Gurenge (1x1 w/DarkMudkip)

"It's alright! I didn't really enjoy the idea of talking about Otou-san.." She said.
"He didn't approve of us leaving." Mitsunari stated, "Nee-san was to be wed, he thought marrying her off would keep her here. Evidentially, it did not."
 
She blushed faintly, as if ashamed, "Hai...I didn't enjoy the thought of being with a man I didn't love...and I wanted to help protect the city from demons...so Mitsunari and I left and joined the corps."
 
Yukimura frowned softly, realizing too late that he had overstepped. “Forgive me, I shouldn’t have brought up such a topic so callously.”
 
Her smile returned as quickly as it had ever left, "Daijoubu! It was the greatest decision of my life.." Her fingers laced with his gently as her cheeks flushed more.
 
Yukimura smiled back, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “It is your decision if you want to see your father.”
 
Yukimura nodded and followed, feeling ill prepared for such a thing, but if both Akihime and Mitsunari wanted to visit their father, who was he to stop them.
 
They moved through the city rather easily, ignoring the whispers and the stares. There were lots of mutterings about Akihime and Mitsunari, the two only heirs to the Otani household now foolish swordsmen. The words didn't seem to bother the two, however. As they moved through the residential area, they approached a rather large gated estate, the doors carved with a luna moth. Akihime seemed a little anxious to be standing there, but Mitsunari pushed through the gates without a word.
"Stop!" A body guard rushed over as soon as he heard the gate, only to stop upon seeing who it was, "A...Akihime-dono...Mitsunari-sama...!"
"Ohayo..." Akihime greeted, "Is Otou-san still here?" The guard seemed to become disheartened.
"Hai...but his illness has worsened since you both left. I will let him know you've both come home. Please, wait here." He said and hurried off. Mitsunari put his hands in his sleeves, looking put off as he usually did.
"It is good to know the old man is still around." He said. Akihime let out a shaky breath.
"Hai. I wonder how angry he will be to know we're here.."
 
Yukimura stood behind Akihime with a bit of an uncomfortable look on his face, scratching his cheek as he waited with the others for permission to enter.
Shouta looked around curiously, he too had grown up in a city, but he had not been as lucky as Mitsubari or Akihime to grow up in such a home. He frowned faintly, feeling as though something was off.
 
The guard soon came back with a nod, "He is willing to see you." He said. Akihime smiled weakly and they moved into the estate to see Yoshitsugu.
 
Yukimura followed close behind Akihime, stealing glances at her every so often. “Are you alright?” He asked quietly.
 
Yukimura gave a nod of understanding, although he couldn’t personally relate, he empathized for her. “I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to see you.”
 
She smiled a bit more and nodded, "Hai.." They stopped in front of the door to Yoshitsugu's sick room and Akihime gulped, opening her mouth to announce them but Mitsunari just forced the door open.
"Never were you one for manners, Mitsunari..." Yoshitsugu said softly.
"Tadaima." Mitsunari greeted blandly. There was silence.
"And Akihime...?" Yoshitsugu asked. Akihime smiled weakly.
"Tadaimasu, Otou-san..." She greeted.
 
Yukimura remained silent behind the two siblings, allowing for them to speak with their parent uninterrupted. He felt out of place for the first time in a long while, but stood with his head high and his back straight, he was a Hashira after all, and to show his uncertainty would be shameful.
Shouta too said nothing, remaining almost completely out of sight of the old man, a soft frown on his face.
 
"Neither of you have died. I am pleasantly surprised...I assumed the worst when I heard about the Slayers being disbanded and killed.." Yoshitsugu said. Neither of them knew how to respond, Akihime always felt so anxious around her father.
"Who did you bring into my home?" He asked. Mitsunari looked to Shouta before looking back at Yoshitsugu.
"This is my tsuguko, Tachibana Shouta." He stated simply. Akihime swallowed anxiously.
"And this is Sanada Yukimura...he's my..." She faltered, and a sudden feeling of dread filled the room, "my partner..."
"Partner?" Yoshitsugu repeated.
 
Shouta merely greeted Yoshitsugu with a stiff bow, murmuring a soft greeting, seeming almost preoccupied with other thoughts.
Yukimura stepped forward a bit and bowed deeply to Yoshitsugu. “It’s an honor to meet you, sir!” He greeted, mustering a brave smile, red-tipped hair looking out of place in the old-fashioned home.
 
"Did she not tell you?" Yoshitsugu rasped, disregarding Mitsunari and Shouta now; he forced himself to sit upright, though it appeared to be a struggle for him. Akihime became rigid, eyes wide.
 
Yukimura frowned softly, looking to Akihime briefly. “I’m afraid I do not understand?” He said, looking back to Yoshitsugu.
 
"She's betrothed." He stated, his off colored eyes glaring at the both of them.
"I never agreed!" Akihime blurted out.
"It was not your place to deny your duty as my daughter." Yoshitsugu almost hissed. Akihime became heated.
"My duty?! You tried to marry me off to keep me from becoming a Slayer!" She snapped, "Besides, Yukimura already knows! And he doesn't care, he loves me and I love him! You can't take that from me!"
"I can if your husband is here and the Slayers are dead." Yoshitsugu told her.
 
Yukimura was conflicted, how was he supposed to tell a bed ridden man that his daughter wasn’t some show dog to be sold off? “If what Akihime says is true, then I will have to respectfully disagree- I stand by her decision regardless.”
“Disagree or not, you have nothing to do in this matter.” A voice piped up from behind Shouta and Mitsunari, a tall slender man standing with his hands in his sleeves, a scowl on his face, and spectacles hiding his green eyes. His attention fell to Akihime, one that meant to intimidate, not a shred of love or caring. “I see you’re as crass as ever, Akihime.”
 
"M...Motonari..." The strong and powerful woman Yukimura had known for so long fell away as soon as this man appeared. She was scared, he had never seen her this way - never in the face of a demon or thug. This was raw and unadulterated fear. But she pulled her guard up as fast as it had fallen.
"What are you doing here?"
"After you and Mitsunari left me to die, Mouri was kind enough to help care for me." Yoshitsugu said before he began coughing violently, his illness finally flaring since they had arrived. Mitsunari snorted and turned to Shouta.
"This has nothing to do with us now. Let's go." He said.
 
Mori stepped from the room briefly to call for the servants, ordering them to bring Yoshitsugu’s medicine.
“Someone needed to care for him while you went off playing swordsman.” He said, moving back into the room and over to Yoshitsugu to help him lay down. “While you were off, his condition has only worsened. And I see you haven’t changed at all.” He gave a snort. “Except that you seem to be forgoing grooming yourself.”
Yukimura scowled at the comment. “I would ask that you please watch how you speak.”
“You’ll ask nothing of me.” Mori said coldly.
Shouta followed Mitsunari out of the room, but something still wasn’t sitting right with him, something was wrong.
 
"I wanted to see my father." Akihime hissed lowly, "I plan to go elsewhere to groom."

Mitsunari took Shouta through the estate, knowing the layout even after all this time.
 
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