The forest was quiet after the storm, leaves dripping from the rain that had passed only an hour ago. The scent of wet earth and pine lingered thick in the air. You walked the narrow path behind Giyu, his haori damp and clinging slightly to his frame as mist curled between the trees.

He hadn’t said much since you met him at the last slayer outpost. That wasn’t unusual.

"You didn’t have to wait for me," you had said earlier when you spotted him near the trail’s entrance.

"I didn’t mind." That was all he’d said.

Now, as your steps matched his and silence stretched comfortably between you, you realized that Giyu’s presence wasn’t something that needed to be filled with words. It was the comfort.

A branch cracked beneath your foot, and you stumbled slightly—nothing serious, but enough to make you wince.

He turned instantly. His eyes scanned you quickly.

"You’re limping," he said, low and firm.