Underwater Lotus
The tea house had a view of the park: colourful flowers, sakura trees blooming at their peak, and fluttering butterflies. The nearby stream was covered over with petals. The water rolled the petals along with the current. The flower shaped sweets by Ookanehira's lap were pink.
This was the epitome of wasting time. What was the point of going to a park when they were swords? Ookanehira preferred to be in the dojo or grooming the horses at the citadel; that was productive!
And yet, he couldn't leave. Juzumaru, Uguisumaru, and Nikkari sat with him. Juzumaru was wearing the purple lotus hair clip by his ear. Ookanehira kept his gaze lowered at the tatami mat. He had bought that ornament weeks ago. Juzumaru wore it often around the citadel and everyone knew it was a gift. Ookanehira had been complimented several times for his good aesthetic choices. Yet, he couldn't dare to get anymore new accessories, no matter how tempting it was to adorn the other tachi.
The other swords made pleasant conversation about the weather, while Ookanehira kept his head down. Why did he stutter and his heartbeat quicken when Juzumaru was nearby? There was something inside of him that had a softness for this Tenka Goken that never waned. What was he supposed to do with these feelings?
"Your tea will get cold," Uguisumaru said.
Ookanehira had yet to take of sip of his matcha. "I don't want it; you drink it."
"Are you unwell, Ookanehira-dono?" Juzumaru said.
"I-I'm fine," yet, Ookanehira refused to look up at the other tachi. He had huffed and challenged Mikazuki and Oodenta plenty of times to sparring matches, yet he never did the same to Juzumaru. Nikkari suggested to ask Ookanehira, once and for all, about the special treatment. Ookanehira's bitterness and anger disrupted the Ashina Citadel's tranquility; these emotions and the Tenka Goken title were ephemeral and shouldn't be obsessed over.
"I'd like to go for a stroll," Juzumaru said. "Could you please accompany me, Ookanehira-dono?"
What? Ookanehira was frozen. Why was he chosen?
Nikkari and Uguisumaru voiced their approval. Before Ookanehira could register how it happened, he and Juzumaru were outside and walking along a park pathway. The flowers, all in full bloom, beamed brightly in their red, orange, and yellow shades. Their sweet scent filled the air. Bunnies hopped and birds flew about. Even the bees weren't bothering them, content to fly amongst the flowerbeds. They had walked together like this once before during the kite flying festival; that night was subdued under lantern lights.
Juzumaru paused when they stood at the middle of a bridge. Branches of a sakura tree loomed above them. Some of the petals landed on Juzumaru's hair. How long did it take to comb those locks every morning? Ookanehira wanted to run a brush through that black and white hair until it was glossy; to do those tresses justice. It was unlike anything else in the world.
"You manifested over a year ago, Ookanehira-dono," Juzumaru said. "May I ask, how have you been faring in your form?"
"I-I'm fine," Ookanehira kept his eyes on the ground. His cheeks burned. "I can train...and grow vegetables."
That was the best response he could come up with; why did he always make a fool of himself when it came to Juzumaru? Why did he care about Ookanehira's progress?
A gust rushed by. The branches rustled and it rained petals down on them. Juzumaru's hair swayed back and forth. The lotus hair clip was swept away by the wind and flew over the bridge. It dipped into the stream blanketed by sakura.
"Damn it!" Ookanehira ran over to the bridge's edge. He planted a foot on top of the railing.
"Please, don't retrieve it."
"But...," Ookanehira was ready to jump into the water and find that hair clip. There were a thousand other ornaments that resembled his gift, but none of them had the same sentiment. Ookanehira had picked it out of a tray of dozens of other decorations. Surely, Juzumaru must have understood how important that clip was to them.
"There's nothing permanent in this world," Juzumaru put a hand on his chest. "I enjoyed wearing it when I had it."
Juzumaru could cope with inconveniences thanks to his Buddhist philosophy, but not Ookanehira.
Later that day, he went to the water's edge. He took off his shoes, rolled up his pant legs, and stepped into the water. He was surrounded by petals. He shivered in the stream at first, but nothing could stop him when he was on a mission. His hands spread the petals away so he could see the bottom of the stream. He would somehow find this underwater lotus.
Ookanehira wadded around the water until he found his gift. Did Juzumaru understand how much this lotus meant to Ookanehira? It was a beautiful purple flower with a yellow stamen in the middle. He saw himself in that clip, a precious piece amongst a collection of others. In truth, he couldn't articulate much when around Juzumaru. Human emotions were complicated at best and troublesome at the worst; they clouded Ookanehira's goal to be the strongest sword. How was he supposed to continue when Juzumaru's smile reduced Ookanehira to a mess?
"Ookanehira-dono?" Juzumaru was up on the bridge, leaning over the rail. "Why are you in the water?"
Ookanehira stood in the middle of a stream covered with pink petals. Gods, how could he make himself look like this? All he could do was raise his shaking hand to show the hair clip.
They met up at the edge of the stream. Juzumaru stood atop the grass while Ookanehira stepped back on to the land. Some petals still clung to his legs.
"H-here," Ookanehira stretched his hand out, keeping his eyes down. The lotus reflected light off his palm. "This is yours."
Ookanehira exerted extra effort before to retrieve Juzumaru's kite in a tree. He would've fought the water gods to fish out the clip. Yet, the question was, why did Ookanehira do all this? His heart was conflicted, Nikkari had explained.
"Ookanehira-dono, may I ask why you treat me differently from Mikazuki-dono and Oodenta-dono?"
"Because...I don't know," his heart raced. How could you describe a sensation that made you so different and forget a lifelong grudge against the Tenka Goken?
Nikkari had described how infatuation could manifest in one's behaviour; some humans were especially kind or flighty around one they were fond of. Emotions were distracting and Juzumaru understood why it led people away from spiritual matters, but living without feelings would be dull. The happiness he felt when Ookanehira made origami always thrilled and never disappointed. He could only be sure about his suspicions by outright asking.
"Ookanehira-dono, do you have feelings for me?"
Time slowed down. The butterflies flapped their wings slowly. Petals were suspended in the air. Surely, the earth was going to swallow Ookanehira down into hell.
"Nikkari-dono explained it to me during the kite flying festival. Honesty is enlightening for both of us," intimate monastic relationships in temples occurred more frequently than expected. It could be fulfilling, with days spent learning about each other. When Juzumaru thought of he and Ookanehira together, he believed that they could make it work. Would much even change between them? Everything would likely remain the same, with them exchanging origami and Ookanehira occasionally searching for hair ornaments. Was it so wrong for proud Ookanehira to have his feelings acknowledged? "Would you like to be given some time? I apologize if I was too sudden."
"N-no, it's fine," what was Ookanehira talking about? He was finally looking up at Juzumaru, his heartbeat steady. Those eyes were always closed. His hair was so pretty, framing his face. In time, Ookanehira may gain the courage to gaze at Juzumaru longer and admire every part of him. "This is a lot..."
"I understand," Juzumaru finally took the lotus from Ookanehira's palm. He placed it back near his ear. "I'm very grateful that you found this. Would you like to return to the tea house? Uguisumaru-dono and Nikkari-dono are having afternoon treats."
Ookanehira could already imagine all four of them sitting in the tea room with their drinks and snacks. They could partake and enjoy each others' company, rather than worrying about being warriors for an hour. Maybe they would even laugh and smile and enjoy the view of the park. "...sure. That'd be nice."
Nikkari mentioned that romance progressed with small steps.
Water covered by sakura are quite a view. Spring had arrived early and the cherry blossoms were gone when I arrived in Tokyo. However, I saw a river with sakura when I was in Hirosaki, up north. It was a gorgeous view. Glad I could incorporate this imagery into this fic.
Monastic relationships were a thing. Some Buddhist sects don't require celibacy for monks.
Confectioneries are quite nice with your tea. Search for 'Wagashi'.