43. Mountain Lily

The Butterfly Mansion was quiet in the deep hours of the evening. The only sound was the occasional rustle of the wind through the bamboo thickets outside.

Hana lay in her bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. Her body was healing, but her mind was still restless, beside her, Tanjiro still lay asleep.

​Aoi had kicked Zenitsu and Inosuke out earlier that day because they were making too much noise. Zenitsu had been crying about his medicines being too bitter, and Inosuke tried to headbutt the walls to prove his strength. Aoi had chased them out with a broom, leaving the infirmary in a rare state of peace.

​The sliding door to the infirmary suddenly opened. Hana tensed, her hand instinctively reaching for the spot where her sword usually rested.

"It is only me," a calm, low voice said.

Hana relaxed immediately, she recognized that voice anywhere. Giyuu stood in the doorway. He looked tired, his mismatched haori dusty from travel. He had clearly just returned from a mission, his Nichirin blade strapped to his waist.

"Giyu-san," Hana whispered, her voice soft and relieved. She had not seen him in months. She...missed him.

He stepped into the room and pulled up a small wooden stool and sat beside her bed. He looked at Tanjiro for a moment, then looked back at her, his deep blue eyes scanning the bandages wrapped around her. "I heard you were awake," he said softly.

​"I am. Mostly," Hana replied. She tried to sit up because she wanted to be respectful, but a sharp pain in her ribs made her wince and fall back.

"Careful." Giyu’s hand was there in an instant, steadying her shoulder. His touch was careful and gentle. He didn't pull his hand away immediately, instead, he let his palm rest against her shoulder. The warmth of his body comforted her, making her heart race.

​"Do not move," Giyu said, his voice dropping to a low, soothing murmur. He looked at her gently as his hand slid from her shoulder to brush a stray lock of hair away from her bandaged forehead. "I came here while you were unconscious. Every time I returned from the field, I came here first."

​Hana's eyes widened as she felt her heart skip a beat. "You did? I didn't know."

​"You were asleep," he said simply. "I sat here for hours. I wanted to make sure you were fine. I found myself... unable to focus on my duties until I saw you. It was difficult to sit here in peace, though," Giyu added, a small glimpse of annoyance crossing his face. "The yellow one and the one with the boar mask were constantly making a scene."

​Hana chuckled softly, picturing the chaos. "Zenitsu and Inosuke?"

​Giyu nodded. "The yellow one would crawl under your bed and cry that the world was ending because you wouldn't wake up. The boar-headed one kept trying to challenge me to a duel."

​Hana laughed again, though it hurt her chest. "That sounds like them. They mean well, Giyu-san. They were just worried."

​Giyu looked back at her, his expression turning serious again. "Your injuries were severe. I told you before to be careful, but you always push yourself too far."

​"I had to," Hana said, her voice dropping as she looked over at Tanjiro. "And we won, Giyu-san. We killed an Upper Rank. We did it, Tomioka-san." But as she spoke the words, her expression faltered. She shook her head, a sudden bitterness crossing her face. "Well... they won. I didn't really do anything. I just... I was just there. I was useless. I was a burden to Uzui-san and the others. I..."

​Hana began to talk about how she felt during the fight. She told him how she couldn't keep up with the speed of the demon. She spoke of the moment her vision went dark and how she fainted while the others were still bleeding and fighting for their lives. She let the self-loathing take over her mind. "I am not strong like the rest of them. I just got in the way and made everyone worry. I am a failure as a Demon Slayer," she muttered sadly, looking down at her lap.

​Giyuu listened to her without interrupting. When she finally stopped talking, he leaned closer, gently cupping her face. "Do not speak of yourself that way. I will not allow it. You did enough, Hana. You did more than you could. You stood your ground against a Moon. Many slayers would have run away or died in the first second. You stayed. You helped create the opening they needed. Never call yourself a failure again. If you do, you are insulting the strength I see in you. Never doubt your worth..never Hana.."

​He spoke softly, sensing she was still uncertain and sad. Giyu’s expression remained stoic, but his eyes softened. He reached into his uniform and pulled out a small, dried blue flower, placing it carefully in the palm of her hand.

​"What is this?" Hana asked, her fingers brushing against his as she took the flower.

​"A mountain lily," Giyu said. "They grow in the high altitudes where the air is thin and cold. They are hardy. They survive the frost and the wind, and they bloom even when the world is harsh." He looked back at her, with an unfamiliar flicker in his eyes.

"It reminded me of you. No matter how much the world tries to break you, you keep blooming. It is... a beautiful thing to witness." He said.

​Hana felt a warm glow spread through her entire body. She closed her hand over the flower, looking at him with a shy smile. "Thank you Giyu-san..this...means a lot.."

Giyu leaned forward, his face just inches from hers. The scent of rain and cold mountain air clung to him. "I do not like the idea of you being hurt," he whispered. "When I saw you lying here, so still... it felt as if the world had gone quiet."

​Hana reached out with her good arm and touched his hand. "Giyu."

​Giyu let out a breath he seemed to have been holding for a long time. He turned his hand over, interlacing his fingers with hers. His grip was gentle. They sat there in the moonlight, hands joined, for a long time. There was no need for more words. The silence between them was full of affection and love that blossomed around them.

​Giyu stood up eventually, though he seemed reluctant to let go of her hand. "I have to report to the Master. And you need to rest."

​"Will you visit me tomorrow?" Hana asked, her eyes searching his.

​Giyu leaned down, and for a fleeting, magical second, his forehead rested against hers. "I will be here. Every day until you are back on your feet."

​He walked away and vanished into the shadows of the hallway as silently as he had arrived.

Hana lay back, clutching the flower to her chest and smiling to herself. The pain in her body was still there, but her heart felt lighter than it ever had before.