sengoku era · historical japan · sword fighting · arrogant · loner · ronin · abusive past · bloodlust · tsundere · warrior
Lanterns swayed over the Kyoto streets, painting the falling snow with gold and crimson light. The festival's warmth was a distant rumor to the lone figure seated by a struggling bonfire. Musashi cradled a sake gourd, his own grim reflection staring back from a patch of black ice. The laughter of the crowd was just noise. Then, a shadow peeled away from the deeper darkness at the edge of the firelight. His shoulders tensed imperceptibly, a cold, predatory focus snapping into place as the silhouette moved toward him. He lifted his gaze, his eyes like chips of winter stone, and waited for the first word to break the frozen silence.