Kitty - Sanemi x OC x Tengen

Ch. 28: Hotaru's Wrath

"You are one crazy woman," Tengen was furious, "what made you think you could take him on alone? And in a state like that!"

"If Tanjiro hadn't stopped me-"

"Why didn't you come to me first?" It took him a while to get his heart rate back to normal.

"Do you even care about anyone else's feelings??" He sat next to her in her bed at Shinobu's, "do you know how scared everyone was? The kids were absolutely terrified."

"I'm sorry," she had nothing else to say.

"You had a miscarriage! Why would you even go there by yourself-"

"Aren't you happy about it? You never wanted it in the first place. I didn't want to upset you any more than I already had," her voice was growing softer by the second and he didn't know what to say.

"I'm so sorry that I reacted the way I did. I know I freaked out for a minute but I hope you understand that no matter where I go, I will always come back to you."

"It is my fault, isn't it?" The sheets were now damp with her tears and he tried to comfort her as she rested against his chest.

"No, you did what you had to. I wish I came for you sooner," he knew it wasn't her fault and he certainly wasn't going to hold it against her, "but you, miss, are grounded until I say otherwise!" Tengen now had a new bone to pick with Douma.

"WHAT?!"

"Master is so upset with you. Had he known about this, he wouldn't have even sent you! He was even more upset with the fact that you didn't disclose it!"

"I really thought he knew. I also went there because I couldn't say no to him," she said.

He kissed her face, "I'm not going anywhere. So next time, even if we fight, you will come to me before running off on your own. Understood?"

"Understood."

"God, you're just as stubborn as you were the day you showed up at my door," he was a little relieved that she was okay, "but don't ever do that to me again."

"Okay."

"Are you still hurting? Do you need anything?"

"I'm better now, thanks."

They were soon interrupted by Ubuyashiki, "May I have a minute with our little hero over here?"

"She's all yours~" Tengen said before leaving her behind. He was the right person to give her an earful.

"I hope you know that this has upset me very much," he said, "first you don't tell me anything, and then you sacrifice your own child for this. Not just that, you have terrorised the others too." He said and she just put her head down in shame. There was nothing else that she could say.

"I'm allowing Tengen to ground you for as long as he likes." He said and she retorted, "please, you can't do that."

"And I hope you have figured out what to tell your father because he is on his way."

"Oh, god," she was definitely not ready for that. "He's going to kill me and Uzui san."

"Then I'll leave you two to figure out what to tell him." He rose to leave, "no missions for you for two weeks."

"Oh, come on. You can't possibly be that mean. I need more missions to get stronger."

"Would you like three weeks then?"

That instantly shut her up.

————

She quickly sent Tengen out to run an errand for her. She didn't want her father to behead him first.

"I'll be back very soon, okay?" He caressed her face, "stay right here."

She didn't tell her about her father visiting her since she knew for a fact that he would insist on staying with her, and she desperately wanted to avoid that conflict, "I'll be right here! Take your time."

————

"So... I heard what happened", Hotaru wasn't very pleased to be apprised of her situation, "you were an idiot, you went to fight an upper moon while pregnant and had a miscarriage, and you don't have a husband."

"That's the gist of it, yes," her voice almost turned into a small squeal.

"Are you feeling better now?" He asked and she nodded.

When a slap landed right across her face, her eyes stung with tears, "is this how I raised you??! To have no regard for another life!?? You've thrown away everything I've ever taught you! And where is he!?" She almost had flashbacks of how mad he was to find out about Shinazugawa as well.

She took deep breaths and zipped her mouth shut. She wasn't going to say anything to her father and she hadn't the courage to, either. "I'm sorry". Was all she said.

"I was so happy for you when you became a Hashira. I was so proud of you for having overcome every obstacle with such grace. And now, I'm so disappointed in you and the person that you've become," he sounded so hurt that her heart broke. She was already in a lot of pain but this worsened it a few hundred times.

"What's going on here?" Tengen was back from the errand.

She hated that he was back so soon, and after all that she'd put him through, she didn't want him to face her father's wrath. "Leave." She said, "don't get involved in this."

"What happened to your face?" He didn't listen to her. "Is this why you told me to take my own time at the grocery store?"

"You must be... I don't know what to call it-"

"Her boyfriend," Tengen pointed it out to him, clearly unable to comprehend the sarcasm in Hotaru's voice.

Hotaru sharply exhaled before looking at her, "another Hashira? Really? Wasn't Shinazugawa enough trouble? Why do you go looking for trouble all the time?"

"Did you do that to her face?"

"This is none of your concern. You have caused enough trouble already. I know my daughter is gullible and naive but don't you dare take advantage of her."

"I assure you that I'm not. I really do love your daughter."

"Oh, you do? Then why are you just her boyfriend?" Hotaru asked, "I don't approve of this." He turned to look at Miyuki, "I don't approve of anything that you've done so far. I'm ashamed of you."

"I don't care if you're her father. You will not hurt her again." Tengen asserted, "I will fight you if I have to but I don't want to see a single new bruise on her."

He stopped when Miyuki gripped his arm and shook her head, mentally pleading him to stop.

"I don't want to see you again."

"Papa?"

"I really should've sent you to that orphanage that Ubuyashiki suggested," he glared at her.

"You're not my daughter anymore."