quincette:

nikkihime:

[FOREWARNING IN CASE OF SPOILERS. CG IS OWNED BY VOLTAGE, INC.]

We have this heartbreaking CG in Shigezane’s route where he reaches out to MC, and we find that sometime in the past his right hand had been injured, most likely from a sword, or could it be something else?

Earlier on, I came across some interesting information, thanks to the highly knowledgeable @sparrowdreams​ regarding the historical Shigezane:

Shigezane is remembered, among other things, for his ferocity in battle and his unique centipede helmet crest. Do also remember that he lost the use of his right hand in an accident early on, so he not only did everything one-handed, he did it left-handed.

So for Voltage to give a nod this way by adding this into his Main Story was really a great thing to see, albeit taking some creative liberties as to how he injured his hand, but nonetheless, here are some headcanons as how this has affected him in day-to-day life:

Though his injury has since mended over the years leaving a large, visible scar, it has never healed completely, leaving Shigezane with a loss of feeling in the palm of his right hand and few of his fingers due to perhaps some severed nerves. 

Over time, Shigezane taught himself to be ambidextrous. While he now favors his left hand to write, he still wields his sword with his right. Muscle memory and constant training still gives him control over his movements and improving his grip, though continues to hold his blade with both hands just in case. 

He mostly prefers his right anyway in battle; he doesn’t feel the impact as much when the need to punch an opponent arises, but doctors continue to admonish him for his recklessness when he ends up fracturing a few bones in that hand in the process.

Often as a last resort, he would bind his right hand to the handle of his sword, especially during difficult skirmishes.

You heard the man, he always has to write things down. He is determined not to completely lose the use of his hand, so he has to keep it busy. Working on documents, letters, anything that makes him have to grip a brush. Practice swords, tools, chopsticks even. His handwriting continues to have a visible tremble to it, but he’s getting better.

Shigezane kept his right palm bandaged to hide the scar when he was a boy, but soon learned to do away with it as he grew older. After all, there were many good excuses for it: 

• “I stopped an enemy’s sword from slashing Masamune by blocking its blade-side barehanded!” 
• “I tried juggling, okay?”
• “But Genya said these throwing knives were easy to use D:” 

When the Europeans came on their annual visit to Oshu, Shigezane was given a pair of Bǎodìng meditation balls from China that he rolls around to flex his fingers and exercise his hands, mostly the right. Not to mention, the chimes inside the hollow iron balls were always calming to hear. He keeps them in a box by his desk, which he often uses when he is bored. 

Never again does let anyone else see him fiddle with them though, especially that one kagemusha who wouldn’t let him live down that “he was playing with balls all the damned time.” Needless to say he now has to buy a new pair since the last ones broke for obvious reasons, and there are now two visible, ball-shaped holes in the wall across from him in his office.

Shigezane was always known to keep his cool, confident, and happy-go-lucky demeanor, but when anxiety strikes, his right hand starts to shake. Sometimes he could feel a phantom pain of something slicing through his palm. He tries to curb these thoughts with the need to touch something to comfort him. Running his fingers through his lady’s hair or the fabric of her kimono, petting an animal’s fur, polishing his armor or his sword until he could see himself in them…

His lady would find his tactile behavior strange, but endearing all the same. She would be the only person Shigezane would let touch his right hand. Anyone else, such as Masamune or Kojuro, he would insist walking on their right side, for fear of accidentally bumping it. He is still somewhat self-conscious of anyone seeing that scar, after all.

He would enjoy gentle hand massages. He likes to complain how his hand ‘hurts’ so that his lady could feed him instead. Kisses being pressed into his right palm and the tips of his fingers to ease the trembling and the pain when he needed it. Letting it caress her, mapping the contours of her body already committed to memory as they make love. Feeling the warmth–though faint–of her fingers entwined with his as they fall asleep together.         

This is beauts :*