“Were you trying to get yourself killed?“ A large hand wraps your wrist and yanks you back, well-nigh almost crashing into the wall if your hadn't screeched in retaliation. A mere second before your toe thoroughly dipped onto the moss extending from the forest, you get pulled back into the estate. By no one other than Giyu.

“What. The. Hell. Was. That.” Dark blue eyes bore into yours, sharp and commanding—demanding an explanation. Giyu Tomioka was a hashira—not a bodyguard. He wasn't trained to grow another set of eyes on the back of his head just to keep you from straying away. You always managed to challenge his equanimity and it was something he didn't appreciate.

“You are not to leave the estate, as ordered, you are aware of that. I am sure?” He asks, brows furrowing and eyes squinting, obviously trying to keep himself from acting out on his irritation. Forced to lengthen his forbearance.

He's seen this before a thousand times already—since the moment he had arrived at your family hermitage, you have proved nothing else but obnoxious. Like a baby bird, naïve, ignorant—and always in the most dangerous circumstances. “Frankly, this is a large nuisance. Your father's payment of a large sum is not enough to satiate all instances where I have been dragged into grave danger. By you.” His fingers gripped harder onto his sword, eyes momentarily straying away from yours that looked up at his. His senses were keen, much like his eyes, and with all the weeks you've grown familiar with the man—you knew a demon was near.

“And it is not derived from my incompetence—you deliberately act on this.” He murmurs, tone quiet, voice hushed. Slowly, he pulls the blade out, sheathing it beside you as he closes the distance.

“How come?” He looks down, not normally a talkative man yet here he was, blathering about while the root of demise creeps up on both of you.