Hello everyone! Thank you for taking a look at my latest fic.
This story of OkiSai is set before they had established a name for themselves as the Shinsengumi so if you don't quite understand what the plot is about, you can watch hakuoki Reimeiroku to get a clearer picture.

Oh, and the characters in this story might be a bit OOC due to my selfish need to pair them up.

Chapter 1 – Partying and getting drunk

The world was spinning. It was turning around and around, making everything look distorted and just plain weird. At least, that was how Okita Souji felt at the time.

~.~.~.~

"Tonight, we shall celebrate!" All the men cheered at Hijikata-san's announcement. They had worked hard everyday to gain recognition, and they finally achieved the reward they have all been waiting for.

The lord of the Aizu clan had bestowed upon them a new name, "Shinsengumi". It was a name which all the talented in military arts gathered under, and that was their new name. Their new recognition.

These past few months, Okita has been through a lot with his fellow fighters. Coming to Kyoto was easy. The difficult part was for people to acknowledge them, the Roshigumi, as samurai who were willing to protect this city, not just some rogue ronin.

Kondo-san, Sannan-san and Hijikata-san have been trying their very best to raise their name, to let others know of them. But just as the people of the city were beginning to warm up to them, Serizawa-san, another one of their chiefs, would go about and create a ruckus, making them lose the name they had tried to build up.

"A bad name is better than no name." is what Serizawa-san says. Okita begged to differ. Sure he might like to slice those who get in his way, but that didn't mean that he wanted others to think of him badly.

At this moment, Okita felt like they had just accomplished the impossible.

~.~.~.~

It was a drink-all-you-want fest during the party.

Every member had a simple dinner of rice, miso soup, dried seaweed, two slices of fish and a small saucer of tofu. It may not have been a grand feast (they still lacked the funds to do so), yet everyone was more than content. They all looked so happy.

Saito was happy too. Saito Hajime may not have been the most social person in the whole of the Roshigumi, but he was not a robot. He felt emotions like happiness, pain, sadness and so on.

His friends were getting extremely drunk. Shinpachi and Heisuke were red-faced and laughing loudly when the younger male made an impression of Niimi-san. Their laughter reverberated off the paper doors and wooden floor. Inoue-san was enjoying himself as well, his cheeks red as he downed more sake. It was rare of the taciturn swordsman to see him like that. Sano-san was already stripping his vest off to dance his infamous belly dance, making everyone laugh.

Kondo-san was not taking a sip of sake as usual, whereas Sannan-san and Hijikata-san decided to indulge themselves a little that night. It was a cause to be celebrated after all.

But the one who was on a rampage in drinking the fermented rice type of wine was his sparring partner, Okita-san. The reddish brown-haired male was gulping down his sake with a speed no one could match. Saito briefly wondered what demon had possessed Okita to make him drink like that.

Before he could voice his thoughts, Okita stopped drinking and turned to him. "Why don't you feel like drinking, Hajime-kun?" His eyes were glazed over, a tell-tale sign that he was on his way to getting drunk.

Saito shook his head. "I do not feel like drinking, Okita-san. Thank you very much for asking me."

Okita cocked his head to the side. "Heh?~" He put down his sake cup briefly to pick on a bone of a fish. "So Hajime-kun doesn't drink huh?"

After a short while of silence, Okita put down his chopsticks and resumed his drinking.

~.~.~.~

His friend let out a hiccup followed by a nasty smelling burp. Saito fanned the air full of alcohol away from his face and continued to help Okita get to his room.

After the party was over, most of the members were so wasted they could barely even stand. Some of them like Heisuke, Shinpachi and Sano had already fallen asleep. Those who were sober tried to help their mates up and get back to their rooms. However, those who were sound asleep were left on the floor of the dining hall with blankets.

Okita wriggled and squirmed as Saito held him up by the shoulder and arm, letting the drunk samurai rest on him partially. Okita leaned heavily on Saito as they walked back, almost making the both of them lose their footing in a few instances.

"Okita-san, please stay still." said Saito as he readjusted his friend's place on his shoulder. Okita was mumbling incoherent words but stayed where he was. The indigo haired male was glad that Okita still had some sense in him. Saito lifted Okita higher so that the taller male could rest on his shoulder more comfortably.

As they reached Okita's room, Saito gently placed his sparring partner down onto the tatamis as he went to set up his futon. After rummaging around in his closet, Saito pulled out a fluffy futon and placed it in the centre of the room. He then proceeded to carry Okita, but the first division captain was too heavy for Saito to lift on his own. If only he were awake. Alas, Okita had gone to sleep, snoring peacefully away.

Saito had no choice but to half carry, half drag Okita into his futon. The taciturn male huffed as Okita slipped from his arms and landed onto the futon. He bent down to try and cover Okita up, lest he catch a cold. They could not afford anyone falling sick at this time. It was critical for them. Just as he was about to pull the covers over his head, Saito gasped as he felt something grab his arm.

He pulled away, but whatever it was pulled back. Upon closer inspection, Saito found that it was Okita's hand on his arm. Before he could pry open Okita's fingers, he felt himself being pulled down, landing on to Okita's broad chest.

"Hmm... Don't go..." Saito arched a brow. It would seem that his friend was sleep talking. Saito gently lifted himself up, only to be pulled down again. Okita stirred in his sleep, his brows creasing together. "Don't go..."

As much as he would hate to admit it, this side of Okita looked kind of adorable.

Wait! What am I saying?

Saito attempted once again to get off, but failed. This time, Okita pulled him down and hugged him, trapping Saito in his arms. The usually stoic male froze for a moment before regaining his composure.

"Ne, Kondo-san..." Okita was speaking again, his brows furrowed. Saito wondered what was it that made him look so worried. "I like someone... a lot..." Great, now Saito had to listen to him spout out his innnermost secrets. Okita nodded a few times. "Mm-hmm... He's the one... the one..I want."

Saito felt that he had just invaded Okita's privacy. But he could not help but wonder who was the person that Okita fancied. He? Who's he? Deciding not to stick around any longer, Saito moved slowly away from Okita. However, Okita didn't budge and instead held on to him tighter.

"Hajime-kun..." Froze. Again. Why was Okita calling him in his sleep? Was he dreaming of them sparring? That would make sense.

Before Saito could even think his next thought, he felt Okita's lips ghost over his. Unwillingly, he gasped. Okita who was still floating in dreamland, connected his lips with Saito's, making ocean blue eyes widen as big as bowls. "Mm, Hajime-kun..." he said through his lips.

The kiss was chaste and soft, leaving Saito breathless. Without knowing what to do, he quickly pushed Okita away and left the room. His soft footsteps were hardly heard as he padded to his own room not far away and closed the paper door. He slumped into his futon and pulled the blankets over his head. He could still feel the press of Okita's lips against his and he could feel the heat rising up to his neck and cheeks. Lightly, he touched his lips with his fingers.

Why did Okita do that?

And that's a wrap for chapter one!

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Thank you!