Chapter Text
You jumped out of the cover of the comfortable bed, hands clutching your chest, the spot that bastard had pierced. You looked down and realised you were fully bandaged, every wound carefully tended.
It didn’t take long for you to realise you were back at the Butterfly Mansion. One of the girls had jumped back onto the floor, clearly startled by your sudden movement.
“I… I’m not dead?” you whispered, voice barely audible.
From the doorway, a soft, precise voice replied. “Almost.” Shinobu stepped in, tilting her head slightly, her lips curved in that faint, knowing smile she always carried.
You blinked at her, trying to process everything.
“Rest. You’re alive because you were found in time. Your body needs strength before your mind can catch up.”
You sank back onto the bed, still clutching your chest.
You had to train. You had to get stronger. You couldn’t let that moment of shame haunt you forever.
As you opened your eyes to look at the ceiling, you met Shinobu’s gaze and that faint, knowing smile of hers.
“Don’t think about leaving before you fully heal, alright?”
You swallowed hard. Her smile sent a shiver down your spine, and you nodded, trying to stay calm. You would rest for now, but once you were better, the first thing you would do would be to find Rengoku and hope he understood your situation.
You looked down at the paper, then up at the house in front of you. One of the girls at the Butterfly Mansion had said this was Rengoku’s place.
It stood quiet, the smell of smoke and firewood faint in the air. You stared at it for a long while before stepping forward. When you lifted your hand to knock, the door slid open before you could.
A boy stood there. It took you a moment to realise he was probably the Flame Hashira’s younger brother. They looked almost identical, the same hair, the same eyes… he just seemed softer somehow.
“…Is the Flame Hashira around?”
The boy blinked, a small smile forming. “No… he isn’t home right now. I’m his younger brother, Senjuro. May I ask why you want to see my brother?”
You gave a short nod. “…I need to speak with him.” You weren’t sure if that was enough, so you added, “…It is important.”
Senjuro tilted his head slightly. “I see. Well… would you like to come inside? You can have some tea while you wait.”
“…Yes, thank you.”
Senjuro led you into the house with quiet footsteps on the wooden floor. The room smelled faintly of tea leaves and smoke, soft sunlight filtering through the paper windows.
He gestured to a low table by the window. “Please, sit.” he said gently. You lowered yourself onto the cushions, keeping your back straight, hands folded neatly in your lap.
Senjuro moved to the small kettle on a tray, pouring steaming tea into two cups. He handed one to you, the warmth seeping through the porcelain. You took it without a word, the faint fragrance of the leaves calming your tense shoulders.
For a few moments, neither of you spoke. The only sounds were the distant chirping of birds outside. You weren’t sure what to say, and he didn’t push. Two introverts…great.
You weren’t one to be bothered by silence, but knowing that Senjuro was Rengoku’s younger brother made you want to talk to him. Gods, you really had a crush on the Flame Hashira, even after all these days of not seeing him, you still thought about him.
“This is one of my favourite teas…” Senjuro’s voice snapped you out of your thoughts “It helps me think when I read.”
You looked down at the cup, then back at him. Rengoku’s younger brother enjoys reading? Well, that was something you could start a conversation with. Your family had a habit of reading; you’d spent most of your days with books about history or some fantasy stories with cliché heroes.
“…What do you read?”
He leaned forward slightly, hands gripping his own cup. “I’ve got so many favourites… history, adventure, some of the older stories my brother and I used to read when we were little.” You watched as his eyes seemed to spark with excitement.
And what started as a weird, silent moment turned into you two nerding out about books you had read. You had let minutes turn into hours as the conversation seemed to have no ending. It had been quite a while since you had had so much fun talking with someone.
As a matter of fact, the only thing that made you realise how long you’d been talking was Rengoku’s voice, booming from the doorway.
“Ah! [Name] and Senjuro!”
Senjuro froze, eyes widening. “Wait… this is [Name]?”
Rengoku laughed heartily. “Of course! I’ve told you about [Name] a hundred times! My amazing, strong, unshakeable soon-to-be Tsuguko!”
You rolled your eyes at the words. He really wasn’t going to give up, but you were also glad since you had come over to accept his proposal.
Senjuro glanced at you, a soft blush creeping onto his cheeks. “…And… you called them… pretty!”
Rengoku threw his head back, laughing even louder. “Oh, yes! That’s exactly what I said! But I also said they’re strong and agile, and I will train them to be stronger than ever!”
You kept your straight posture, the faintest heat rising in your cheeks as you cleared your throat.
He bent one knee dramatically in front of the two of you, his hand reaching out to yours. Your eyes widened at the gesture, your mouth opening in dumbfounded silence.
“Be my Tsuguko, [Name]!” he declared, and if someone were watching the scene without any context, they would think he was asking you in marriage.
“About that… can we talk in private?”
Hearing your words, Senjuro stood up from the floor and walked toward the door. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you some space!” he said with a small smile, before leaving you two alone.
Now, it was just you and Regonku, and it had a nostalgic feeling to it. You would be lying if you had to say that you didn’t miss his bright smile, even if it was bad for your curse.
“You can… let go of my hand now…”
His smile didn’t waver as his hand slowly let go of yours, yet remained close enough to feel near. You sighed, bracing yourself to explain what had happened days ago.
You don’t even know where to start. Should you talk about the curse? But you don’t feel comfortable, at least not yet. So you explain only that there is a demon that somewhat killed your mother and that seems to have a personal vendetta with your family, and that you had faced it not long ago, only to be defeated in the most embarrassing way possible.
“So… that’s what happened…” You finished your explanation. “And that is why I want you to take me as your Tsuguko. I need to get stronger!”
Rengoku’s eyes widened for a moment, then his grin returned, brighter than ever. He leaned forward slightly, his energy practically radiating toward you. You leaned back slightly in response, keeping your expressionless face, though a faint warmth tugged at your chest.
“Ah! I knew it! You’ve got that fire in you already, [Name]! This is exactly why I want to train you!” he exclaimed, his voice booming with joy. “Strength isn’t just about the sword, it’s about will, spirit, and heart! And you… You already have all three. I will help you grow, and together, we will make you unstoppable!”
You weren’t expecting him to change his mind out of nowhere, but hearing him say those words made your shoulders relax.
“So… when do we start?”
“Tomorrow Morning!”
Day 1
The sun barely crested the horizon, painting the sky gold, when Rengoku appeared, practically vibrating with energy. “WAH! Today we ignite your spirit!” he shouted, fists pounding the air. The birds scattered. A few leaves fell from the trees.
You raised an eyebrow.
Your first lesson.
Endurance.
Rengoku had you sprint across the field, dodging imaginary demon attacks he shouted about loudly. “A demon is behind you! Faster! Quicker! Use your feet like fire!”
You ran, muscles screaming, lungs burning, while he danced around, occasionally screaming encouragement, sometimes literally hopping over your head to show “how it’s done.”
By the time you reached the final marker, your legs felt like lead. Sweat poured down your back. Rengoku clapped, hands so loud you almost lost your hearing. “Yes! That’s the spirit! You feel the fire in you yet?”
All you remember is that at the end of the day, you couldn’t move your legs anymore.
Day 2
Rengoku had a new plan. Wooden dummies. “These are demons! You cannot fail! Strike true, strike fast!”
You swung your blade, it wasn’t difficult to hit stationary dummies who weren’t coming after you after all.
At one point, Rengoku jumped onto a dummy, pretending it was attacking him. “Ah! I am being attacked by ten demons at once!” He flailed dramatically, and you almost… smiled.
Almost.
You keep your breathing calm, and you kick the dummies of him one by one.
Day 6
You crouched down, letting the heat of training fade for a moment as you drank water, the cool liquid soothing your burning throat. Beside you, Rengoku leaned on his sword, chest heaving, golden eyes still sparkling with energy.
From a short distance, a voice called out, light and cheerful. “Aww… they really do look cute together!”
You glanced toward the voice and saw Mitsuri peeking from behind a tree, hands cupping her cheeks, eyes sparkling. Your expression remained still, almost disinterested… but you caught the smallest twitch in your chest.
Rengoku noticed your glance, and instead of looking embarrassed or flustered, he threw back his head and laughed, full and loud, shaking his shoulders. “Hahaha! Cute, you say? I’ll take that as a compliment!”
He nudged your shoulder lightly with his own, leaning in just enough that the heat from his body brushed against yours. “Come on, [Name]! Enough of this dawdling. If we rest too long, the demons will think we’re taking a nap!”
Day 8
Training intensified. Dummies were replaced with small obstacle courses. Rengoku had you dodge swinging logs, leap over pits, and strike moving targets. All while shouting absurd motivational phrases.
“Do you feel the demon’s hatred? Can you hear it? Strike it down like it’s the last dumpling on Earth!”
Food was the last thing on your mind, and the thought of anything else was drowned out by the pounding of your heart and the ache in your arms. Hours of training still lay ahead before you could even think about dinner.
After a particularly long round of swinging logs, he jogged up beside you, holding a small bundle. “Alright, [Name], that’s enough for a moment! Even a warrior’s spirit can’t shine on an empty stomach!”
He handed you a warm onigiri, leaning in slightly just enough for your shoulders to touch, though you barely noticed. You took a slow bite, and Rengoku’s bright grin seemed to fill the space around you.
“See?” he said, voice softer this time, not shouting. “A strong body needs fuel. And even the strongest hearts… need a little care.”
You continued chewing in silence before you continued your training for the rest of the day.
Day 12
By now, the improvements were impossible to ignore. Your stamina lasted longer, your sword strikes were faster and more precise, and your strength had grown far beyond what you had thought possible.
Each morning, Rengoku pushed you harder; he would praise every improvement and adjust every lapse in your posture just like you’d joke around with a friend. Even when you didn’t speak, he seemed to sense when you were struggling or when you were ready to push further.
Rengoku had been more than a perfect teacher. Over time, you had come to see him as a good friend as well.
You were certain he felt the same. The little touches, the warm smiles he gave you, the way he always found a way to start a conversation no matter the situation, all of it made you feel that you weren’t just his student. You were someone he trusted, someone he genuinely cared for.
And even if you sometimes felt your heart asking for more, you had to be realistic about your problem. This curse that flows through your veins wouldn’t end well if you were to pursue a romantic relationship. You would let your feelings get the better of you and end up dead, or if not, who would want to be with someone like you?
Someone who barely shows emotions, someone so boring.
Rengoku deserved someone who could keep up with his energetic shenanigans, and you knew you could never be that person.
You struck the moving log coming in your direction, splitting it in two, and as you did, you heard Rengoku showering you in compliments as you kept up your training.
Day 15
Your hands rubbed your sore shoulders as you slowly retreated from the training grounds. Not far away, you could see Mitsuri and Rengoku talking, his laughter filling the air as you made your way toward them.
As Mitsuri’s eyes landed on you, you couldn’t help but notice the soft giggle that escaped her lips as she glanced between the two of you. There was something in the way she looked at you, an almost knowing sparkle, as if she had already pieced together the connection between her cheerful Hashira and you, the stoic student who had quietly captured his attention.
Mitsuri tilted her head, her pink-and-green hair catching the sunlight, a playful grin spreading across her face. “I’m so jealous of how close you two are!” she teased, her voice light and sing-song.
Rengoku laughed, a warm sound that seemed to agree with her entirely.“Ha! Well, of course! [Name] is always so serious, and I can’t help but encourage them! They keep up with me better than anyone else!” His grin was wide, eyes sparkling.
You, however, simply kept your straight posture, offering only a small nod. The words and laughter left a quiet ache in your chest.
So he does find you too serious and probably boring, but he just doesn’t want to say anything.
Mitsuri giggled softly. “I just… love how different you two are. You’re so calm, so quiet… and Rengoku is always so cheerful, full of energy, and yet…” She rested her head in her hands, as if imagining some kind of romantic story. “He always lights up like this around you! It’s… adorable!”
Rengoku chuckled, a little embarrassed, scratching the back of his head. “Adorable, huh? Well… I just enjoy seeing [Name] push themselves. That’s all!”
You reminded yourself of the truth, you were nothing more than his Tsuguko. Maybe it was foolish to think he saw you as a friend, too.
“I… I should rest now.” You finally decide to say something.
Rengoku opened his mouth, probably to argue, but you had already turned and walked away, leaving the two of them behind.
Day 18
By now, you had gotten the hang of it all. Rengoku himself had started to spar against you, and you had reached the point where you could land a hit or two.
However, you had noticed something: for the last two days, Rengoku had been acting strange. His normally energetic personality seemed calmer, to the point that it felt like you were talking to a completely different person.
Whenever you pointed it out, he would tell you he didn’t even know what you were talking about.
You tried to ignore it, but you were starting to miss the random laughs, the shouted words of encouragement, and the whole cheerful energy he brought every time you two trained.
It got to the point where you asked if he wanted to go out for lunch with you, and he said he wasn’t hungry.
When was he ever not hungry?
You couldn’t make this up, he had to be sick. Yes. That had to be the explanation. So, when you reached for his forehead to check his temperature, he stepped aside.
Rengoku, who loved touches, had stepped away from you.
He had probably even noticed the sudden shift in your expressionless face, the subtle twitch of your lips, almost like sadness. Because he excused himself, leaving you alone on the training grounds when he was supposed to be sparring with you.
What were you even supposed to do now?
You sighed in protest, deciding that today was probably a free day to laze around, not that you were complaining. After eighteen days of nonstop training, your body screamed for a rest.
As you walked, you noticed Mitsuri spotting you at the same time. She practically bounced over, her eyes wide and sparkling.
“[Name]!” she exclaimed, grabbing your arms. “I didn’t know Rengoku would take what I said so seriously!”
You blinked at her, confused.
“I mean, he’s been acting all… different! Like, really weird!” she continued, flailing her hands a little. “I told him that someone like you, quiet, serious, and so strong, might like someone nonchalant and calm… but now he’s… he’s… just so different! I didn’t mean for him to act like this!”
You almost choke on your own spit at her words as your eyes widen. Did she literally just say that Rengoku liked you?
“I didn’t mean to… uh! Make it awkward!” she squeaks. “I just… I thought you should know! I mean, it’s obvious! He lights up around you all the time, right? Isn’t it kind of cute?”
You blink again, voice caught somewhere between disbelief and embarrassment. “…Cute?”
Mitsuri laughs, a soft, tinkling sound, and nods enthusiastically. “Exactly! Cute! And he’s so stubborn! You two… gah! I just can’t with you both!”
You looked up at the sky as Mitsuri shook your arms around, apologising time after time again.
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to cause trouble! I just-”
You let out a slow breath, letting her rambling blur into background noise. For once, your thoughts were elsewhere, drifting to the image of Rengoku, his ever-bright smile, the way his voice sounded when he was talking to you, his small touches here and there…
HE LIKED YOU!
It took you all your willpower not to just start jumping around and shouting it; you had to calm down and relax, you couldn’t let this situation get the best of you.
“I will talk with him.” You cough, clearing your throat, trying to sound as normal as possible after your small daydreaming moment.
You searched everywhere, moving from the training grounds to the main hall, peeking into every room you could find. The sun was dipping low, casting long shadows across the Mansion, but there was still no sign of Rengoku.
At that point, you were starting to question if he was just running away from you, as you sank against the tree, the shadows stretching across the training grounds. You had been looking for him everywhere, and finally, there he was, Rengoku, standing at the edge of the field.
At first, he seemed calm, almost quiet, but as you got closer, that familiar bright energy returned. His grin was wide, a little too wide, like he was trying to cover something.
“Ah! There you are!” he called, his voice loud and cheerful. “I… uh… got a little carried away earlier. Didn’t mean to worry you!”
You stared at him. “Rengoku… I don’t want you to change who you are… I…”
He froze for a moment, eyes flicking down, catching a hint of seriousness in your voice, before snapping back to his usual energetic self. “Change? Me? Never! I’m always me, [Name]!”
You took a deep breath. “…I love the way you are. You’re amazing. Your energy is contagious. You make people smile just by being around!”
His smile faltered slightly, just for a second. Then he laughed, loud and bright, like he always did. “Then why do you never smile?”
The question took you by surprise. He had been worried about this, the fact that you wouldn’t smile or open up to him like everyone else did. He didn’t think you were boring; he had only been worried.
You had to control your breathing as you sat next to him, trying to maintain a certain distance, unsure if it was the right moment for touches.
“I’m sorry.” It was the first thing that slipped out of your mouth. He turned toward you, almost worried. “I should have told you… but…” If you wanted things to go back to normal, you had to explain to him about your past, about the curse.
“I am cursed. My family is cursed…” You began, now staring up at the sky, unsure if you wanted to see his reaction. “We have to control our emotions, or else we get eaten by them… I know it sounds weird… but my whole life I’ve had to live like this. I’ve lost so many friendships and teammates because they hated how dead I look all the time. I’m sorry that I made you feel like I didn’t enjoy being around you, Rengoku. I really-”
“Kyojuro.” His voice collided with yours.
“…What?”
“Call me Kyojuro.”
Slowly, carefully, his shoulder brushed against yours. Your breath caught, but you didn’t move away.
“I’m glad you understand Kyojuro…”
Your hand rested against the grass, and you realised his hand wasn’t far. Close enough that if either of you moved even slightly, they would touch. Neither of you did, but you didn’t pull away either.
He knew that this was all you could deal with for now, and you were happy with it.