Hijikata's reply came after two weeks. You were preparing the supper when Yamazaki arrived with a message and a package.
"So, what does it say?" Okita asked.
"Supper first," you said placing a tray before the two males.
"Haah?"
"You're still not in a greatest health. You need to eat more," you said and sat before your tray.
"But the message..."
"Eat," you ordered. He closed his mouth and started eating. You felt gazes on you. "You too Yamazaki-san."
"______-san, I think the supper can wait."
"I said, you too Yamazaki-san."
"Y-yes..."
You smiled brightly at them.
"To shot down Yamazaki so fast!" Okita laughed eating your soup. Black-haired male only glared at him from above his bowl. You only rolled your eyes.
"You've changed, Okita," he mumbled.
"I don't see how," came the reply.
Rest of the supper went peacefully. When you were finished, Yamazaki finally told you about Hijikata's reply. To your surprise, the ninja let you stay in the room. You learned that the Shinsengumi no longer stayed in Kyoto, to you utter surprise. They moved to Fudodo Village. Now they were getting ready for a battle. Hijikata sent the location and new clothes.
Okita and Yamazaki further discussed things. You left the room to not interrupt and washed the dishes. After that you unpacked the box that contained new clothes. They were made of a fine material, that much you knew. They looked so different, no haoris or hakamas. It was western clothing you've never seen before. You even tried the yellow coat on yourself. Looking into the mirror you wondered if it was the right way to wear it. Whether you buttoned it up or left unbuttoned, you looked weird. You decided you looked ridiculous and quickly shoved it back to the box. Then you heard the laugh behind you.
"You have a thing for my clothes, don't you?"
"Of course I don't!" you hid behind kimono sleeve. You glanced at Okita. "H-how long have you been there?"
"Long enough," he grinned. You shook your head. You couldn't help but smile too. Seeing him in such high spirits made you happy. He held out a hand with a scissors. You blinked in question. "Cut my hair."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
You looked at him unsure but eventually nodded and took the scissors. You told him to sit down.
"It's a shame though," you said running hands through his hair. "I liked to style them."
"Poor you," he snorted and laughed. You combed his hair and proceeded with cutting the brown locks. You didn't have much experience with cutting hair, so you were quite worried how it would turn out. Surprisingly, to your annoyance, it turned out to be quite spiky. No matter how you tried to make them presentable they just wouldn't work with you. With a huff you decided to let them stay. But glared a little at the end.
"Turn around," you told him. You wanted to see how it looked from the front. You moved forwards to make a few adjustments. You smoothed them and cut a few stray strands. You smiled when your work was done.
Suddenly Okita moved forward while your hands still hung in the air. His face was right in front of yours and your heart skipped a beat. He held your hands and smiled. You didn't dare to move an inch.
He just bumped his nose against yours and grinned like child.
"Thanks, ______," he said. Your face grew more and more red with every second.
"D-did you just-?!" you stuttered. He just simply rubbed his nose against yours with a small chuckle. You moved away and puffed your cheeks and looked away. You were so sure he was going to kiss you.
Okita let go of your hands and leaned on his elbows simply observing you. You stole a few glances at him but didn't move from the spot.
Honestly, you didn't know what to think about it. It seemed like he was back to his usual laid back self. He started to tease you and even if that was much better that being bedridden and dying, it made you wonder. He never went so far with you with his teasing. He was never so close. Was he just playing with you? You remembered that lip brush against yours when he promised to only drink your blood. You wondered if it was intentional; perhaps it was. But it didn't make sense. He didn't feel that way for you, did he? Your love for him was bound to be unrequired.
"Hey, if you stare so intently at the floor, you'll make a holes in it," you heard him say.
"You're just being confusing, so I had to rethink it," you said and stood up collecting the scissors.
"Huh...?"
You saw him blinking owlishly at you. He looked a little confused, you noted. You smiled when you turned around. You wanted to live for a longer in your fantasy, just a little longer. Though, one thought still remained in your mind.
"Because Souji-san said that we're not giving up on each other... I started to wonder, what did you mean by that?"
You paused by the doors. He said it in high fever, but his words never left your mind. You didn't know if it was good idea to confront him about it, but you tried nonetheless. Okita moved from the doors and stood just before you. You looked up at him and gulped. He run his fingers through the side of your face. You unconsciously leaned to his delicate touch as you waited for reply.
"The same thing you meant when you told me this months ago," he spoke quietly.
"Oh...," you let him bring you closer and leaned on his chest. You smiled to yourself as he put his head on your forehead. His hair tickled you when he moved his head. This time you bumped your nose to his and rubbed against it. He returned the gesture grinning like a child. But then he cupped your cheek and leaned lower.
His lips were a little rough, perhaps still recovering from the illness. Your frozen stature relaxed as you let yourself melt in sweet kiss he offered. It was a little forceful, but it was expected from a man like Okita Souji. If it was a dream, you didn't want to wake up.
***
Just as the last sun beams hid behind the horizon your eyes flew open. You got used to upside down way of waking up and falling asleep. You touched your lips just to remember sweet fragrance of kiss a night before. It happened, and that thought made your blood rush. You looked outside with a small smile playing on your lips.
You wondered if you'd ever be able to sit in the sun. Probably not. You probably won't age that much, seeing how the lifespans of a Fury was much shorter. All your dreams about the quiet old aging crumbled to dust when Kaoru made you drink the Water of Life.
With a sigh you got up and started to dress up till you noticed an notebook on a shelf. You opened it and recalled that it was Yukimura Kado's notebook you took from his house. Right, after finding a memo about the medicine you tucked it in your kimono. You riffled through the notebook. You found a mention of water that could heal the Fury's condition. You wanted to read more but your vision started to blur. You blinked a few times but then you felt a sharp pain in your chest.
The notebook fell out of your hands as you clutched on your kimono. You tried to calm breath, but nothing could stop the pain. You fell on the floor. Feeling of dread and desire washed over you. You knew that feeling, the lust for something you couldn't have. Lust for a blood. Through you blurry vision you saw your hair turning white. You grasped few strands and stared at them.
You couldn't let anyone see you like this. Never. You hadn't told Okita about your situation. You were afraid about his reaction. Many times in fever he said horrible things about himself being a monster. If he felt this way about himself, how would he see you? He'd probably despise you.
And now the fact that you gave him your blood made it worse. Was the Fury's blood different?
You breathed deeply, the pressure on your chest declinging.
You heard a knock on the doors. You froze.
"Hey, ______, are you going to prepare breakfast?" Okita's voice resounded through the room. At least he didn't burst in, you thought.
"Y-yes!" you somehow called back. "Just a minute!" or at least till my hair gets back to normal, you added mentally. The heavy feeling in your chest lessened and you could stand up from the floor. You hastily dressed up yourself and looked in the mirror. Your hair was almost back to normal color. You picked up the notebook and left it on the shelf. When you decided you were presentable enough you walked out of the room just to collide with broad chest. "Ow!"
"Well, hello~," Okita said with mischievous look while snuggling arms around you. "You were taking so long I thought I should just walk in there."
"Y-you were?" you clung to his kimono, slightly pink. "Souji-san! You can't just burst into a woman's room without permission!"
"I can't?" he raised his brows when you stabbed your finger into his chest.
"No!" you glared at him with distressed expression. What if he saw you while you turned into the Fury? Okita just laughed and again bumped his nose against yours. You blinked surprised. "You like doing that, don't you?"
"Doing what?"
"The nose bumping thing," you giggled, your mood improving with every second.
"You like it too, so where is the problem?" he rubbed more causing you to turn slightly pink.
"Nowhere. Now, let me go, I need to make your long awaited breakfast."
Okita pouted but let you go. You made a breakfast for you three with Okita constantly making some snide remarks. Finally you shooed him out of the kitchen, noting to yourself to never let him watch how you cook again.
After the breakfast, well - for normal people a supper, dr. Matsumoto paid a visit. Since you knew you and Okita were leaving soon for a battle you decided to start packing. When you were back again you saw Okita wearing displeased expression.
"What is it?" you asked curious as you sat down.
"Nothing," he replied and you sighed heavily. You looked over Yamazaki and he had similar expression on his face.
"You shouldn't blame Hijikata-san," the medic said. Okita only snorted.
"It's all his fault," came the reply. "It's his fault that Kondou-san died."
You gasped to yourself. To be honest, you didn't know much about the ordeal around Kondou-san's death. All you were aware of, was the fact that he was executed. You didn't want to jump into conclusions, but was it Hijikata's fault?
"It's not," Yamazaki said and glared. The atmosphere became tense and you didn't know how to change that. To the rescue came dr. Matsumoto.
"Well Okita," he said trying to calm two males down. "If you're heading to the battle, you'll be able to confront him, right?"
Okita glared at the doctor and you felt need to interject till it would became ugly.
"Souji-san," you spoke. "When do we leave? Is there anything you want me to pack?"
"We?" he squinted at you.
"Me, you and Yamazaki-san," you said as if it was most obvious thing in the world.
You didn't know why he was so surprised out of nowhere. You and Yamazaki were going with him. You knew that he didn't exactly like black-haired ninja, but was he going to argue?
"You're not going with us," Okita said. "You can't wield a sword nor protect yourself. Did you seriously thought that you'd be coming?"
"I am going," you narrowed your eyes.
Okita took one of his katanas and threw it at you. You caught it a little startled.
"Then attack me," he snorted. He stood up and jerked you upwards with him. He took few steps back and looked at you.
You looked at the weapon in your hands. Was it the only way? Yes, you answered yourself. If you went by normal rules of life instead of fighting with all you've got, you'd be a married woman with three children by now. But you were you. You always took the hard way.
You glanced at dr. Matsumoto and Yamazaki, totally ignoring Okita as he counted down why you should stay. Both males had pitying looks on their faces, and they were agreeing with Okita's opinion. You squeezed the sword.
You didn't know if it was the Fury's blood that gave you the courage, or your own resolve. In a blink of an eye you unsheathed the katana and
turned the sharp end upwards. You swung at Okita, with a simple technique you've learned long time ago. You heard gasps from the doctor and Yamazaki. Okita easily dodged and your sword was sent flying. Knowing it would happen you drew your mother's kaiken. He caught your wrist and you both froze.
"I've gone through enough to let your words stop me," you hissed meeting his eyes. "You, out of all people, should know to not underestimate me. So is there anything you want to pack, Souji-san?"
.
.
.
"You've got yourself quite a feisty woman, Okita. Don't you think Yamazaki?"
"I'd say forceful, dr. Matsumoto. "
"Shut up, you two."
~~***~~
Hello! The story has reached 29 814 words! Huh, who woul've thought ^^"
Does anyone have the idea where their last battle took place? I totally forgot!
I hope you enjoyed!