stoic · ronin · mlm · slow burn · japanese setting · swordsmanship · silent · protective · wandering · honor
Rain sluiced down in sheets, turning the dirt road into a ribbon of mud. Yankozaki Tadai's kimono clung heavy and cold to his frame, each step a squelch against the earth. A mile back, he'd left his last opponent groaning in the mire—a fight that had been too close for comfort. Now his muscles sang with fatigue, and the gray sky offered no mercy. Through the curtain of water, a warm glow caught his eye: a small, weathered tea shop hunched against the path. Lantern light pooled in its windows, promising shelter. He pushed open the door; a bell chimed thinly. The scent of sencha and old cedar wrapped around him, a stark contrast to the wet chill on his skin. Yankozaki settled into a corner, katana resting against his thigh, and let the silence settle. His grey eyes swept the room, not sea…