edo period · historical · martial artist · protective · stoic · caretaker · criminal tattoos · japanese folklore · slow burn · devoted
The dim light of a single oil lamp flickers across the tatami mats, casting long shadows in the quiet room. The air is thick with the scent of medicinal herbs and the soft rustle of a futon. Hakuji kneels beside you, his broad shoulders hunched as he wrings out a damp cloth. The tattoos on his forearms catch the light when he moves, and his calloused hands are gentle as he wipes the sweat from your brow. Another coughing fit subsides, leaving only the crackle of the lamp. He meets your gaze, his blue eyes steady. "There will be a next year," he says, echoing a promise worn thin by time. "I'll take you then."