The Weight of Her Haori

"Right..."

She noticed her haori that he placed neatly beside her, before closing her eyes back.

Giyuu watched as her gaze lingered on the haori before she closed her eyes.

She wasn't asleep—just resting, breathing through the pain, letting the weight of everything settle.

He didn't say anything.

There was nothing to say.

Instead, he reached for the small tray beside him. The tea he had prepared had gone slightly cold, but it would help with the pain. He poured a little cup, the quiet sound of liquid filling the silence between them.

"Drink."

Her eyelids fluttered, but she didn't move.

For a moment, he thought she might refuse. But then, with a slow, deliberate motion, she pushed herself up, wincing slightly as the bandages around her abdomen pulled tight.

She accepted the cup.

She just held it between her fingers, letting the warmth seep into her skin.

For a long time, neither of them spoke. The only sound was the wind outside, the distant rustle of leaves.

Then—

"You should be angry," she murmured, staring down into the tea. "I left you behind."

Giyuu didn't answer right away. He simply looked at her, his expression unreadable.

"You came back."

That was all that mattered.

She looked away. Not because she was ashamed, but because she wasn't sure how to respond.

She had meant to come back, yes. But she had also been prepared not to.

And yet—

Here she was.

She set the half empty cup down beside her, exhaling softly. Her fingers unconsciously brushed against the fabric of her haori. A silent grounding. A reminder.

Finally, she spoke again, her voice quieter this time.

"You won't always be there to save me, Water Hashira-sama."

It was meant to be a statement. A fact.

But something about the way she said it—Like she was trying to convince herself.

Giyuu's gaze didn't waver. He knew the weight behind her words. He knew the truth in them.

But even so—

"Maybe not."

A pause. A quiet breath.

"But I was this time."

And that, for now, was enough.

The Sun Rised Over The Horizon.

She refused to stay and receive treatment, but he wouldn't allow it.

Realizing she might feel uneasy in his estate—after all, she was distant with everyone and barely knew him. Let alone feel comfortable in a mansion owned by a young man.

He arranged for her transfer to **Kocho's Butterfly Mansion**, where the girls took care of her.

The soft hum of wind chimes filled the air, blending with the rustling of trees and the occasional laughter of the Butterfly Mansion girls. The scent of herbs and fresh linens lingered, wrapping the space in a strange kind of warmth.

She had been here for days now, recovering under Shinobu Kocho's care.

And of course—

Under the care of the Butterfly girls who refused to let her do anything but rest.

It was suffocating.

She hated being still, being fussed over. She wasn't used to kindness wrapped in gentle hands and bright smiles. She wasn't used to people caring.

And yet, despite her constant attempts to leave, she had stayed.

Because of him.

Because Giyuu Tomioka had decided—Without permission, without explanation—that she wasn't allowed to disappear just yet.

That Afternoon.

She sat on the engawa, watching the garden sway gently in the breeze. A cup of herbal tea sat untouched beside her. Her wounds still ached, but she was healing faster than expected.

That didn't surprise her. She had survived worse.

What surprised her was *him*.

Standing just beyond the wooden steps, watching her with that same unreadable expression.

She exhaled softly.

"*If you came here to check if I ran away, I'm still here, Water Hashira-sama*."

A quiet, tired jest. A habit of hers.

Giyuu didn't react.

"*You shouldn't be*."

She blinked. Turned to him fully this time. "*What*?"

"***You shouldn't be used to this***."

His voice was calm, but there was something beneath it. Something heavy.

She frowned slightly. "*Used to what*?"

"***Pain***."

*Silence*.

For the first time in days, she had no response.

She had expected him to scold her, to tell her she was reckless, to remind her that she had almost died.

But instead—

He had said something much heavier. Much harder to ignore.

She looked away, fingers tightening around the fabric of her haori.

"*I don't know any other way*."

It wasn't an excuse. Just the truth.

Giyuu didn't argue.

He simply sat with a respectful distance beside her on the engawa, silent as ever.

And for a while, they just sat there, listening to the wind chimes.

Because for once...

**Neither of them had to be alone**.

— "***How did you find me***?"

Giyuu didn't answer immediately.

The wind carried the distant laughter of the Butterfly Mansion girls, the scent of fresh herbs mixing with the cool afternoon air. She sat beside him, watching him, waiting.

She wasn't demanding an answer. She wasn't even accusing him. She just...wanted to know.

He finally spoke, his voice as quiet as ever.

"***You left your haori***."

Her fingers unconsciously brushed against the fabric resting on her shoulders.

That wasn't an answer. Not really.

But somehow, she understood.

She had left her haori behind as a promise. A reassurance. A silent message that she intended to return.

And **he had understood that message**.

Understood it so well that the moment she took too long—

**He had followed**.

Because she wasn't supposed to break that promise.

Her throat tightened, and she looked away, gripping the edge of her sleeve.

"*That was reckless*," her voice quieter than before. "***You had no way of knowing if I was still alive***."

"***I knew***."

She inhaled sharply. Turned back to him.

His expression didn't change, but **his eyes—They weren't cold**. They weren't distant.

**They were steady. Unwavering**.

The same way they had been that night when he had caught her before she fell.

She had been **alone** for so long. Had fought **alone**, survived **alone**, suffered **alone**.

*But that night*—

**He had found her**.

Because **she had left her haori behind**.

And because *Giyuu Tomioka* had decided that **she wasn't allowed to disappear just yet**.

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