This story was inspired by Selii's fanart on Twitter, which can be found here: https://twitter.com/sleii/status/1171829175851728897
As you set about your daily tasks around the Rengoku residence, you paused for a moment to watch your fiance, full of encouragement and enthusiasm, helping his younger brother train in swordsmanship. With each mistake, the younger apologise and the elder would simply laugh it off, and told him it was fine. It was a typical scene, when Kyoujurou came home, swordsmanship training was an opportunity for the two brothers to bond.
The circumstances which surrounded you and the Rengoku family were unique. You had been betrothed to the eldest son since you were young, and practically grew up with him. of course, you wouldn't have moved into his family's residence until your wedding day, but circumstances changed that.
Ruka’s death, your future mother-in-law, brought forward some unprecedented changes. Although still rather young yourself, same age as Kyoujuro, you were to move into your future husband's residence sooner rather than later. The idea itself was particularly unheard of, but given the circumstances, there was no other female to assist in running the household.
Shinjurou was then the Flame Pillar, and Kyoujurou was well on his way to become a soldier soon himself, he just needed to perfect his swordsmanship and learn the breaths of his father. They were too busy to worry about household affairs, and Senjuro was far too young.
On the outside, it seemed like a perfect solution, ordinarily Senjurou probably would've been expected to remarry, to make ensure the household was being run accordingly. But his love for his late wife was great, and losing her affected him greatly, which worsened over time. The latter was evident, soon after moving into the Rengoku’s residence. It exposed you to the more hidden side of a seemingly good family.
You were sympathetic to Shinjuro’s grief. The very idea of losing Kyoujurou, was unbearable. He was destined to be a soldier in the Demon Slayer Corp and the next Fire Pillar, his life too, could easily be cut short. As could Senjirou's, once he joined. They're thoughts you couldn't bare to think for too long.
With the patriarch of the Rengoku family being withdrawn and reclusive, relying on alcohol to get through the day. Everything weighed heavily on Kyoujurou's shoulders.
The future of the family's legacy, keeping what was left together,learning how to develop and use the Breath of Flames, reaching Pillar-dom, being a pseudo-father to his younger brother and being your unofficial husband.
It all weighed heavily on him. Yet despite all that, he still faced it with unbridled optimism and hope.
Even when things didn't work out, times when he should've felt disappointed, angry, upset. Like when Shinjuro refused to give blessed for your marriage to go ahead on your sixteenth birthday like promised, or when Senjurou's sword didn't change colour for him, or when a drunken Shinjuro lashed out at his eldest son in a drunken fit of rage. Kyoujurou still smiled, held his chest high and moved on.
Soon after his appointment as Fire Pillar, Kyoujurou came home for the first time in what seemed to be months. He arrived beaming with pride and hope, maybe father will acknowledge my efforts, he told you as he entered the house, with his brother in tow, he had greeted his brother outside as he swept the front path, and headed towards Shinjuro’s room. Kyoujurou was hopeful, that with his accomplishment, that his father turn around and become more active in his sons’ lives, as well as yours.
“Do you think things will change now?” Senjuro asked in a small voice, as you watched his older brother round the corner. The poor boy just wanted his father, he had grown tired of the drunk man that had replaced him.
“I don’t know, we just have to remain hopeful,” You wanted to hold the same hope as he did, but you highly doubted that anything would truly change. Shinjuro was too reclusive and tool depended on alcohol now.
Placing a tender hand on the young boy’s back, you guided him through the house, away from his father's room. The both of you would just have to wait for Kyoujurou.
What transpired between Kyoujurou and his father, was just as you expected. Their father's reaction wasn't even happy, let alone enthusiastic, he didn't even acknowledge or have the slightest bit of pride in Kyoujurou's hard work. Whilst it struck a chord with you, you know it would've broken your fiance's heart even further. Not getting the acknowledgement his carved from his own father, would've been unimaginable, but he probably expected it all the same.
You saw him at the family altar, soon after,paying his respects to his ancestors and telling his late mother of the achievement he had accomplished. If Ruka was still here, you were sure she would've been absolutely proud of her eldest son, she would've acknowledged his efforts. She was an amazing woman, someone you aspire to be like; as a future wife and as a mother. The fact that she was no longer here to witness the milestones both of her sons, tugged your heart strings.
The evening meal was nothing out of the ordinary, as usual Kyoujurou acted as if nothing happened at all. He spoke animatedly like he always did, and complemented your cooking, as well as, his brothers efforts in cooking the rice. It was just another meal in the Rengoku residence, while Kyoujurou was home.
You had delivered Shinjuro’s meal to him before you had your own with the brothers, and before Senjuro left to clear up his father's dishes, you encouraged him to withdraw for the day, after he was finished.
Time with Kyoujurou was, of course, precious for Senjuro, but he understood that you may have wanted some private time with him. But this time for a different reason, something you didn't inform the younger boy.
As Senjuro set off towards his father’s room, Kyoujurou also retired to his own room, but not before sneaking past you, for a bottle of sake for one.
At the door to his bedroom, you heard nothing coming from within, the only give away that someone was inside was from the glow of the candles that were lit.
“Anata…” you announce your presence, calling him by his pet name, from the closed door. You both have yet to wed, but you still acted like a married couple and the marriage was now most definitely in the books with him becoming a Pillar and his twenty-first birthday.
Silently, you move to slide the door open, your slight flickering over to the now kimono clad man, as you entered, closing the door behind you, before making your way over to him. On the small table in front of him, was the bottle of sake for one and the tell tale signs that he had at least one cup thus far.
Holding the sleeve of your own kimono back, you reach out for the bottle, “... here.” You offer to fill his cup up, and in response he picked up the cup and downed the dry liquid once you had filled it.
Kyoujurou’s mood was passive, a stark contrast to what it was earlier when Senjuuro was around. The optimistic, energetic personality of Rengoku Kyoujurou was nothing but a front. Not just to keep him moving forward, but also for his brother and anyone else who looked up to him.
You were acutely aware of this, and he knew that too. You had told him in the past, that when it was just the two of you, he could let down his guard. But even that was seemingly impossible task, it was as if he had programmed himself to be optimistic around everyone, no matter who it was.
As you poured him another cup of sake, a comfortable silence remained between the two of you. You wanted Kyoujurou to talk to you about how he felt, but again, it would be near impossible without a little prodding, but first, you needed to get him more comfortable, and feel safe in doing so.
You got up to the door that opened out to the courtyard garden, opening it slightly, to allow some cool evening air to enter the room. “Kyoujurou,” you murmured his name, gesturing him to come and rest his head on your lap. Not only would the cool air will lessen the effect of the alcohol in his system, and so he could become more relaxed.
Slowly he shifted from his spot by the table, abandoning the alcohol, and gravitated towards you. As you gestured moments before, he rested his head on your lap and your fingers immediately began to comb through his hair.
A small sigh erupted from his lips, as you brushed a few locks of hair away from his face. As he stared outside, where the crickets were making their nightly call. The rejection of Shinjuro must've affected him a lot more severely, than you first imagined.
Bending down a little more, your lips grazed his temple before whispering words of encouragement into his ear. At times like this, this is when your duties of a good wife truly played their role. Your engagement to Kyoujurou might've been arranged, but the two of you had fallen in love long ago and you wouldn't change your companionship with him for the world.
You watched his eyes soften, and glaze over with tears.With a small sniff, one of his hands found yours, and his thumb drew small circles on the back of your palm. “Thank you, my love.” he murmured, and you smiled down at him.
If he was going to shoulder all the weight and expectations of his family, and the Demon Slayers. You would, in turn, shoulder his emotional baggage and be the person he can come to when needed.
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