60. Till Death Do Us Apart

The fire crackled softly in the dim chamber of the Infinity Castle, the orange glow flickering against broken wood and bloodstained walls. The battle with Akaza had ended, but the exhaustion it left behind still lingered heavily in the air like smoke after a wildfire

Hana slowly opened her eyes. For a moment, everything felt distant and blurred. Her body was numb with pain, every muscle heavy as though weighed down by stone. Her chest rose carefully with each breath, and even that small movement sent dull aches through her ribs. Her head felt heavy, but she realized she was resting on something soft and familiar. She reached up and felt the fabric. It was Giyuu's haori, folded neatly to serve as a pillow for her and Tanjiro, who remained unconscious right next to her.

Her gaze slowly drifted beside her where Tanjiro remained unconscious, breathing shallowly. His face was pale beneath the soot and blood streaked across his skin.

Hana shifted slightly and saw him.
Giyuu had already woken up. He was sitting by the fire. He was shirtless, his back turned to her as he worked on fixing his wounds. Hana could see the deep bruises and cuts from the fight with Akaza covering his skin.

Hana sat up slowly, her haori sliding off her shoulders. Her body ached, but she crawled toward him carefully. Giyuu turned his head as she approached, his expression softening. Without saying a word, Hana leaned in and wrapped her arms around him. She was mindful of his wounds, moving with a gentle touch to make sure she did not press against his injuries.

"Giyuu." she whispered.

He stiffened for a second, then relaxed into her touch. He leaned his head against hers, closing his eyes. Hana sighed, placing her forehead directly against his. The world around them, filled with demons and sorrow, felt a million miles away. In this small circle of firelight, there was only the sound of their breathing and the crackle of wood.

They stayed like that for a long time, drawing comfort from each other's presence. The silence wasn't empty, it was full of everything they didn't need to say out loud.

"You're hurt." Giyuu finally murmured softly. Hana felt his hand move carefully toward the deep wound along her arm. His fingers hovered near it gently, almost afraid to touch it too hard.

She pulled back slightly to look at him, Giyuu's eyes immediately searched her face with quiet worry. Hana noticed how tired he looked up close. Dark shadows rested beneath his eyes, and dried blood still stained the corner of his jaw.

Even now, he looked more worried about her than himself.

Giyuu carefully reached for his nichirin sword resting nearby. Hana watched quietly as he held the blade over the fire just enough for the metal to begin glowing faintly red, then looked at her with a gaze that asked for permission. He needed to cauterize the wounds on her body to ensure they wouldn't reopen in the cold.

As he worked, he was incredibly focused. Every time the heat touched her skin and Hana winced, drawing a sharp breath through her teeth, Giyuu would immediately lean forward. He placed a soft, lingering kiss on her forehead, his lips cool against her warm skin. It was his way of apologizing, of tethering her to him so she wouldn't feel the pain as much.

"Just a little more." he muttered against her skin, his breath ghosting over her cheek.

He moved to the small cut on her face next. He cleaned it with a cloth, his thumb stroking her jawline with a tenderness that most people would never believe the Water Hashira possessed. With every flinch she made, he replaced the sting with another kiss on her temple, on the bridge of her nose, and finally, a soft one on her lips.

"I got you, I'm right here." he whispered, pulling her back into his chest.

The words wrapped around her heart so gently that tears finally slipped down her cheeks.

Giyuu noticed immediately. His expression tightened with concern.
"Hana?"

She shook her head quickly and leaned forward, burying herself carefully against his chest. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, holding her as though he feared she might disappear.

Hana tucked her head under his chin, feeling the steady beat of his heart against her ear. The fire continued to burn, casting long shadows, but as long as they were together, nothing couldn't reach them.

"Hana." Giyuu said softly.

"Mmm?" she replied, her eyes half-closed.

"What do you want," he finally asked, his voice barely audible over the fire, "after this is over?"

Hana blinked, her heart skipping a beat. She pulled back to look at him.

​"If we survive this.." he added, his gaze dropping to the floor.

The words settled heavily in the air. Because they both knew the truth. The battle against Muzan would not end without bloodshed. Too many had already died. Too many were prepared to die again.

Hana slowly lifted her head to look at him. The firelight reflected in his dark blue eyes, and for once, she could see it clearly. Fear. Not fear for himself. Fear of losing her.

"What do you want?" she whispered back, turning the question to him as she slowly lifted her hand, cupping his cheek softly.

​Giyuu looked down, his gaze dropping to the floor. He swallowed hard, his throat tight. His chest rose and fell in a heavy, shaky breath. For a long moment, the only sound was the crackle of the fire, He closed his eyes, leaning heavily into the palm of her hand on his cheek. When he finally spoke, his voice was cracked and raw, barely a rough whisper.

"For the longest time... I kept thinking that there was no reason for me to still be here."

"My sister died protecting me," he continued quietly. "Sabito died because I was too weak." His jaw tightened. "Everyone important to me kept dying while I stayed alive."

"I kept thinking," he whispered, "that maybe I wasn't supposed to be here." ​He paused, his hand tightening slightly around hers, his fingers interlacing with hers. He looked back at her.

"But now..." he continued.

His hand tightened slightly around hers.
"When I imagine surviving... you're always there with me."

Giyuu lowered his gaze to their intertwined fingers. "I think... I'd like to wake up beside you every single morning," he whispered. "I want to hold your hand without worrying it might be the last time. I want to sit outside with you when it rains, while we share a blanket. I want to come home and find you waiting for me. I want to live a life.....with you."

Hana's fingers curled tightly into the fabric around his waist as tears gathered in her eyes, hot and blurring her vision. "Yes," she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of hope and agony, "I want that too. More than anything."

For a moment neither of them moved.
They simply held onto each other like the world itself was falling apart around them. For a moment neither of them moved. Maybe it already was.

Hana leaned her head against Giyuu's shoulder, but then a cold thought gripped her heart. "Giyuu... what if..what if we.."

Giyuu closed his eyes briefly. Then he opened them again and looked directly at her.

"Then I'll still find you."

"In the next life," he murmured quietly.

"And the one after that."

His hand slid gently against her cheek softly cupping her face. "I think I'd keep finding you forever."

Hana laughed softly, resting her hand over his. She wanted to believe him. She did believe him. "We'll get a small house." she said, letting herself dream for just a moment.

​Giyuu nodded quietly.

"With a beautiful garden."

He nodded again softly caressing her head.

​"And cats. I want cats." she added with excitement, a small smile tugging at her lips.

​"Anything you want.." he promised, a faint smile appearing on his face.

"Till death do us part..." she whispered softly, leaning in to press her lips to his.

​"And after then too." he murmured against her mouth.

Soon, Tanjiro began to stir. He groaned as he sat up, rubbing his eyes. Giyuu moved over to help him, showing him how to bind his injuries and move without tearing his stitches.

"We have to keep moving," Tanjiro said, his voice raspy. "Muzan is still out there."

Just then, the sound of flapping wings filled the room. A Kasugai crow landed on a nearby railing, its chest heaving.

"SHINOBU, KANAO AND INOSUKE!DESTROYED UPPER MOON TWO!DESTROYED!!"

Hana felt a small spark of hope. "They did it." she whispered, though the victory felt bittersweet.

"Are Inosuke and Kanao okayy?" Tanjiro asked.

"KINDAAA!" They crow said before flooping away.

"We have to get going." Hana said

Despite their injuries, despite exhaustion clawing at every limb, the three of them forced themselves forward once again through the shifting halls of the Infinity Castle.

When another crow flew toward them. This one didn't sound triumphant. Its voice was cracked and filled with a terrible sorrow.

"Caww! Heartbreaking news! More deaths! Muichiro Tokito and Genya Shinazugawa have fallen! They died fighting Upper Moon One!"

The news hit Hana like a physical blow. She stumbled, her hand flying to her mouth. Both of them were really young. They didn't deserve this.

"No," Tanjiro gasped, his eyes filling with fresh tears. "Not them too."

Giyuu's face went pale. He didn't speak, but his grip on his broken sword tightened until his knuckles turned white. The air in the castle suddenly felt much colder.

Hana looked at the two men beside her. She wiped a tear from her cheek and straightened.

"We can't stop," Hana said, her voice shaking but firm. "If we stop now, their deaths mean nothing. We have to reach Muzan."

Giyuu nodded once. "Let's go."
They turned the corner, running toward the final battle.