Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Night fell quickly, faster than you imagined. The dining room had lit up with the laughter and chatter of the happy couple you had burst into. While Tengen and his three wives were chatting pleasantly about the trip with the boss, you watched them from the other side of the table. The sukiyaki you helped them prepare was very good, so you just ate in silence. This would be your last good dinner before returning to the streets to steal. Glass after glass. You took advantage of drinking as much alcohol as possible and no one stopped you. Everything was going according to plan.

“Why don’t you join?” Tengen asked you while Makio refilled his sake glass.

“I don’t want to bother you,” you answered without paying much attention.

“Nonsense. This is your new family and your new home,” Tengen encouraged you, offering you his hand to approach them.

The concept of “family” was known by definition but not by practice. Unlike most children in the world, you had no parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles or any of those things. Your biological parents abandoned you, leaving you to fend for yourself. It was a true miracle that you didn’t starve to death before Mr. Yamamoto found you. You had no “home” to return to. The closest thing was The Last Drop and you only returned for Mr. Matsuda, who you apparently would never see again in your life.

You took a sip of sake from your glass to swallow the bitter memory of the last conversation you had with the one you once considered a father. You approached the place Tengen had indicated to you, right next to him. His strong arm held you close to his body so that you were comfortable. Makio and Suma almost broke their chopsticks when they noticed how affectionate their husband was with you. Hinatsuru found it curious that Tengen acted that way with you when he rarely does that with women to avoid making them jealous.

"This is a very special night, so I want to propose a toast," Tengen offered, raising his glass. The women imitated him. "To my beautiful family, so that it continues to grow properly."

"Does that mean you want to have more wives?!" Makio scolded him. Suma followed suit, very annoyed.

"No, with four beautiful wives I'm more than happy." Tengen laughed at the misunderstanding. "But I want children."

The three wives gasped in surprise upon hearing that, but you were petrified. You? Being a mother? Never! You had too chaotic and rebellious a life to be a good mother. You'd never had one, how could you be one? Thank goodness you would escape that terrible fate that very night. You poured yourself another cup of sake as the three wives squealed in excitement at the news.

When Tengen married them, he promised them that he would give them children. Only in the future, as he didn't want to expose his children to a dangerous world full of demons. The wives begged, cried, and asked that their greatest wish was to be the mothers of his children, but Tengen didn't change his mind. He wanted to make sure that his children had a present father who would be there for them when they needed him. The last thing he wanted was to be the father he had when he lived with the ninjas.

"We should expand this house to make some more rooms for the hunters and bedrooms for our children," Hinatsuru advised.

"And a bigger room for us! We barely fit in our bed," Suma commented.

"I like our bed. Sleeping squashed by my 4 beautiful wives is the best thing in the world," Tengen smiled flirtatiously at them.

Even though Tengen had known them all his life, he never stopped flirting with them. He would always throw them a compliment, kiss them unexpectedly, or whisper some vulgarity that made them blush. He was a loving husband, attentive to their every need.

“Speaking of our bed,” Suma spoke, raising her hand. “We have a request, Tengen.”

“Why so formal, Suma?” The husband asked, confused.

“Tonight we want to sleep with just you,” Suma asked. “Just the three of us, without Y/n.” Tengen slammed his fist on the table, startling the 4 women. You almost dropped your glass of sake.

“How dare you ask such an insult, Suma?!” He exclaimed angrily. “Y/n is family, we have to treat her as such.”

“Family?! We barely know her!” Suma exclaimed with tears in her eyes. “Oh no,” you thought, expecting the worst.

“What right do you have to talk about insults when you bring a random girl to the table?!” Makio was the second to rebel.

“Makio!” Tengen scolded angrily.

“Hey, calm down…” Hinatsuru tried to calm the couple down as you poured yourself another glass of sake to pretend nothing was happening.

“I can’t believe you’re showing preference to a stranger!” Suma cried.

“I’m not showing preference. I love them all equally.” Tengen tried to reason with her.

“Ah, so you’re saying you love us the same as a stranger!” Makio exclaimed angrily.

“That’s not what I said!” Tengen replied.

“You don’t even love us!” Suma ran out of the room, crying profusely. Hinatsuru followed her with a napkin.

“Fuck you!” Makio threw a napkin in Tengen’s face.

“Hey, come back here right now!” Tengen scolded them, but none of his wives came back. “I can’t believe this…” He held his forehead in frustration.

It was the first argument he had with his wives in a long time. The frustration that accompanied guilt was a weight on the back of his head. He hated making his wives angry like that. He clenched his jaw in disappointment at himself. How could he be such an idiot?

“It seems you need it more than I do,” you passed him your sake across the table.

“I’m sorry…” Tengen took the cup without looking you in the eye.

“You’re apologizing to the wrong person,” you said with flushed cheeks. Living your first 15 years of life in a tavern, you had trained your tolerance for alcohol, but your prudence diminished considerably. “I don’t know them much, but you can tell from miles away that they would do anything for you. They would even sell their souls for you, dammit,” you spat.

It must be nice to love a person so much that you give your best just to please them. You had never been in a stable relationship of any kind, so it was only an idea you knew through poems or stories from other travelers like you. You sighed at the thought of how highly the three wives spoke of their wonderful husband.

“What I mean is, have compassion for them. Technically, you cheat on them, so it will take them some time to get used to it. You're lucky they haven't left,” you said with a laugh.

“Still, they shouldn't talk about you like you're a nuisance,” Tengen muttered.

“To you, I'm not, but to them, I am. I'm a nobody and a complete stranger,” you replied, separating yourself from him. “If I were you, I'd go apologize to them right now if you don't want your penis cut off while you sleep.”

“What about you?” Tengen asked you.

“I'll survive a night alone,” you joked. “Besides, I think I drank too much.” You said between laughs before having a fit of hiccups.

Tengen gave you a grateful smile for the advice and retreated to his room. You sighed before getting down to business. You corked the sake, gathered the plates, and washed everything in a bucket. For your first night in the middle of a family dynamic, it was chaotic, but a hell of a lot better than a night at The Last Drop.

You looked at the ceiling blackened by the darkness of the night. The dim moonlight accompanied you as you listened to the murmurs of the happy couple in the next room. Everything seemed to be going according to plan. Separate Tengen from you for the night. Although you had not planned the big argument they had. But that did not matter, since they seemed to have made peace. Now all that was left was to wait for the alcohol to go down and for the couple to fall asleep.

The hours passed while you enjoyed being able to lie down on a comfortable mattress for the last time. You were wondering if you really should escape from there. Staying meant having a comfortable bed, eating three times a day and the security of a roof over your head. But escaping was too tempting. Freedom to live unparalleled adventures, to see places you have never seen and discover new foods. Being a thief allowed you to have a fascinating life. You did not need a home life, you wanted to continue living your way.

The laughter and words ceased at midnight. The happy four must have been asleep. You gently got out of bed and grabbed your backpack. Knowing that Tengen had impressive hearing, you had to be extremely careful. That was why you had stolen some kitchen rags to muffle the sound of the items you would steal. You carefully left your room and ghost-walked to the living room.

The diamond headband and the gold hoops were still in place. “Come to mommy,” you thought as you left a rag on the dresser. With a surgeon’s pulse, you grabbed the headband with precision so that the metal wouldn’t rattle against itself. You placed it over the rag and wrapped it like a present to put it in your backpack. You did the same with the two hoops. Once secured, you headed to the kitchen.

You carefully took all the kitchen knives out of the cabinet and wrapped them with other rags to put them in your backpack. So far you have made quite a haul. Even though the headband and gold hoops would be a hard sell, the knives would sell like hotcakes. Maybe you'd keep one for self-defense. With your backpack full, you were well served. You opened the kitchen window and jumped through it. All that was left was to escape the estate.

You took your time getting to the white wall. You made sure there was nothing sharp on the edge. You breathed deeply, filling your lungs with clean oxygen. You took a run-up and jumped towards the wall. You pushed yourself up with one leg to reach the edge. You lifted your weight up to the top so you were sitting on it.

You looked around for one last time. The long fields with a few fireflies flying over the fruits, the soft sound of the leaves of the trees colliding with each other, the roof of the beautiful white house and the window that looked out onto the main room. You were surprised to see Hinatsuru awake. She had a soft smile on her face as if she were indirectly wishing you luck. You smiled back at him, thanking him for helping you with your plan, and waved goodbye before jumping off the wall. Your escape had been a complete success.

Chapter Text

“I'm sorry, my favorite girls. I promise I won't make you cry again,” Tengen apologized to his three wives, hugging them tightly to his chest with his powerful arm.

The night enveloped them gently. The couple was curled up on the giant bed with blankets scattered everywhere. The husband kissed their heads repeatedly to convey that he was truly sorry, after having a heart-to-heart talk with his wives about his actions and how they hadn't been the best. Also, that he would be more careful with the new relationship between him and you.

“I was just afraid to tell you the truth,” he whispered embarrassedly.

“We will always accept your truth, Tengen,” Hinatsuru whispered to him.

“Yes! We are a team,” Suma followed.

“Tell us all, we will listen,” Makio agreed.

Tengen sighed as he gently caressed their backs with his single hand. That was what hurt him the most about losing his arm against that crescent moon, that he could no longer caress all his wives at the same time. It was time to confess the real reason why he had brought a strange girl as his fourth wife.

“The general told me that he had a dream where I would marry again,” Tengen announced.

“What?!” The three wives exclaimed at the same time. They all sat up on the bed suddenly to face him.

“That’s the reason he invited me to his mansion,” he explained.

Three days ago, Tengen had arrived at the boss’s mansion with a big smile on his face. That the general himself asked for his presence was a great honor, but that he invited him to dinner at his house was something he never expected to happen. He followed his strong mice until they reached the giant home surrounded by purple trees.

The boss could barely sit due to his illness, but he did his best to celebrate the occasion in front of them. The food was delicious, the wine was perfectly aged, and he had an amazing visitor in his grand dining room. His albino wife caressed his back tenderly as the two men chatted pleasantly like the old friends they are.

“Thank you so much for coming all the way, Tengen,” Mr. Ubuyashiki said with a smile.

“No, the honor is all mine for inviting me,” he replied respectfully. “What is the point of such an occasion?”

“Maybe it’s something I could tell you in a letter, but it seemed right to do so in person,” Mr. Ubuyashiki began. “I mean, you can’t always celebrate an engagement.” Tengen nearly spit out his wine at that.

“Not to be rude, but what the hell are you talking about, General?” Tengen asked in dismay. “I already have three wonderful wives, why would I marry again?”

“That’s the same thing I asked myself the first time I dreamed it. It made no sense for a man as loyal as you to marry another woman. It would be very difficult for your wives,” the boss commented.

“Exactly! It's ridiculous,” the guest joked.

“But I dreamed it again. Three nights in a row. That's no longer a coincidence. It's a message from destiny. A very important one,” Ubuyashiki explained. Tengen's jaw tensed upon hearing that. “She's a woman who hides in the shadows even though she shines like the sun itself. She's strong, flexible, cunning like a little fox among the hills. She's someone who outwits all of your senses, even your own ears.”

Tengen couldn't believe that the general was serious, especially about that last bit. He had spent his entire life developing his impressive sense of hearing for anyone to easily outwit him. Even though he was in the dining room with Mr. Ubuyashiki and his wife, he could hear the water starting to boil in the kettle in the kitchen, the children playing in their rooms, and the crickets in the yard. He was always alert and ready. There was no one who could hide from him…

… Or so he thought until he met you that very night. A simple girl completely outwitted him with her ghost-like step. If it hadn't been for the rusty katana, he wouldn't have heard you. You fit the description perfectly, so it seems that you would be his new wife.

“She's a thief?!” Suma and Makio scolded him as soon as he finished his story.

“She was. Since she's going to live here, I doubt she'll ruin the chance to live in luxury like you two,” Tengen told them with a smile so they wouldn't worry, but that only made them worry even more.

You ran through the streets of the town in the shadows. All the townspeople were asleep, so you could only hear the waves of the sea in the distance. Now only the easiest part of the escape remained, leaving the town to never see Tengen and his wives again. “This is the easiest loot I've ever gotten in my life,” you thought with a big smile plastered on your face. Tomorrow you would go to the hot springs if you were successful selling the merchandise.

You turned a corner and stopped when you came across the worst thing you could find in the middle of the night: a demon. The odds were high, but you trusted that you wouldn't encounter one of those pests for one night. Your heart rose in your throat, and you searched your backpack for the knife you had stolen. Scrawny, pale horns and several scars that crossed his body. His intense black eyes met yours. He already had you in his sight, so you wouldn't escape easily.

Besides having a ghost walk, you were also quite fast. You ran as fast as you could to escape the demon, but it kept chasing you. You tried to lose it in the alleys, jumping over fences and rooftops. The curse wouldn't give up on you easily. It reached for one of your ankles, and you fell to the ground with a thud. It pulled you towards it to fit its jaws on you, but you kicked it in the snout to make it close.

"Damn human!" The demon complained before throwing a claw at you.

You covered your face with your arm, tearing your skin. You clenched your teeth to avoid letting out a cry of pain. You pulled out the knife and stuck it in its cheek. The demon screamed into the night sky in pain, but smiled as it pinned you to the ground by the shoulders, but you didn't let go of the knife. He had you on the ground, while you pushed him away from you by the knife buried in his skull.

“You won’t be able to escape,” he babbled the curse, burying his claws in your shoulders.

“Fuck!” You complained about your shoulder as you fought for your life.

You had been unlucky all your life. Being born and being a nuisance. Being an orphan from the first days of life. Being the slave of a sad tavern. Being a thief in order to survive. The only man you trusted abandoned you for not complying with the status quo. Now, you have rejected the opportunity to marry a wonderful man for your desires to discover the world. You would die because of your dream of complete freedom. You no longer knew if you were crying because of the pain or because this was the end.

Even though there were adults around you, no one ever helped you. Mr. Yamamoto only saw you as another cook and Mr. Matsuda, as another thief in his great catalog. Throughout your life, you had to fight all your battles alone. Life had taken you by its claws and pulled you into solitude so that your soul could finish rotting. There was no one to help you… You were nothing but a nuisance…

“Nonsense. This is your new family and your new home…”

Life would be simpler if you were a pretty girl who wants to get married and start a family. A simple but cozy dream. You had to be rebellious and different, didn’t you? Was there any chance that Tengen really wanted a woman like that? Maybe not… but you had him.

“You can scream all you want, but no one will come looking for you.” The demon mocked you as he recovered from the knife wound. It was a matter of seconds before he snatched the knife away from you.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” you said through clenched teeth.

The curse looked at you strangely. It was a shame that your plan failed, but that or losing your life. You inflated your lungs before using your last resource.

“HELP ME, UZUI TENGEN! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!”

Chapter Text

“HELP ME, UZUI TENGEN! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!”

A quick snap was all it took to end it all. You looked into the demon's eyes as its head was cut cleanly off his neck. You were sure you would never forget that face, slowly fading away into nothingness. You didn't have time to react when the demon's limp body collapsed on top of yours before it turned into ashes and dissipated into the air. Your arms fell to the ground as you admired your savior in front of your feet.

An armless giant in a robe with two chained swords, white hair waving in the wind, he was breathing tiredly and his cherry eye looked at you with genuine concern, while the diamond on his eyepatch glistened against the moonlight. He dropped his swords before assisting you. Your eyes widened in shock.

“Are you okay?” I asked, worried.

The tears continued to roll down your cheeks. This time it wasn't because of the pain in your arms or shoulders, it was your heart that hurt. You were alive. You could see the sunlight in the morning thanks to the albino hero. And how had you repaid him? By stealing from him. Tengen offered you his hand to help you up, but you ignored him to get up on your own.

“Yes, I'm fine,” you answered, not even daring to look him in the eye.

Tengen looked at you confused at the dry reaction until he looked closely at you. You were wearing the same clothes you had when you arrived at the estate, your bag seemed fuller than usual and you avoided his gaze like a scolded puppy. It didn't take long for him to put two and two together to make four.

“You tried to steal from me, didn't you?”

“Duh, I'm a thief,” you answered, pretending indifference.

“Are you really that stupid? I offered you a home, food, company… Do you really prefer to live on the streets instead of having a good life?” Tengen scolded you.

“I already know!” You yelled at him, upset with yourself. “Do you think I don't know how stupid I am?”

You took a deep breath to calm yourself. You weren't upset with him, he had saved you in too many ways to be. You knew that your desires defied the common survival logic, but the world was too exciting to just be another housewife.

“Look, it seems that you are a wonderful, altruistic and providing man, but I can't marry you.” You took out the diamond headband and the hoops that you had stolen from him from your bag. “I'm sorry I tried to steal from you and thank you for saving me, but believe me, you don't want me as a wife.” You returned the objects with a deep bow to demonstrate your sincerity.

“Of course I want you as a wife! You are beautiful, funny, and you would be a great addition to our family!”

There it was. You didn't want to be anyone's "addition." The first 15 years of your life were spent living for others and you wouldn't return to that now, but Tengen wasn't going to give up on you easily. The boss had given him one last mission as a farewell and he wasn't going to fail. He would do anything to get you to marry him for the mutual good.

“I'm serious, you don't want me as a wife and I don't want to be your wife. You already have 3 wives who love you very much and I want to discover the world. It’s not meant to be. Why don't we just go back the way we came and pretend that none of this happened?” You offered, forcing him to take his valuable items. Although you weren't going to give him back the knives, you needed that money.

The vein on Tengen's forehead was about to burst. It wasn't hard for him to flirt with women to get information on his missions. They all fell at his feet with a simple smile or a “hero-savior” act like this. Why were you being so stubborn? It seems like he had already played all his cards, but he had one left. A rather risky one.

“If he doesn’t have to say anything else, I’m leaving.” You bowed before stepping away from the conversation. 

“Are you really going to go back to stealing? You know you’re better than that.” Tengen said without even looking at you again, knowing damn well that punching your ego would make you stop. 

“Maybe I'm better than that, but it gives me the freedom I want,” you answered without turning back. You were about to take another step, but his words stopped you again.

“How about I give you another option?”

You turned on your heels to face him curiously. What was this about? A trap? What was his foolish insistence that you stay? You had more questions than answers, but he had saved you, the least you could give him was to listen to his proposal.

“I’m listening…”

“I used to be the Sound Hashira for the Demon Slayer Corps. I decided to retire for my wives’ and own sake when I lost my eye and arm after killing a demon moon,” he explained.

“Yes, and?” You asked with a certain indifference so that he would get to the point.

“You are silent, fast and bite back.” Tengen approached you curiously. “I think you have the potential to become my successor.”

If your jaw wasn't stuck to your skull, your mouth would have fallen to the floor. Was he really offering you a position that hundreds of demon slayers would kill for? It was such a shock that you could only laugh. Tengen glared at you, offended by your reaction.

“Aren't demon slayers supposed to prepare from adolescence to take the exam? I'm older than you!” You chuckled, still unable to believe it.

“I know it's unusual, but it's not the rule. You have potential.” You wanted to reply, but Tengen interrupted you. “Just think about it. You'll be able to see the outside world, have adventures, and earn good, honest money”

What Tengen was proposing was not bad at all. Being a demon slayer was one of the most dangerous but best-paid jobs in Japan. The idea of ​​getting paid to venture out into the world and save people was so tempting. You could already picture yourself in the Demon Slayer Corps uniform, a sharp katana at your waist, and killing demons left and right. It seemed like an exciting life, but a short one. Were you really up to it, or was this one of his tactics to get you to stay longer with him? Every good deal has terms and conditions written between the lines.

“What’s the catch?” You asked defensively.

“I’ll train you for a year. During that year, you’ll live under my roof, eat at my table, and obey my wives.” He got even closer to you, so much so that his body was beginning to rub against yours. You tried to back away, but Tengen grabbed you by the waist so you wouldn’t try to run away. “And I’ll do everything I can to make you fall for me. I’ll treat you like you’ve never been treated before so you won’t want to go back to the filth of the street.” He whispered in your ear.

His seductive purr ran down your spine in a shiver. You grabbed his arm to push him away, but he was stronger than you. You only caused him to completely glue you to his broad body like two magnets. What the fuck was that? Was he flirting or threatening you? You tensed at his possessive touch, but you stayed strong despite some of his white hairs caressing your cheek.

“When you’re ready for the exam, I’ll propose to you again. If you refuse again, I’ll give up and set you free. What do you say?”

Despite your uncertainties, only a dummy would reject a Hashira's ​​proposal to be his student. It was a position hundreds of young men would kill for. It was a true honor to be chosen by him… that’s if Tengen didn’t offer it to you just because, right?

“You promise that you’ll let me go if I reject you?” You asked him cautiously.

“I promise you in the name of my three beautiful wives.” Tengen smiled at you so you could trust his words.

“Fine, I’ll be your student.” You agreed with a sigh. You didn’t know what exactly you were getting into, but it seemed exciting.

“Perfect! I’m just warning you, I can be a very strict teacher.” Tengen laughed, patting you on the shoulder. You whined at the pain of the cuts from the demon’s claws. He stopped immediately as soon as he felt the blood on his palm. “You’re hurt! Why didn’t you say anything?!” He scolded you.

“It’s just a scratch…” You tried to minimize the damage.

But before you knew it, Tengen had already thrown you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and was on his way to the estate. You knew he was fast, but experiencing it for yourself almost made you vomit. How could someone as big as him be as fast as a flash? You closed your eyes to keep from getting dizzy and clung to his back to keep from falling, even though he was holding you by the ass.

Already at the estate, the three wives were waiting for their husband outside the house. They were all glad that you were both alive. Tengen pulled you off his shoulder and ordered Suma to heal you, but you stopped her before she could pull you into the house.

Even though Tengen had given you a second chance, his wives hadn't. You took a deep breath before doing one of the most embarrassing things you could do. They all gasped in surprise as you knelt in front of them, the marks left by the demon becoming more evident at your act of submission.

“I want to apologize to you. I manipulated you into helping me rob you. I won't do it again. I'm so sorry. Please accept me back into your home.” You said with your head on the ground. The three wives looked at each other as if they could speak telepathically.

“We forgive you because karma has already taken care of you.” Suma said.

You looked up and the three wives were offering their assistance to help you up. You couldn't help but blush at how cute they looked smiling. You took their hands shyly, still not feeling deserving of their forgiveness. But you would do everything in your power to get their trust back. 

Chapter Text

Attempted robbery, a demon almost killed you, and now you were the student of the Sound Hashira. That had undoubtedly been the most chaotic day of your life. It usually has twists and turns, but yours felt like a gymnast. After the wives wrapped you up in bandages and Tengen explained the new dynamic to his wives, you returned to the same bed you never thought you'd touch again. You didn't know exactly what you'd gotten yourself into by accepting this unusual deal, but at least you wouldn't have to worry about where you'd sleep tomorrow.

The Uzui marriage fell asleep after making sure you were well bandaged and comfortable in your new room. The night passed too quickly for their liking. The next morning, Hinatsuru was the first to wake up, as usual. She rubbed her eyes while patting Suma's back to wake her up as well. The blue-eyed wife mumbled complaints about having to wake up so early, but she did it anyway. She then took it upon herself to pull Makio by the leg to get her out of bed.

"Let me sleep for 10 more minutes!" Makio complained, waking Tengen.

"Don't yell, you already woke him up!" Suma scolded her.

"What if you two stop yelling?" Tengen muttered, annoyed.

Hinatsuru chuckled at the interaction as she tied her hair up. Her smile changed for a raised eyebrow as a delicious smell invaded her nose, forcing her to quickly leave the room. Suma, Makio, and Tengen also noticed it and followed her. Upon entering the dining room, there was a large feast on the table. From white rice to grilled fish, the table was set perfectly, with miso soup awaiting each diner. You then entered carrying a tray with a tea set.

"Oh, good morning, Uzui family," you bowed.

"Wow, this looks magnificent!" Tengen exclaimed excitedly.

"You shouldn't have, we could have helped you." Hinatsuru worried, not wanting you to get hurt further after last night's attack.

"I insist. It's the least I can do after taking advantage of you," you argued. "Please sit down, the food's getting cold."

You had promised yourself you wouldn't cook for anyone again, but after your attempt to steal from your new teacher and his family, this was the only way you could think of to repay them for their trouble. You wished you could do something else, but there wasn't much you were good at.

"Come on, come on! Don't be shy! Y/n made this for us, we should thank her by finishing the dishes clean." Tengen encouraged his wives.

The family and the new tenant were eating in silence. Hinatsuru and Tengen enjoyed the food, while Suma and Makio pretended it wasn't that good out of pride when in reality everything was delicious. Tengen couldn't help but sneak glances at you from across the table. You'd washed your clothes before breakfast. It was a shame you no longer wanted to wear Hinatsuru's low-cut dress, so you were now wearing one of the light sets the hunters used to lounge in. Still, you looked quite cute.

"So you're a… thief..." Makio commented with passive-aggressive curiosity.

"I am.”

"Aren't you ashamed?" Suma judged you with a raised eyebrow.

"Not at all." You sipped your tea, letting them see that what they said didn't really affect you.

"What's the most expensive thing you've ever stolen?" Makio inquired.

"Your husband's diamonds." You glared at her. Makio and Suma were about to yell their best insults at you, but Tengen intervened.

"Enough! She's no longer a thief; she's my student from today on, so behave like one." Tengen scolded them.

"Yes, Mr. Tengen," the three said reluctantly, before continuing to eat.

"How are your shoulders? Do they hurt?" Hinatsuru asked worriedly, changing the subject drastically.

Of the three wives, Hinatsuru was the one who always worried about you. It was funny how the one you considered your biggest obstacle became your best help around the house.

"It doesn’t hurt as much thanks to the ointment you applied last night." You gave her a grateful smile.

"I'm glad." She returned the gesture, relieved.

"Don't worry too much about me, I've had worse."

"Worse?" Hinatsuru tilted her head in confusion.

"When you're a thief, you run into any kind of problem. You know, to survive. Demons, clandestine fights, other thieves, diseases..." You explained as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Hinatsuru covered her mouth in shock, and tears filled her eyes. She couldn't imagine how hard it was for you to live on the streets. Stealing out of necessity, fighting for food, and hiding to survive the cold nights. She had such a privileged life when there were so many people like you out there. "Now what did I do?!" You flinched when she started to cry. Hinatsuru suddenly wrapped you in a tight hug.

"You're in good hands now, Y/n. We'll take care of you so nothing bad happens to you." Hinatsuru hugged you against her chest as she wept uncontrollably.

You didn't know what was happening, but you did know Hinatsuru's impressive breasts were right in your face. Your cheeks turned crimson, but you didn't move away. "I can get used to this," you thought with a lustful smile. Tengen almost broke his chopsticks with jealousy as he watched you enjoy his wife's breasts.

｡ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ₊ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ｡˚

After breakfast, Tengen asked you to go outside to the backyard to begin your training. The sun was at its peak, the air was fresh, and the leafy trees provided a good shade. You slowly moved your shoulder in circles to warm up. Even though the scars weren't serious, they still hurt.

This would be your first training as a demon slayer. Despite your nerves, you focused on doing the best you could with your current set of skills. Tengen was about to show you a new world, and you were ready to open yourself up to it, finally living a life that was not only free, but honorable, like your old tutor had always wanted for you.

"Since you're hurt, we'll start with something simple. Let's begin with breathing exercises," Tengen told you to stop you from moving your shoulder.

Your master stood behind you, placing his large hand on your stomach. You tried to relax as much as possible, but you still couldn't stop thinking that Tengen was touching you. It was gentle, almost intimate.

"Take a deep breath." You obeyed him, but as you did, you couldn't help but slump your shoulders. "No, you're not doing it wrong," Tengen scolded you disappointedly, shaking his head.

"Is it possible to breathe wrong?" you asked, offended by his ridiculous complaints.

"Every time you breathe, it feels like you're deflating."

Tengen was now going to show you how it was done. He took your hand and placed it between his yukata so you could feel his bare abdomen. You gasped in shock at the sheer strength of his muscles. His abs felt like stones. You hated to admit it, but Tengen had an impressive and enviable body.

"When you breathe, your chest and stomach should be the only things that swell. Don't move your shoulders. Just like that," Tengen instructed you as you felt his abs expand and contract in an almost sensual rhythm.

"Oh, I see," you stammered, impressed.

"Now you do it." You closed your eyes, focusing on breathing without having to move your shoulders like he just taught you. Your teacher decided to take advantage of this situation to make you nervous. "You're doing very well, keep it up," Tengen whispered in your ear.

The moment his hot breath caressed your ear, a shock jolted through you. You squeezed your eyes shut in frustration as you realized your cheeks were turning crimson. "He's doing it on purpose!" you thought, offended, realizing he was toying with you. You tried to think of other things so your blush wouldn't go away. You thought about the emperor's terrible rule, the grotesque curses that would one day kill you, the absolute power of the rich... how rich he looked without his yukata. "ENOUGH!"

"You know you can stop touching me, right?"

You opened your eyes to realize he'd let go of you long ago, so you continued to touch his abdomen without any force. You pulled your hand out of his yukata, your face redder than a tomato.

"Sorry, I focused too much," you stammered with an embarrassed smile.

"Don't worry, I'm used to having that effect on women." Tengen grabbed your chin and forced you to look into his eyes. "Especially women as beautiful as you."

You knew he only did this to make you want to marry him. It was the deal you had made, after all. You could accept that Tengen was an extremely attractive man, that he had a voice as smooth as silk and a physique that would make any woman melt, but you weren't going to lose focus on your goal for him. Oh, no, sir! You would never be his wife, or anyone else's.

"Can we get back to the lesson?" You asked more seriously, jerking your face away from his hand.

Tengen already knew you didn't want to marry him. It had become abundantly clear after last night. You preferred to return to the streets rather than sleep under the same roof as him. But he wasn't going to give up. His boss had given him one last mission, and he wasn't going to fail it, especially now that he had his wives on his side.

"Of course. Let's continue," Tengen instructed.

Chapter Text

Two weeks later…

You unwrapped the bandages off your shoulder and your fingertips felt the wound completely healed. You sighed, relieved; there was no need to bandage it again. You got ready for a new day in your room, in complete silence so as not to wake the still-sleeping couple. With your phantom stride, you made your way to the kitchen. You ate an apple to keep your stomach somewhat full and went out to the garden to begin your workout. 

You stretched your muscles, just as Tengen had taught you. The sun was barely making its grand appearance over the mountains, its rays slowly caressing your skin. The freshness of the morning bathed your body, which would soon warm up from the exercise. Stretching was easy for you, all thanks to the years of escaping, infiltration, and sneaking that come with the life of a thief.

100 squats, 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and a 10-kilometer run were what you had to do every morning before breakfast. It was repetitive and tiring, but if that was the way you were going to earn your freedom, you would do it. The first 50 push-ups were easy until your arms started to shake and you felt sweat break out on your shoulder blades.

You heard someone's heavy footsteps approaching you. It was Tengen, inspecting your form as you did the exercise like a curious cat on a rooftop. His eyes were so fixed on you that you could feel part of your body he was seeing. It was one of his favorite flirting tactics. You'd noticed him doing it even with his wives. He'd stare at them until they smiled and blushed. You found it annoying. "Can't I just have a morning alone?" you thought, annoyed.

Tengen didn't understand why he couldn't win you over. You'd already brought out his best assets: his physique, his strength, and his money, but it didn't seem to work. He'd have to go back to basics: showing off his flamboyant personality. He flexed his powerful arm and swayed his hips as he watched you intently, like a flirty peacock.

You were doing a good job so far. In fact, you were one of the few apprentices who took initiative and did your exercises without him having to ask you to; it was refreshing to see. He knew you had potential to tap into. "Maybe I'm better than that, but it's what gives me the freedom I want."

"What kind of freedom do you want?" Tengen's silky voice broke the silence, trying to sound like a wise teacher.

"Do whatever I want, go wherever I want to go, eat whatever I want. You know, freedom." You answered between groans about doing 90 push-ups in a row, annoyed by how desperate he seemed for your attention.

"Can't you do that even if you're married? There are plenty of husbands who are quite permissive, like me, for example," he said, a mischievous smirk gracing his lips.

"I don't need anyone's permission." You laughed at the idea of ​​reporting everything you did with someone. You barely got up from the floor after finishing your push-ups, now you had to run 10 kilometers. "Besides, I want the freedom to love whoever I want."

This gave you a wicked idea. Flirting is a two-player game, and you were very good at it. If Tengen wanted your attention, you'd give it to him, but not in the way he wanted.

“You should understand. You have three beautiful wives who adore you, but this monogamous society doesn’t understand that, right?”

You subtly approached him to place your hands on his chest. Your fingers traced the edges of his haori down to the belt that accentuated his figure. Tengen’s body tensed, stunned by your touch, slow and calculated. 

You stood on tiptoe to reach his ear and whisper, “I want to love hundreds of women. To kiss their sweet lips, fall asleep on their voluptuous breasts, wrap my arms around their waists, open their legs, and devour them whole.”

Tengen’s cheeks flushed crimson at the mental image. He knew exactly how it felt. A sinful act that makes you feel closer to heaven. Imagining you kissing Makio, playing with Suma's breasts, and between Hinatsuru's legs had left him speechless. He should be ashamed of what his mind was capable of creating, but with the way you caressed him, it was very difficult.

You moved your hands up to his broad chest and adjusted the collar of his garment, your thumbs making brief contact with his skin. You leaned wickedly closer to his other ear. "Although, I also want to love hundreds of men, kiss their necks, feel their strong biceps, scratch their backs, ride them... Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

Tengen parted his lips like a thirsty man searching for water; he wasn't used to a woman being so blunt with him. Not even his wives spoke like that, despite being married for many years. Something long began to escape from between his loose clothing. Feeling it against your pelvis, you stepped back.

“I can’t achieve that if I don’t become a demon slayer first, can I?” You gave him a passionate smile before jogging away from him.

“Yeah, that’s it!” Tengen stammered, trying to hide how stunned he was from the interaction.

The moment you disappeared from his sight, he let out a frustrated sigh. You were cruel for playing with him like that. But Tengen hadn’t lost hope; you had flirted back. That was a good sign, wasn’t it? A hopeful smile crept onto his face. It seemed like he wouldn’t fail the last mission the boss had given him. Tengen turned around and walked awkwardly toward the river. “I need a cold shower.”

｡ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ₊ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ｡˚

Running around the town was more relaxing than you thought. The sound of the sea, the seagulls flying overhead, and the people too busy with work to pay attention to you. You were beginning to love coastal towns, despite how difficult it was to rob them. You took a short break by the dock to watch a boat set sail. What would it be like to travel by boat? What lay beyond the sea? Maybe one day you'd have to discover it. With this conviction in mind, you continued on your way back to the farm.

Breakfast was delicious. You cooked it with the help of the wives. Little by little, you lost your hatred of cooking for someone else and enjoyed doing it with more people. It was a group activity rather than an act of servitude. It was nice to hear their praise for your skills once the food was ready, a big difference from how they treated you at The Last Drop.

"You look radiant, my beautiful sunset." Tengen flattered Makio at breakfast, holding her hand across the table.

Makio raised her eyebrow sharply. "What do you want?" She grunted between bites.

Usually, Tengen's tactics worked on Suma and Hinatsuru, but never on Makio. Suma and Hinatsuru always did whatever he wanted in exchange for a few sweet words and a kiss, but not Makio. The toughest of wives could always read his intentions, so she only obeyed him if he convinced her. You tensed when you realized the situation, but you didn't stop eating. "Maybe I'll open my own restaurant, since I'll save some money," you thought, ignoring the marital argument.

"You know me so well," Tengen said, embarrassed. "I need you to help me train Y/n."

"I thought she was your student," Makio emphasized, annoyed. I really didn't want to train the one who almost stole their husbands.

"But I thought you might be a better opponent for fighting practice," Tengen suggested.

Her eyes lit up with mischief and she gave you a wicked grin. You nearly choked on your rice in fright. One of the most important skills for being a good thief is knowing when someone's going to beat the shit out of you. "Makio's going to beat the shit out of me," you thought, defeated.

｡ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ₊ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ｡˚

After breakfast, Tengen led you to the courtyard to begin a new day of training. Suma and Hinatsuru followed behind out of sheer curiosity. First, Tengen asked them to warm up. Makio moved gracefully, like a gazelle, preparing to run through the grass. Unlike you, she did have the discipline and dedication of belonging to a large ninja clan. You were starting to get more nervous with each stretch you couldn't do.

"Have you fought before?" Tengen asked.

"A couple of times for food or shelter," you replied.

"You poor thing!" Hinatsuru felt sorry for you. Suma quickly approached to console her great empathy.

"Fine, then this will be a test fight so you can show me what I'll be working with," Tengen explained.

You and Makio approached the center. You raised your fists nervously. It's been a while since you've fought, and the last time you did, it was with a drunk over a plate of food. Makio smirked at your poor posture. She cracked her knuckles and launched into the attack. She threw a couple of impressive punches for being a girl. Her blows were so fast that you could only dodge them. She didn't even give you time to breathe. She made you retreat with your defense up.

Tengen looked at the poor excuse for a fight completely. Makio completely dominated the space, but your feet moved nimbly. Despite lacking skill, you were agile enough to survive the fight. You had the makings of a demon slayer, as he'd predicted all along.

Makio swung a right hook that caught you square in the cheek. Taking such a hard blow, you stumbled, but you didn't let your defense waver. The furious wife hit you again and again, but you didn't give up. Between each blow, you saw a window of opportunity. You tried to land your first blow of the entire fight, but Makio quickly covered up and landed a right hook that knocked you completely off your feet.

"Ouch." Suma and Hinatsuru reacted in unison.

"Is that all you've got?!" Makio sneered.

"You wish," you said as you got up from the ground, wiping the trail of blood from your nose.

"That's how I like it! Show me what you're made of!" Makio roared.

"Well, you asked for it..."

You returned to the center to launch yourself at him with your best blow, which landed on his shoulder. Even though he didn't like you, Makio had to admit you had the guts to stand up to him. Not even the other wives lasted that long in a fight; they'd completely abandoned their kunoichi status to become housewives.

You threw a punch that Makio swiftly dodged. I noticed you opened your stance too much, and she stepped into your square to jab you in the chin, knocking you out completely.

"You killed her!" Hinatsuru shrieked, running toward you.

"She'll be fine." Makio defended herself.

"I think you went a little too far this time, but it was a good hit." Tengen congratulated his wife with a kiss on the cheek before walking over to make sure you were okay.

｡ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ₊ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ｡˚

You couldn't tell how many minutes had passed. Your head was spinning, and you could barely adjust to the sunlight. You blinked a few times to focus on what was above you: the four most beautiful faces you'd ever seen. Tengen and his wives watched you worriedly, afraid that the final blow had been too much.

"How are you feeling?" Suma asked.

"Am I in heaven, or why am I seeing four angels?" you asked in your delirium. Tengen and the girls couldn't help but laugh.

Chapter Text

A couple of weeks later…

The bamboo katanas collided with a loud clash. You were in the middle of your afternoon training, fighting (surviving) against Tengen. You didn't have a chance of winning, but you were learning how to defend yourself. Your hands gripped the katana tightly so it wouldn't snap in half from Tengen's immediate force. That was your mission for this training: Survive a sword duel against the famous Sound Hashira. Despite only having one arm, he wielded the katana as if it were a real one, seeking to hit you in any weak spot you showed.

This was the fifth duel of the day, and the one you'd lasted the longest: a full five minutes. Tengen lunged at your katana, clashing it right down the middle in an attempt to break it, but you held it firm enough to keep it in one piece. Tengen forced his body within your safe perimeter, forcing the katana to its breaking point.

"You're learning now!" Tengen exclaimed proudly. "But you won't last much longer. Just give up." He gave you a cynical smile, ecstatic at the good fight you were putting up.

"You underestimate me!" you exclaimed, determined not to be defeated so quickly.

"No, you're the one underestimating me!"

You tensed your entire body to face your master's massive muscles, even clenching your jaw from the tremendous effort you were putting up to keep the katana from breaking under the weight. It seemed that even your best efforts weren't enough because he began to push against your sword, dragging you back. You tried to steady your feet on the ground, but the loose earth wasn’t helping you.

"I just need to push a little more and this battle will be over," Tengen mocked you.

"I want to see you try!" you challenged him fiercely.

Tengen's smile widened, deciding to win this battle once and for all. He tried to knock you down using only his upper body. Your katana creaked, slowly giving way before you, but you decided to outmaneuver him. When your teacher tried to push you, you quickly curled up like a hedgehog, causing him to trip over you and fall to the ground. Tengen tried to regain his stance, but you secured your wooden katana and pointed it at his body, keeping him on the ground.

"Now who underestimates whom, master." Now you mocked him with a smirk, proud of your prowess.

"I wouldn't be too sure," Tengen warned you.

Before you knew it, Tengen kicked your legs, and you lost your balance and fell beside him. He was now the one mocking you as you rolled onto your back in a half-hearted attempt to catch your breath from the tremendous blow. You breathed deeply, your hand on your stomach, staring up at the clear sky. The fight had only lasted six minutes, but it felt like a full day.

"Who won?" you asked in a huff.

"Let's just call it a draw."

Tengen also took a moment to rest. For someone who'd only been training for a couple of weeks, you were holding your own better than the novice demon slayers. He didn't know if it was because he was a great teacher or if you were a very good student. He turned his head to see you basking in the warm sun against your skin. One sun basking in the other. Tengen reached for a strand of your unruly hair and tucked it behind your ear, prompting your attention.

"Good work." Tengen smiled at you.

"You're just making fun of me." You rolled your eyes.

"I’m not making fun of you, I'm being very serious."

At that, Tengen pulled you by the waist to scoot you against his side. Even though you were lying in the sun, your clothes now covered in dirt, and you could really get up whenever you wanted, he brought his face closer to yours, intensifying the moment. You stared into each other's eyes, not saying a single word. There was no need for that when they could say everything with your eyes.

Sometimes you didn't know if he did it on purpose or if he was just that naturally flirtatious. You wanted to be annoyed with how captivating he was, but his seduction even worked on you. You had to mentally slap yourself to wake up; your freedom was on the line. Although, there were times when the trance was so good that you preferred to enjoy his attention for a little longer.

The world around him no longer existed. It was just you and Tengen, the open sky and the warmth of your bodies. You already knew where this was going; you weren't stupid. You knew exactly what he wanted, and you were willing to give it to him just this once. You looked into his eyes, then quickly at his lips, and back to his eyes again. Tengen quickly understood your signal. He took you by the back of the neck and pulled you close to kiss your lips. Slowly, maybe too slow.

"Lunch is served! Come eat now!" Suma announced from the kitchen door.

And as quickly as you'd fallen for his charms, you quickly snapped out of them. Suma's scandalous announcement felt like a bucket of cold water had been thrown over you, just what you needed to keep you from doing something you might regret later. You broke away from Tengen and rejoined him.

"You shouldn't keep your wives waiting." You tried to joke around to kill the little tension that remained. You offered him your hand to help him up, a peace offering.

Tengen sighed in resignation and took yours. He'd been so close to making his move, but failed again. But, for the first time in a long time, you didn't resist. And that was a victory in itself. Little by little, he was getting closer to fulfilling his boss's last mission.

 ｡ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ₊ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ｡˚

The next morning…

Running 10 kilometers a day was the most tedious part of morning training. When you first started training, it left you completely exhausted. Now, you were just bored with running the same route every day, your body on fire. You were heading back to the estate to take a shower before breakfast, but as you reached the stone path, you ran into Suma, carrying a small basket on her arm.

"Good morning, Suma. Where are you going so early?" you asked, your voice breaking.

"I'm just going to the market."

"What about the others? You always go together."

"Today I had to go alone. Makio and Hinatsuru stayed to pick the fruit from the trees before the birds eat them." Suma explained.

"In that case, I can go with you," you offered, taking the basket from her arm to carry it for her.

"Isn't that too much trouble?" Suma inquired, in case you were too tired to help her out.

"Of course not." You smiled at her before wiping your sweat with your sleeve.

The two of you walked down the path to the market. Suma was the one with the mental list of what you needed to buy, so you just focused on carrying everything. From fresh vegetables to fish wrapped in paper. Little by little, the basket wasn't big enough to carry everything, but you had to balanced everything, so nothing would fall out.

"Carrots, yes. Radishes, yes... The only thing missing is a sack of rice, but I can buy that later." Suma mentally reviewed what she still needed to buy.

"Why don't we buy it now?" you asked.

"Because Tengen is the one who always carries it," Suma answered.

The truth was, Suma loved watching her husband carry heavy things, whether it was a sack of rice, wooden beams, or one of the other wives. She liked admiring his flexed biceps, his white hair in a ponytail, and his skin sweating under the bright sun. The epitome of masculinity.

"But I can carry it this time. I'm already carrying everything."

"Really, can I carry everything?" Suma raised her eyebrow.

"Of course I can," you told him with a confident smile.

She knew you'd gained some strength thanks to her husband's training, but had the few weeks of hard work really been enough for you to be able to carry a large sack of rice? Suma looked you up and down with disdain, unconvinced and a little annoyed that you would take away her chance to see Tengen in action, but she still decided to go ahead with the plan. Maybe that would teach you a lesson about humility and being realistic.

They headed to the village’s seed and grain store. Suma asked the vendor for the same sack of rice she orders every two weeks, and he delivered it to her door—a 10-kilogram sack of rice. Suma thought that seeing the size of the sack, you'd realize you couldn't carry it, and they'd have to return home to ask her burly husband to bring the rice, but she was wrong.

"Hold onto this." You gave the basket of things to Suma.

"You told me you'd carry everything!" She complained.

"Just hold the basket!" You scolded her.

She took it angrily, thinking that now she had to carry the basket because you realized you couldn't carry both things. "If Tengen were here, he'd carry everything," she thought angrily.

She was about to complain again when you took the sack of rice and hoisted it onto your shoulder without a problem. Suma was impressed with how easily you did it, as you didn't even complain. Then you bent down enough, so the sack reached her chest.

"Put the basket on the sack," you asked, to which she complied.

Once Suma did it, you stood up straight, maintaining perfect posture, so nothing would fall off. "I told you I could carry it all." You gave Suma a victorious smile before starting the journey back home.

Suma walked behind you. She kept her eyes on you, and it wasn't just in case you dropped something. Your hair was in a ponytail, allowing her to see the sweat running down your neck. Your clothes were transparent against the sun, allowing her to admire the lines of your shoulder blades. It was the first time she'd seen your flexed biceps, realizing that all this time you hadn't been weak, but rather had a ghost athletic build that only stood out when you tensed your muscles. Not even Makio, the strongest of wives, could do it like you did.

Suma was blushing, unable to take her eyes off you. She did her best to look away, but you looked so attractive that it was impossible. She must have been embarrassed; she had a husband she loved with all her heart, and here she was, drooling over his student's physique.

"I'm surprised you were able to regain your strength in such a short time," Suma commented, trying to distract her mind.

"Regain my strength? I've been carrying sacks of rice for as long as I can remember, it's practically routine," you explained.

"Did you steal a lot of sacks of rice?" Suma inquired, to which you couldn't help but laugh.

"No, no. Before I was a thief, I worked in a shady diner that sometimes served food. Ever since I was a child, I was the one in charge of running errands during the day, so I had to get used to carrying large sacks of rice every day."

"That explains why you cook so well." The wife connected the dots.

"I had to, it was that or starve to death."

Every day you earned Suma's respect more. She admired not only your body, but your strength in the face of circumstances and your adaptability to survive. You really were quite strong in every way, someone worthy of admiration.

"Speaking of starving, what do you want for breakfast?" you asked. "I'll make you anything you ask for."

"Really? Whatever I ask for?"

"Sure, anything for the spoiled princess of the house." You turned to give her a mocking smile.

Suma's face flushed with crimson. You burst out laughing and looked back forward, having managed to annoy her, but the truth was, Suma loved being called "princess" by you.  "You have a husband!" Suma scolded herself, burying her face in her hands.

Chapter Text

Two months later…

The katana gleamed against the autumn sun with every breath, just as Tengen had taught you over the past few weeks. You were training in the estate's courtyard with a silver katana that had a black handle, a real one. Your master had gotten it for you after making sure you understood how to wield one properly. You swung the katana from side to side, ensuring your body had memorized the movement perfectly.

The leaves on the trees were turning golden, the wind was warmer, and the seasonal fruit was ready to be harvested. The three wives were picking nashi pears before the birds ate them, but they were working slower than usual. They couldn't help but watch you from a distance while you trained, distracting them from their task.

Hinatsuru picked the pears from the tree and placed them in a basket, taking the opportunity to spy on you through the branches. You had improved so much since you began your training. Now you truly looked like a true demon slayer with your sharp katana, ready to slay any demon. You reminded her of when she first saw Tengen. She was so proud to see you working so hard, but she also found the way you focused very attractive.

On the other hand, there was Makio, who thought you looked amazing, like an agile and graceful cat. You moved faster than she had ever been able to in the ninja community. Being a thief all your life, you had led a very active life and were therefore in good condition. Makio envied you, but also hated that she couldn't take her eyes off you. It was nothing she hadn't seen before, but still felt a strange need to admire you completely.

Unlike Makio, Suma was completely fascinated whenever she watched you train. Since you returned to your ideal weight, your muscles bulged even more as you flexed them with each imaginary chop, your face glistening with sweat, and the moans of exertion caused her mind to wander down more perverted paths. Suma grabbed a pear, and with her sapphires lost in you, instead of the fruit falling into the basket, it fell to the ground.

“Suma! Don't be so careless!” Makio scolded her sharply.

“I'm sorry!” Suma shrieked, waking up from her trance.

“We can't afford to waste anything. These pears will fund Tengen's birthday party,” Hinatsuru reminded her.

Tengen's birthday was at the end of the month, so they'd been saving every last cent they earned from selling fruit to buy their husband a nice gift.

After doing the movement a thousand times, you decided to take a moment to rest. The three wives watched as you put the katana back in its sheath and went to the water fountain to take a drink, disappearing from sight upon reaching the white house.

“She's so attractive,” Hinatsuru whispered in love, but didn't realize she'd said it out loud. Suma and Makio stared at her in surprise. “But you two are gorgeous,” she said quickly to cover her own ass.

“She's not that attractive.” Suma shook her head. “She may be strong, have an enviable body and radiant hair, but she's not that attractive.” “She just described Tengen,” Hinatsuru thought.

“Yes! We're much prettier than her” Makio agreed. “I don't know why Tengen would notice her.”

The three wives could badmouth you all they wanted, but deep down they knew the truth: They were all attracted to you on some level and just wanted to hide it, but none of them were ready for that awkward conversation.

“I don't know why Tengen even noticed me either,” you said behind them.

The three women screamed when they noticed your presence. Despite having lived under the same roof for over three months now, they still hadn't gotten used to your phantom footsteps. As she screamed, Makio dropped the pear she was holding in fright. Luckily, you caught it with your foot before it hit the floor. You lifted it up to pick it up and return it to the basket.

“That was close, you should be more careful.” You smiled at Makio, to which she immediately blushed. “She’s so cool!” The three wives thought at the same time, as if they were connected telepathically. “What are you whispering about? Are you talking shit about Tengen?” You muttered that last part.

“No, no! We would never speak ill of Tengen!” Suma declared.

“Don't worry, your secret is safe with me.” You winked at them.

“No, seriously, we would never speak ill of our husband,” Hinatsuru said.

“Well, my respects,” you said, clapping in awe. “So if you're not talking shit of him, what are you talking about?”

The three wives looked at each other at the same time, but none of them wanted to tell the truth. Suma quickly came up with a lie:

“You were talking about… Tengen… and his birthday,” Suma said, slurring her words to create a good excuse.

“When is his birthday?” you asked.

“October 31st. We want to throw him a surprise party,” Hinatsuru commented. She was relieved they'd changed the subject, and the best part was, it wasn't technically a lie.

“Oh, that sounds fun! I've never been to a party,” you told them with a big smile.

“Really?” Makio asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, when you're poor, there's no time nor money to throw parties,” you explained. Hinatsuru's heart sank at your sad story.

“I don't know what gift him… What are you going to get him?” you asked for inspiration.

“I'm thinking of getting him something for his hair,” Hinatsuru replied.

“Maybe some new sandals,” Makio commented.

“I might make him something handmade.” Suma joined in.

“Something handmade…” you thought aloud. “I think I can make him something.”

｡ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ₊ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ｡˚

October 31st.

Tengen had had the best day of his life. His three wives woke him up with breakfast in bed, which you helped prepare. He took a walk through the village with Hinatsuru. All the villagers congratulated him on his birthday, invited him to several tea houses to eat delicious snacks, and even offered to marry a young woman as a gift, which he politely declined, but was quite flattered.

Meanwhile, Suma, Makio, and you ran around the house like crazy to get everything ready for the surprise party. Suma decorated the inside of the house, Makio placed lanterns in the yard, and you took care of all the food, especially the fugu sashimi, Tengen's favorite dish. You didn't even have time to train to finish everything on time. After some time, the guests arrived at the estate to start the party.

“They're coming! They're coming!” Suma exclaimed as quietly as she could, so everyone could quickly hide.

Some hid inside the house, others behind trees, and some others behind bushes. When Tengen and Hinatsuru opened the doors, everyone jumped out to surprise the birthday boy. His eye sparkled as everyone applauded him for his birthday.

“Thank you all,” Tengen smiled at them all.

Everyone gathered around the patio table under the pleasant afternoon sun. The grand banquet began amid friendly chatter and the first few laughs from the sake. You were sitting between two fish vendors, eating and drinking with everyone else. You were having a great time at your first party, entertaining some guests with your fascinating adventures around the country as a “traveling wanderer,” since you didn’t feel comfortable saying that you were actually a thief to total strangers.

Occasionally, you caught a glimpse of Tengen out of the corner of your eye, being the center of attention as always. Suma fed him, Makio refilled his sake glass, and Hinatsuru massaged his shoulders. It was a pleasant sight, a family that clearly loved each other despite everything life had thrown at them. You had no idea what that felt like, but now you knew it was possible. You were fine on your own… or so you thought.

｡ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ₊ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ｡˚

Night arrived too soon. Some guests were already drunk, singing songs and telling their dirty truths. Tengen, taking advantage of the special occasion, had also drunk too much. He smiled more widely, revealing radiant teeth that could eclipse the sun itself, and opened his yukata to vent his chest. It was time for the presents. Most of the villagers gave him produce of their own, so their wives stood out among the crowd.

Hinatsuru, knowing his extravagant style, gave him a silver hairpin. Tengen let her put it on immediately. Makio, knowing he needed a new pair, gave him new sandals. Her husband took the ones he was already wearing off to break the new ones in. Suma, thinking about his favorite colors, gave him a brightly beaded bracelet. Tengen asked her to tie it immediately around his wrist.

“Thank you, you are the best wives in the world. You are my greatest pride." Tengen kissed the three wives and hugged them tightly to his chest.

All the guests had already given him their gifts, only you were missing. Though he didn't really expect anything from you. You were his full-time student, so you didn't have time to work. But he still wished you had given him something. A flower, a letter, a dessert especially for him. Anything. Tengen looked for you among the guests and quickly realized you weren't at the table.

“Have you seen Y/n?” Tengen asked.

“I think I saw her go to the kitchen,” Hinatsuru replied.

“I'll just go thank her for the food.” Tengen excused himself from the table for a moment to go find you.

He staggered into the kitchen, the alcohol beginning to take its toll. He found pots full of rice, unserved desserts, and dirty dishes, but he couldn't find you. Tengen wandered around the house until he realized the light from your bedroom lamp was escaping under the door. He opened the door, finding you sitting on the bed.

“Tengen!” You jumped in fright, hiding something behind you. “What- what are you doing here?” you stammered. He just caught you red-handed, but he wasn't sure why your hand was red. 

“What are you doing locked in here?” Tengen approached you. The room was so small that it only took him a couple of steps to corner you against the wall, the perfect position to interrogate you.

“Nothing,” you answered quickly, avoiding his gaze.

“What are you hiding?” Tengen took your chin to pull you back into his uncovered eye.

“Nothing,” you stammered again.

Tengen's mischievous smile widened. “Then, if it’s nothing… You won’t mind giving me whatever you’re holding.”

Tengen quickly let go of your chin to reach for what you were hiding behind your back. You tried to pull it out of his reach, but he was quick enough to snatch it away without you noticing. He smiled when he saw it was a piece of paper.

“You wrote me a love letter?” Tengen scoffed before flipping the sheet over to see the contents.

Tengen was wrong. It wasn’t a love letter. It was a charcoal portrait of him. A simple bust, but the detail was stunning. You had captured the movement of his hair, the sparkle in his smile, and the symmetry of his features.

“I didn't get to finish it because I was preparing the food, so I hid to finish it. I'm just missing the details of your eye patch,” you explained nervously.

You'd never given one of your drawings away before. If someone had one of your drawings, it was to exchange it for food or shelter for a while. It was something very personal that you rarely gave away because each drawing took so much time and effort to make. It was proof that you could relax and admire your surroundings instead of worrying about surviving.

“It's beautiful. You're very talented,” Tengen whispered about the print.

“It doesn't take talent when the model is already beautiful.” You smiled at him.

Tengen looked at you, wondering if he had really heard that or if his drunken mind was playing tricks on him. Your gazes connected, and for a second, it was as if you could speak telepathically. Yes, Tengen had heard correctly. He always looked attractive, but alone against the dim lamplight, he looked even better, like a dream you never wanted to wake up from.

“So… do you like it? I think I put my eye patch too far out, but from a distance, it doesn't look so bad…”

He didn't know if it was the alcohol or the excitement that was to blame for his actions, but Tengen couldn't just tell you that he was fascinated by your gift. He felt the need to take it a step further. He had to show you. Tengen closed the distance between you to meet his lips with yours. You were so impressed that all you could do was hold on to the wall. Your eyes widened, and you raised your hands away from him. You had no idea what was happening, but one thing was undeniable: Tengen was an incredible kisser.

His passion, his gentleness, and his roughness blended perfectly. His lips danced hungrily over yours, he gently gripped your waist, and his thick torso pressed you against the wall. He reeked of alcohol, just like you, but that wasn't a problem. It was too much. It was impossible to resist. So you did what any woman would have done in your place: you kissed him back.

You wrapped your arms around his neck to deepen the kiss. At your initiative, Tengen dug his arm under your thighs to pick you up. You opened your legs slightly to hold him closer. He entered even further into your personal space, conquering every one of your curves.

You had kissed many people in your life, but he was different. You loved Tengen—how could you not? He was perfect in every sense of the word, but you couldn't give him what he wanted. You'd never had a partner, much less gotten engaged. You were afraid that everything would change after the wedding out of self-interest. You could only trust yourself. You preferred to enjoy Tengen casually rather than ruin everything with an engagement.

“I need you,” Tengen whispered against your lips.

“Here I am.”

Tengen laid you down on the bed and topped you. He loomed over you even larger. You grabbed his yukata and pulled him toward you to kiss him again, but a gasp stopped you mid-act. Tengen and you saw that the door was half-open. Someone had seen you…

It was Hinatsuru…

Chapter Text

Hinatsuru was the most cheerful of wives. The one who was always willing to help others without asking for anything in return, the one who always smiled like the stars to the earth, and the one who loved a good conversation with her family. But after her husband's birthday, she was quiet, serious, and still. Everyone noticed, but only Tengen and you knew the reason.

This was the quietest breakfast you'd witnessed since arriving at the estate. You ate across the table as if you were a guest, while the couple looked at each other, silently wondering what was going on. You had no idea if Hinatsuru had said anything to Suma and Makio, but it seemed she hadn't. If that was the case, they would already be burying your body in the courtyard. 

Tengen side-eyed Hinatsuru as he ate, pretending nothing was happening. Although he couldn't help but wonder why Hinatsuru hadn't told the wives, her best friends, the ones she always trusted the most. Whenever something happened to her, Makio and Suma were the first to find out. Tengen was almost always at the bottom of that list. Why hadn't she said anything? Maybe she was waiting for the right moment, or who knows, maybe she was about to blackmail him to get something in return. “Nah, she would never do something like that… would she?”

“Ah, I can't stand this silence anymore!” Makio complained, slamming her rice bowl hard on the table. “What's wrong, Hinatsuru?”

“Nothing is wrong,” Hinatsuru replied, pretending not to understand.

“We've all noticed you've been gloomy since last night. What's wrong? You can tell us anything.” Suma tried to reason with her.

“No, really, nothing's wrong.” Hinatsuru shook her head.

“Then why are you so quiet? You always comment about the morning, like, 'It's beautiful sunshine today,'” Makio told her.

“Yeah, or sometimes you say, 'Have you heard the birds? They're so beautiful,'" Suma joined in.

“Well, maybe my period is coming, or I'm about to get sick,” Hinatsuru replied.

She was lying. A great skill your tragic life had given you was knowing when someone was lying, and you'd never seen someone do it so blatantly. The forced smile, the gaze elsewhere, the tense posture… You felt bad about her having to catch her husband in bed with someone else. Why would he just say it? It was a completely valid reason to be depressed. In fact, you were worried that she was under-reacting. 

“I think I'll go lie down for a while.” Hinatsuru put her food on the table and stood up.

“But you've barely touched your plate,” Suma told her worriedly.

“I'm not hungry,” she replied before retreating to her room.

“Seriously, do any of you know what’s wrong with her?” Makio asked you and Tengen. You just shrugged. 

“Maybe she’s just tired from yesterday. She’s so used to being home that walking all over town to distract me wore her out. Don’t worry, I’ll talk to her later.” Tengen smiled at his wives so they wouldn’t worry any more than they already were.

“Fucking liar,” you thought before taking a bite of your rice.

 ｡ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ₊ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ｡˚

It was midday, and Hinatsuru hadn't left the room. Tengen felt horrible about what had happened last night. He'd made a terrible mistake and needed to apologize for it. He knocked on the door, and he whispered in. Hinatsuru was in bed, her head on the pillows and the blanket up to her waist. He closed the door and lay down beside her.

“I came to apologize for what happened,” he whispered. “It shouldn't have come to that. I didn't think it would come to that. I'm so sorry, darling.”

“Don't worry, we all know you're flirting with her because it's the leader's last wish that you marry her, it's just…”

“I'm not doing it for the leader” Tengen confessed.

Hinatsuru's eyes widened, realizing the implication of that confession.

“At first, I was doing it for the leader. It's probably his last mission for me, but she… this isn't about any mission anymore. It's so much more than that.” Tengen worked up the courage to confess something that had been on his mind for a long time. “When I married each of you, they were the most important days of my life, but that doesn't mean it wasn't arranged. We only married out of a cold family tradition that saw you only as helpers, not as wives worthy of love or respect. I didn't want to be like my father, so I worked hard not to be. I worked hard to love you so much that now I would risk my life for any day of you.”

Tengen sighed heavily after confessing that. He knew he'd dropped a bombshell on Hinatsuru, but he had to do it if he wanted to genuinely apologize. Even though his first touches were with Suma, his first kiss was with Makio, and his first time was with Hinatsuru, there were other firsts he'd discovered with you. You were the first woman who drove him crazy, the first he slept with after just one night, the first who made him blush as much as he did to her, the first who could bring him to his knees.

“Loving her feels so…” Tengen couldn't find the word he needed. “…natural. It's not out of commitment, tedious, or stressful. It's something new, something I never thought would happen. I'm supposed to be the teacher, but she teaches me something new every day.”

Hinatsuru was hearing for the first time how Tengen felt about his marriage. She felt so guilty seeing everything his heart held. He always made sure to protect them, cherish them, and provide for them, but they never realized what that entailed. He had embraced them so naturally that they never thought he was trying so hard inside.

“That's not a good enough apology; you must hate me even more,” Tengen murmured.

“I don't hate you. I could never hate you.” Hinatsuru took his hand, and Tengen intertwined their fingers. “Actually, I think I understand you. I was raised to be a perfect wife, so I was nervous when we met. I was so focused on serving you that I didn't realize what a good man you were until much later.” It was her turn to confess.

Tengen couldn't resist any longer and hugged her, hiding her in his chest. “You are the perfect wife. I couldn't ask for a better one. You are beautiful, sweet, intelligent, and very kind. I am a complete idiot who doesn't deserve you, Hinatsuru,” he whispered in her ear.

“It's true, you don't deserve me.” Hinatsuru pulled back slightly to look into his eyes. “But I choose to be with you, Tengen.” She smiled at him.

“I'm sorry. I promise to be a better husband to deserve you.” Tengen kissed her forehead.

“I forgive you.” Hinatsuru hugged him back.

 ｡ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ₊ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ｡˚

The tension on the estate was so great that you felt the need to hide in the woods. You trained all day on your own. You really didn't want to interfere with married life, but it was impossible when Tengen was flirting with you so blatantly. Using your frustration to push your body to the limit with every movement, you released every negative feeling. You shouldn't have kissed Tengen. You shouldn't have pulled him towards you. You shouldn't have let him climb on top of you. The memories of that night wouldn't let go, causing you to lose focus. In a flash, the katana flew from your hands and stuck in a nearby tree.

The frustration of the situation was so great that you were about to scream, but if you did, Tengen would immediately come looking for you. So you had to settle for throwing a rock as far as possible. You sat against a tree trunk to rest. You were outside the estate, you could simply grab your katana and make a run for it, finally achieving the freedom you so desired. But would it really be freedom or pure cowardice?

You were a true coward. You might have appeared strong on the outside, but you cracked at any sign of commitment. You were afraid to stay in one place, afraid to interact with others, afraid of being given responsibilities you couldn't handle. You only ran away, but you no longer knew from what. Like now, your body begged you to run away to avoid accepting the responsibility of being the other woman. But the real question was… Would you go back, or would you keep running until the end of your days?

｡ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ₊ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ｡˚

After a conversation with her husband (a rather “deep” one, if you asked her), Hinatsuru was already feeling better and was able to continue with her day. Suma and Makio were very happy that she was recovering so soon.

Dusk announced that night was dangerously approaching, and you still hadn't returned to the estate. Noticing your absence, Tengen, Suma, and Makio went out to look for you, fearing that you had run away again and were putting yourself in danger by sleeping on the streets. Hinatsuru stayed home to continue resting and welcome you in case you returned. She was finishing the last few clothes before hanging them out to dry when she saw you coming down the hill, katana in hand and covered in sweat.

“Did you have a good workout?” Hinatsuru asked, relieved that you were home.

“Yes, yes… I did,” you sighed.

After thinking about it for the rest of the day, you decided you couldn't keep running. If you wanted to become a demon slayer and find your own way in the world, running away was no longer an option. From now on, you would face your problems head-on and accept life's blows with honor and dignity.

“Tengen and the girls went out to look for you, thinking you ran away. We have to let them know you were just training.” Hinatsuru took your hand.

“Wait, I need to talk to you.” You stopped her. “Look, I want to apologize for messing with your husband. I don't remember how it happened exactly. I was drunk, I wasn't thinking clearly. It's no excuse, but it is the reason. I promise it won't happen again,” you explained.

“Seriously, it won't happen again?” Hinatsuru tilted her head, not entirely convinced that was the truth.

“Yeah, if you want, punish me. I'll do anything you ask,” you suggested.

And just like that, without warning or threat, Hinatsuru's hand flew to your cheek and delivered the most painful slap you'd ever received. When you decided to accept life's blows, you never thought they would come so quickly.

“That was for Suma and Makio,” Hinatsuru told you, stroking her hand. You weren't the only one who felt the slap hurt.

“What about you?” You stammered, recovering from the blow.

“I… I can't be mad at either of you.” Hinatsuru came clean.

“What? What are you talking about? If I were you, I would have kicked his ass three times already for cheating on me.”

“It's just that if I got mad at Tengen, that would make me a hypocrite.” The wife's cheeks flushed.

You looked at Hinatsuru in confusion. “Is that why she didn't make a fuss at the party or in the morning?” you wondered, clueless as to where the conversation was going.

“If I keep your secret, could you keep mine?” You just nodded, not knowing exactly what to expect. “It's just that I like someone too… someone who isn't Tengen,” Hinatsuru confessed, blushing completely.

Hinatsuru covered her face, ashamed that she felt physical attraction to someone other than her husband. Ever since she was a child, she had been taught that in her life there would only be one man whom she should serve like a god on earth. There could be no one else. So when she found herself with such a wonderful man as a husband, she didn't have to worry… until you came along and turned all her ideals upside down.

“That’s it?” you asked, still confused.

“Don't you understand the seriousness of this?” Hinatsuru asked, dumbfounded.

“Have you confessed your feelings to him yet?”

“No…”

“Did you kiss him?”

“No,”

“Did you sleep with him?”

“No!”

“Then what's the problem?”

“I like someone else! I'm married! I shouldn't like someone else!”

“Duh, you're human. You have eyes and feelings,” you explained. “Look, Tengen is a very attractive man, but he's not the only one on Earth. I know it from experience. Liking someone else is normal. It will disappear eventually.”

“You think so?” Hinatsuru looked at her hands.

“Of course. It's happened to me many times.” You shrugged.

“Many times?” Hinatsuru asked, surprised.

“The world is an ocean full of fish. Why should I have to settle for just tuna for the rest of my life?” You smiled at her. “That's why I couldn't marry Tengen. The world is full of interesting people, so I wouldn't settle for just one partner. You're so much stronger than me, Hinatsuru.”

Hinatsuru had never thought of it that way. In that instant, she realized her view of the world was quite limited. Which was strange, considering she was in a polyamorous couple.

“Does that mean you've eaten several types of fish?” Hinatsuru asked shyly.

“Fish, oysters, shrimp… Quality is in variety.” You shrugged as if it were no big deal. “Tengen is lucky. If you were single, I would have eaten you like a delicious salmon by now.”

“You're only saying that because you feel guilty about kissing my husband.” Hinatsuru pouted.

You couldn't help but roll your eyes at that. You knew she wouldn't believe you. Hardly anyone did, so you decided to give her a taste. You gently held her chin and planted a kiss on her lips. Hinatsuru's eyes widened, shocked that you were actually kissing her. It was a short kiss, but it made her legs jelly. You smiled against her lips before pulling away.

“Do you believe me now?” You winked playfully and picked up the basket of freshly washed clothes. “Now you and Tengen are even. Let's go find your husband and the girls before it really gets dark,” you told her before heading into the estate.

Hinatsuru stood behind you, heart in hand, running like a speeding rocket. Her face was redder than a tomato from the sudden kiss. She'd never kissed a woman in her life, but it had been extremely satisfying. Now she understood why Tengen had said you'd taught him new things. She had a lot to learn too.