Disclaimer: Do not own Peacemaker Kurogane and will not make a profit out of this fic. All characters©Nanae Chrono

Three part Hijikata/Okita piece based on Okita Souji's moods when he returns from patrols as seen from Hijikata Toshizo's eyes and to illustrate the a sentence about Souji from the first drabble (Troubled): He could be gentle and caring or craving and needy or forceful and demanding.

Characters: Hijikata Toshizo and Okita Souji
Genre/Theme: Angst; Romance
Content/Warnings: Slash
Spoilers: No Spoilers
Rating: PG-13
Done: November and December 2007
Beta: Not beta-read


TROUBLED


The unsettling crit crit of the night crickets was occasionally joined by a lazy cicada laying concealed somewhere in the garden trees. Hijikata Toshizo sat in his room lost in troubling thoughts, unlit pipe in on hand and staring at the garden stillness, the other hand leisurely soothing Souji's sleeping form. Fingers playing absently with smooth, dark strands. Souji's back rising calmly in long breaths. Toshizo took a deep breath and stared back at the night covered grounds.

He believed to be the one person that better knew Souji, but still Souji was a riddle. He could be gentle and caring or craving and needy or forceful and demanding. But Toshizo rarely ever knew how the calm, sweet looking and animal loving man was going to react after being pushed close to the limit. Toshizo knew that crossing the limit turned Souji into a remorseless killing machine, but what of the Souji close to the limit, would he lose the kindness in his eyes? Would the sweetness he loved be lost forever replaced by a cold deadly stare?

Souji stirred awake and looked up through sleepy eyes at Toshizo "What's on your mind, Hijikata-san? You mustn't think so hard you'll get your forehead all wrinkled."