Guns and Roses [Various!OHSHC x Reader]

[𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑒]

Morinozuka Takashi is not simply adept at kendo. He is a national champion. You recall from his dossier that you receive from the bureau.

You don't know how seriously he would take you for, but winning three points from him obviously won't be an easy feat.

But you're not a small fry in swordsmanship yourself. While from Mori's brief explanation, you understand that fencing and kendo employ different rules, the same aim still stands for the two — strike your enemy hard.

And although in your short fencing career, you'd been known for your accurate aims at your foe's slightest opening, you also took pride in scoring a vital point hit, which you will have to remember how because that's where kendo and fencing scoring system differs.

"Since you might not be used to it, it's okay if you don't do the kiai when you strike—"

"It's all right. It sounds fun. Men for head, do for body, kote for wrist, and tsuki for throat. Did I get those right?" You recall as you put on the headgear. The feeling of the gi and hakama that you're currently wearing felt foreign at first, but you think you can slowly get used to moving in them.

"En." Mori nods in response before putting on his own headgear.

Seeing him in a full kendo uniform, you realise you can't imagine Mori doing a battle cry or kiai, as what they call it. So hearing that for the first time would definitely catch you off guard later.

You're inclined to hold the shinai like you would your old épée but you refrain yourself as you feel the grip wouldn't be ideal for that.

"Well then, I wish us a good match," says your senior as he bows deeply in your direction. Realising it might be the custom to starting a kendo match, you bow in return.

"Likewise."

You then watch him taking a squatting stance before fully standing again to which you mimic. Not caring if your form is correct, you decide to simply focus on strategising your offence and defence.

It is then followed by a long silence between the both of you as you circle the lined square of your sparring stage.

Earlier, to your surprise, no one from the Kendo Club is apparently present today, and for that you're grateful you get to keep a low profile despite taking up a challenge from a national champion out of the blue.

A flinch from the other side that escalates to a full-blown dash brought you out of reverie as you watch the quickly approaching tall figure of the third-year. You nimbly make a quick steps at him too as you shout,

"Men!"

"Men!"

The both of you cry as you aim the bamboo swords towards each other's head, but they clash midway and so you decide to step back, all the while maintaining the position of the shinai in front of you in case there is a need for a quick counterattack. Mori seems to be thinking the same thing, as he, too, takes a few steps backwards and slightly lowers his sword, enough to protect him from you making a sudden attack. There's no way to read his expression behind the helmet, but you are aware of how starkly different the way your steps are compared to his. You suppose despite not having practiced fencing for so long, your body still remembers how to do it. Nonetheless, you have to commend yourself for holding yourself back from performing a normal fencing lunge. Doing so in a kendo match would definitely give your sparring partner a huge opening after all.

The stalemate continues for a while more afterwards, but there is a limit to how well you can adapt to a new sport right then and there. And although you have endured much hardcore training than this, you can tell your heels and soles are blistering from the continuous intense stomping. Cracks in your defence begin to become more obvious and you know very well Mori will soon take an advantage of those.