Domestic Hashira (Himejima Gyomei x Reader)
Title: Domestic Hashira (Himejima Gyomei x Reader)
Word Count: 2120 words
Description: (Y/n) and Gyomei navigating the unfamiliar territory of an arranged marriage.
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"He shall arrive shortly," Amane mumbled as she sat beside you. You took a deep breath and assured yourself that you had prepared yourself for this day. Being a distant relative of Kagaya Ubuyashiki, you were destined to marry and expected to produce an heir. Thus, you knew this marriage was not from a love match but rather an arranged marriage to ensure the heirs of your bloodline of any curses. Ever since you lost both of your parents at an early age, it did feel lonely, only having distant relatives around you. A part of you was nervous about meeting the man you to spend your life with. You were embellished with a beautiful wedding garment and patiently waiting for the man you are bound to marry. There were little to no expectations for your husband to be, but rather a kind man at the very least.
The door opened, and Kagaya Ubuyashiki came in, followed by a huge man who towered at seven foot two, with spiky dark hair, and was covered with numerous crimson mala beads. A horizontal scar on his forehead and pale white eyes also allowed you to be surprised at the appearance of the man. "Shall we start with the ceremony?" Ubuyashiki asked. Both of them made their way near you. Ubuyashiki found his way to sit on the opposite side of Amane, as the stranger you ought to marry sat beside you. However, you noticed his manners as he acknowledged your presence by bowing to you as he was sitting beside you.
The man is enormous, very huge. This idea of him scared you a little, but you were not one to judge a stranger you were about to spend your life with. However, he was attractive and unfamiliar. After the ceremony, both of you exchanged a word with each other. Although Amane has filled you in with everything you need to know about your husbands. Himejima Gyomei–that is his name–is the stone hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. Though you are an Ubuyashiki, you were least involved with the Demon Slayer Corps as you were a distant relative and did other duties for the family.
The information you got made you think that the man you married must be powerful as he is the strongest hashira. However, Amane never talked about how he is as a person; she focused on his qualifications, which only enabled you to hope that he is indeed a kind man.
Both of you were brought to your household to start your family. As you arrived at your shared home, you found it a bit awkward considering he is a stranger. Nevertheless, you were taught to be a wife and ought to pursue a conversation with him to properly tend to your husband. The silence after you both spoke at the same time stretched, punctuated only by the chirping of crickets outside. You stole a glance at Gyomei, his face unreadable beneath the stoic mask. Clearing your throat, you decided to take the plunge.
"I–" both of you uttered and cut off each other. "I apologize. I didn't mean to interrupt. Please, go ahead," Himejima continues. A short silence occurred between the both of you.
"Hiimejim–" he cuts you off before you can finish, "Gyomei. You can call me Gyomei." A light flickered in your eyes as you stared at him with awe.
"Gyomei," you repeated, testing the name on your lips. He nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Shall we enter?" you ask him. He gave you a sly nod and led you to enter the house you shared with him first. As you entered, the servants greeted you both and toured you around your home. They also had prepared a separate bath for you and your husband before you met each other for dinner.
In the bath, you pondered about the things you've observed to be quite beguiling about your husband. You admit to yourself that you feel attracted to Himejima. That man had intimidating features that portrayed a very masculine form of a man. Despite your first impression, you can tell that Himejima has a compassionate nature. He was kind and respectful to the servants who greeted you both earlier. There's still more you want to know about him, and getting to know him will surely scratch that itch.
Dinner was served afterward in your bath. You and your husband finished your meal with a small conversation about how your meal was delicious. Though, the night is still long–or feels like it. Both of you entered the chambers of your shared bedroom. It felt awkward being alone with Himejima. Although both of you are married, both of you are also still strangers who barely met each other just this morning. You saw the bedding in the room, and it made you feel nervous about sleeping next to him, which caused you to breathe heavily, allowing the giant man to hear. "(Y/n) I could sleep in another room if it makes you feel better," you hear Himejima say.
Himejima's offer hung in the air, heavy with unspoken words. On his face, you can see his genuine concern matched with the intimidating aura he always has. It was a gesture of respect, a recognition of your discomfort. "N-no… it's fine. You don't have to do that," you assured him.
The two of you settled on sleeping in the same room. Thus, peacefully set up your sleeping area not far away from each other but also not near each other. It was challenging to be asleep at that hour, as you were clouded with a number of emotions and new to this setup. The anxious feeling of sleeping with a man you just met today lingered in your thoughts. You didn't know what to do at this point but to sleep as it was getting late anyway. "Good night (y/n)."
"Good night, Gyomei." His words made you feel better as you still felt new to this situation. A simple good night makes you more comfortable with this arrangement. You got to sleep shortly after that. The dawn of time passed, and you heard noises and slightly opened your eyes, wherein you saw shadows. However, due to your thoughts depriving you of sleep the previous night, you gave in to yourself and slept through the dawn.
As you rose from the bed, you noticed the room was tranquil. There was no sound of movement or the faintest whisper. You looked around your room and noticed that the bed beside you was nowhere to be seen. The absence of Himejima's towering figure was both comforting and unsettling. You went to the kitchen and were greeted by the servants who informed you that your husband was called on early for a mission. This made you feel disappointed because you wanted to get to know Himejima and spend time with him.
The servants informed you that Himejima had to leave early for an urgent mission with a demon attack on a neighboring village. It's been three days without the presence of your husband near you. This made you feel lonely despite having people around your home. Not a day goes by that you do not have the same routine. After eating your breakfast alone, you decided to pay Amane a visit to ease that lonely feeling.
"(Y/n), how was your first night with Himejima-san?" she asks as she sits down beside you. You took a pause and tried to hold back from being honest with yourself. "It was alright, I was able to sleep comfortably after yesterday."
Amane was able to read the misery drawn in your face. She did not feel too good about this, so she questioned you more. "Are you sure it was alright? You seem to be tired and sorrowful."
"Oh, no, it's really fine." She wasn't convinced by your answer. "I hope Himejima-san was gentle, to say the least."
This shattered a glass of ideas. Amane was thinking of a different scenario for you to spend your first night with Himejima. "What? No! It's nothing like that. We didn't do it." You were defensive about it, and you could feel your face heat up despite it being just the two of you in the room.
The response you gave Amane surprised her. The idea of a newlywed couple spending the first night with each other in a venereal manner was pretty typical. Though you've never really thought about it yo,u and Himejima quickly dismissed that possibility rather quickly.
"(Y/n), have you and Himejima ever had an actual conversation about your marriage, to say the least?" Amane questions you. Now that question has been raised, you never really have thought about it. "We barely said a word to each other, and the other morning, he left for an urgent mission."
"Is that so? While I do not encourage you to force yourself on Himejima, you both should have a conversation about your marriage with him. Since you're gonna spend the rest of your life with him."
Amane's words struck your head from the moment she mentioned it to you until your journey home. One of the servants, Chiaki, approached to welcome you home. "Welcome back, my lady," she slightly bows, "Would you care to join Himejima-san for dinner?"
Chiaki's words caught your attention. As you walked inside your house, you felt a sudden pain in your stomach and had an urge to vomit. Your vision was less clear–it was shaky. Another body pain hit you, you felt the pain reach your temples and your calves. However, you manage to get to the dining area.
The heavy wooden table creaked slightly under the weight of the untouched meal. You sat opposite Himejima with your face pale and drawn. You covered your mouth with haste as you felt the urge to vomit again. Himejima, with his other perfect senses, noticed that you didn't feel okay.
"Is everything alright (y/n)?" he asks, trying to reach out to help you. Himejima could clearly tell that your body had collapsed on the ground. His robust frame moved with surprising speed as he reached you, his large hands gently cradling your head. Concern etched itself onto his face as he assessed your condition.
A throbbing pain pulsed in your temples, and a wave of nausea washed over you. Your vision blurred as consciousness slowly returned. With effort, your eyes opened, the world coming into focus gradually. You were in your bed, the soft glow of lanterns casting dancing shadows on the walls. Himejima was seated beside you, his face etched with worry.
"Gyomei," you call out his name. "What happened?"
A relief from Himejima can be felt as he lifts his head with his softened face and relaxed face. "(Y/n), you're awake," he replied. "A demon followed you and attacked you secretly with its poison." Your head throbbed with a dull ache as you tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over you. You reached out a trembling hand to steady yourself on the bed.
"A demon?" you managed to croak out, your voice hoarse.
"Yes, a demon. Thankfully, I was able to take home an antidote for the demon's poison." You listened to Himejima's words with an understanding, even though there was still a slight concern on his face. "I apologize that I got you into this trouble. Being married to me only caused you trouble." A wave of empathy washed over you as you watched Himejima's tears fall. Gyomei is known to be the strongest hashira with his immense strength. Still, at this moment, vulnerability replaced his usual composure.
"Gyomei," you reached out, your hand finding his, offering comfort. "It wasn't your fault. These things happen." Your voice was gentle, filled with sincerity.
"It was also my responsibility for not being here to protect you," he explained, his voice husky with emotion. His grip on your hand tightened, conveying a depth of remorse you hadn't expected. "Well, we're here together now," you say to him with a soft smile tugged at the corners of your lips as you try to lighten the mood.
"Let's start over, (y/n)," he reached out to you and kissed your forehead. A warmth spread through you as his lips touched your skin. It was a simple gesture, yet it held a profound weight. You returned his gaze, your heart pounding in your chest. It felt like an answered prayer from a yearning heart. That forehead kiss is a lingering faith of the couple for their relationship to bloom.
This story has a Part 2.
