The Shadow Hashira - Tengen X Reader X Sanemi

14

I was just about to turn and leave when Tengen's hand shot out, grabbing mine with a firm grip. The sudden contact jolted me, pulling me close against him. My heart skipped a beat, and despite my confusion, I could feel my body reacting to the warmth of his touch, a thrill racing through me.

"What are you—" I started, my voice tinged with annoyance even though a part of me was very much aware of the electricity between us. I tried to pull away, but his hold was steady, unyielding.

He didn't let go. Instead, he looked at me with a gaze that was uncomfortably intense, his eyes locking onto mine with an almost predatory focus. "Moonlight," he said softly, his voice carrying a sincerity that cut through the usual playful tone. "Despite being a shadow, you always felt a bit brighter in my eyes. Ever since I met you, all I've wanted to do was see you. But you're annoyingly hard to catch."

I blinked, taken aback by the depth in his words. The nickname he'd given me—Moonlight—was always spoken with that teasing edge, but now it felt different, more intimate. The way he looked at me, his eyes not breaking away from mine, made my breath catch. He saw something in me that I wasn't entirely ready to confront.

His words hung between us, and I could see the truth in them: his frustration at the distance I kept, his desire to understand the person behind the mask.

"Is that so?" I managed, trying to sound indifferent, though the heat in my cheeks betrayed me. "And here I thought you enjoyed the chase."

He didn't smile, his expression remaining serious, though there was a softness in his eyes that I hadn't seen before. "I do enjoy the chase. But it's not just about catching you. It's about wanti-...knowing you."

I swallowed hard, the intensity of his gaze making it difficult to maintain my defiant facade. "Well, you don't need to know me Tengen. You have enough fun on your own from what I can see." I recall all the times I see him flirt with all the ladies in town. I pushed down the sickening feeling in my stomach.

His grip on my wrist didn't loosen, but his eyes seemed to soften as he looked at me. "Trust me, you are not just some lady. You make it hard to catch you, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up. There's something about you—about the way you move, the way you fight, the way you hide—that makes me want to know more."

I couldn't meet his gaze any longer. The raw sincerity in his voice, combined with the lingering warmth of his touch, was disarming. I tried to pull my hand free, but his hold remained steady.

"Let go, Tengen," I said again, though this time it was more of a plea than a command.

His eyes held mine, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them. "Not until you understand that I'm not just playing games. There's more to this than you think."

For a moment, we stood there, the world around us fading into the background. The only thing that mattered was the connection between us—his touch, his gaze, the unspoken words that hung between us.

Finally, he released my wrist, but his eyes lingered on me for just a moment longer before he took a step back. "Just... don't be too hard to find next time," he said softly, the playful edge back in his voice, though it was tempered by something more sincere.

I nodded, unable to find the right words, and turned away, my heart still racing from the encounter. His words echoed in my mind as I walked away, each step feeling heavier with the weight of what had just transpired.

His honesty was unexpected, and it made me question his motives. Was he really interested, or was this all part of his usual show? I didn't have the answers yet, and I wasn't about to make myself vulnerable without knowing where he stood. My frustration mounted as I wrestled with my own uncertainty.

Without thinking, driven by a sudden surge of impulse, I closed the distance between us and pressed my lips firmly against his. The kiss was sudden and intense, driven by a mix of frustration and a need to test his sincerity.

Tengen's initial surprise quickly gave way to engagement. His lips responded with equal fervor, and the kiss deepened, charged with an urgency that spoke louder than words. It was a collision of emotions, and in that moment, I wanted to see if he meant what he had said or if it was just another game.

When we finally pulled apart, both of us breathless, I looked at him, searching for any hint of mockery or insincerity. His expression was a mix of surprise and something softer, something I couldn't quite interpret.

"Are we done with the games now?" I asked, trying to mask the turmoil I felt inside.

Tengen's gaze softened slightly, though his usual smirk remained. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just getting started now that I've got a taste."

I turned away, feeling the weight of the kiss and the conversation settling heavily on my shoulders. I needed to stay focused on the mission and couldn't afford to be swayed by whatever this was between us. As I gathered my things, I couldn't shake the feeling that Tengen had just thrown a wrench into everything I thought I knew about him—and about myself.

I shot back with a snarky retort, my words sharp as the edge of my spear. "Keep it up, Tengen, and you'll be begging for me to stay on your good side."

His chuckle in response was low and teasing, a challenge hanging in his tone that made my body react in ways I wasn't prepared for. I felt weak, a lingering numbness from the kiss making it hard to focus. Internally, I was a mess, my mind and heart screaming at me to remember my role—I was supposed to hate him, wasn't I?

His next remark only fueled my frustration, stirring a fire within me that I couldn't contain. As I turned to walk away, mask firmly in place to shield any further expression, a rash impulse seized me. I spun, releasing my spear with practiced ease. It whistled through the air, barely missing his head as he ducked, an amused grin spreading across his face.

The spear, enchanted with properties that allowed it to rebound back to me, returned to my grip seamlessly. Tengen straightened up, brushing a hand through his hair, his eyes alight with mischief and something dangerously close to admiration.

"That was hot," he quipped, his voice tinged with amusement. "But you shouldn't want to kill me just yet."

I clenched my teeth, gripping the spear tighter. His ability to turn every situation into a flirtatious challenge was infuriating—and yet, I couldn't deny the thrill it sent through me. This dance between hatred and something more dangerous was maddening. Each encounter pushed us closer to a line neither of us was sure we wanted to cross, yet neither could we seem to stop ourselves from drawing ever nearer.

I shot him a glare, though the mask hid my conflicted expression. "Keep dreaming, Tengen. It's going to take more than dodging one spear to impress me."

He laughed, the sound rich and unbothered. "Oh, I don't know, Moonlight," he said, using the nickname that both irked and pleased me in equal measure. "I think we both know there's something here worth exploring."

With that, he turned and began walking away, leaving me standing there with my spear in hand, watching him go. His words lingered in the air, a challenge and an invitation all rolled into one. I was left with the echoing thrill of our clash and the unsettling realization that maybe, just maybe, I didn't hate him as much as I wanted to.

Scoreboard :

Y/N - 2

TENGEN - 2