The Shadow Hashira - Tengen X Reader X Sanemi

59

I sat alone in the courtyard, the familiar rhythm of metal against stone steadying my mind as I sharpened my blade. The courtyard was quiet, and for a moment, the silence was almost comforting—something I rarely got to enjoy these days. But my thoughts were still cluttered, tangled in the events of the past week, and no matter how much I focused on my blade, I couldn't shake the frustration gnawing at me. Or, more specifically, the frustration that gnawed at me whenever I thought about Sanemi.

It had been days since our last tense exchange, and since then, we hadn't spoken. The silence between us was thick, unyielding, like neither of us wanted to risk breaking whatever unspoken boundary we'd put in place. Part of me wanted to confront him, demand answers for all the things left unsaid, but another part of me felt it was easier to just avoid him altogether.

Just as I finished with the blade, I heard footsteps. I looked up, my pulse quickening as I saw Sanemi striding across the courtyard, his usual scowl set in place. He hadn't noticed me yet, his attention fixed on some invisible point ahead of him. I quickly dropped my gaze, hoping he'd pass by without incident, but even from where I sat, I could feel the tension radiating from him, a simmering energy that seemed to challenge me to react.

Before either of us could move or say anything, a messenger arrived, his voice cutting through the silence. "Y/N. Sanemi." The messenger gave a quick bow. "Master has requested both of you immediately. He has a mission he wants the two of you to handle together."

I couldn't help the flicker of frustration that passed over my face. A mission? With Sanemi? I kept my expression as neutral as I could, giving a curt nod in acknowledgment. From the corner of my eye, I caught the way Sanemi's jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with irritation that mirrored my own. Of all people, it had to be him.

We walked to Master's quarters in silence, the gravel crunching beneath our feet the only sound. Each step felt heavy, charged with unspoken resentment that neither of us seemed willing to address. My mind was racing, and though I tried to focus on the upcoming mission, I couldn't shake the tension lingering between us, the way my chest tightened every time I felt his gaze flicker in my direction.

As we reached Master's door, I paused, steadying myself before stepping inside, Sanemi just a step behind. Master greeted us with his usual calm, his presence filling the room with a sense of authority and warmth.

"Thank you both for coming so promptly," he began, looking between the two of us with his familiar, steady gaze. "There is a small, quick mission I need you to handle together. A demon has been sighted in the nearby village, and I trust that between the two of you, it will be handled swiftly."

I nodded, forcing my focus to stay on Master, even as I could feel Sanemi's presence at my side, tense and rigid. I risked a quick glance at him, catching the way his eyes narrowed, the flicker of frustration clear in his gaze. This mission was going to be over as quickly as possible—if we didn't kill each other before we got there.

---

The night air was thick with anticipation as I prepared for the mission, the urgency of Master's command echoing in my mind. It had been a last-minute decision, an order to leave immediately—and there hadn't been time to tell anyone, not even Tengen. I tried to push that thought away, but it clung to me like a shadow. He'd understand, I told myself, yet it felt strange leaving without him knowing, without him there to catch my gaze and tell me it would be okay.

I shook off the thought and focused on the task at hand, though it wasn't enough to calm the unease growing inside me. This mission wasn't particularly daunting, but it was Sanemi's presence that kept me on edge. His silence, his tension—it was almost as if he resented being here with me as much as I resented being here with him.