~*~

A WEEK LATER ~ AT THE SOUND ESTATE

Word spread rather quickly.........

A few days ago when Lord Tengen was mentioned in a conversation, I later soon found out he was on a mission with his three wives. Only to find out all three were kidnapped, and held hostage by a demon. Yet, it wasn't any demon but an Upper moon, with two seperate bodies that were apparently sibling from their human past. The whole entertainment district was turned into debris and rubble, leaving nothing to shelter human life.

It was an intense battle as so I've heard, almost losing the life of our second strongest amongst our ranks.

"What were you thinking?" I question him; pouring him some green tea. My fingers delicately held the small pot, eyes focused on him with a stern look. "You dragged three children, and to add to your actions you also harassed the butterfly girls.......and disrespected your title as the sound Hashira."

Tengen scoffs light, "Come on, just relax and be at ease," he dismisses my scolding, taking a small sip of tea to soothe his raw and dry throat. His eyes light up in amazement, "Wow, this is amazing brew....you must teach my wives--"

My face drops to a deadpan, "Don't change the subject......." I sigh heavily, before sitting back onto my knees before him on the verandah. My jaw tightens thinking about the worst possibilities, since Lord Rengoku had fallen months ago. ".......if we lost you, we would be losing our strength of our the Hashira.......not to mention, your wives need you."

Tengen's smirk slowly fades, before a tender grin curls upon his lips as he placed his tea down and used his one hand to rest upon my shoulder. 

"You truly have a way with words, Lady Hayami," he murmurs deeply, before grabbing a lock of my hair and twirls between his fingers absentmindedly. "Thankyou for coming over, it's rare for you visit which i appreciate giving up your time to be with me."

Leaning back I hung my legs over the edge of the verandah, before I could get pins and needles which irritated me.

"So, what actually happened after you killed the demon?" I question him, softly. Judging by how relaxed he was, despite the trauma of his injuries, he was too relaxed. he was even too obnoxious, that i could see something hiding beneath that boisterous personality of his. He was so obvious it made my heart ache, "An Upper Moon, I mean........you felt that strength of one. You went hand in hand against it, and you're alive to tell the tale......."

"So have you, Lady Hayami," his tone changes, to a more serious and dark tone. "You faced up against one, and still lived to tell the tale........you understand that intense strength they possess of Muzan."

A grim look flashes across my face, "Yes, your correct........but that was a few years ago," I murmur softly, lifting the tea to my lips, swallowing that bitter and dry feeling in my throat with force. "I've trained my hardest since, so I won't make that mistake next time I'll encounter that demon........."

His serious look soon softens with a sigh, "Listen......I'm alive, thanks to young Nezuko," He informs me, with a gentle tone. "Without her demon powers or whatever it was......those flashy pink flames........I would've succumbed to death by poison. I didn't," he places my strand of hair upon my shoulder, and glances over his beautiful zen garden. "However Young Kamado, he sure has potential in becoming a Hashira already. He held himself against that demon, despite his rank........his friends helped too. It was so exhilarating to see, but I felt scared for young Kamado from the explosion........something I regret getting the young kids into...."

Just even by looking into his eye, that he was being more genuine than I've seen him act. It made my heart clench so tightly, I felt terrible he was put into a position like that.

"...but they're alive, and that's what matters," I place a hand upon his shoulder, giving him a gentle smile. "As for Lord Iguro.......was he assigned on this mission? Or was he just in a region not far from the entertainment district?"

Tengen scoffs lightly, "My wife, Suma, sure wasn't happy of the matter really, seen he didn't come on time," He replies, simply. A chuckle leaves him, recalling the short memory from a few days ago previously. "However, it seems his message was abit late........so he was unable to aid me. No grudge here........."

Nodding in response I lift my tea to my lips, and sipped it while taking in the silence of the residence here. 

Tengen and I weren't too close before Rengoku's passing, but since I've been checking in to every Hashira as I could. We all had our personal still while doing our patrols late at night, so daily activities were either sleeping, training or a simple day out with a friend. It wasn't much time, but I did my best to keep my ties strong with each hashira and the young slayers at the butterfly mansion. 

A short chuckle breaks the silence, turning to see Tengen giving me a side glance with a teasing smirk.

"So......how are you Lord Shinazugawa going?" He changes the topic, turning his body fully around in amusement. His maroon eyes met my own silver ones, as my cheeks warm up at thought. "You two have been together for a while.......surely he gonna pop the question? Right?"

Blinking a few times I realised he was right, but then shook my head with a flustered expression and sipped my tea again.

"We're doing alright, he's always supportive...." I spoke softly; speaking fondly about him. ".....like all relationships, it can't be perfect.....but he makes me feel loved. I see a side not all get to see, and it shows that he truly loves me. Though I'm new to love, I know I want to be by his side forever."

Tengen couldn't help but let his expression soften further, as he looked more relaxed before he held a grin on his lips. 

"Have you two.......you know?" He raises a brow, with a teasing smile. Furrowing my own brows in response, i was confused what he was implying for a moment. He sighs, "Like........slept together, intimately?"

A scoff leaves me, "Like that's any of your business," I roll my eyes, before sheepishly glancing at him again. "No, no we haven't...........nothing further than just kissing. He wants to wait, til after marriage......."

"Ahh........the perks of me getting married younger, I was able to," he laughs, causing me to sharply jab him in the chest. "Hey!"

"I don't wanna know about your frisky nights," I scold him, lightly. "I'm just, nervous about it......seen I'm not thin enough."

Tengen's demeanour suddenly changed and turned to me fully, as he took my hand in his only one tightly. 

"I don't wanna hear it, don't you dare say that," he says sternly, with a gentle squeeze to my hand. "You're perfect the way you are, your body is yours. You're healthy and alive, and I'm not trying to seem perverted when i say this........but you're a gorgeous woman. You have a healthy set of hips, and your stomach? Every mans dream to have a soft stomach to lay on, to cuddle every night.........your like a woman made to be a mother one day. Stretch marks, scars, any kind of flaw........."

My jaw clenches tightly not used to having someone compliment me, especially my own flaws that I neglected to praise myself for. 

It's so hard to not look at myself in the mirror, and say that I'm beautiful in my own way. Many times I worry I needed to get my clothes readjusted, many times I had to watch what I eat. The looks women give me in the village, hearing them mutter insults about my figure that I'm too chubby. I know Tengen had three wives, all different in beauty but he loves all equally. He knows about women and how to treat them, and it makes me realise that Sanemi has treated me with praise and love. 

"......anyway my point is, Shinazugawa loves you regardless," Tengen winks, with a playful smile before sipping his tea. "Take it from me, a husband and a lover...."

Even though Tengen can be a bit much for me, he was experienced with this kind of thing besides just fighting and always being busy.

"Thanks, I guess I needed to hear that," I smile softly, before something flashes in my mind from earlier in our conversation. Something felt unsettling at first, gnawing at me when recalling the demon who my brother died at the hands of. My father. Kuragari. "You know, defeating an Upper Moon changes things........something has definitely shifted."

Tengen's head perks up grabbing his attention, "Yeah, it definitely has........but I'm a retired hashira now," he sighs deeply. "I can't do much, it all depends on the rest of the Hashira......and also the Kamado siblings. Now I understand........what Lord Rengoku saw in that boy....."

"Hmm.....that's true," I murmur softly. "I still remember that day, when the Kamado Siblings were stood for trial....but now things have been changing since he's been around. You think he has something to do with it?"

"Yep, I can sure feel something coming........" Tengen agrees. ".......I wonder if the master feels it too."

"We'll know for sure,"

~*~

TWO WEEKS LATER

"There you are........"

My eyes flicker up to see my lover on the hill, as the autumn leaves started to fall around him. The colours made his pale complexion more bright, as he sat there in deep thought. Little Aki nuzzled into my chest seen Kaito is on another mission, seen he couldn't babysit. It was a day off for myself seen I've overexerted myself to exhaustion, as I collapsed yesterday. Though it wasn't serious, Sanemi was not happy at all and scolded me like a child. 

Walking up the small hill, little Aki barks cutely towards Sanemi, who glances up for a moment before he averts his gaze.

"Sanemi?" I murmur in confusion; taking a spot next to him with Aki hopping down from my arms and onto Sanemi's lap. She licks his his large calloused palm, earning a mix of a gruff scoff and a chuckle together from him.

"Sorry.......just been in deep thought," He spoke, with a smooth tone. Which was a swift change, to how he was feeling by his troubled demeanour just now. 

Pursing my lips subtly, I reaching over to pat little Aki's fluffy head gently with a hint of reluctance.

"Is it about the entertainment district incident, perhaps?" I assume; my eyes flickering up to meet his own. "...or maybe, it's Lord Tengen's retirement?"

He scoffs lightly, "That jerk still has one arm to fight, he didn't have to retire so soon--" he goes on, cursing beneath his hot breath.

"He has a family to care for now," I cut him off; leaning myself up against his broad shoulder while my eyes rest upon the small fluffy pup. "He went up against a demon, a lower rank demon of the twelve kizuki.........he held against his own with that young Kamado child."

He grumbles under his breath, "Why does everyone get to run into a strong demon, I want that kind of thrill.........to test my strength," he huffs, but he couldn't stay mad when little Aki began to lick his fingers. ".......too cute..." he mutters quietly.

I know each one of us is feeling the heavy shift that is coming in, like fog seeping into every crevice and crack of a village. Suffocating and intense it feels, all we could do is train and wait til we find a lead on the king himself. Our master's home has been hidden for many years, since the king himself found it hundred's of years ago. So, all we can do is patrol more in each area, and maybe I might run into Kuragari. 

The dwindling thought of it all has weighed me down, but Sanemi has been keeping me in check with his support and love.

"So......what's actually bothering you, if not that incident?" my gaze softens; while taking his large hand in my own calloused ones. My thumb rubs over his knuckles, while he kept averting his eyes.

The silence grew between us with only little Aki snuggling in his lap, and dozing off while seeing him battling in his own thoughts. 

The crisp orange and redish hue from the leaves circles around us, in a graceful breeze that fills the heavy tension that builds. For a moment I thought it was something between us, as my heart bean to sink further in despair. However his hand takes my own with more conviction, as if he knew I was beginning to dwell and drown in those thoughts. My heart becomes lighter with a steadier beat and rhythm to it, before his lips parted.

"You've.......been by my side since the beginning of it all," He spoke up, more hoarsely. "Despite how much of a jerk I was, you never once judged or undervalued me......you and Masachika never did. You both were so patient, and you're still after being still by my side for the past six years we've known each other....."

My brows slowly relax understanding he's trying to vent everything out, seeing how he always tries to be strong and not get all sentimental.

"Hmmm?"

"Your driven determination to live, despite all your problems you faced....." He continues, swallowing thickly while his hand held around my own tightly. The way his eyes flicker to meet my tender gaze, only to look away again with a shaky breath. ".....I've admired you, and soon all that grew to a certain type of love I never knew I could feel. Even if it was platonic, or romantic love.........you are the solid foundation of my life, and even my brother. I'm not good with feelings, but you've brought out different sides of myself I never....ever thought I could feel again since my childhood. You......made me a better man, and I loved the way you look at me......with those gorgeous silver moon like eyes.......you...."

He was becoming more vulnerable, and his cheeks began to flush when he continues to dwell with his own thoughts that seem to have him anchored.

"Sanemi........." I murmur; squeezing his hand gently. This turmoil must've been eating away at him for so long, it made him feel like I would neglect his feelings.

He clears his throat feeling overwhelmed, as his jaw clenches and unclenches wanting to speak again.

"I know.......I'm not the best when it comes to romance......." He continues, when I reaching over to turn his head to meet my eyes. His breath hitches, "........but what i want might seem selfish, something I've desired for so long and I only realised it now...."

He turns to me with a more grounded demeanour, as he took more both hands with Aki still comfortable in his lap.

"....I want you, in every way possible......with every aspect....every detail," He spoke, with more purpose in his voice. His voice may tremble slightly, but it was the conviction and decision in his words that make my heart flutter.  "I want to continue waking up to you, I want to create a life......with you. No, no I need you Hayami......I can't let anyone else have you, but me. Your body, your voice, your gentle nature..........I want you to be mine, Hayami......"

Tears slowly roll down, feeling that heat pooling in my chest as my cheeks were flushed and my eyes glazed with fresh tears.

"Will you become, my wife?"

Registering his words over and over in my head, I knew what those few words meant for lovers in relationships. We've been together for more than a year, and I've never felt so much compassion and undying love. Harbouring our true feelings, despite how we've already shared many moments together.....I knew it was time for something. Something more, than hoping we survive each day as Hashira.......but now I want to be his. Only his.

"Yes..........Yes I'll be yours......"

The large amount of relief in his eyes also relieved me more, as his eyes dilated slightly when he looks at me tenderly. His large hands cradles my cheeks and presses a tender kiss to my forehead, lingering there for a moment realising what this means for us. Though we do know our lives are limited, I would much rather spend every second and minute with him. He was the foundation of my life, as I am to his own. This feels so surreal, but at least I feel this weight being lifted between us. 

Little Aki awoke from the commotion, as she nuzzles my lap in curiosity while I was overwhelmed with a warm kind of joy in my heart.

"Thankyou.......my love......" He whispers softly, leaning his forehead against mine. ".....I know things have been hard lately, but.......I'll do my best."

-----------------------------------------------------

Hey guys!

We finally have made it! He's finally popped the question! I found it so hard to make his proposal how Sanemi would propose. If it's cheesey I apologise, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I know it was unexpected! 

Stay safe and stay hydrated when reading!

~ Little Bean