Chapter Text
Hinatsuru loved her husband, of course. How could she not? He was the ideal man in every way—strong, handsome, caring, confident. He was generous, protective, and charming. A list of his positive attributes would be a mile long.
As much as she loved him, though, it was different from the way she loved her wives. She hadn’t had a choice with Tengen; she had been chosen for him, picked for her skill as a kunoichi by the clan when she was barely twelve years old. She either learned to open her heart to him or lived the rest of her life suffering.
Hinatsuru, Makio, and Suma could’ve chosen to live separately—to never interact, to acknowledge each other only with stiff formality when forced to stand together by Tengen’s side. But it only took a few weeks for her to realize that she didn’t want that . She wanted them to know each other, beyond simply sharing a husband.
When she pinned back Makio’s bangs so they could make onigiri for lunch, something inside her warmed when her caramel eyes moved to her lips. It was similar to when Tengen kissed her, but unfamiliar all the same. The feeling arose again when Suma made flower crowns for them in the meadow, exclaiming at their beauty and making Hinatsuru blush.
“I want us to be together!”
Suma’s outburst startled Hinatsuru, making her drop her embroidery. “Pardon?” Makio gaped at them from across the room, her origami dragon forgotten in her palms.
Suma kneeled in front of where Hinatsuru was seated in her chair, tears starting to well in her sapphire eyes. “I want us all to get married! I don’t wanna marry just Tengen-sama, I wanna be married to you guys, too!”
She stared at her, mind going blank, as Suma turned to look at Makio with her hands clasped together. “Please, Makio-chan! Please marry me!” She looked back at Hinatsuru, weeping openly now, the tears dripping down her round cheeks. “You too, Hina-chan! I want to marry you both!”
Makio spoke before Hinatsuru could collect herself, cheeks red with embarrassment. “Ah, well—I’m not opposed to it—” Suma threw herself at her, draping her arms over Makio’s shoulders. “Hey! I didn’t finish!” The younger girl ignored her complaints, sobbing into her neck. “Calm down, Suma-chan!”
Hinatsuru stared down at her embroidery, tracing the unfinished flower she had been carefully stitching into Suma’s new stockings in preparation for the wedding. She considered her words. She didn’t want either woman to perceive her caution or hesitance as a rejection—if she was honest with herself, she wished to say yes right away, and make love with them in the bed they shared before Tengen returned from drinking with the other pillars. “Suma-chan… did you consult with Tengen-sama before proposing this to us?” she inquired, trying to keep her tone light. Suma turned to smile at her, mopping her tears with her sleeve.
“Yes, of course! Tengen-sama approved nearly right away. He said it sounded like a great idea!” She beamed, clearly pleased with herself for having the foresight to ask ahead of time. “Is that what you were worried about, Hina-chan? You’re always so considerate of others!”
They moved to her side, warm hands grabbing at her eagerly. Cheeks flushed, Hinatsuru looked away from the pink curves of their lips. “Come on, Hina-chan!” Suma urged, cheek brushing against hers as she tried to push Makio away. “Makio-chan, you’re making her anxious!”
“You’re the one who’s putting her on the spot! I’m trying to cuddle her so she feels safe,” she retorted, arms coming into view as she tussled with Suma over Hinatsuru’s lap.
A giggle bubbled in her chest—just a little one, at first, before it quickly overflowed into breathless laughter. Her heart felt light—lighter than it ever had before, so light she thought it would float out of her chest. Makio and Suma stopped bickering and stared at her, surprised, but relaxed when she took both their hands in her own. Their palms fit just right together—her joy grew at that simple fact, irrational but expanding all the same.
The day of their wedding, Makio’s fingers deftly wove her hair into intricate shapes, gentle despite the irritation in her voice. “You’ve really got the most amazing hair, Hina-chan. I’m jealous—Suma, stop picking at your stockings! You’re going to ruin them!” Suma’s head snapped up to look at her.
“Ah, I can’t help it, Makio-chan! I’m nervous!” Hinatsuru smiled at her in the mirror, trying to convey comfort, even as Makio tsked in annoyance.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. Everything will go smoothly, and the four of us will be together. Just like we’ve been waiting for.” She reached for one of Makio’s hands, bringing it to her lips to brush a kiss against her knuckles. “I’m excited for you both to be mine.”
Makio and Suma’s adoring faces were truly the most glorious of images; she was no longer hesitant to call the fluttering of her heart by its name— love . Upon finally identifying it, she was now able to recognize it in others, in all its forms. She had always been observant, after all; it was her strongest skill.
And the way Tengen looked at Rengoku Kyoujurou was different from the way he looked at the three of them. It didn’t take long for her to notice an unusual softness in his teasing smirk that she had never seen before—not even around her, Makio, and Suma. The way Tengen loved him was not like their love, as that had been planted by the clan long before she was even old enough to know it was there. It was more like the love she had for her wives, a seed that sprouted and bloomed after Makio and Suma had quietly buried it in the soil of her heart.
Hinatsuru knew. So she watched… and waited.