nemesisdreams

[nemesisdreams]

⋆. 𐙚 ˚ welcome home

𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨: 𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘪 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘩-𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧

the demon before you lets out one last shriek before dissolving into ash. you exhaled, chest heaving, slid your blade back to its sheath, and stood up straight.

your crow cawed once overhead, signaling its presence. you smile when it perches on your shoulder, looking up at you expectantly.

"tell her not to worry, yeah? i'm alright and i'll be home soon." you murmured, voice soft but firm. with a nod, it took off into the sky with a flap of its wings, carrying your message back to your beloved, mitsuri.

stepping out from shadowed alley, you were met not by the stillness of the night but by a burst of light and sound.

lanterns strung across the streets glowed in warm colors, laughter filled the air, and the rhythmic beat of taiko drums echoed down the road. children darted past you holding candied apples, vendors called out with trays of dumplings and grilled skewers, and for a moment, the world felt as if it was far removed from demons.

your body felt heavy with exhaustion from the mission, but your heart lightened. the festival's joy seemed to wash away the remnants of the battle still clinging to you. you adjusted your haori and walked slowly through the crowd, letting yourself breathe in the scent of fried sweets and incense.

it was in that moment you imagined mitsuri's smile, bright and warm. you could already picture how excited she would be if she were here with you, tugging at your hand to bring you over to the stalls selling her favourite food.

somewhere overhead, fireworks crackled, scattering red and green sparks across the sky. you looked up and whispered to yourself, a little laugh in your voice, "i should bring her something from the stalls, as a peace offering for making her wait."

you wandered slowly between the rows of stalls until one finally caught your attention. it was fairly simple, its delicate display of hair accessories shimmering beneath the glow of the lanterns.

you approached it, eyes scanning the colorful clips and ribbons. each one was intricately designed, some with tiny gold flowers, others with vibrant colours that stood out against the dark night.

but what made you pause was a pair of gold hair clips adorned with soft pink cherry blossoms and tiny light green leaves, a long chain of small pearls connecting the two. the colors oddly reminiscent of mitsuri's hair.

before you could stop yourself, your hands reach out to pick them up. it was beautiful, simple, and elegant- just like her.

as your fingers brushed the clips, the vendor, a woman in her sixties, noticed your interest. she smiled at you warmly, her eyes crinkling at the corners, "ah, that one," she spoke gently, "..for someone special?"

you smiled back a little sheepishly, "something like that."

the vendor chuckles softly, "it is perfect, no? cherry blossoms are a symbol of fleeting beauty, like life itself. a perfect gift for someone you care for."

you nodded, heart warming up at the thought of mitsuri receiving it, "i think she'll love it."

the woman nodded in understanding, placing the hair clips carefully in a pouch. "a beautiful gift for someone important to you. take care of it." she added with a knowing smile.

you exchanged money with her and tucked the bag gently into your pocket. light as it was, it carried a weight, a reminder of her waiting for you back home.

it felt like a nice thing to do, just a small token to remind mitsuri that you are always thinking of her, even in the chaos of a mission.

by the time you reached home, exhaustion tugged at every muscle. but the moment you slid the door open, a different kind of warmth washed over you.

"mitsuri, i'm home." you called softly.

the sound of hurried footsteps answered. in a blink of an eye, she was there- her expression caught between relief and tears.

"you're finally back!" mitsuri's voiced trembled a little as she threw her arms around you, holding on as though she might never let go. "i was so worried, i-"

she pulled back just enough to look you over, her light green eyes scanning every inch of you with concern.

"i thought i told the crow to say i'm alright." you gently chuckle, offering her a tired smile. "see? still in one piece." your arms stretched wide to prove your point.

mitsuri's lips quivered, but then she laughs, a shaky and emotional one, as she presses her forehead against yours.

"that still doesn't stop me from worrying, you know."

you reached into your pocket and revealed the pouch, placing it carefully into her hands. "i brought you something from the festival in town. i thought... it'd make up for keeping you waiting."

mitsuri's eyes widened, hands delicately opening the pouch as if she's scared that whatever inside might break from even the smallest force. the worry in her eyes melts into delight as soon as she sees the hair clips.

"it's beautiful!" she gasps, "you... you really thought of me?" her sparkling eyes look up at you.

"always." you answered, a little embarrassed but sincere. "i figured it'd look perfect on your hair." her cheeks flush pink as she hugs you tighter this time and you let yourself lean into her embrace, the scent of sakura and warmth enveloping you. for the first time since the mission began, you felt peace.

"you're too sweet! i'm going to wear it every day, i promise." mitsuri lets out a bubbly laugh. you tilted your head when she pulled away, "isn't wearing it going to be a hassle when you're on a mission?"

she paused, blinking at you with wide eyes before grinning, "maybe... but i'll make it work! besides," she leaned closer, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret, "even if it's not practical, it'll remind me of you.

as she fumbled excitedly to pin the hair clips into her braids, you couldn't help but smile. she's beaming, as though the simple gift had just made her entire world brighter.

"see?" you teased gently, "told you it suits you."

mitsuri twirled with a giggle, eyes filled with love. "it's perfect, and so are you, for coming home safe."

[nemesisdreams]

⋆. 𐙚 ˚ dinner made for two

𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨: 𝘨𝘪𝘺𝘶𝘶 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧, 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘩

"my love, you're completely obliterating the radish."

you blink, halfway between amusement and concern as you watch giyuu furrow his brow at the pitiful remains of what used to be a radish. instead of neat slices, the pieces look more like uneven rubble, chunks in all shapes and sizes, some too thick to cook properly, others literally shaved to oblivion.

your husband looks at you with a hint of guilt in his stormy blue eyes, "i thought i was being... precise."

"you were," you said gently, stepping closer to him. "just... violently precise."

you stifle a laugh at the way giyuu looks at the knife in his hand as if it had betrayed him. you probably should have seen this coming from the moment he offers to help you prepare dinner. this man has never cooked in his whole life, much less stepping his foot into a kitchen- well until he married you at least.

but despite the chaos, a warm feeling spreads through your chest. because giyuu, for all his stiffness and quiet ways, was trying.

your heart softens as you watch him, shoulders tense and jaw set like he's preparing to face a demon rather than a knife, a cutting board, and some radishes.

"you don't have to look so grim." you tease, hands reaching over to rest over his, "it's just a radish."

"it's... a mess." giyuu admits quietly, still staring at the uneven pieces. "i wanted them to look like yours."

the simple confession tugs at you more than you expect. you squeeze his hands gently, "it doesn't need to be perfect. you're here- helping me, that's what matters."

"here, let me help you." before giyuu can say anything, your hand layers over his much larger one, guiding his grip over the knife. together, you make a slow and careful slice. the radish gives away neatly this time, landing in an even cut.

his shoulders relax a little, "better."

"much better." you smile warmly, brushing your thumb over his knuckles before letting go. "see? precise, but gentle."

giyuu studies the result like it's a victory worth remembering. when he glances back at you, there's something softer in his eyes, something that lingers longer than words.

"...i'll keep trying." he murmurs.

you nod and watch him as he picks up the last remaining radish with a focus he usually reserves for his sword. he adjusts his grip on the knife the same way you showed him, pressure steady but not forceful.

the first slice comes down clean.

you can't stop the small smile tugging the corners of your lips, "see? that's it. gentle, remember?"

giyuu gives a faint nod, though his brow is still furrowed in concentration. slice after slice, the radish slowly transforms from a whole vegetable into something resembling uniform pieces. not perfect, but the improvement is obvious. he sets down the knife and straightens, proud eyes studying the results.

you lean against the counter, watching him. "they look great, thank you, dear." you say softly.

giyuu glances at you, expression unreadable, but the faintest pink touches his ears.

"you did amazing, love. now why don't you let me handle the rest?" you suggested, hands reaching for the salmon fillets.

he nods, almost relieved, stepping aside as he watches you cut the salmon into bite-sized pieces with practiced ease. you lightly sprinkle them with salt before patting them dry and dusting them with flour. you can feel giyuu's gaze following every motion, quiet but attentive, as though learning a new breathing form.

you heat the pot, a small pool of oil shimmering under the flame, then lay the salmon down. the soft sizzling fills the air along with the scent of searing fish. giyuu edges a little closer, peering curiously at the pan.

you flip the salmon with a swift motion, let it cook until both sides are golden brown before adding the radishes- both the neat and rubble pieces- then pour a savory stock, cover the pot with a lid, and let them simmer.

once it's done, you carefully set the pot on the table with giyuu excitedly trailing behind. you uncover the lid and take a step back, letting out a satisfied sigh at the delicious smell.

"there you go. your favourite, simmered salmon with radishes."

giyuu stands beside you, twinkling eyes fixed on the dish. you silently watched as a genuine smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"it looks very good." he pauses, then adds, almost hesitantly, "because of you."

you smile and bump your shoulders gently into his, "because of us, you helped."

giyuu gives the tiniest nod, but you catch a flicker of pride in his reflection.

"well then... shall we eat, darling?"