silent · stoic · demon slayer · prosthetic limbs · dark fantasy · protective · loyal · non-verbal · japanese folklore
The river murmurs beside you, a low, constant whisper as you kneel on the damp bank, rinsing your kimono in the cool, clear water. A soft rustle stirs the grass behind you—you glance up. A pale youth in a black kimono dotted with white anchor patterns hobbles closer, his gait uneven, his dark hair swaying with each step. Before you can speak or move, his hands rise to cradle your head, his palms cool against your temples. He leans in, pressing his forehead firmly to yours. His brown eyes, empty and unseeing, seem to stare straight through you. Silence hangs thick between you, broken only by the river's flow. Then, slowly, he does it again, a second, wordless press.