♡

Carrying another flowerpot, you heave a sigh the moment you place it on the shelf.

With the back of your hand, you wipe the sweat from your brow. Your arms are slightly shaking, having spent a good part of the morning moving boxes and arranging the shelves of the flower shop you work at part time.

With a sideways glance at the ticking clock, you realize it’s almost lunchtime.

Though it was never really lunchtime for you, as you usually spent the hour you had going over several papers that needed to be sorted for your office job.

Switching the door’s sign to ‘closed’, you pull a chair next to the counter, as a flurry of documents begins to cover the entirety of the wooden surface.

Then, a chiming sound makes you momentarily lose your focus.

“Sorry, we’re closed.” You announce, not even bothering to raise your gaze from the work at hand.

You hear the door closing with a dull ‘thud’, footsteps approaching.

“I said,” You brace your hands on the table, standing up from your seat. “That we are clo-“

Steel hued eyes meet yours in the middle of your sentence.

“Gaku!” You smile up at him. He doesn’t miss the dark circles under your eyes. “What are you doing here?”

One of his hands cups your cheek, the pads of his fingers smoothing over the tiredness of your skin, as if just like that, he could erase the clouds of sleepless nights from your stare.

“Inviting you to have lunch with me, of course.” He utters, in the blossom scented space that separates you.

You lower your head, hair falling in front of your eyes.

“Dear… I would love that but… I don’t have the time. I’m sorry…” You trail off, thinking of the meager energy drink you’ve had time to buy on your way here this morning.

As if to announce that it is time already for you to have a proper meal, your stomach growls.

Heat rises to your cheeks. This is so embarrassing! For your gut to make that kind of noise in front of your hot boyfriend.

“You didn’t hear that…” You mumble, looking everywhere except at him.

A chuckle causes you to look at him wide eyed.

“Gaku, please, don’t make fun of me…” You whine, holding onto his arm.

Those crystalline eyes of his soften, his hand finding yours.

“I’m not making fun of you, but you need to eat. So I’m taking you to the soba shop, yeah? I’ll drive you back to your other job afterwards.”

“But I… You have work too… I just can’t waste your time like this… driving me afterwards…”

“[Y/n], look at me.” Your boyfriend’s tone is serious, yet still warm.

When your gaze meets his, his expression is solemn.

“You never waste my time. Never.”

You sigh, a tired smile making it to your lips. It warms your heart, really that your partner is so sweet.

“Alright.” You utter, gathering your stuff. “And Gaku?”

“Yes, love?”

“Thank you.” You tell him, as you nuzzle against his side.

“Nothing to thank me for.” He whispers, with a kiss to the crown of your head.

The midday sun outlines your intertwined hands against the concrete as you make your way to his car.

You promise to make time for him soon.

♡ KUJO TENN

— Tenn is very perceptive, so, honestly, it will be hard for you to neglect yourself before he notices and “forces” you to take care.

— He sees how you barely have any energy left whenever you two happen to have the same day off.

— How you’re so flooded with projects for work you barely tell him about your day anymore, dismissing the topic with a ‘busy, as usual.’

— And well, he knows what you’re doing. How, in order to provide for others, to make enough money and keep your superiors at work pleased, you’re running yourself ragged.

— How does he know? Well, because he pretty much does the exact same thing; just giving, to his fans, to his family, to everyone, even at the cost of his own happiness or health.

— But with you, he wants you to put yourself first. You’re so dear to him, Tenn can’t bear the thought of seeing your light dim like this.

— And he will not hesitate to confront you about it.

♡

The shuffling of steps causes for Tenn to look up from his book.

Usually, his face lit up whenever he saw you, but today, the image of you breaks his heart a little.

You look sickly. Your hair is a mess, your clothes are all rumpled, and nasty looking shadows seem to have been permanently etched under the bright eyes he loves to look into.

Tenn swallows; he has to do something about it, your condition is just going to worsen if you keep this up.

“[Y/n]…” Your boyfriend calls you as you rummage through the kitchen cupboards.

“Tenn, do we have any energy bars left?” You ask, still searching.

He sighs. It’s your day off today. And you’re not even going to have a proper meal?

“[Y/n].” He repeats, his tone a tad colder.

“Where did I put them…” You muse to yourself.

Well, you’re bent on not paying attention to him, so he’ll have to snap you out of this vicious cycle.

Your lover’s hand wraps around your wrist, firm but gentle. He spins you around, making you face him.

You let out a gasp, taken aback by his bold action right now.

“[Y/n], listen to me.” Tenn commands, still not letting go of you.

“Tenn, I’m sorry, but I don’t have time now-“

He pulls you closer to him.

“You will listen.”

He can feel your shallow breathing now, his silken strands of starlight on snow brushing the side of your cheek, his comforting and sweet scent surrounding you.

Oh, how you wish you could just bask in his warmth, curled up with a mug of hot chocolate and a plate of the donuts he so adores as you two read on the couch.

But sadly, your situation doesn’t exactly leave you the time for such hedonistic actions.

“Tenn…” You breathe, wide eyed.

“Why do you keep doing this to yourself?” He lets out, voice breaking a little, barely above a whisper.

“Doing what?”

“You’re not hydrating properly, your lips are all chapped; you’re not sleeping enough, and when was the last time you had a real meal?” Your boyfriend questions, his thumb running soothing patterns over your wrist.

As if in response, your tummy decides to rumble right then and there.

You slump your shoulders, burying your face in his chest. The softness of his sweater is welcoming, akin to a comfort blanket that’s been with you since childhood.

“Nothing gets past you, does it?” You laugh, humorlessly, closing your eyes to all the burdens you’ve been shouldering alone.

Your shoulders start to shake. Tenn’s arms wrap around your form, so frail now, as if a simple gust of wind could shatter what remains of your sanity.

“Not when it comes to you, my love.” Your boyfriend answers, his voice a sweet melancholy symphony. “Now, why don’t I run a hot bath for you and make us something to eat?” He suggests, his fingers lacing with yours. “It’s our day off, so, please, rest.” He murmurs, honeyed lips leaving the softest kiss ever known to your cheek.

“I’d like that.” You reply, squeezing Tenn’s hands a little tighter. “I’d really love that.”

Your boyfriend gives you a tender smile, bringing you close to him again, wrapping you in the sweetness of his delicate hug.

“I’d love that too, my [Y/n].”

You look up at him. Then:

“I love you, Tenn-Tenn.”

Shades of vibrant pink flower across his cheeks at your use of the cute nickname, eyes of rosé dreams softening even more when he regards you.

“I love you too. More than you’ll ever know.”

Protected in Tenn’s embrace, you feel the exhaustion and hunger of the last few weeks seeping away.

Your Tenn really is an angel, you think, as you bathe in his comforting light for a few more instants.

♡ TSUNASHI RYUNOSUKE

— Sweet Ryu, who just wants to see you always smiling.

— He’s been feeling this ache lately; the time you two share together has been diminishing; your smiles have become more rare; you’re not there when he wakes up or when he goes to bed.

— And in moments when you two are actually together, you barely talk, just cuddling up into him, your face buried in his chest.

— Don’t get him wrong, he loves holding you close, he really does, but there’s something in your smile that feels… off.

— As if you were a candle, out in a windy night, threatening to topple over and either extinguish or go up in flames.

— Ryu’s worried… Have you been eating properly lately? He knows you work at different places and don’t really have the time to sit down and have nutritious meals nor to prepare them.

— He’ll have to make up for it.

♡

The sound of the front door opening and closing announces your return.

Outside, it’s pitch dark night, mid-autumn wind blowing with force, the trees lining the street inevitably bending to its imposing tune.

You carelessly throw your bag to the floor as you remove your shoes, too exhausted to even sort out the files inside. That’s a future you problem, for now.

Releasing a breath, you pull back your shoulders, an attempt at releasing some of the accumulated tension.

“Long day?” A voice you loved, no matter if it was whispering sweet nothings or singing on bright stages, asks.

Your lips curl up in a soft smile, following the sound of his voice to the kitchen.

“You could say that.” You sigh, slumping on one of the chairs.

Your boyfriend turns around, switching off the fire momentarily.

It’s cute, you think, the sight of him donning an apron, cooking so peacefully and joyfully… If you weren’t so tired you’d love nothing more than to help him with it… But truth be told, lately you don’t even have time to pack your own lunch boxes.

“You know,” Ryu takes a seat next to you, his hand on yours over the table. “If there’s ever anything troubling you, I’m here to help you through it. No matter what it is, we’ll face it together.”

His eyes of melted sunlight stare at you with determination; so inviting, a blank book beckoning you to write in a language only you two speak all of your worries.

“Well it’s just…” You begin. “Lately, I’m… I feel…like work is taking up so much from me… I barely have time to spend with you or to eat…”

As if to prove your point, your belly chooses that exact moment to grumble.

“Damn it, that’s embarrassing.” You curse through gritted teeth.

Ryunosuke offers you one of his serene smiles.

“Dinner will be ready in a minute, my dear.”

He stands up, lips brushing against your forehead in a kiss that’s loving and reassuring.

“Just relax and let me take care of you tonight.” He softly tells you as he parts.

You’re glad you have the day off tomorrow. You’re so making up for lost time with him.

-female Zweilt were forced to get pregnant on-purpose in an attempt to "keep the blood strong".

-the Zweilt are known to have bad luck when it comes to love, relationships, and happiness.

-Touko and Tsukumo have always been siblings in previous lives too.

-Hotsuma and Shuusei were married in at least one previous life and Shuusei was a woman. Hotsuma was a man in a previous life (not necessarily the previous one or one where Shuusei was a woman) and his name was Izuna (forget the exact spelling, it's been a while).

-It takes more than just bloodline to make a Zweilt. Tachibana explains that it takes some innate talent or skill or whatever when Yuki first meets Senshiro.

-Tsubaki is under the impression that the final part of becoming a new Zweilt is for one to be accepted by their partner. If the partner does not have enough sentiment for you, then the ring does not fit and will not manifest any power.

-Duras can be summoned to the Human realm without Reiga being active. Humans find and use Grimoires and cause all kinds of trouble. The mission of the clan is to battle the Duras and take on the beasts of Infernus or whatever--the duty of the Zweilt is to reincarnate to fight against Reiga whenever he resurfaces.

-Zweilt go off to train with a master around age 7.

-Kuroto is not shown to use Izanagi (his sword) or his "Feet of God" power during the tragedy with Grandpa Garan.

What can be implied based on the conversations shown about the above:

-the Zweilt were forced to have children on-purpose in an attempt to breed more Zweilt. It's implied that no Zweilt were actually created as a direct result of this breeding (i.e. any child(ren) that may have been born with at least one Zweilt parent did not manage to become a Zweilt). I think conception between two Zweilt or with Zweilt has to be possible because why else try and impose this custom for centuries if it wasn't proven to be possible?

-Touko and Tsukumo are mentioned to be siblings in every lifetime. In this conversation, Touko and Shuusei are talking about marriage, marriage candidates and "approved matches" as well as doing away with the traumatizing convention of forcing the Zweilt to breed with acceptable partners. They talk about the bad luck with relationships and happiness in this same conversation. To me, this implies that the Zweilt don't get to marry the person they love the most/want to be with the most for whatever reason. Touko and Tsukumo clearly love each other...and they are always siblings...so it can be implied that Tsukumo and Touko would have chosen to marry each other had they not been siblings.

-Hotsuma and Shuusei were married in at least one previous life and Shuusei was a woman. It's possible that this was a rare scenario where the Zweilt got to marry the person they wanted to (if we believe that the two love each other the most 'cuz that's a common trend between Zweilt partners)...but I guess this is where the "no children of that sort were ever born" comes into play. My headcanon is that the pressure to bear children, the short lifespans, and Shuusei's reincarnation as a male in this life are connected. This is 100% headcanon for me...but I think Shuusei and Hotsuma got married in a past life and tried to have children. I think Shuusei went through something traumatic or many traumatic things that were only possible because she was a girl in that life. Maybe she miscarried at least one child. Maybe she and Hotsuma managed to conceive--but the Hotsuma of that time died early and left a pregnant Shuusei all alone. Maybe that Shuusei survived long enough to have the child, but she most likely did not live long enough to raise the child. Zweilt don't live into their thirties so even if female-Shuusei bore and had a child in her late teens, she wouldn't have lived long enough to see the child become an adult. I think Shuusei went through something traumatic enough because she was a woman that she wished to be reborn male in this life. Losing your partner and being left alone with a child could do it. Going through lost pregnancies would definitely be traumatic. Dying during childbirth or still pregnant or feeling the child being killed within you--all definitely traumatic and could be terrible things that happened to Shuusei in a past life. We know the Duras can be active even when Reiga goes under...whose to say a pregnant Shuusei didn't encounter a Duras that decided to torture her and maybe kill her unborn child within her? Yeah...I know it's gruesome but I've written a few fanfic with these plots that I have never polished enough to post anywhere. We know the Zweilt have bad luck and often face tragedy in their lives...so taking that to extremes gave me these plot-bunnies.

-The Zweilt blood is diluting. The original Zweilt (the ones there during the Sunset of the Underworld) were alive and away with Takashiro during the Sunset of the Underworld. They have vague memories of that time--proven by Touko trying to remember if Takashiro and Yomi had a thing when she's trying to encourage Ibuki to go ahead with her perceived crush on Takashiro. Most of the original Zweilt have "God" powers. "Eye of God" (Shuusei, Sairi), "Ear of God" (Tsukumo, and Touko to a lesser extent?), "God's Voice" (Hotsuma), "Feet of God/The Swift One" (Kuroto), "The Light of God" (Yuki). The newer Zweilt aren't mentioned to have such powers. Senshiro joined in this lifetime and he isn't revealed to have a "God" power. 

-Kuroto isn't shown to use any of his Zweilt powers during the tragedy that befell the dojo. I've taken this to mean that he didn't have access to his full power as a Zweilt at the time. His home was under attack and the people he thought of as precious to him were facing certain death and Kuroto was beyond livid that it was Cadenza, of all things, to cause all of this. This seems like a situation where a fully-powered Zweilt would be throwing around all of their abilities to get a piece of the threat. Kuroto knew the stakes and knew Garan would die facing off against Cadenza. He begged...but...why beg? If he had access to "The Feet of God" why not use it to get passed Senshiro's hold, through the door before Garan put a seal on it, and face Cadenza with Izanagi in-hand? Kuroto was in his teens in this scene and Zweilt have short lifespans. To me, this says that even if a Zweilt candidate had been born to a Zweilt in the past...it's possible they all died/were killed before they became a full-powered Zweilt. They have to survive until they are 7 to train with a master...and they're well into their teens before they're ready to face off against an Opast--the Zweilt parent definitely wouldn't have lived long enough to see their child become a full-powered Zweilt. They lived in dangerous times and anyone with any skill to fight Duras likely was sent off on missions to fight and bind Duras and recover grimoires. If the child of a Zweilt survived long enough to receive training, they likely went off on missions to retrieve grimoires and fight Duras. Dying during any of these missions would be possible.