Trying to Kill Each Other Doesn't Count as Flirting (or Does it?)

Chapter 15

"I told you," (F/N) muttered as she tried to pry his hand off her shirt, "he's the one who started my training! Started my training, and then ditched me with no explanation!"

Okita frowned, but released her shirt, leaving her to drop back to the ground. She was of a mind to stab him when Sa-chan let out a sigh, and pushed her glasses further up on her nose.

"That sounds like the sort of thing he would do," she muttered. "All right, I'll talk to him if you want, see if I can get him to explain what happened."

(F/N) gasped. "Really? You'd do that?"

"Of course. Now straighten yourself up. We have lots of training to do before the sun sets."

"Yes, ma'am!"

~o0o~

Several days came and went. (F/N) sat on the floor of her room, sore and covered in bruises, and humming to herself as she flipped through a copy of Shonen Jump. Okita sat across from her, casually sliding needles into a voodoo doll sporting v-shaped hair and a cigarette. He'd been experimenting with black magic a lot lately, and while it may have concerned some people, (F/N) didn't particularly care. She thought the Devil was more likely to sell his soul to Okita than Okita was to sell his soul to the Devil.

Indeed, the thing (F/N) should have been concerned about was not that, but the fact that Okita had not gone home. It was eleven o'clock at night, well past the time he usually left, but there he was, with that evil grin on his face as he slid a needle through Hijikata's stomach. He'd been leaving his post later and later, and it hadn't escaped (F/N)'s attention. It also hadn't escaped her attention that he was a man—a man she was very attracted to—and he was in her room, at night, and there was something very awkward about that. That night, however, there was something else on (F/N)'s mind. Something that shoved all those thoughts aside and took up every crevice of her brain.

I could see Zenzou again...

A smile came to her face, and she continued humming to herself, swaying back and forth in her seat. How long had it been since she'd last seen Zenzou? Two years? It felt like yesterday. She could still remember the day she'd met him. He'd made it so clear he was only watching her for the money, but despite that, he was always kind, sneaking her snacks, and smuggling in copies of Shonen Jump, and when she'd run up to him after seeing him slaughter an army of kidnappers, and told him it was the most amazing thing she'd ever seen, he was more than happy to train her.

'Don't worry about your parents,' he'd said, 'They never have to know.'

And they never did. He'd taught her how to throw kunai, how to dodge attacks, how to move soundlessly, and leap high into the air. Every day, she'd look forward to sneaking out into the yard, and participating in her nightly training. She grew strong—strong enough to leap onto walls, slice the wings off a fly from ten feet away, and climb a tree in seconds, but it still wasn't enough, because no matter how strong she got, he wouldn't let her fight.

'Your movements are too predictable,' he'd tell her. 'You're just a reckless kid, so let me take care of the real fighting, okay?'

There was only one time when she'd disobeyed him. It was late afternoon, and she was sitting in the garden while Zenzou went out to smuggle in some takeout. She'd noticed some intruders in the garden, and instead of getting the guards, she'd decided to try and take them herself.

She was knocked out in seconds.

When she awoke, she was in an unfamiliar room, dead kidnappers all around her, and Zenzou by her side.

'Just like I said, you're a reckless kid.'

She'd been ready to cry, but before the first tear escape, he added,

'Don't worry. I was a reckless kid once, too. Someday, you'll be as strong as me, I'm sure of it.'

Before that day could come, though, he'd left. Since then, she'd kept training every day. She'd gotten help from the Shinsengumi, and from Sa-chan. She'd gotten so much stronger, and all she wanted, more than anything in the world, was to show that to him, and maybe, someday, she could.

She kept humming, swaying back and forth, magazine long-forgotten in her lap. Okita eyed her over his voodoo doll, and jammed another needle into Hijikata's eye.

"What's got you so excited?"

"Oh, nothing!"

I could see Zenzou again. I could see Zenzou again. I could see Zenzou again.

Okita narrowed his eyes, and she turned back to her book, only to hear the doll fall to the ground. Next thing she knew, he was sitting next to her, one leg bent with his arm resting on his knee.

"Hey," he muttered, "what's so great about this Zenzou guy, anyway?"

"Um, well..."

She hesitated a moment before setting her book aside, leaning unconsciously into his warmth.

"I guess...when I was little, I was really lonely. Zenzou was the first friend I ever had. It's because of him that I have something I love—something I'm passionate about, and then he just disappeared. I guess...I'm happy to be able to see him, but I'm even more happy to be able to confront him, to ask why he dared to do that to me..."

Okita frowned, and opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, the door slid open. Soyo walked inside with small, hesitant steps, eyes wide.

"(F...F/N)..."

She's shaking.

(F/N) rushed over, and put her hands on the princess's shoulders to steady her.

"Soyo-chan," she said, "it's okay. Tell me what's wrong."

"It's...it's my brother..."

(F/N)'s blood froze, and behind her, she could hear Okita leap to his feet with a hand on his sword.

"Someone poisoned the bowl I used to make his tea..." she continued. "Sarutobi stopped me, but I almost...I almost..."

The Shogun...someone...

"Sougo-kun!" (F/N) shouted. "Go see what the situation is! I'll stay here with the Princess."

He ran into the hallway, and (F/N) was left with the Princess, calmly instructing her to take deep breaths, and rubbing gentle circles on her back.

A shogun assassination attempt, huh? (F/N) thought. This doesn't sound good. This doesn't sound good at all.

Author's Note: Hello! Thank you so much for reading! If you liked this chapter, please remember to vote! Thanks!

-Marguerite Partello