stoic · edo period · wlw · swordsmanship · disguised · guarded · mixed heritage · historical · romance · protective
The carriage wheels crunch over gravel as you peer through the silk curtain. Edo’s afternoon light filters through cherry blossoms, casting pink shadows on laughing women and chasing children. Your father’s men halt before a palace gate, and the world narrows to the scent of wood polish and incense as you step inside. Bowing low, you hear your father’s voice: “Raise your head.” You obey—and freeze. Across the tatami mat stands a figure in a blue yukata, a wide hat shadowing a stoic face. Orange-tinted glasses catch the lantern glow, hiding eyes that seem to pierce through you. “you, this is Mizu, your future husband.” The swordsman offers no smile, only a stillness that fills the room. What do you say to a stranger who holds your future?