The 10th Hashira - Rengoku X Reader

Chapter Seven - Tastier Than a Sweet Potato

Ah finally! I stretch my arm above my head feeling my full strength once again. After sitting around all day, preparing foods, and watching the other Hashira and demon slayers go out on missions I was feeling peak restlessness. Now that I am finally back in my uniform accompanied by my sword, I can go out and kick some demon ass once again. I can feel like I am not a freeloader anymore. 

I slide open the doors to my room and am met with the brisk winter air. My nose and ears immediately turn red. Ah, lovely winter and its ability to allow me to wear all the warm clothes I want! Not to mention I can wrap myself in my heavy blanket at night and feel everlasting coziness. Something summer does not provide, it provides more torturous heat and nights accompanied by tossing and turning. 

I step down from under the wooden walkways eave so I can catch snowflakes on my tongue. The slight cooling sensation causes my cheeks to turn red as well, but catching snowflakes is much more important than my disheveled and redden appearance! One, two, three, f-four! Okay, lets calm down a bit. I look like a mad mosquito running around. I gently wipe my face and and make my way back to the covered wooden walkway when I see Rengoku standing on the ledge with two cups of steaming tea. 

"O-ah! Hello there! Are you enjoying the snowfall?" I raise my hand to wave at him.

"I most certainly am now," he smiles sweetly and sits the tray of tea and himself down on the edge of the walkway so his feet can dangle over. He pats the spot next to him and I make my way over to his side. Am I being too submissive? I am certainly overthinking this. And submissive? C'mon man, stop thinking pervy words.

I set myself down next to him and bring my hands to my mouth to warm them up. 

"Here! Try my homemade green tea. When I was younger my mother used to make it for me whenever it was cold outside," he offers me a cup and I take it into my hands, causing my hands to warm up instantly. Don't think I missed his past tense regarding his mother though. 

"Thank you. I hope...I'm glad to hear the time spent with your mother is an affectionate memory," I take a light sip from the cup. Delicious.

"I am glad as well, she was a fantastic women and will forever remain so to me," I'm happy to see that he can smile while remembering his late mother. Losing someone you love so much must be tough, and to have to cope with that loss at such a young age is unimaginable to me. 

I can feel my face warming up and my blood beginning to circulate once again. Ah, this tea really works some magic. 

"I see the tea has warmed you up! Too bad, you looked quite adorable with your red nose and ears. Not to mention your cheeks were looking quite lush as well," he finishes with a gentle but embarrassed laugh. WHAT THE HECK! He is seriously giving me so many messages, or am I just purposely mixing the message?!

"Our meeting in the streets during our younger years had a large impression on me you see. Larger than you might even be able to comprehend at this moment. Then, having that unexpected reunion with you a little while back," I choke on my tea but hold back my coughing at the memory of me interrupting his special alone time, "I was reminded of why that memory of you remains strong in my mind. When I saw you as a kid it was a feeling I didn't quite understand yet, but then seeing your surprised expression as we met again, while you had that leaf clinging to your hair as your face reddened at the state I was in, I felt even more attraction and longing towards you. It was all clear to me at that moment. When we ate at the banquet, you were so sincere and strongminded, and just now, when I saw you in the snow with the snowflakes falling all around you, it was even more clear to me." This is the explanation I was wanting. He definitely knows how to read ones mind, doesn't he. I'm getting incredibly embarrassed and really wondering if it is truly me he is talking about.

"You, I want to get to know you even better. I want you to get to know me even better, because," He turns and looks me straight in the eyes and I find myself flabbergasted and taken aback. I set down the tea to show that I am fully listening. He slides his hand under mine and brings it up to his face where he fondles my fingers between his own. He raises my hand higher, closes his eyes tightly, and plants his lips between my knuckles. When he reopens his eyes it is that same look I received from him at the banquet once more, and I can't help but let a little gasp escape me. "Because I have loved you since I laid my eyes on you." He loves me? Me? But I'm nothing but a street kid with no family, no skills, no anything. Can I even make him happy? Doesn't he deserve more.

"It can only be you. I am saying that I love you."

"Me? What can I give you?"

"The most precious thing you have. Yourself." 

"I..." what do I say? Don't make yourself look dumb! He is so perfect, how am I to compete with that?

"I really want to...If you would let me, may I kiss you?"

"Like...on the lips?"

"Haha! Where else?" don't make me image where else you could kiss me you perv, or does that make me the perv? 

"P-please be gentle with me..." wow, I'm stupid and an embarrassment. 'Please be gentle' the hell am I? A fricken baby?!

"Of course."

Rengoku trails his the knuckles of his hand along my jawline and up my cheek before pushing back my hair behind my ears and out of my face. His fingers gingerly fondle my ear and earlobe causing me to reflexively look down to avoid the sensation of his fingertips that were touching me in a sensitive and humiliating spot. He raises his other hand to take my chin and slowly bring my face back up. 

"Please, my sunshine, do not hide," he whispers close to my face. I can feel his warm breath trace down my cheeks and graze my lips. I can't help but move my eyes from his own eyes down to his lips. They look so soft and warm. He moves his hand from my chin to cup the side of my cheek and pull me closer. I see his lips slightly part, but I close my eyes to keep the rest of the coming sensation a pleasant mystery.

Supple, warm, and affectionate. I feel him start to pull away, but all I can think is, oh, please don't pull away. I bring my hand up and firmly run it through his hair, tracing the back of his head and pulling him back into my lips. I can feel his breath catch in his throat before letting out a slight moan and pushing himself back onto my lips. I try to catch my breath as well and revert to opening my mouth to take in some air, because for some reason in this moment the understanding of breathing through my nose is out of the question. As I do this, I feel his tongue slide into my mouth between my parted lips. 

"Mmm," I lean back trying to break away from what I provoked but end up falling on my back against the wooden floor with Rengoku still pressed against my lips and inside my mouth. His tongue is not only warm, but I can feel every curve and crease on it, which is intensified by the way he is moving around hungrily. This keeps me from catching my breath and rather causes gentle moans to release from deep in my throat. He finally pulls away with a loud huff indicating the broken kiss. 

I open my eyes to the view of a disheveled and lust driven face. Dang, doesn't he look handsome. I let go of my grip on his hair and allow my arms to fall to my sides in exhaustion. Before I can relax my head to the side, he grabs my chin and eagerly rubs his tongue along my closed lips. As he pulls away his panting remains heavy.

"Even more tasty than a sweet potato," he says with a smirk.