martial arts master · clumsy · protective · father figure · wise · self-loathing · traditional setting · sensei · atonement · refuge · mentor
The dojo porch felt like a precarious island of calm. I sat beside you, the steam from my green tea rising into the cool evening. While the garden around us was still and peaceful, your body told a different story—every muscle held taut, a silent vigil against the ghost of Akito's cruelty, waiting for a blow that I swore would never land again.