only that his hands were empty and he needed to hold something. He takes a step towards his husband. His husband takes a step back, still staring at him with that horrid look on his face.

Something inside of him cracks and a terrible dread is settling uncomfortably. He can't stop it... The fear of losing his husband...

Kokushibou detests the feeling of his tranquility being disturbed. He wants to wipe that look off of his husband's face. He wants to stop him from shaking so uncontrollably. Realizing he's the reason why his husband has trouble breathing makes him want to scream until his throat is raw.

Had it not been for those two Hashiras, his tranquility wouldn't have been torn apart like this. They are to blame. If only they weren't venturing in his area, if only they hadn't witnessed him eating, then his husband would still be at home and not...

Kokushibou raises a hand. It's irrational, and he knows he's not thinking logically. But if he doesn't hold his husband, he might never see him again. He can't stop the cold sweat from breaking out. He can't stand the thought that he might never see his husband again.

This trepidation is not something he's used to. It's not something he ever wanted to be acquainted with.

"Tomioka-san..." He never had any difficulty speaking to his husband until now. It's an awful feeling. "Your heartbeat is too quick. Let me take you-"

Giyuu slaps the hand away, glaring viciously at the man who was supposed to be his husband, his human husband. He can't look at him without the urge to vomit. It's nauseating and his vision is beginning to sway.

He can't...

His hands sit uselessly at his sides as his head hangs listlessly. All he can do is stare at the ground so he won't feel the bile crawling up his throat.

"How long?" he mutters. He thinks his voice came out shakily. He doesn't know. Apparently, he doesn't know anything because he didn't know he was living with a demon for three years. "How long was this going to continue?"

Kokushibou does not answer him. He's not sure he even wanted an answer. It's maddening. This painful twisting in his ribs makes him want to cry. He hasn't wanted to cry since...

Tsutako was a wonderful person. Why did she have to die protecting him? Sabito was someone destined for great things. Why did he promise he would come back to him if he was going to die? Tsugikuni was his husband. They had a life together. They were content. How much of that was real?

Tsugikuni never existed.

For the past three years, Giyuu had believed in a lie. He believed Tsugikuni was a quiet and reserved man with a few odd quirks. He believed he married a man who would treat him right no matter how formal their relationship was.

How stupid.

The universe must be laughing at him. That's fine, he finds this entire parody to be hilarious too. After all, there's no bigger joke than a pathetic idiot like him.

All the people who died by this six-eyed demon's hands must be cursing him. The numerous eyes felt like they were mocking him. Perhaps if he weren't so blind, he would have noticed the demon he was living with. But because he didn't, countless innocents died. Their tragic endings were just as much his fault. Someone so fucking stupid shouldn't be allowed to live.

He feels like he could choke on how miserably comedic his life was. Wouldn't that be nice? He could finally stop waking up to the joke known as his life. In his dreams, he wouldn't have married a demon. His best friend wouldn't have died on his promise. His sister would have gotten a happy ending.

Three years... For three years, Giyuu played house with a demon. Cooking and cleaning, eating and bathing, they enacted everything a normal couple would have. Only a normal couple wouldn't feature a murderous monster.

Giyuu slaps a hand over his mouth, overcome with the urge to throw up. He's disgusted, both by the man who was his husband and himself. There's a wet sensation beneath his fingers and he realizes he began crying a while ago. He hadn't noticed, not with how numb his face felt.

An odd curve bends the corners of his lips. He breathes in, lungs quivering and throat constricting. When he breathes out, it sounds like a chuckle spoiled by tears. Before he knows it, he's laughing hysterically.

"Tomioka-san, let me take you home. You need to calm down."

He stops laughing, fixing a dull stare on the other. His head feels all too empty and full at the same time. He doesn't know what to think or feel anymore. He doesn't know if he'll ever recover from this betrayal.

Oh...

He gets it now.

His trust was betrayed by someone he never once considered a threat. His faith in his marriage was the reason why he feels like dying. This demon betrayed his trust, deceived him for three years, and still had the nerve to talk about their 'home' as if he wasn't the reason why it never existed in the first place.

"I hate you..."

Giyuu cradles Kokushibou's face in his hands, pulling him closer.

"I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. You're unforgivable. Go rot in hell, traitorous liar. I wish you would die and leave me alone."

He sees Kokushibou raising a hand. Driven by the white anger under his skin, he stabs his hairpin into the demon's eye. It's the same one his husband gifted him, the one with the crescent moon. He kept it close to his person the same way he kept his sister and best friend's memory on his haori.

Unlike the memory of his sister and best friend, he can't stand having something so filthy, not when it's rotting him inside. It only made sense to return the hairpin to the bestower.

"Don't touch me," he seethes, twisting the hairpin further into the demon's eye. It's infuriating how the demon does not so much as flinch.

Kokushibou raises a hand. The alarm from the Wind Pillar and his descendant went ignored. He grasps Giyuu's wrist, the one attached to the hand holding the hairpin, and pulls it away. He didn't use any force other than what was necessary. Rather, it was relatively easy to get Giyuu to let go of the hairpin. Then he plucks the accessory out of his eye. 

There are many things he wants to say. There is nothing that comes out. What words could possibly remedy his husband's anger? Would Giyuu even want to hear what he has to say? Even if he never meant to hurt his husband, it doesn't change what-

The sun is rising.

He does not remember if his wife from four hundred years ago had scried or screamed for him to not leave her. What he remembers is her devastation and how it did nothing to stop him from abandoning her and their children. And just like with the family he forsaken, he leaves Giyuu without turning back.

Notes:

This chapter is short than what I normally write but I feel as though writing any more would ruin the way this chapter ends. :/

Anyways, seeing all the comments and kudos from the previous chapter was unexpected. It was really encouraging.

Notes:

This chapter is gonna be in Giyuu's pov. Next chapter will be Kokushibou. I don't know why I wrote this. Maybe it's all the Gary and Karl brain rot.

As for why Giyuu never realized Tsugikuni is a demon, it's because Kokushibou is deliberately masking himself as a human by mimicking his old human appearance. Also, Giyuu doesn't deal with small talk and neither does Kokushibou so they don't really have to explain their professions to each other or anything like that.