Hello all! look! I liiiive! And it's with some cute little Keiji/Masamune fluffy-fluff.

I own nothing. Except the bodyguard-chick

A Dead Love Story

He was tense, I knew that. And it wasn't his normal muscle-tense he usually had after the day had passed. It was something deeper, something he continually tried to push aside and hope I wouldn't notice. I know some people claim that I'm not the brightest of warriors, but even I can tell when someone close to me is having problems. But I'm not one to mention it. I just wrapped my arms around him tightly and waited for him to speak.

But I guess he noticed my silence.

"What's wrong with you?"

He was…quiet. Something I'm never used to. All day he's loud and brash and hotheaded and just a little irresponsible. But once he crosses the threshold into my tent, all of that seems to sink with the sun and he's just a timid little puppy looking for someone to acknowledge his deeds and tell him that he's still wanted. In so many ways, he's still just a child. Too young for all of this.

"Keiji, what's wrong?"

I guess I was spacing out there. He rarely asks twice.

"You. You're tense and distracted."

"W-what are you talking about?"

Hesitation. Something else he never does. Not even around me. Maybe around Hideyoshi or Mitsunari, but never around me or other people he trusts.

"I don't repeat myself."

He was silent, squirming a little in my grip, turning his back to me. I've always been honest with him…is it too much to ask that he be honest with me too? I knew better than to force him, but so much of me wanted to know the cause of his sudden mood shift. I tightened my hold on him, keeping one of my hands pressing against his chest. He tried to pull away, but I pulled him back, holding him tightly despite his apparent discontent.

"Let me go…"

It wasn't a command…actually, it was more of a pitiful whine. Like a child who wants something. He wouldn't talk to me, not now anyways. Reluctantly, I let go and he sat up, sitting at the edge of the bed and just staring at the floor. With moonlight through paper-thin tent-canvas, I could see the scars on his back. He never would tell me what they were from, always defensive. They seemed to glow a little, and it was almost sickening to look at, but I never could turn my eyes away.

"Masamune, what's wrong? Talk to me."

He stayed silent, with his back to me.

And I was irritated. Not something I was often. But I was rather irked. I tried again, and again, and he gave me nothing but silence in return. My hand lashed out, grabbing his shoulder roughly and dragging him back onto the bed. He curled up instantly, instinctively trying to shield his face. The One-Eyed Dragon whimpered, and the two of us forgot where we were.

I let go of him, and he rolled off of the bed and reached for his clothes.

"I can't see you anymore."

It was his tone that killed me. A sort of cold, but sorrowful note that would have even made the strongest men, such as myself, fall to their knees and cry.

"Masamune…"

I reached for his wrist once he had donned his armor again, halting him before he could leave.

"At least tell me—"

"I got my bodyguard pregnant, alright?! There! Happy?! You got your damn explanation!!"

I was shocked. More of the fact that he shouted at me in the near dead twilight. And then I slowly started to digest his words.

"You what?!"

He didn't even look at me, but he didn't try to pull his wrist away either.

"I made a mistake, and I'm gonna do the right thing…good-bye, Keiji."

And without another word, he vanished from the tent.

I knew though…I knew he was crying.