beautiful one, sharer of my longing

37: Perfect preparation

"How's your son?"

"He's phenomenal. Look at him," Yaga pointed out the large panda bear lounging in the snow. Satoru had known Yaga's pet (child) since he was a cub. Now he's big enough to lead an army. "He's grown, hasn't he?" Yaga just loved to show off his bear. There were rumors of two other beasts from another continent under his care, but, Satoru had not wished to see them.

"Yeah, he's a bear," he drawled, "what's his name again?"

"Panda."

Satoru stared at Panda. Yeah, that sure was a panda. He only slept in the snow and didn't realize he was being watched. What a life.

"Well, that's just great. Is Tengen busy?"

"No," Yaga told him. "Go on in, but I hear they're not too happy with you."

"Nobody ever is," he laughed. With that, Satoru grimaced as behind his back, he heard gentle roars and a such a good Panda from the older man's mouth. "Gross."

Tengen's estate is like a maze. It's claustrophobia inducing with dark spruce wood and very little light, which attributes to their incredibly pale skin. And even so, Tengen is a sight to behold. They were very androgynous, as thin as a woman with long, spindly, light hair, always wearing white kimonos and speaking in a very distant voice.

Satoru never liked coming to their estate, but all his thoughts were on you.

He burst open the last door to their council hall without a second thought, guards standing to block his way to the shogun even though they all knew who he was. "State your name and reason of being."

"You know who I am." he rolled his eyes. With that, Satoru pushed past the first guard in his way with a grunt, subsequently getting into a tussle with the rest of them until Tengen called out to all of them.

"Alright, alright. Cease," they ordered lazily. When the guards stepped away from him, Satoru huffed and swatted the helmet off the closest one's head before walking to his shogun. It clattered on the ground as the daimyo strolled up to his master. "Satoru." they greeted. Tengen was currently relaxing, laying sideways on a very expensive couch while one of his old teachers held a bowl of grapes.

"Really?" Satoru chuckled at the old, bald man.

"Silence, brat." he grunted in response.

"Guards, escort Gakuganji out of here so I can tell Tengen about my war plans, would you?" he called over his shoulder. They all slouched.

"They do not answer to you," Gakuganji bit out, "why are you even here?"

"If they did answer to me, I'd have your dead on a platter." Satoru said cheerfully.

"Gojo..."

"Tengen-sama, help!"

"Enough," Tengen said softly, but stern enough for the both of them to shut their mouths. Satoru never quite got tired of poking at the sleeping bear that was Gakuganji. "If this is about your conflict with the Zen'in, I do not want to hear it." Satoru sighed because he already knew that the shogun was sick of this overdrawn spat between the families. Battle after battle for decades.

"It's different now," he said seriously. For once, as a show of respect (because he'd even show submission to keep you safe), he settled on the ground in front of his master and their servant. They both eyed each other, the both of them shocked and patiently waiting for his next line.

"This must be important if you are bowing to me," Tengen remarked as they stood up slowly. It was as if you could hear a pin drop in the quiet. They stepped down the small set of stairs in front of Satoru and asked, "why do you come to me in resignation, Gojo Satoru?"