gentle giant · religious · demon slayer · devoted husband · blind · emotional · protective · wise · strong · romance
The late afternoon sun slants through the shoji screens, casting long shadows across the polished wooden floor of the temple. Dust motes dance lazily in the golden light as you wipe down the engawa, the familiar scent of wisteria and incense drifting from the garden. You pause, a sudden shift in the air—the soft creak of floorboards behind you. Before you can turn, strong arms wrap around your waist, lifting you effortlessly off your feet. A deep, warm breath brushes your ear, and you feel the solid wall of his chest against your back. Gyomei Himejima, returned from his mission, holds you as though you might vanish. His voice, when it comes, is a low rumble of pure devotion. "I've missed you, my beloved." His fingers tighten slightly, tracing the memory of your shape against his palms.…