Cherry blossoms 🌸

A warm home, but a cold reminder.

Rengoku had spent hours at uzui house at this point, they went back and fourth telling wild stories and fights.
Uzui and Rengoku couldn't stop laughing as all of them even told stories of their childhood and many other things.
The room felt warm, the house was cozy, the air felt perfect.
Everything felt so- at peace. So welcoming.
Rengoku knew this feeling, but it seems he realized- it had been so long since he felt this feeling.
Rengoku couldn't help but feel a bit of sorrow, he thought of his mother- his brother, his father.
He thought of how happy they all had been, how amazing those days where.
Rengoku looked down slightly frowning thinking of all of it.
Just as he nearly was lost in thought uzui passed over some food, uzui smiled as he quickly helped makio, Suma, and hinatsuru gather the food setting it out of the table.
Rengoku couldn't help but smile as the dark thoughts pushed to the back of his head. Rengoku adored food and, he hadn't really eaten anything at all that day.
All sat down as they passed around food filling their plates.

:4 hours later, near midnight:
:No ones pov:
It had gotten late by now as all of them agreed to head off to sleep.
Rengoku helped with dishes and cleaning up the mess made, despite uzui saying he didn't need to since he was a guest.
Uzui wives had headed off to bed already, uzui never made his wives clean up after dinners, he says it's his way of thanking them for the food and work they used to make the food that he got to eat.
All three of the girls headed off to bed as now it was only Rengoku and uzui.
Rengoku was helping uzui clean up when he accidentally dropped a plate, he got spooked and quickly tried to clean it up feeling terrible for breaking it.
But when Rengoku reached for the glass he picked one up as it cut right into his palm making a larger gash on his palm, Rengoku flinched just a bit and quickly dropped the glass holding his hand and trying to stop the bleeding from getting worse.
Uzui quickly hurried to cover the cut, he rushed and grabbed a medical kit.
A hour had passed as uzui made sure the cut was not infected.
Rengoku felt bad for bothering uzui with it but just kept a smile.
Uzui:does it hurt?
Rengoku:n-no ! Do not worry !..I'm sorry for being clumsy
Uzui:no no !! Not at all !! I promise I don't mind it !!
Uzui smiled happily at Rengoku and gently kissed the bandaged cut.
This threw Rengoku off as he became a bit flustered confused as to why just happen.
Rengoku:what-
Uzui just laughed and sat down in front of me where I sat.
Uzui:it's something Suma does when one of us gets hurt, she says giving a kiss to the cut helps it heal better.
Uzui just laughed a bit and smiles brightly.
Uzui:putting that aside, I'll clean the rest up, you should rest now, be careful and make sure to keep it clean and it should heal perfectly.
Uzui just stood as he stretched and pat rengoku head and headed back off to clean up the rest of the mess.
Rengoku was confused and a bit embarrassed/flustered but shook it off and just agreed.
He went off to the room given to him, he payed down and rest his head on the pillow blowing the lanterns and candles out, he laid down and stared up at the ceiling unsure and restless.
Rengoku kept quiet as he closed his eyes trying to fall asleep, soon enough he slowly drifted off to sleep with a small smile on his face.

:3 hours later, around 3:00:
Rengoku woke up to the loud sound of thunder and rain hitting hard outside, rengoku had always had a slight fear of bad storms, it reminded him of when he would cry for his mother, but his mother had already passed by then.
He remembers hugging senjiro as he cried as well, rengoku would cry to his father but his dad would just scoff and tell him to grow up and send him right back to his dark room.
This memory had stayed with rengoku through this life, he found storms unbearable, not because he was afraid, but because he felt more alone in those moments, more weak. Fragile like glass, he was truly alone this time, not even senjiro was around to keep him company.
In that moment it seemed like it was him, just him. No one else but the darkness that surround him.
This terrified rengoku, he never wanted to be alone, he always strived for reassurance and comfort in others around him.
But in this moment he couldn't even have someone to talk to.
He felt scared as he curled up and hugged his legs.
Rengoku felt a few tears in his eyes, but he stayed calm and curled up more wrapping himself in the blanket.
Rengoku stayed like this for a little until he heard the most gentle knock on the door.
He hummed in response quickly wiping the tears away and cleaning himself up and laying back down making it seem as if he had just been sleeping.
Right as he finished uzui walked in and rubbed his eyes looking at rengoku confused and worried.
Uzui:rengoku?- are you alright ?
Uzui yawned and rubbed his hands through his hair as he came closer and kneeled down sitting beside rengoku.
RENGOKU: yes !! Of course !! Why wouldn't I be my flashy friend ?!
Rengoku tried playing it off giving the biggest smile he could while he sat up facing uzui.
Uzui stayed silent for a moment before he sighed.
Uzui:I don't know why you would lie- I could hear you sniffling and crying from across the hall, I am sound hashira. But I won't push you to tell me, just know I'm here
Uzui gave a kind smile as he pat rengoku a shoulders and shook him gently.
Rengoku couldn't take it, he begun tearing up as he cling to uzui crying and trying to calm down.
Uzui couldn't help but be worried for his friend, he just stayed quiet and gently hummed, he hugged rengoku back close and just let him cry into his chest/neck.
Rengoku calmed down not long after as he wiped his face but stayed clinging to uzui scared that he would leave him alone.
Uzui:alright ! Since I'm up, how about we have a small snack and some coffee, at least until your ok to sleep again.
Rengoku sniffles again still slightly crying and calming down as he nodded.
Uzui just helped rengoku up as they both headed to the kitchen for some snacks and drinks.
And just like that they whispered and laughed to one another about things.
But uzui stopped mid sentence as he started leading rengoku over to the door. He opens up one of the doors as the rain had calmed down.
It was calmer and smelled blissful outside from the rain.
Uzui:it's beautiful tonight, even though it rained hm ?
Rengoku fallowed as they watched the rain fall, rengoku just leaned on uzui and smiled, he realized how beautiful the rain was with the moonlight reflecting.
Rengoku felt warm again, he smiled wide as he closed his eyes taking in everything.
Uzui was happy he was finally able to help rengoku calm, he smiled as he pat his friends head and sat down with him as they both watched the stars.
They made small talk and told stories and even looked for shapes in the stars, rengoku grew calmer and calmer as he started drifting off to sleep as uzui chat with him.
And just like that rengoku had fell into a comfortable warm gentle sleep.

(1325 word count)
(Sorry this story will be somewhat of a slower burn- not like a , 5 chapters still no progress, but it'll take a bit more, I hope whoever reads this enjoys.
I hope you have a wonderful night/day, and if your days bad I pray it gets better, stay strong 🙌🏽)