Theme: Fluff+Angst ✨
I realized i never did any UzuRen so..
“KYOJURO!!” Tengen shouted, running up and scooping the flame Hashira into his arms. “I wish our missions didn’t pull us so apart, we haven’t seen each other in over a month,” he pouted, nuzzling him.
Kyojuro laughed, a beautiful sound in Tengen’s opinion, and agreed. “I have missed you, Tengen! How have you and your wives been?”Â
“Perfect! Just waiting until we could see you again! Hinatsuru prepared a meal and Makio got a futon for you to sleep in, if you wanted to stay here for the night,” Tengen smiled. “And you?”
“I’ve been well, thank you! I visited Senjuro and my father. Senjuro’s cooking has improved so much and it was already wonderful, I’m sure he’ll turn out to be a world-wide chef who can make a simple orange into a masterpiece!” Kyojuro exclaimed as Tengen set him down.
“That’s nice! Your father still mad?” Tengen asked, ruffling Kyojuro’s hair.
“I think? He mostly stayed away but he did say good bye! I’ll count that as an improvement as well,” Kyojuro said, a bittersweet smile playing on his face.
“Yes, well, enough about this. Let’s go find my wives as to not keep them waiting.”
The two walked hand in hand to the Uzui’s household where they were greeted by Makio, Hinatsuru, and Suma. “Welcome back, Kyojuro!!” they chorused. They each hugged the Hashira in turn then told Tengen they’d finished getting everything ready.Â
“Thank you, you three are wonderful,” Tengen smiled, patting the three before taking Kyojuro inside. “Alright, so if you’re staying here then we have a futon ready somewhere, and-“
“‘Somewhere’?” Kyojuro inquired. “Do you not know where?”
“Eh, they wouldn’t tell me-” Tengen huffed. Kyojuro laughed. “Anyways!” the sound Hashira said loudly, turning the corner. “Are you hungry? They also prepared the food as I said earlier, it’s just in the kitchen. Let me go get cleaned up, you can ask them if you need help around.”Â
Tengen left Kyojuro alone in the halls to wander, and he quickly found the kitchen as he had been in this house many times before. He noticed a plate that he usually used that was piled to nearly falling over with his favorite foods. “Well this certainly looks delicious!” he declared.Â
Hinatsuru, who had just walked in, smiled. “Thank you. I hope it’s okay they were a little rushed, especially on such short notice,” she apologized.
“Anything is great because you did it for me!” he said, smiling back and putting his hands on his hips. “And your food is always amazing!”
“Thank you,” she repeated, moving over to get his food. “Let’s take you to the room you can stay in. Are you staying the night?”
He nodded, helping Hinatsuru carry the trays. “Yes, it would be a shame if you all went to the trouble to make sure I had a bed and I just left. Besides, my next mission would’ve required me to leave earlier, due to it’s location but this is on the way there so I should be able to arrive rather quickly.”
“Oh? What is it?” she asked curiously.
“Some trouble on a train, all the other demon slayers sent there, we’ve lost contact with, so I was sent to investigate,” Kyojuro explained. “Wait, isn’t this Tengen’s room? Are we bringing him his food?”
“No, this is also your room, where you’ll sleep tonight!” Hinatsuru said cheerfully, opening the door with her hip due to the food she was carrying.
“Eh?” he asked, pausing.
“Yes, here, let me put the food down and I’ll take that from you.” She quickly put the trays she held onto the nearest table and took the food from Kyojuro. “Your bed is right there,” she said, jerking her head towards where the extra futon lay.
“Ah, right, thank you,” Kyojuro responded, surprised that they had chosen to let him sleep in Tengen’s room.Â
Hinatsuru put the food down and left to see if Tengen needed anything. Kyojuro looked around, noticing a desk with a collection of photos. Most were of Tengen and his wives, but some of them individually and even some with all the Hashira. Then he noticed one of himself with Tengen and smiled at the memory. That had been a couple years ago when they had first met, Tengen had said Kyojuro’s hair was very, as he recalled, flamboyant and how he’d admired how Kyojuro had stood up to Sanemi. That was where the seed of the relationship was planted.
The door opened and he turned to see Tengen in a robe, his hair still wet. “Kyojuro?” Tengen asked, confused. He pushed back his hair and looked down at the bed and at the food. “Ah, so that’s why they wanted to do it,” he laughed. Kyojuro nodded and stepped away from the pictures.
“Tengen?” he asked, looking carefully at the older male.Â
“Hm?”
“I know that we’ve already been through this a lot with your wives and everything, but I just wanted to make sure that they really don’t mind our relationship, whilst you’re still married with them but also dating me,” Kyojuro fretted. He’d brought this up before with Tengen’s wives and they had all said they supported it 100%, but he often wondered if it really didn’t bother them, or if they were just too sweet to try and interfere.
“Kyojuro, we’ve told you they’re completely fine with it! Besides nobody can pass of being around you so much,” Tengen teased, walking over and hugging Kyojuro. “No need to worry, they’re all on board with it and they love you as a family, so stop worrying. Besides, if I had to let either you or them go just to have one of you I would be a mess, I love them with my whole heart but I must have more than one because I still love you so much and I always will forever, promise,” he said, drawing an ‘X’ on his chest as a promise. “So stop fretting about this and just relax!” He kissed Kyojuro gently then pulled away. “Okay?”
Kyojuro, touched by Tengen’s words, smiled and nodded. “Alright! I love you too, Tengen! Thank you.”
“Anytime, my lovely boyfriend,” Tengen grinned.
Kyojuro let Tengen dress then they sat down and ate a little, talking about what they’ve been doing and their missions and anything that came up. Eventually, Kyojuro yawned. “Tired? I hope you haven’t been overworking yourself just for your fathers approval again,” Tengen warned, recalling the time Kyojuro had set himself to train 12 hours a day and do as many missions as he could.
“No, my last mission required me to stay up all day for two nights and the night before I had to help Tokito with something,” Kyojuro explained.
“Oh, is that why you didn’t have to jump straight into your next?” Tengen asked, brushing off his hands.
“Mhm!”
“Right, let’s go sleep then. It’s a bit early but you need all your energy for tomorrow, we can’t have you being tired through your whole mission,” he pointed out.
Both Hashira got up and put away their dishes. They went back and Tengen let Kyojuro borrow some clothes to sleep in. The two quickly got comfortable in their seperate beds and slowly started drifting to sleep. Then Tengen spoke up and Kyojuro’s eyes opened slightly. “Kyojuro?”
“Hm?”
“You know I love you, right? And I always will?” Tengen mumbled, propping himself up to look at Kyojuro.
“Is this about earlier?”
“No, just.. you have a mission tomorrow. I heard about it, apparently there’s a dangerous demon there. Maybe even in the 12 Kizuki,” Tengen hummed.
“Yes, but most likely a lowermoon again. Like as the mission Kocho and Tomioka had gone on when they found the Kamado’s,” Kyojuro reassured. “You don’t have to worry.”
“Well we never know. Better safe then sorry, no?”
“Yes. Well I love you more. I’ll love you more forever.”
“Well.. I love you most!” Tengen declared. Kyojuro laughed.Â
“Then I love you for longest,” he decided, after a moment of silence.
“I’ll love you past both of our lives,” Tengen sighed.Â
“Hey, you don’t have to worry. I’ll make sure I come back to you alive,” Kyojuro said, an empty promise, they both knew, but it was comforting right now. He sat up to look at Tengen. “Please don’t worry about me, we both know I don’t want to leave all of you but we also know that I—we all—signed up for this. Death is always around the corner, and even if I do die at least I’ll die saving people, no?”
Tengen nodded and crawled over to Kyojuro, hugging him. “I don’t know, I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
“Did something happen?” Kyojuro asked, worried. He wrapped his arms around Tengen who gently laid Kyojuro on his lap.
“No, not really. Just in the time we haven’t seen each other I worried what might’ve happened to you that maybe hadn’t reached me yet. Seeing you here, okay, I just.. I’m just so happy with you. You and my wives, all of us together.. You guys are the world to me and I’d hate to lose any of you. I know I’m overreacting, but I should be allowed to do so once and a while, hm?” Tengen chuckled. “Sorry, I just don’t want this to ever end, even when it’s guarenteed to.”
Kyojuro nodded his agreement. “Yes, I understand. I don’t either, but.. you know.. life isn’t going to be perfect. But at least we’re not demons,” he pointed out.Â
“True.” Tengen ran his hand through Kyojuro’s hair comfortingly, humming a song quietly. “Kyojuro, when we met, I knew you were going to be different. You were so pretty and your laugh was like a music itself. I think you’re wonderful.. No, I know you’re wonderful. I’m so lucky to have someone like you love me and I honestly don’t know what I did to have somebody as lovely as you.”
Kyojuro smiled. Tengen could be so sweet sometimes and it made him love the man even more. “What you did was be amazing yourself, Tengen. You’re so sweet. Mm.. I love you,” he said, closing his eyes.
“Good night, Kyojuro,” Tengen mumbled, hugging him tightly.
___
The next day, Kyojuro set off on his mission. Tengen and his wives waved him goodbye, supplying him with some food which he was quick to express his gratitude for. The day went by and Tengen’s mind kept drifting towards Kyojuro. His smile. His laugh. His voice. At first it was just being happy he got to see him again. But then dusk approached. Night fell and the demons started prowling around. Tengen’s happiness was quick to desolve to worry which his wives attempted to erase. A sickening feeling as if something dreadful might happen to Kyojuro spread through Tengen like a wave. He felt nauseous and slept earlier that night, unable to bear the thoughts anylonger. He woke up in the early morning, sometime right before dawn. He was confused why he’d woken up then felt a sharp pang in his stomach. He felt as though the world was ending as he heard of his new mission his crow had informed him of. As he sent his wives off to this Entertainment District, the sun rose slowly above the horizen. But Tengen felt horrible. He felt like.. like Kyojuro might never see the light of day again. This worry was different. More.. more certain. Unlike before, he felt as though Kyojuro’s fate had been decided. As though.. as though it had ended.Â
Tengen sat on a roof, watching his wives as they disparted into the district, in search of information of a demon. A crow, not his, flew up to him. The second he saw it he knew something was horribly wrong. And he was right. Terribly right.
“Kyojuro Rengoku.. has been defeated by Upper Rank 3. Everyone in the train, alongside the demon slayers Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, Inosuke Hashibira, and the demon Nezuko Kamado still live. Kyojuro Rengoku.. is dead,” the crow said solemnly.
Tengen’s heart dropped to the floor. No.. No, it couldn’t be. This wasn’t real. He was hallucinating. He had to be imagining this. Please.. Please let it just be his worry. He’ll wake up and realize it was the middle of the night.. But no.. No, it was true. It was all real. Kyojuro.. Kyojuro’s promise really had been an empty one. Maybe just a wish.. Not a promise. He was.. he was dead…
Tengen shook his head, waving the crow away. He bit his lip to stop any tears from coming. Kyojuro wouldn’t have wanted him to cry but rather to live on strongly. But how was he to do that when one of his lovers had just died? How was he supposed to get through with this? He couldn’t tell his wives, they were searching for a demon. He had no one with him right now. Kyojuro was gone. Gone. He did die saving, though.. He saved so many people but it cost him his life..
Even if Kyojuro’s promise had been one nobody could keep, Tengen had one he could keep. He had promised to love Kyojuro forever. And he would. He always would. He would take that promise to the grave and it was still live on. Forever and ever.
___
Later, he was given the address to where Kyojuro had been buried. He decided to visit there as well. But first, he would go to the Rengoku’s household. He would make sure Senjuro was being cared for just as Kyojuro had cared for the boy. He found the younger Rengoku at the doorsteps cleaning off. Kamado was there as well.
“Huh? What’re you doing here?” he asked.
Tanjiro turned, looking pale and sick. “I’m here to deliver Rengoku-San’s last words.”
“I bet they were fucking useless,” Shinjuro said, stepping out.
Tengen reacted instinctively and pinned Shinjuro to the door post by his neck. Shinjuro, being slightly drunk, was fast enough to lessen the impact but not enough to block the full blow.
“Don’t you fucking dare speak badly about Kyojuro,” Tengen growled. Behind him, Senjuro and Tanjiro tried to get him off. He let go, leaving Shinjuro to cough widly. “Go on, tell us his last words,” he said, a little more gently, to Tanjiro, who nodded.
Tanjiro repeated what Kyojuro had said to him, speaking to Senjuro first then Shinjuro. “He said he wanted you to take care of yourself,” he informed the Rengoku, looking down.
“Is that all?” Shinjuro said impaitently.
Tanjiro nodded and Shinjuro stomped away, though with what seemed a lot less fury. Then Tanjiro turned to Tengen who had watched them bitterly. “Uhm.. Mr. Uzui, I think?” the young boy said hesitently.
“Hm?” Tengen hummed, looking up.Â
“So you are Tengen Uzui?”
“Yes? Why?”
“Rengoku-San told me to tell you that he’ll still love you the longest. And to take care of yourself and your wives and if you could, of Senjuro as well,” Tanjiro said, looking up at the Hashira. “He said he hoped you lived the life he couldn’t.”
Tengen felt a wave of sadness well inside of him at those words, remembering how Kyojuro had used that comeback to ‘I love you more.’ He looked away and nodded to Tanjiro. “Th.. Thank you.”
Tanjiro bowed to Tengen then to Senjuro. He set off back to the Butterfly Mansion and waved to the two as he left. Tengen turned to Senjuro sadly and said, “I’m sorry about Kyojuro. I wish this hadn’t happened and I could turn back time but I can’t so..” His voice trailed off.
Senjuro smiled warmly at him. “It’s okay. Please don’t be sad, Kyojuro wouldn’t have wanted that from you. He said you should live a full life so live it in happiness not mournfully. I’m glad to have you here, though. Thank you for always being with my brother, I could see how happy you made him.”
Tengen smiled down sadly. “Yes.. Well, I’ll have to go soon. Take care, Senjuro. And be careful with your father,” he said, patting Senjuro’s back.Â
Senjuro nodded. “You too!” he waved, watching Tengen walk off.
Senjuro really was like Kyojuro. He was sure that he would grow up just as amazing as Kyojuro had, Tengen thought.Â
He found Kyojuro’s grave rather easily, it had fresh flowers presumably from Senjuro or some of the other Hashira. He sat by it and put his hands together in a prayer. He sat there quietly for about a minute before he spoke. “Kyojuro, I’ll miss you so much. I promise to take care of Senjuro, and I promise to take care of myself. Thank you for being here when you were and.. I.. I’ll love you forever, Kyojuro. Forever.”
{Word count: 2751}
HELL 😠My dumbass was actually not smiling for once while writing the angst parts </3
Okay but ignoring that.. I tried making some scenes/ref/mentions as close to canon as possible, did you notice? In the scene where the crow told Tengen about Kyojuro’s death I recall (though not vividly) that it was on a roof (at least in the manga-). Assuming he was on the roof because of the Entertainment District, I just wrote it like that. Of course the part where Shinjuro snapped at Tanjiro, but since Tengen was there that of course changed. Part where Tanjiro was still sick from the fight with Enmu as he walked to Senjuro, and so on. Oh yeah, and I can’t remember well but I THINK Tengen was in the Hashira meeting when Kyojuro joined the Hashira. I’m pretty sure that was in the Tale of Water and Flame or whatever it was called, so that’s probably why I don’t remember it as well (I only read it once or twice). Like the Sanemi snapping at Kyojuro and challenging him :)))Â
Alright enough ranting, I’m just in wonder rn how these have been 2000+ words instead of 1000+ recently- like- damn- But i’m not complaining :p (rip my homework)
BYEEEE<333Â
I should really write more UzuRen this was fun :3
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