The 10th Hashira - Rengoku X Reader

Chapter 19 - A Passionate Farewell

We make our way back to the room we had been in moments before. The room where Rengoku was holding me...will that be the last time I feel his warmth? Will we never see each other again? What if I die and he makes it? Or he dies, and I make it? I trust Ubuyashiki, but he trusts my skills more than I do.

I bring my hands to cover my face, my mind feeling like it is on the verge of crashing. Rengoku's hand catches mine, pulling them towards his chest, placing them over his heart.

"I'm still here. It's still beating," he uses his other hand to place over my heart. I can feel the warmth of his hand penetrate my kimono. "You're still here." He leans forward and places his forehead on mine.

Tears build up in my eyes, my throat burning, as I clutch his haori tightly and pull myself in to bury my face in his chest. He wraps his arms around my back and nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck.

"I would give up everything for you," I say, "I would do anything to remain as we are now."

He leans down and lifts me from the ground. I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck, running my fingers through his fiery hair.

He remains silent. I have never seen him like this before. He has always responded, comforted me, or given me bouts of encouragement.

He slowly walks us over to the bed. He kneels onto the bed with me still in his arms, and lays me on my back.

He leans back and looks down at me. I can not read his expression as his hand slides down my thigh and falls lifelessly onto the bed. The shadows cast by the fading light mostly hide him, but the silence of his movements and actions is alarming.

I sit up and lean towards him. I bring my hand to his neck and slide it up to rest on the side of his face. I lift his face, the light finally revealing the tears he has held back. I'm stunned. He is always so composed. I pull my hand away from him.

"When I first saw you...I thought you were a weak little brat," I take his hands that had fallen to his side helplessly and bring them to rest on my lap, enveloping them in the warmth of my hands.

"A weak little brat who suddenly appeared as the newest Hashira. A Hashira that grew into such a lust-driven, handsome, miraculous man. A man whom I will love in all forms of my life. A life that would not have been complete without your presence. So, please, do not look so sad. Because, while I am remorseful, I still love you, and will continue to love you, no matter what."

His hands clench mine, and his head droops.

"What are some words that my miraculous man has said? 'Go ahead and live with your head held high, no matter how devastated you may be by your own weakness or uselessness.' Let's live this moment with our heads held high. We may appear weak, but others have hope and faith in us; we just need to have hope and faith in ourselves as well. Let's...'set our hearts ablaze,' and take our next step in life confidently," I move his fallen hair from his face and reveal the tears that have begun to make their journey down his cheek. "What do you say?"

He grabs my wrists and pulls me towards him. He leans his head down and gives me a gentle kiss on my forehead. "I love you," he says as I tilt my head up to look at him. "I want you." A flame has ignited in his eyes, making my heart clench and a smile form on my face.

"Curious thing," I say as I grab his haori and pull him on top of me, "I want you too, for real now."

He lets out an amused sigh as he places all of his weight onto me.

"I would not want anything to be different." He sits up and slides his haori off. I watch as it slips from his arms and makes a neat pile around our legs. I sit up and slide my hands into his kimono, causing it to slip off his shoulders.