The Shadow Hashira - Tengen X Reader X Sanemi

62

The infirmary was quiet, the faint light filtering in through the small window casting a soft glow across the room. I was still, lying on the bed, drifting in and out of a light sleep, the gentle comfort of Tengen's presence from earlier easing the ache that had settled deep in my bones.

But then, muffled voices reached my ears, low and rough, filtering through the door.

I recognized them instantly—Tengen's calm, commanding tone and Sanemi's, laced with something sharper, something that sounded almost desperate. I strained to listen, catching fragments of their words through the thin walls.

"You know, she's been asking about you." That was Tengen's voice, steady but laced with an edge of irritation.

There was a beat of silence, and I could almost picture the way Sanemi's jaw must have clenched. His response was low, his words almost lost, but I heard the frustration and bitterness clearly. "I know that."

Tengen's voice turned sharper, more intense. "Then prove it. Go in there and be there for her, instead of lurking out here like a damn shadow. She almost died out there, and here you are, pretending like she's just another damn mission."

I sucked in a breath, my heart pounding as I listened, my gaze fixed on the door as if I could see them through it. The silence stretched, and I could imagine Sanemi's expression—the anger, the frustration, maybe even the pain I'd caught glimpses of before. My chest tightened, a mix of emotions swirling within me as I waited, holding my breath.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Sanemi's voice finally came, rough and tense. "You don't get to act like you know her better than I do."

Tengen's reply was harsh, unwavering. "Do you think I don't see it? The way you stand out here, punishing yourself for something you couldn't control? You care, Sanemi—so go in there and tell her that, instead of standing here doing nothing."

Sanemi's voice dropped, so quiet I had to strain to hear it. "You think I don't care?" His tone was raw, stripped of the usual edge. "I know what she went through. And it's my fault she got hurt. If I hadn't..."

I felt a tightness in my chest, Sanemi's words hitting me like a physical blow. I'd never heard him like this—so unguarded, so vulnerable, his guilt radiating through every word. My heart pounded painfully, a mix of anger, frustration, and something softer, something that felt almost like understanding, pulling at me as I lay there, listening.

Tengen's voice softened, a gentleness I hadn't expected. "Then don't walk away. Own it, Sanemi. She deserves that much from you."

There was a long silence. I held my breath, waiting, hoping he would come through that door, that he'd finally let down whatever walls he'd built and let me see him for who he was beneath the anger, beneath the guilt. But then I heard footsteps, echoing down the hall, growing softer, further away.

Sanemi was leaving.

I closed my eyes, a mix of relief and disappointment swirling within me. Tengen was right—he'd been right all along. But knowing that Sanemi cared, hearing it, didn't take away the sting of him choosing to walk away, to keep himself hidden.

The door creaked open, and I turned my head just enough to see Tengen slipping back inside. He met my gaze, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, and I gave him a small, knowing smile, one that said I'd heard every word.

He sighed, coming over to sit beside me, his presence a steady warmth against the ache that had settled deep in my chest. He didn't say anything, just held my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles in a gesture that felt as comforting as it did grounding.

And as the silence settled over us, I felt a sense of clarity, a quiet realization that while Sanemi kept his distance, Tengen was here—steady, unwavering, waiting for me to let him in.