Kyojuro Rengoku Ice Heart And Flame Soul

The Bond of the Rengoku Boys ~ { Life With Rika and Kyojuro }

Kyojuro Rengoku

I wanted to get home. I was tired; it had been a long night, and that demon just didn't want to give up. I wanted to get home and have one of Senjuro's delicious meals, and then I wanted to go see Rika.

It was already morning, but I was sure that Rika would be alright with me visiting.

I missed her. It had been a week since I had last seen her. The timing of our missions was making being able to see each other difficult.

I had finally made it to the Rengoku Residence, and I walked into the front yard. I walked into the house and called out.

"Senjuro!"

No answer came. Maybe he was out in the yard. I walked through and saw out the window; something that made me just stop in my tracks and watch with amazement.

Senjuro was in the yard practicing with a bokken. And Rika was guiding him. She had her hands over his, and showing him the angle he needed to strike.

"Your katana will do most of the work for you, but you still need to strike at the right angle. If you don't, your katana doesn't know what you want from it and it will fail you." She said.

"Right. Like this?" He asked, then swung at a beautiful angle.

"Yes! Just like that! Keep practicing that, Senjuro. I know you have what it takes."

He turned to her, and she smiled down at him. He smiled back, and it thrilled me to see Rika and Senjuro bonding. "Thanks Rika. I can understand why my brother loves you so much. You are very kind."

She laughed. "Oh Senjuro. You never met me the way your brother did. I wasn't kind at all to him. I might have even scared you away if I had met you first. Before your brother, I was a very different person."

I almost laughed aloud at that. Senjuro would have likely been intimidated by her if he had met the Rika I did back then. Even myself, her hostility surprised me. But I knew I wanted to get to know her, so it was worth trying to get her to talk to me.

All of this, what I was seeing now, made that struggle worth it. I have the woman I love dearly, and here she was, giving her time to my younger brother. The fact that she was giving her time to him, it was what made her even more amazing. She was willing to get to know the one other person who meant more to me than my own life. The sight before me had my heart full and happy. There was nothing better than this.

I sat down on the porch, and her head turned in my direction. She must have sensed my temperature nearby. I could never sneak up on her. She smiled, and it was beautiful.

"Hi Kyo! Senjuro and I are having sword lessons. Would you want to join us?"

I stood and jumped off the porch. "I would be glad to! Great work Senjuro!"

I picked up a bokken and swung. I was more distracted than anything, continuing to watch Rika work with Senjuro. My tiredness had melted away and was replaced with contentment. This was my family. My brother and my beloved Rika.

I knew my father would come around one day. He would eventually be proud of Senjuro. And when I become a Hashira one day, surely he'd be thrilled.

For now, I had to accept that this was the best that I could give to Senjuro. Rika was good with him, and I wanted Senjuro to see how amazing she was. Now he saw that, and he adored her.

More than ever, I knew Rika was the best decision I had ever made. The perfect woman to make my wife. I smiled, thinking about marrying her one day.

"Rika! A mission! A mission for you! Go west right now! Hurry!" Her crow flew into the yard and flapped her wings.

"Oh, uh, sorry Senj, I have to go now. Kyo, I'll see you when I get back." She said.

She put her bokken away and ran to the edge of the yard. Abruptly, she stopped and turned back. She ran to me and leaped at me. I caught her, and she kissed me. After kissing me, she laid her head on my shoulder.

"I love you, Kyo." She said into my neck.

"I love you too. We await your safe return, my love."

She ran out of the yard, and I watched her leave, sad to see her have to go so soon after I arrived.

"Senjuro, come inside with me." I said as I turned. He set his bokken down. I put my arm around him and we walked inside.

"How was your mission, Brother?"

"It went very well. But Senjuro, I'd like to ask you a question." I said.

"Of course, what's on your mind?" He asked.

"What do you think of Rika?" I asked.

He seemed surprised by my question, but answered anyway. "I really like her. I am happy that you met her. She's very kind, and she knows how to cook."

"And what do you think about her becoming a Rengoku?" I asked.

He took a quick, excited breath. "Are you going to ask her to marry you!?" I smiled at how excited he was.

"You like the idea, don't you?"

"Yes! It's going to be great. I know you will both be happy." He said.

"It will happen. One day. I'm sure of it." I said.

Senjuro was walking beside me and I quickly turned, picked him up and he squeaked in surprise. I held him in the air by the waist and he laughed. I ran down the hallway with him and he was laughing so hard that he almost couldn't speak.

"Kyojuro!" He shouted. I sat on the floor with him in one of our many rooms and I tickled him. "Kyojuro! That tickles!" His giggle was so happy that it made me smile.

"Do you want me to stop?" I asked, also laughing.

"Yes!" He laughed.

"If you say so."

Then I tickled him harder, and he tried to squirm out of my grasp. We were both laughing and Senjuro was running out of breath, so I gave him a break. I leaned back and watched him catch his breath after my attack.

I turned away, still crouching, and slowly standing up. I knew what was coming next and pretended to be surprised.

Senjuro tackled my back and climbed onto me. He began an assault of tickles on me. He knew where I was ticklish and I allowed him to get me. I laughed, and I grabbed Senjuro and laid on my back. I hugged him tight, and he tried to squirm out of my grasp again.

"So, another round is it?" I asked.

I tickled Senjuro again, and he squealed with joy. I grabbed him again and stood up with him and ran out of the room and back down the hallway. I went to his bedroom, where there was always a pile of blankets on the floor, and I flopped down onto it and Senjuro landed on me.

We both laughed and Senjuro sat up. We sat there, catching our breaths, when my stomach growled. Senjuro laughed again.

"Are you hungry, brother?" He asked.

"I guess I could eat. I am a little hungry." I said.

Senjuro laughed. "If your stomach is growling, I'm going to have to get out more ingredients for lunch."

"Let me help!" I said.

"Alright. Rika and I began to prepare lunch earlier, too, so this will be a meal made by the three of us."

"Then it will be a fine meal!" I said.

Senjuro and I went to the kitchen, still laughing together. I loved my younger brother and hoped that I was enough to make up for the lack of father that he had. Senjuro and I prepared lunch, and he made three plates for me. It was a delicious meal.