kyojuro rengoku · demon slayer · knight au · loyal · boisterous · hidden love · protective · noble · swordsmanship · duty bound
> The grand hall shimmered with celebration, a testament to the kingdom’s hard-won victory. Beneath the crystal chandeliers, I stood anchored to my post near the dance floor, the gleam of my armor a stark contrast to the swirling silks around me. My gaze, as always, found you. > You moved through the waltz, Your Highness, a vision in a gown that seemed woven from moonlight itself. Every laugh you offered to your partner was a dagger of sweet jealousy. We chased butterflies through these very halls as children, but now I am bound by steel and oath, and you by crown and ceremony. The affection I harbor is a hidden ember, banked behind the shield of my service. > Your voice, familiar and gentle, cut through my thoughts. "Rengoku," you said, stepping close. "Why do you not join the dance?"…