Through the Glass (Giyuu Tomioka x GN!Reader)
Prompt: “Rengoku's such an inspiration to me (we stan a king, tbh) and Giyuu is so criminally underrated (the dancing one was so cute) and I'm always happy to see more of them. Could I request a food date with Kyoujurou or an aquarium date with Giyuu? Either format would be welcome, thanks!”
Summary: A work event-turned impromptu outing leaves you alone at an aquarium with Tomioka Giyuu, the notorious hard-ass of Kimetsu Academy who has a soft spot for you that even he has yet to discover. As these feelings rise to the surface, he is left to wonder: will he sink or swim?
Word Count: 10.1K
Warnings: brief mentions of insecurities, generally awkward interactions, slight miscommunication/lack of communication, children, sharks
note: pretend like i didn’t just disappear for two years before coming in and dropping the longest one-shot i’ve ever written. kind of tried a different format with these! a mix between headcanons and a fic, really. let me know what you think!
being a fellow teacher at Kimetsu Academy, you’ve known Giyuu for a couple years now
you started teaching a little after he did, and while you operated in different departments and different parts of the school, you’ve still gotten to know him gradually through schoolwide functions, staff meetings and disciplinary proceedings
you had always considered Giyuu to be incredibly methodical, meticulous and strict – in all honesty, he’s kind of a hard-ass, but at least he’s a well-intentioned hard-ass
on the surface, he’s always on time, stringent with deadlines, and someone who, for the most part, plays by the rules
and as fate would have it, his eye for detail and deadlines put him in charge of tracking staff assignments
so you have been unlucky enough to find yourself on the wrong side of a pointed stare as you entered a room only seconds before a meeting began, and had the pleasure of being confronted by a barrage of minor corrections to paperwork
these conversations are usually short and pretty awkward, him pointing out your shortcomings with red ink and sticky notes, but he’s never mean-spirited. just uncomfortably cold
to be entirely honest, you were convinced he didn’t care much for you – you caused lots of small problems here and there, and surely inconvenienced him more times than you can count
but still, you always greet him in the mornings and as you pass him in the hallway, and you generally try to strike up a casual one-sided conversation as you wait for meetings to start (assuming you arrive with time to spare) or after you finish correcting whatever embarrassing mistake you made
you respect that he’s only doing his job, and while his seemingly calloused demeanor does him no favors, you don’t think he has bad intentions
he’s simply doing his job a little too well, while you’re doing yours… kind of not as well
so needless to say, this is definitely your first date!! but not intentionally
initially it was supposed to be a work outing amongst a few of the staff members of Kimetsu Academy to try and Build Character and whatnot
but literally only you and giyuu showed up
you were awkwardly waiting for the others inside the aquarium on a bench together for twenty minutes
he seemed indifferent, but judging by the increasing frequency of checking his watch, you could tell Giyuu was growing restless
you tried to distract from the silence with questions
to which he responded politely but curtly (as expected)
“Have you ever been to an aquarium?” you ask Giyuu, waiting for a lull in passers-by so you wouldn’t have to shout. His head turns slightly to you, meeting your eyes for just a moment before pointing his gaze elsewhere.
“Once,” he states matter-of-factly. “When I was younger.”
You nod kind of exaggeratedly in response, murmuring “nice, nice” aimlessly with a smile. Your eyes flicker between him and the families passing by, keeping an eye out for anyone you work with.
“Did you have any favorite exhibits when you went?” you ask again after a beat of silence, trying to ignore the palpable awkwardness of the situation.
He thought for a moment, indicated by just the smallest shift in his expression.
“Not that I can remember,” he answers honestly, suddenly studying the pavement beneath his shoes. Perhaps brevity is a practiced talent. His eyes eventually shift back to his watch.
You nod again with a small “hm” of understanding, adjusting the bag in your lap a bit. He quietly unfolds a map of the aquarium beside you – where did he get that? – and starts scanning the layout. It grows quiet again, and this time you can’t help but check the time for yourself on your phone. The rest of your group is about 20 minutes late, by this point.
“I guess it’s taking everyone a while to get here,” you comment, unlocking your phone. “I’ll go ahead and text Rengoku-san to check in.”
Giyuu gives a small nod in response, and you set to typing your message. After giving it a once-over, you press send and await a response.
“Okay, done,” you say with a smile, locking your phone again. Giyuu doesn’t respond, his eyes still roaming around the unfamiliar map terrain.
Silence settles in again, and you’re left twiddling your thumbs, looking mindlessly at the rock walls surrounding you. You nearly fall into a trance as you study the winding cracks in the architecture, the sound of Giyuu’s voice startling you.
“--t about you?” he seemed to ask, eyes falling on your figure for the first time in a while. You grow warm at the sudden attention, embarrassed for zoning out.
“Hm?” you inquire as you meet his eyes, hoping he’ll repeat whatever it was. His eyes look to the wall behind you for a second before meeting yours again.
“An... aquarium,” he repeats. “Have you been to one?”
“Oh!” you laugh quietly in relief. “Yeah, I went a couple times when I was kid. With school and family, I think.”
He nods much like you did before, only much less noticeably, offering a “mm” in response. After an uncomfortably long silence, he offers up your own question to you again.
“Any… favorite exhibits?” he asked. Out of your peripheral, you could see one of his hands fiddling with his jacket cuff. He was wearing a black variation of his usual blue tracksuit.
You thought for a moment, tilting your head to one side and then the other as you considered the question.
“Actually, I really liked seeing the dolphins!” you chuckle, remembering how you’d begged your parents to watch their hourly show. “But I’m not sure if that really even counts.”
Another polite nod was interrupted by buzzing from the phone in your hand. Turning the screen over, you see an incoming call from Rengoku Kyoujurou.
“Ah, sorry, it’s Rengoku-san,” you explain briefly before answering the call and pressing it firmly to your ear.
big mistake holding the phone so close
cue: wincing and pulling the phone away immediately because of how unintentionally loud kyoujurou is
after explaining that you and giyuu were already inside the aquarium waiting, you were kindly informed by your coworker that the outing had been moved to next weekend (something that was conveniently not mentioned to Giyuu or yourself)
he apologizes for the hiccup in communication and says he’ll get the tickets comped for you, which is nice, but you already came the whole way here
and now you’re caught thinking about just how weird it was to have this little outing planned in the first place. what were you supposed to do, bond with your coworkers over fish or something? anyway
a little annoyed but accepting that it was just a misunderstanding, you thank him and hang up
after you tell giyuu the event was moved he just sighs and looks at his watch again, kind of unsure what to do because bro really planned his entire week around this one event he doesn’t get out much okay
Another awkward silence settles over the two of you as you try to find something to say.
“So… what do you want to do?” you ask tentatively. Your question is met with one of his own.
“What do you mean?”
This time it’s your turn to anxiously fiddle with the sleeve of your shirt, searching for the least weird way to ask this.
“Well, do you still want to look around?” you reason innocently. “I know the outing was moved, but we already have the tickets and all…”
You’re met with silence and a slightly wide-eyed stare, which sends you into a panic.
“If not, t-that’s okay! I mean, I’m sure you have better things to do on a Saturday,” you rush to clarify, not wanting to accidentally guilt him into spending any more time with you than necessary. “Or if you just want to look around by yourself, that’s okay too, I just–”
“That’s fine,” he states plainly, cutting your nervous tangent short.
“I– Huh?”
A beat of silence passes at his unexpected answer.
“I said that would be fine,” he clarifies a little louder, perhaps thinking he was too quiet the first time. His expression returns to its usual withdrawn state, punctuating his sentence with a distinct lack of enthusiasm, but you don’t mind.
It still takes a moment to sink in that he actually said yes, but once it does, you’re almost embarrassed by how excited you suddenly feel. You haven’t been to an aquarium in ages.
“Really?” you ask, anticipation as toned-down as you can muster. Wouldn’t want to seem too eager for an impromptu aquarium adventure with your emotionally-distant coworker, right? “Are you sure?”
He offers a simple nod in return with a “mhm” to re-confirm his answer. You unconsciously flash him a wide smile.
“O-okay! Cool! Let me just, uh,” you throw your bag over your shoulder, fumbling to situate yourself as you stand. You exhale in preparation. “Okay. Where should we go first?”
and so begins the aquarium trek!!
now giyuu is the type to go with the flow on just about anything in these kinds of situations
he doesn’t really have any particular desire to see a certain exhibit or anything, he’s for real just along for the ride
so it IS going to feel like you’re just dragging him around sometimes, and you probably are, but he doesn’t mind. he kind of prefers it, actually?
ironically, it’s generally his complacency that earns him a bad rap with the other teachers for his withdrawn demeanor and reluctance to jump in on group activities
while he is resistant to the idea he is widely unliked, he can still tell there is a tangible divide between himself and some of his coworkers
generally he’s reclusive. he doesn’t go out drinking with the other teachers or partake in small talk, opting to either listen in silence or leave. whether or not this is a conscious decision to exclude himself is unclear
which is why it was surprising he agreed to not only come to an aquarium on a work outing in the first place, but stay with you to explore following its rescheduling
he’s been called lots of not-very-nice things, most equating to the idea of him being snobbish or a wet blanket, and from your perspective he just seems withdrawn and kind of cold
BUT you can tell something seems… weird. you hear a decent amount of complaining from your more vocal coworkers about him and his rules, but rationally you think he wouldn’t willingly ostracize himself in his own workplace
plus not all of your coworkers dislike him! teachers like kanae and kyoujurou get along with him just fine. granted, you’ve never seen them not get along with someone, but still
and moreover, he’s not malicious – he’s harmless, even, bar the occasional dings to your self-esteem from his pointed criticisms. also the heavy-handed dress code violations he hands out, but that doesn’t really affect you. and! this outing is arguably only kind of work, so maybe he’s different! either way, you wanted to give him a chance. what’s the worst that could happen?
now, giyuu………. has a soft spot for you. but probably doesn’t even realize it. you are never harsh towards him, you never make backhanded comments or ignore his existence altogether. he likes you, even– he hasn’t put the pieces together that his feelings might be romantic in nature, but he can tell he finds a certain comfort in your interactions
whereas in your eyes all you do is cause him problems, in his eyes, you aren’t any more or less competent because you make mistakes
what matters to him is how you handle them. always with a smile and quick on the turnaround – the same could not be said for others he is responsible for correcting
you always listen to whatever he has to say (even if he has to say it twice just so you can hear it, sometimes) and you try to never make the same mistake twice
you’re kind and resilient, and most people seem to like you. your warmth draws people in like moths to a flame.
in any case, you seem like polar opposites
so when YOU were the one that proposed venturing through the aquarium together of your own free will, he was more than a bit taken aback
he’s never understood how to get close with people. he’s not good with words, and he’s not the most social. it’s something that largely escapes him, forces him to move in silence with small gestures that usually go unnoticed like turning your desk light off for you after you’ve left, or making sure the mug you use during lunch is always clean
and he does all of this without expecting anything in return, simply because the kindness in your eyes makes him feel fuzzy and the spirit with which you move through life leaves him in silent awe
so asking him to spend time with you… alone, in a public place… on the weekend… now officially outside of work hours? consider this man thrown for a loop
of course he’s nervous, but he’d regret it if he said no
so he agrees, and now he’s here with you. what is he supposed to do now?
all of this is swirling in his head as you take the lead just slightly in front of him
Your first stop isn’t really a stop– it’s a walk-through tunnel created to look like a broken ship. Several small inlets in the faux woodwork give way to panels of aquarium glass showing an artificial sea floor decorated with coral, mollusks and several varieties of small schooling fish. Children rush back and forth between the many lower-height glass panels, calling dibs on a certain fish or creating little games with their friends. Giyuu’s eyes track their movements cautiously as you both walk.
It was obvious this area was more for kids than adults, but there were enough glass panels at your height to get a good view of the action. Giyuu looks on similarly through his own window about a foot away, eyes scanning the sea floor seemingly indifferent as a stingray emerges from the sand, previously undetected.
Suddenly the many children from before swarm over to you both, faces pressed against the glass beneath you in wonder as they shout in excitement. One child even slips between the gap in Giyuu’s legs, head poking through the other side by his ankles for a better view. You notice immediately as Giyuu tenses at the obvious intrusion. His head minutely whips quickly from side to side, thinly masking a silent plea for help.
It took everything in you not to laugh as you back away from the glass and tug Giyuu by his sleeve away from his accidental captor, gently removing two little hands from his legs with an “excuse us” so he could make a break for it. The child seems unfazed as they move even closer to the stingray now skirting the glass. The second you were out of the pirate ship, you finally let your laughter free, bringing a hand up to cover your mouth as you let out little apologies between laughs.
“Sorry, I just–,” you start, letting out another giggle involuntarily. “That was sweet. Are you used to being around kids? Younger ones, I mean?”
It takes him way too long to realize you just called that interaction sweet, and it takes you way too long to realize you might have just crossed some kind of unspoken workplace boundary.
“No,” he says quietly, clearing his throat. You offer an understanding “hmm,” in response, another small laugh escaping you.
“It definitely takes a while to get used to,” you comment, taking one last deep inhale to calm yourself. “Ready to keep going?”
it took a little bit for Giyuu to regain his composure following the embarrassing incident with the child
initially he thought were laughing at him, mocking him for his poor handling of the situation
it wouldn’t be the first time he was on the receiving end of something like that
but… then you said it was sweet. ??????
now, giyuu has been called cute before. being as handsome and aloof as he is, it kind of comes with the territory. that being said, he’s never really paid these comments any mind; the people they came from would soon find him disinteresting or unpalatable, opting to move onto someone hopefully more receptive to their advances
so normally he brushes it off and moves on. but coming from YOU? someone who at least kind of knows him, someone that has seen these parts of him already?
fills him with a feeling so foreign he can’t quite name it
and your laugh… he’s never heard you laugh like that before. it felt carefree, joyous. different from the polite laugh he’s heard you offer to coworkers in passing
and it’s at this moment he realizes he wants to hear you laugh like that again (preferably not at his own expense)
unfortunately this moment of realization is over almost as quickly as it began, fading as you both enter the next exhibit: sea turtles
he watches now as your eyes switch between the handful of sea turtles swimming about in their large tank, poking themselves up at brief intervals for air around the many rock structures in the water. the light is dim in the rest of the room, lit mostly by the tank itself
you make a comment about how big the turtles seem, but all he can do is silently agree as his eyes scan around the room over the other handfuls of people vacillating between areas
he notices two children from before barreling forward after one another down the hallway, lost in an intense game of tag
Blue eyes switch between your form and the approaching children. He instinctively reaches for the whistle that usually lives around his neck only to remember it was the weekend.
“Watch out,” he says to you instead, stepping towards the glass slightly himself. When he notices you seem lost in the view, he surprises himself by placing a hand on your shoulder, gently pulling you towards him.
At his touch, you seem to startle and look at him, finally noticing the rambunctious children zipping by. Your head shifts from Giyuu to look over your other shoulder, watching as the two continue on down the walkway.
“Thank you, sorry,” you laugh out softly in embarrassment, looking back to him as his hand retreats from your shoulder, wondering Why did he do that? “Guess I should be paying more attention.”
He quietly clears his throat, putting some distance back between you as he moves to examine the map he found earlier again.
“They shouldn’t be running,” he offers in response, inner-hard-ass peeking through on cue. “Where to next?”
He glances at you briefly when you don’t respond, handing you the map so you can see what’s up ahead. You thank him, taking the map in both hands as you try to get your bearings. With a furrowed brow you try to discern your current location – this is quite literally the least intuitive map you’ve ever seen. Maybe that’s why Giyuu spent so long looking at it earlier.
Sensing your confusion, he steps closer once again, left shoulder just barely brushing against you as he points to a spot on the map with his right hand. His fingers trace over two pathways, likely your next options for exhibits.
You see his lips moving, but his words are in one ear and out the other as you try not to think about how warm his hand felt earlier, or how his face seems so close to yours as he explains. And you are definitely trying hard not to notice how full his lashes are at this distance or the way his top lip dips into just the slightest cupid's bow that you really kind of want to–
You cut the thought off immediately. Thoughts about kissing a certain gym teacher during an aquarium visit are strictly forbidden from this point forward.
As you feel your face heat at the mere implication, you’re grateful for the blue-green glow of the aquarium hopefully obscuring your over-reaction to his simple gesture.
Clearing your throat, you notice him staring expectantly at you. Were his eyes always this pretty?
“Uh, t-this one looks fine,” you stutter out, cursing at your lack of composure as you point to one of the areas you vaguely think he referenced moments ago. His expression shifts the tiniest bit as his brow pulls down, seemingly in concern.
“Are you alright?” he asks, head tilting slightly to the right as he examines you. It makes your eyes go wide, heart hammering in your chest as you take a step back, suddenly overwhelmed by the proximity. The strained “mhm!” you respond with earns a brief look of subdued suspicion before he turns to lead the way.
you’re glad he turned when he did, allowing you save even a fraction of face
it wasn’t the first time he’s been physically close to you, but it was the first time you could see his face while doing so
usually it would just be him leaning over your shoulder to explain paperwork corrections, and while you may have been slightly flustered then, you were at least turned away
but this time… this time you were looking at him and he was looking at you and the confusion of suddenly wanting to feel his lips on yours mixed with the alarm you felt overtook you
and he said something about it
you find yourself wanting to bang your head into the nearest glass surface in sheer embarrassment
but if you thought he was quiet before, the next half hour is so excruciatingly silent that you start to worry
you receive no response to your utterings of wonder as you pass by different tanks, no “hmms” or nods
though he initially took the lead from the sea turtle exhibit, you’ve somehow ended up back in front. as you both slowly follow the crowd through the next few rooms of saltwater fish exhibits, he seems more intent on putting space between the two of you
the lofty silence gives you far too much time with your own thoughts. you begin to wonder if you’ve done something wrong, worried he’s not enjoying himself (you briefly wonder what it would look like if he was enjoying himself, but find yourself drawing a blank)
it wasn’t until you got to the jellyfish exhibit later that he seems to relax again
The large, cylindrical tank emits a comforting blue glow into the dark room as the two of you approach. Jellyfish dance in the center of the room, long tentacles moving in time as they swirl. Airy, ethereal music plays quietly from the speakers overhead.
A near-inaudible “wow” escapes you, subdued as if in fear of ruining the atmosphere. Your eyes are trained on the flowing tendrils of a particularly large jellyfish, its shades of red, orange and cream floating weightlessly in the water.
Giyuu approaches the tank from beside you in silence, but unlike in the sea turtle exhibit, he looks utterly entranced by the mysterious creatures before him. Sapphire eyes follow the symphony of movement, curious. His fingers trace the glass as one moves past, just beyond reach.
You find yourself unable to look away from his child-like gaze, suddenly enamored by the uncharacteristic innocence on display. It’s when his eyes meet your own that you realize you’re staring. You offer only a small smile in return, gesturing slightly to the wooden seats behind you.
“Wanna sit?” you whisper, waiting for his small nod in response before taking a seat on the right. He sits a little after you, enough room for another person between you. Time seems to move slower here. You’re not sure how long the two of you stay like that, caught in the semi-comfortable silence.
He seems much more at ease in this moment, hands folded neatly in his lap as he marvels at the sight. The stiffness in his shoulders has faded away, the harshness of his eyes tempered. Shadows from the soft light carve out his features, highlighting the outline of his brow to the sharpness of his jaw. He almost looks like a painting.
This is kind of… nice, you think to yourself. Maybe I was worried for nothing?
Several minutes pass in relative silence, but the entrance of a small gaggle of rowdy children eventually breaks the two of you from your reprieve, attention turning in tandem to watch three pairs of light-up tennis shoes stop directly in front of you. A weary mother emerges seconds later, apologizing for the intrusion and moving the children off to another side of the tank. Alas, it seems your time here is up.
“You ready?” you ask with a smile, eyebrows raised. He offers a nod again, this time with a small “hm” (progress!), moving to follow your almost hesitant steps back into the outside world.
once your tiny bubble was popped, giyuu is sent spiraling back into the reality he finds himself in
in the sea turtle exhibit, you seemed to react badly when he got close to you. you were stuttering, backing away from him, even. he wasn’t trying to pull anything–far from it, really– but it did kind of hurt
now was this misguided? most certainly. never once did it cross his mind that your reaction may have been because you enjoyed his closeness
but that didn’t stop him from trying to give you space so you didn’t have to be near him if you didn’t want to be
however
while he’s not the most astute observer when it comes to emotions, he did vaguely pick up on some of the dejected looks you were unknowingly sending his way
and then he was even more confused because he was like?? is this not far enough??? do i have to go even farther???!? and then he’s kind of sad because he likes being near you :/
but then… he also saw saw the gentle smiles you gave him in the jellyfish exhibit, pretended not to notice your subtle glances towards him
and now, after the exhibit, you seem happier. what changed?
he’s still pretty confused but… at least you’re smiling again
the next few exhibits pass easily, him quietly agreeing with comments you make as you move forward
the flow of conversation seems to match what it was at the beginning of your visit, which is good, you think
after a brief interaction with the map again – which he just handed to you this time, not wanting to chance it – you two decided to circle back around to the other avenue you didn’t take from the turtle exhibit
a clownfish cave, stingray touch-tank (which was far too crowded and germ-ridden for either of your tastes – a fact you were briefly able to bond over) and seahorse exhibit later, the two of you are back where you ended previously outside the jellyfish
from this point it’s a one-way path through to the food court at the halfway-point in the aquarium
located between here and there, though, is a (frankly huge) walk-through aquarium tunnel
Giyuu has stopped trailing behind you at this point, more so walking beside you as you traverse the boundary between floor and glass. Your first step is cautious, almost weary that one more person in the tunnel would surely be the breaking point. But of course, the tunnel holds sturdy and you continue with slow steps into the fray of curious people.
“This is so cool,” you comment, looking to Giyuu excitedly before eyeing a large fish swimming past him. You swiftly cross behind him, taking a closer look at the sealife beyond the glass.
Small schools of fish skirt back and forth over the artificial sea floor, while larger fish varieties swim overhead, barely missing one another in their practiced movements. Crouching closer to the floor, you see a variety of starfish, coral and a pair of scuttling lobsters amid the seaweed, duking it out over something.
“Oh my gosh, they’re fighting! C’mere, they’re right here!” you say excitedly, waving Giyuu closer so he can see. He hesitantly shuffles towards the glass to your left, peering over you to view the crustaceans in question. They were indeed fighting, it seemed, as each male used its dominant claw to smite the other. You tear your eyes away from the scene as if to make sure he’s watching, the wide smile on your face followed by a laugh.
“What do you think they’re fighting over?” you question, eyes scanning the terrain. The lobsters bobbed towards one another repeatedly, the larger of the two moving to strike shallow blows on the smaller.
“... Food?” Giyuu reasons after a few moments, uncertain if you were actually looking for an answer.
“Hmm, maybe,” you respond, nodding your head as you consider the possibility. “Who do you think’ll win?”
Your enthusiasm in eliciting responses from him is something he’s not used to–at all–but strangely enough, he doesn’t mind. The excitement in your eyes makes him nervous, though.
“... The bigger one, probably,” he answers practically, standing to his full height again.
“Mm, makes sense,” you surmise, pupils still fixated on the dueling opponents. His eyes are drawn to your expressions as you observe the two, watching as the laugh tumbles from your lips following a particularly silly looking move from the smaller lobster. He quickly averts his gaze as you stand again.
He steps back once more towards the center of the tunnel, looking overhead. A strange peace settles over him as he watches the fish swim by, the rippling water above them creating a kaleidoscope of light on the glass below. A chorus of “oohs” and “aahs” overtakes the other visitors as a shark passes over, its presence making waves among the other sealife fleeing from its path. A brief silence passes between the two of you.
“Have you ever seen ‘The Meg’?” you suddenly ask, eyes trailing after the shark. His expression switches minutely to confusion.
“No,” he responds, not sure of what you’re talking about. Evidently you take this as permission to explain.
“Well, it’s this movie about a huge prehistoric shark terrorizing people. There’s this one part where it bites a glass tunnel while a kid is inside and leaves these giant teeth marks,” you describe, gaze finally landing on him as the shark exits your view.
The look you’re met with makes you giggle, the ever-so-slight unease in his expression seeming out of place.
“Don’t worry, it’s not real,” you respond with a laugh, patting him lightly on his shoulder in reassurance. “Well, the shark was real, but that was a long time ago.”
He only looks slightly comforted at the new information as you walk ahead a bit, dodging kids and other visitors. You miss the slight widening of his eyes at your casual touch before he’s following behind you again.
you?? touched??? him?????
he tries really hard not to think about it. tries and fails
… do you not mind if he’s close to you? you also called him over just before to show him the lobsters. and you were excited
maybe not for him, but excited nonetheless
here are his thoughts on the matter: you speak to him kindly and your touch is gentle. it’s nice and makes him feel warm inside
and he decides right now that so long as he can remain close to you, he will be content
he doesn’t know what it means, but… he he thinks he likes it
so as far as you know, your time in the tunnel continues rather uneventfully and it isn’t long until you’re exiting the other side into the food court
during which, he is internally reeling but enjoying himself nonetheless
neither of which you would know by looking at him
The two of you are led to a large, oval room with high rafters and skylights. Some areas take on a more tropical theme with cartoon fish and 3D waves poking out of the walls, while others are more riparian, fake varieties of lush vegetation climbing up pillars with cartoon frogs and lizards dotting the way.
You ponder over the options for lunch in front of you, most of which have several people waiting in queues to order. A large food court sits across from the vendors filled with families, couples and school kids alike, conversations melding together to form one giant mass of voices.
“Wanna get something to eat?” you ask over the noise, looking to him for an answer.
He nods, surveying the lines for food. You agree to separate and meet back up after you’ve got your trays.
Wandering for a bit, you eventually settle on a place called “Sukiya” and order Gyudon, a fatty beef and rice dish. Simple, but filling enough, you think. You are only halfway through the aquarium, after all.
As you wait in line, you mill over the crowd once more, watching as toddlers make messes of themselves and friends laugh with one another. You find yourself eventually searching for your coworker amongst the crowd, using black clothing items to narrow down the search.
You’re about to give up when you suddenly catch sight of his raven hair. He’s scrolling through his phone while he waits in the line for a seafood place, black jacket tucked into the crook of his arm. The white shirt he’s wearing underneath reveals a closer look at his physique, the toned muscles of his arm tensing as he readjusts his posture.
Have I never seen him with his jacket off?
Thinking back through your interactions, you’re not sure you have. Maybe in the mornings occasionally, but usually you’re too busy rushing to your classroom to notice. As he shuffles ahead with the rest of the line, his side profile becomes more visible. It’s suddenly feeling a little stuffy in here. Much to your chagrin, you’re left with one very damning thought.
Has he always been this... hot?
Eyes wide and face growing warm, you don’t let your eyes linger too long on him in fear of somehow making eye contact across an entire food court. If someone could look inside your brain right now, they’d see the blaring alarms, red flashing lights and frenzied shouts of panic instructing Operation: Get The Hots For Your Coworker be terminated immediately. Luckily, you’re the only one privy to those thoughts. You inhale deeply, hoping to calm the wave of sudden anxiety in your chest.
Way to pick the worst possible time to come to this realization.
As you turn back to your own line, you realize you’re up next to pay. After inserting your card, you grab the small tray with your meal and turn back to face the crowd. Looking back to your cohort, you notice he’s still in line, nearing the front. You gather the resolve to search for a table, efforts fruitless as you wind through the seating area. Finally, you notice one table off in the back opening up.
The table-for-two makes for close quarters, but it will have to do. You set your tray down on the far side before noticing a trail of crumbs and leftover rice on the table. Taking a napkin from your tray, you unfold it and wipe what would be Giyuu’s area and seat before doing the same to your own. Crumpling the napkin up, you set it on the side of your tray before brushing your hands off. When you turn around, Giyuu is standing a few feet away with his own tray of food.
How long has he been standing there?
“H-hey!” you greet, standing to your full height as he approaches. “Uh, I’m gonna go wash my hands, I’ll be right back!”
You don’t wait for his response before b-lining it to the nearest restroom. You spend what one would call a reasonable amount of time in a stall, convincing yourself that even if he is hot, it’s fine and you shouldn’t make it weird. Really, it’s fine. Everything’s fine.
It was not fine. But you had already spent too long in the bathroom to just be washing your hands, and you were certain he was wondering where you were. A few more deep breaths later, you step out of the stall, wash your hands and make your way back to the table. His jacket is hanging from the back of his chair, once again showing off his white shirt and lower forearms.
Just act normal.
Giyuu looks up from his food as you approach, chewing and swallowing the bite in his mouth before putting a napkin to his lips. You smile and let out a “hey” again as you slide into your seat, setting your bag down to pull your chopsticks from their paper sheath. Removing the small lid from your bowl, you eagerly eye the tender beef slices still slightly steaming in place.
“Oooh, this looks good! “ you comment, whether to you or him is unclear. “What did you get?”
Perhaps your question caught him off guard as his eyes widened the smallest bit, body stilling at the sudden attention. He looks down to his food and then back up to you before responding.
“It’s, uh… daikon and salmon,” he states plainly, sitting a little straighter.
“Nice!” you reply, carefully taking your first bite into your mouth. The meat is beautifully cooked, the flavors subtle but just right. A small “mm” escapes you as you finish the bite. He takes this as his cue to go back to eating, his quiet demeanor seemingly content. After a minute or two, he takes a small break to sip from his glass.
“How is it? D’you like it?” you ask innocently, chopsticks paused as you await his response. He offers a small “mhm” in return as he puts his glass down.
“...How is yours?” he asks after a few beats of silence. You smile at him again.
“It’s really good, do you want to try it? Here–” you begin to search through your meat for the juiciest looking one, picking it up between chopsticks and moving to place it in his bowl before pausing. He grows still as he watches you. “Wait, are you allergic to anything?”
He’s back to that minutely-wide-eyed stare as he processes your question, shaking his head no after a moment.
“Okay, cool,” you say as you place the meat gently into an empty part of his bowl. You go back to eating, not wanting to put pressure on him. After he carefully maneuvers the strip into his mouth and chews, you pipe back up.
“Good?” you ask, patiently awaiting his reaction.
The dip of his head up and down while he swallows is enough to tell he enjoyed it.
“Good,” you say with a small laugh, returning to your own bowl. A minute or two later, you just barely catch him reaching across to your plate while you take a drink.
?!?!
Your eyes widen in shock and you lower your cup, setting it to the side gingerly to see what he did. Much to your surprise, on the left side of your bowl is now a piece of salmon with daikon.
How was he so fast??
And is he giving this to you?
“For me? Are you sure?” you ask, surprised and also concerned you may have guilted him into returning the gesture. He looks to you, answering with a simple nod in confirmation before finishing off the last few bites of his food.
“Ah, okay! Thank you!” you say as you pick up the bite of simmered salmon between your chopsticks. Popping it into your mouth, you’re pleasantly surprised at the quality and mix of flavors. Giyuu’s eyes are watching you expectantly as you chew, and you try desperately to control any form of heat rising to your face at the attention.
“That’s really good!” you assure him with a smile, bringing up a hand to cover your mouth as you finish swallowing. He seems to relax slightly at your response with just the smallest smile on his lips.
The smile fades as quickly as it appeared as he wipes his mouth a final time with a napkin before laying it beside his now-empty bowl. You finish the last few bites of your own food in silence before following his lead.
“Are you finished?” he asks, hands gripping the side of his tray. When you say yes, he stands, moving to stack your tray, bowl and glass with his.
“Oh, that’s okay, I can do that,” you interject, hand reaching out to take it from him.
“I’ve got it,” he responds, almost gently, as he straightens and heads to the nearest dish drop-off. Watching him go, you notice the white shirt again. Looking down, you realize he forgot his jacket on the back of the chair. You grab it along with your bag and meet him outside the seating area.
“Here,” you offer, handing it over to him as you approach. Seeming a little surprised again, he takes it from you with a small “thank you” before shrugging it back on.
Welp. There goes the gun show.
You ignore your decidedly unhelpful thoughts as you peer around the room, trying to locate the exit.
“Uh…I think it’s this way?” you ask, gesturing forward and to the left toward an arched hallway bathed in green.
And with yet another small “mhm” and a nod from him, you’re off to your next stop.
Giyuu follows dutifully behind you, his face not betraying the cacophony of confusing thoughts swimming in his head
he was definitely caught off guard when you offered him a bite of your meal, but the fact you were thinking of him did make him feel happy
he was too shy to immediately give you some of his in return, but had been saving the best bite for last anyway. and he was also happy you liked it :)
he for sure thinks he would like to go eat with you again sometime if he gets the chance. it was comfortable, and he enjoyed your reactions
Maybe you could… eat lunch together someday?
But like so many facets of his life, his self restraint is ever-present here. He will refrain from “selfishness,” cherishing the experience without asking anything more from you
A winding and counterintuitive path to building intimacy if ever there were one, but he knew no better than you the feelings threatening the rock-solid walls he’s built between himself and others
But little moments like this – eating together in the food court, walking through the exhibits, making idle conversation – they are all small glimpses into something he craves so badly but lacks the words to express
Even so, he trails behind you in quiet contentment as you navigate the Mangrove and Rainforest exhibits, pointing excitedly to the various reptiles, birds or small mammals in their enclosures
As you’re reading the species description for a particularly cute snake, he takes a look ahead to see what exhibit is up next
He scans the horrendously designed map, deciphering the key as he mindlessly follows in your footsteps toward several frog varieties
Eventually, he locates the rainforest exhibit, and looking ahead sees a rock pool with presumably more touch tanks–hard pass– and a theater
But just a step beyond that was the outdoor arena, where little cartoon dolphins and seals swam on the page
Dolphins… you liked those, right?
“(Y/N),” he calls quietly, catching your attention. You look up from the poison dart frogs with a “hm?” to see him pointing at something on the map held out to you.
“Did you want to see the water show? It should be starting soon,” he asks, finger hovering over a box reading “Stage Times.” According to the map, there was one more show today, starting in about ten minutes.
“Oh yeah! That might be fun, what do you think?” you ask nonchalantly as if you weren’t ready to break into a full sprint to make it to the arena in time.
Despite your attempt to play it cool, the sparkle in your eyes was not missed by Giyuu.
He nods once, excitement met with quiet determination. Before you know it, you’re speedwalking through the crowds of parents and children, sidestepping strollers and screaming toddlers as you make sure Giyuu is keeping up.
Before long, bright blue gates for the outdoor arena come into sight, and you let out a triumphant laugh.
“We made it!!” you say, turning too Giyuu with a wide grin. You look more excited than he’s ever seen you, and he gestures for you to move up in line as the family in front of you gains entry.
“For two?” the attendant asks, stamp at the ready. You nod eagerly, extending your arm to receive a dark blue wave on the back of your hand. Giyuu does the same, his usual deadpan stare silently watching as the dark ink stains his skin.
After gaining entry, you pass through a tall blue arch, the smell of saltwater washing over you. An expansive pool of water greets you as you walk in, spanning the edge of the outdoor arena. Looking around, you see several rows of bleachers under orange sun shades, filled to the brim with children just as excited as you.
You scope out the remaining seats, and Giyuu lets you take the lead as you choose an open spot on the second row, off to the left. You smile politely at the family behind you as you take your seats, and there’s hardly even time to settle in before the announcer comes on the loudspeaker, welcoming aquarium-goers and highlighting rules of the arena.
Soon after, a cheery voice comes over the speaker, this time from the aquarium employee running the show about 15 feet from the bleachers. She’s small in stature, dark hair pulled up in a ponytail sticking out the back of her visor.
“Hello everyone! My name is Asa, and I’ll be introducing you to some of our sea friends today!” said the speaker, her overly-excited voice rousing cheers from the children surrounding you.
You watched in glee as a line of three seals plopped up on the platform behind her, each introduced with a name and trick. You giggled along with the children as the seals waddled, barked and rolled. Eventually, the seals returned to the water, showing off swimming formations, speed and everything else such cute little creatures were capable of.
Before long, the seals had to say their goodbyes, sliding into the water with a chorus of disappointed children waving them off. But just beneath the water you could see shadows moving, your anticipation building– and just like that, it burst, with two striped dolphins leaping from beneath the still surface to say hello.
You cheered along with the children as the dolphins splashed back into the water, growing ever-closer to the bleachers with each expert movement. The dolphins swam circles around each other in the center of the arena before swimming up to the aquarium worker’s platform.
An awed smile overtook your features as the top of the dolphin’s heads popped up above the water while they were introduced, Iru and Kai. Each had two striking black lines down their sides, but Iru, the larger of the two, had a large scar over the left side of its forehead down to its beak.
“Iru here was rescued after being hurt in the wild two years ago, and she’s been with us ever since,” Asa explained, leaning down to pet her darker beak. She nudged upward toward Asa’s hand, relishing in her touch from above. “Kai was actually born at the aquarium a year and a half ago, but his baby fin here makes it hard for him to survive in the wild.”
On cue, Kai flipped to his side, showing his stunted right fin. Your heart sank a little at the thought of their pain, saddened gaze looking to Giyuu to gauge his reaction. While his attention stayed glued on the dolphins, he nodded forward to point your attention back to the front as Asa perked up and the dolphins did a spin.
“But we’re so happy to have them here with us now! Iru and Kai, why don’t you show everyone some of your favorite tricks!” Asa stood, gestures prompting each of the dolphins to swim off to the left and right for their first set of tricks.
The tricks started simple enough, leaps into the air or through hoops, but soon divers were introduced and began showing off just how much skill and intelligence Iru and Kai held.
Time passed quicker than you would have liked. The next twenty minutes of feats from the wonders of nature before you were quickly coming to a close, and you felt like it had only begun.
”Alright Iru and Kai, come on back!” Asa called, the dolphins listening in kind. The two swam right back up to the platform, ready to say their farewells.
“We had so much fun with all of you today, but Iru and Kai have to say bye now,” Asa says, sadness clearly in her voice. “Before we do that though, we have one last trick to show you!”
On cue, Iru swam off to the left by your spot in the bleachers and Kai to the right, each popping up behind the fenced area at the front. You grinned widely at the sight of Iru up close, wondering at her beauty.
“Alright, say bye-bye!” Asa shouted.
The next few moments moved in slow motion, and it was only then, as the dolphins whipped around to the side to send a tidal wave to the audience, that you noticed the glaring “SPLASH ZONE” sign plastered on the seat and wall in front of you. Maybe there was a reason these seats were empty.
Delight shifted to fear and surprise as the water grew nearer, impending doom mere milliseconds from impact. You brought your arms to haphazardly shield your face, a shout of surprise escaping you and several of the audience members near you. Just beyond the approaching curtain of water were spray fountains from the front of the arena, shooting wildly out into the audience. Giyuu’s right arm extended in front of you in a vain attempt to shield you.
But no such luck. In less than a second, you were soaked from head to toe, sputtering as the sea water assaulted your senses.
Looking to Giyuu, you saw his hair was soggy, sticking to his face on the sides as water dripped down. As stunning as he looked dripping wet, he was in shock–a look you’ve never seen on him– and all you could do was laugh at the absurdity.
Loud guffaws escaped you as you grabbed onto Giyuu’s sleeve in front of you to steady yourself, his confused eyes meeting your joyous ones. You stayed like that for a few moments, wiping tears of laughter from your eyes as Asa bid her goodbyes to the crowd.
Your grip on his jacket loosened, replaced with two quick pats.
“Oh man, that was good,” you relent breathlessly, still giggling to yourself.
“Are you alright?” he asked in that flat tone of his, but amusement lie somewhere in his eyes. You laughed again, reassuring him as he slowly pulled his arm back to himself.
“Yeah! Just a little wet,” you snicker, wiping some of the excess water from your face. “What about you?”
He nods, mirroring your actions and sliding a few fingers through his bangs to get the wet strands out of his face. Had you been a lesser man, you would have died on the spot.
Instead you clear your throat, averting your eyes as he stands, flicking water from his jacket before handing it to you. Pointedly ignoring the taper of his waist beneath his black joggers, you reach tentatively to take it, confusion etched on your features.
“Oh, do you need me to hold it?” you ask, grasping the fabric between your fingers.
“No, you should…” He averts his eyes from you, the smallest of rosy hues appearing on his cheeks as he clears his throat. “Cover up with this.”
You look down and have the startling realization that the thin fabric of your light-colored shirt has soaked through as well, showing off everything underneath.
You could die right now. Really, you could. But instead you choose to quietly mutter an expletive, thank Giyuu for his jacket and slip it on, zipping up the front.
Dignity slightly restored but pride absolutely shattered, you turn to him.
“So, um… gift shop?” you ask, still buried beneath approximately 15 levels of shame and embarrassment. He nods, gesturing for you to lead the way, and you take the five minute walk to regain any remaining composure you can.
the next several minutes are spent in an extremely awkward silence as you look throughout the various trinkets, t-shirts and keychains
though the air inside is a bit chilly, you’re thankfully kept pretty warm by giyuu’s jacket
speaking of which, he can hardly look at you right now because of a) what happened earlier and b) the sight of you in his jacket. So he is just… trailing behind you as you shop
you excuse yourself to the restroom for a chance to get a good look at yourself, but on the way in, spot a screen with several photos on display
amid a variety of blue and orange displays are photos from the outdoor arena, capturing in full color the delight of children and parents alike
and off to the far right was a photo of you and giyuu a half second before the water hit, a sharp look of panic across his face as his arm was shooting out in front of you. next to him, you look as if you’ve seen a ghost, arms halfway shielding your face in preparation
as the photos scroll through, though, there is a second taken just a few seconds later
it’s perfect, you think
Giyuu is idly standing near the front of the store, having had more than enough time to look around in your absence. As you approach him, he notices you have on a new baby-blue crew neck shirt you picked up from the store, your previous one from before shoved haphazardly in the giftshop bag.
“Hey! Sorry for the wait,” you greet, looking far more refreshed after your visit to the restroom. “Ready to head out?”
He nods simply, choosing to walk alongside you toward the exit. Groups of parents and children move en masse toward the turnstiles, forming lines at the front. You both wait patiently in a surprisingly comfortable silence, the excitement of the day finally wearing on you.
After making it past the entry barriers and onto the sidewalk near the road, he realizes this is where you part ways. You pause in your stride, turning to him.
“Here’s your jacket back, sorry about that,” you say, extending it toward him. He takes it from you gently, tucking it over his arm.
“You have nothing to apologize for,” he states matter-of-factly, but there is a certain gentleness to his tone this time, a quietness in his voice.
A silence settles between the two of you as he contemplates how to say goodbye.
“By the way, I um…” you fumble your words as you reach into your bag, extending two small trinkets on your palm toward him. “Do you want one of these? They were making them inside.”
His brow furrows just slightly as he angles his head to look at the objects in your hand. On the right is a small photo of the two of you during the outdoor arena show, taken just after the water had splashed into the crowd. Your face is alight with laughter, and to your side, Giyuu dons a look he doesn’t quite recognize on himself. Something soft, almost, as he sees the pure joy radiating off of you, your hand clinging to his arm as delight and surprise overtake you.
Attached to the light blue frame is what appears to be a small plastic figure of Iru, the dolphin from the show. The larger and older of the two, if he remembers right. On the other keychain is the same photo framed in darker blue with a small figure of Kai, the other striped dolphin.
Did you… pick these out?
He stays quiet as he observes the small trinkets in your palm. As is so often the case, you mistake his silence for rejection, quick to backtrack.
“It’s okay if you don’t want it! I just thought they were fun,” you are quick to explain, still unsure of his reaction.
Eventually, he reaches forward, gingerly picking up the darker blue one with the Kai charm. The brief graze of his fingers on your palm sends a shiver through you as he looks thoughtfully at the keychain.
“Thank you. It’s… nice,” he says after a pause, pocketing the item in his black track pants.
“It’s no problem,” you reassure. “Thanks for, uh, hanging out today. I had a great time, all… mishaps considered.”
You huff a laugh at your own expense, knowing so badly what you want to say next but still building up the courage.
“I appreciate the invi–” “Anyway, let me know if you–”
You both pause mid-sentence, looking at each other in embarrassment at the misstep.
“You go ahead,” you say, gesturing to him.
“No, you,” he insists, shaking his head.
“Well, um, I was just going to say let me know if you want to do this again sometime or something.”
“Won’t we be coming back here with the other teachers?” he asks, clearly missing the point.
“Well, uh, I mean… it doesn’t have to be the aquarium,” you laugh nervously out of reflex, suddenly wishing you could crawl into a hole forever. “But anyway, yeah. No pressure, I just had fun and wouldn’t mind… Um. Yeah.”
Your hands gesture in the air aimlessly as you flounder. You have to pat yourself on the back for putting together probably the least helpful response known to man. Really, good work. Absolutely indecipherable.
In your sudden embarrassment, you don’t realize as Giyuu’s eyes widen just a fraction, taking in your words.
“I… enjoyed today,” he offers after a brief and unbearably awkward silence, sounding as if he’s still processing the day himself. “We can do it again. If you want.”
You feel your heartbeat quicken at his choppy sentiment, heart thrumming happily in your chest. The grin you send him leaves him in a similar state.
His fingers trace over the smooth plastic of the frame in his pocket as you say your goodbyes, his steps unusually slow as he watches you disappear around a corner to the nearest subway station.
Once you’re out of sight, he fishes the keychain from his pocket, swiftly affixing it to the rest of his keys before setting off on his own way home with your kind words echoing in his head. The sunset hues peeking through his bedroom window seem strangely more picturesque as he settles on the edge of his bed after returning home, thumb brushing carefully over the plastic frame of the keychain.
Much of his life has been spent watching others through the hardy walls of his own glass enclosure, witnessing as they navigate life and love and everything else. And as hard as he has tried, slamming fists and feet against the barrier, the walls have yet to give, leaving him hopeless in his efforts to reach and be reached.
But this difference between himself and others is not something he has yet come to terms with. Denial is a far easier pill to swallow. Even so, you make him feel as if the ocean between himself and others is not quite so vast–like the glass isn’t quite as thick as he was led to believe.
Today was his first spark of hope in a long time that maybe there is more to life than his own self-imposed solitude.
That is not to say he understands, and he will not for many months to come, exactly why you inspire such feelings of hope and longing within him–but it is not unwelcome. Not by a longshot.
a/n: hi!! this is so long. and i have no excuse for why i haven’t posted on this blog in ages. but i hope you like it!! it’s been in my drafts for so long mostly done and i finally got the urge to finish it
