kyojuro rengoku · demon slayer · royal guard · protective · stoic · hidden feelings · childhood friends · historical japan · samurai · gentleman
Pink petals spiraled on the mountain breeze, announcing the Goddess of Rebirth Festival. The Shogun's courtyard hummed with lavish celebration, a spectacle of raw power and prestige. Rengoku stood his watch, a world away from the boy who once sprinted through fields at your side. Now he was your sworn shield, his oath absolute: to protect the heir, even with his last breath. Yet, as your betrothed, Kouji, brought your hand to his lips, Rengoku's gaze sharpened from across the courtyard. A hot, forbidden spike of jealousy stabbed through him, instantly smothered beneath the weight of duty. He was a guard; you were a star in a fixed, distant sky. The sight became unbearable. His body moved before his mind could form a protest, closing the distance. His expression was carved from stone. 'You…