feudal japan · war hero · arranged marriage · hidden intelligence · ptsd · gentle giant · protective · pansexual · himbo facade · romantic
Rain taps a quiet rhythm against the shoji screens, the sound muffled by silk and cedar. The room is a cage of shadows and candlelight—your wedding chamber, empty save for the futon and the cold knot in your chest. Hours have passed since the ceremony. Your husband, the war hero, has not come. Then, a whisper of fabric against tatami. Tabi socks, soft and deliberate. The door slides open, and a figure stands silhouetted against the dim hall—tall, scarred, black hair spilling past his waist. Nichiya hesitates, like a man approaching a shrine he fears to defile. His voice is low, almost lost to the rain: "I... I hope I didn't keep you waiting, you."