Requested by: @HoangDuy403
"Smile!" Whipping out a camera, Tsurumaru called out to Saniwa as he attempted to take a picture of her.
"No! Go away!" Flailing her arms about, Saniwa attempted to block the lens of the camera such that it could not get a view of her face. "Stop it, I look ugly!"
Tsurumaru frowned. "Come on, just one picture! Pretty please?"
"No!" Saniwa's voice came out louder than she had expected for it to, startling both herself and Tsurumaru. This showed her obvious displeasure in having her photo taken, expressing how much she did not like having her face being captured by the camera.
Tsurumaru lowered the camera. "Why not?" His tone was gentle, as if to pacify the girl as she facepalmed herself instead such that her face was blocked and unseen.
"Because I'm ugly," Saniwa whimpered, her voice slightly muffled under her hands. "I don't look good, so please, don't take my photo."
"You really think so?" Tsurumaru settled the camera next to him before he inched his way towards Saniwa. He gradually felt his heart sink upon seeing how unconfident Saniwa was of her looks, despite how beautiful she actually was in his eyes.
Saniwa nodded, her two hands still planted flat onto her face. She did not say anything else as she stayed in her position, not moving as she took the moment to calm herself down. Right then, her heart was pulpatating so quickly due to anxiety and shock, especially since Tsurumaru popped up out of nowhere with that camera to snap a photo of her.
The young female was never confident about her looks since she was a kid. She never liked how she looked and never appreciated her features. Whenever she faced her reflection in a mirror, only criticisms and insults about herself would flood her mind. If only her eyes were bigger, if only her lips were fuller, if only her skin was brighter, if only her nose was more well-defined, if only the colour of her lips were more even--these negative thoughts filled her head whenever she saw herself.
Tsurumaru brought himself nearer towards Saniwa slowly in order not to scare the daylight out of her. He noted that she was in a sensitive state now and that she was extremely fragile so he made sure he did not take any harsh or rash course of action.
He placed his hand over hers, carressing it gently to calm Saniwa down. Smiling lightly, he cooed. "It's okay, I don't have the camera with me anymore. Don't hide your face, Master, I want to see it."
Saniwa sniffled, reluctant to remove her hands off her face. However the sweet and gentle tone Tsurumaru used to speak to her, it felt so warm and fuzzy, it melted her heart. Eventually, she brought her hands away from her face, meeting the stunning golden irises of Tsurumaru's.
"Why are you crying?" Tsurumaru chided, one hand still holding onto Saniwa's while the other reached out towards her face to wipe away the tears welling up in her eyes.
"I..." Saniwa's words trailed off as she adverted her gaze away from Tsurumaru, pursing her lips into a thin line.
"Even when crying," Tsurumaru began, brushing the back of his hand lightly against Saniwa's rosey pink cheeks. "You still look so beautiful..."
Saniwa inhaled, her cheeks blushing an even deeper red as she heard Tsurumaru's words. She would have called him out for lying but the sincerity in his voice stopped her from doing so. The genuine look of adoration and love in his eyes melted Saniwa's heart even further and her heart began hammering against her chest due to the embarrassment washing over her.
"But," Tsurumaru continued. "You still look the most beautiful when you smile. I like your smile, Master, so please stop crying and smile for me."
Tsurumaru traced his fingertips from Saniwa's cheek to the bottom of her eyes, smiling. "Your eyes are so bright and they have such a pleasant spark whenever my eyes meet them," he said softly. "Whenever I look into your eyes, it feels as if I am getting hypnotised."
"T-Tsuru..." Saniwa was at a loss for words, she did not know how to react to the kind words Tsurumaru was saying.
"And your cheeks," Tsurumaru brought his fingertips to Saniwa's cheek, his smile still adorning his face. "They are always so rosey and cute, like apples, and they are soft like tofu. Sometimes I really feel like I want to eat them." Following his words, he let out a low chuckle.
Saniwa was stunned. She never knew Tsurumaru saw her that way and his words genuinely made her feel good on the inside. She did not know what sorcery Tsurumaru had but it was probably the truthfulness in his words which had her believe what he's saying.
The female felt her face get even redder as Tsurumaru's pale hand traced her face, stopping right next to her lips as his cheeks start to blush a faint pink colour. He gulped, breaking eye contact for a moment before he gazed back at Saniwa, clearing his throat.
"Your lips are always enticing, Master," his voice became slightly raspy and seductive but still had a hint of bashfulness to it. "Honestly speaking, I always want to kiss them, those cherry red lips of yours."
Saniwa's face turned into the colour of a beet. She stared hard at Tsurumaru for a brief second before she uttered shyly. "Y-you may actually, Tsurumaru."
Tsurumaru's pale complexion turned completely red, like an octopus. He brought his face closer to Saniwa's, locking eyes with her as his thumb brushed across her lips. "May I really?" He sought permission once again, his lips literally a few millimeters away from Saniwa's.
"Ye-" Before Saniwa got the chance to fully answer, Tsurumaru's soft lips were already atop of her own. He held onto the back of Saniwa's head as he engaged her in the kiss, while the other hand interlocked with Saniwa's as they further connected themselves physically and emotionally.
Saniwa could not believe it, that she actually was kissing Tsurumaru, the sword whom, to her, is the most beautiful in the citadel and the sword whom she had feelings for in a long period of time. However due to the unconfidence she had in her looks, she developed an inferiority complex and thought she would never be a fitting match for a being as stunning and appealing as Tsurumaru Kuninaga.
Pulling back, Tsurumaru's face gleamed with joy. His lips broadened into a cheerful smile as he held Saniwa's face in his hands.
"Master, you may not be picture perfect but you will always remain perfect in my eyes. Your smile is exactly what brightens my day and I love you for it," He confessed, his cheeks still flushing the same baby pink colour from earlier. "I love you, Master. Will this stunning lady take the honour of being my lover?" Running his hand through Saniwa's locks, he placed a kiss onto the ends of her hair before glancing up at Saniwa nervously.
"Yes, yes!" Saniwa pulled Tsurumaru into a tight hug instantly, sobbing onto his shoulder dramatically. In response, Tsurumaru patted the back of her head, laughing lightly.
"I don't know if you mean them but your words really made me so happy," Saniwa choked her words out between sobs. "I love you too and thank you so much for saying those things."
Tsurumaru's touch on Saniwa was as light as a feather as he held her crying figure in his arms. He comforted her by humming softly, calming her emotions down as she cried silently on his shoulder out of happiness.
Reaching his hand out towards the camera he had placed down earlier, Tsurumaru brushed Saniwa's hair behind her ear, causing her to look up at him with her watery eyes. He held the camera up, grinning at Saniwa as he tried asking her for a picture again.
"How about a picture to commemorate this moment? I want a photo of the one I love most now so that I can admire it everyday before I sleep." He winked, teasing Saniwa a little.
"I-idiot," Saniwa pouted. "Don't go off saying nonsensical stuff like that, it's embarrassing."
"Come on, just one picture will do." He urged, rubbing Saniwa's shoulder to encourage her.
Huffing, Saniwa then gave him a sweet smile, the smile which he loved so much, the smile which shone even brighter than the sun in his world.
"Alright, just one photo." Smiling with her eyes and lips, Saniwa wiped off her tears and posed for the photo while Tsurumaru captured the image he found most mermirising in his life.
"Actually, one isn't enough," Tsurumaru smiled sheepishly. "I will need to take at least a hundred more photos of this beautiful model who has a heart that is even more beautiful."
a/n: lmao i felt as if i was rushing for a deadline while writing this since i really wanted to get this out before tet and im glad i did! this was kind of a slightly rushed chapter and the turn of events in this was kind of from impromptu thinking so im sorry if it didnt turn out too well >< (i wrote this while on the bus actually, while desperately trying to hide my phone so that no one can read it cos its embarrassing LOL.) i have been busy for the past 2 days (cos im having as many gatherings with my friends as i can before school starts and their lives get hectic asf) but im glad i still got this chapter out in time!
im a biased piece of trash but tsuru is indeed the most beautiful sword (both the actual tsurumaru kuninaga sword as well as the character's design). the white and gold combination suits him so well honestly, i can literally cry from such goodness.
also ive started drafting my bnha book already (im glad to have found comrades HAHA) and i do hope i can publish it by valentine's day! dont worry, im not neglecting this book or anything for my bnha one as this book is still my first priority for the time being :D my updates will still come in at least once every 5-6 days!
i hope to see you in the next chapter! do feel free to leave a vote and comment if you enjoyed this chapter ~^^
*ps: forgive any typos, i proof-read through this once only instead of my usual which is twice ><"
*this book is hitting 20k reads soon and i want to do something to thank all of you! i have two ideas so do comment which one of these you guys want me to do: 1) pictures of me cosplaying hotarumaru or 2) q&a, ask me any question and i will answer!*