The Sound Hashira's Apprentice // tengenuzui x reader

Chapter 12

The nature of our absences blended through the days, merging into weeks before it seemed like it was a new norm for myself and Tengen Uzui to communicate through pages from an overused journal, commemorating training regimes rather than the annoyingly addictive banter we'd share in our day-to-day sessions.

The brief times we'd bump into eachother amid our assignments, made absent of any tease. Simply mild 'hellos' and melancholy 'goodbyes'. The line blurring between arms intertwining one another as we bid eachother an embrace, enclosing the days that we had been apart to attend our missions.

Was it normal for a tsugoku and a sensei to share that kind of affection?

From the persistent glances, the lingering and piercing gazes absorbing each other's sights, the 'I miss yous' quickly covered up with the punch line of a joke, governed with the transparent glass between us of the boundary our relationship should've been within.

I had ceased to weary doubt that this was one-sided. The optimism in my heart grew each time I looked forward to a mission, displacing any pity I once felt for the demon's I'd exterminate. A feeling that sometimes troubled me since priorities had changed due to a crush.

This had built up to the point of almost deluding myself into thinking that maybe, Tengen held a different sentiment toward me, a sentiment a Sensei shouldn't possess. That he didn't regard me merely as his student, but as a woman.

For god's sake he had basically walk in on me doing such womanly things. He made it so easy for me to forget the embarrassment that afflicted itself unto me those couple moons ago. The embarrassment failing to surpass the few days that followed, as he created space for me to feel safe and reassured.

That was what a man was capable of. Something I saw of him way before I had realise I had such feelings for my Sensei.

I toyed the idea of reciprocation between the bustling days, but such contemplations were abruptly halted amonst this quiet moment that morning.

Entering my sleeping quarters, I found Tengen unexpectantly seated on the edge of my bed, on the very one I had shamefully done such womanly things on. It seemed he was occupied by the Kasugai crows perched amongside the windowsill, presumably his own next to mine.

A sense of anticipation filled me, hinting that his sudden appearance carried a weight of seriousness. Still he looked over and spared me a light-hearted smile once I'd fully entered quizzically. A small fraction enough to make my cheeks glow and my stomach do a flip.

"Tengen! What are you doing in my room?"

Initially, he didn't respond, motioning for me to take a seat on my bed as he got up, exchanging it for the floor.

"Okay, you didn't have to do that,"

I obliged anyway, releasing a sigh into the duvet of my mattress. The gentle layers eased the ache in my legs from the mission hours prior. I could feel sleep falling heavy on my lids but knew it would have to wait as I anticipated for Tengen to speak.

"How long has it been since we last saw each other? Feels like we're practically strangers again with all this time that's gone by. "

I paused before releasing a sigh. Nodding slowly, I drew my knees under my chin, my gaze softening with contemplation. "Our last training session must have been about a week ago. So I guess I haven't seen you since then. "

"Hm," I observed the movement of his Adam's apple as he cleared his throat. "You've been performing well."

The Hashira brings his arms across his chest, eyes averting to the ground despite the slight smile on his face. "Gotta admit, I have zero doubts about your skills... but it's always a relief seeing you come back without any obvious scratches or injury."