{Author's Note: I was intending on posting all of the stories I'd been working on this passed month along with chapter four of my Peace Maker Kurogane fic: "Break me, Shake me", all in one night and somehow this cute little one shot got invented. So I know it's not a slash fic like my others and not an excruciatingly detailed chapter fic but it's cute all the same. Just a little glimpse into the life of Saya and Tetsunoske in the future. DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PEACEMAKER KUROGANE! Enjoy my loves!}
*many children in their day weren't automatically named because you weren't sure if they were going to live or not.
"He was in fact, the noble abacus warrior of his time. He was a helping hand. He will be forever remembered," The very few remaining Shensengumi bowed their heads in prayer as the aroma of the incense flooded the room. Tears streamed down my face as the images undying in my head surfaced from the corners of memory. Tatsunoske, the only family I had left...died of a foreign disease, much like the won that took away our Master Okita.
He started coughing up blood, he was sick all the time, and started to procrastinate. He would try his hardest to catch up with his work but he couldn't deny how worn out his body was becoming. He confided in me a secret wish. "Keep the Shensengumi alive... never give up...and take care of your child as I have taken care of you...take care of him the way our father would advise you do. Be the best father that a little boy could have. I had that chance with you and only you Tetsu...and now it's your turn. Always be responsible for me." His hands rolled out of the fists they were in...he let go of my hand...and his pain ended the night of December 21st.
The ceremony was coming to a polite and silent close as the incense began to die down. People started fanning out of the room and the men went to work on the burial of my brother's ashes. It was hard to watch them behind the buildings digging up the dirt to place him on the left side of Master Okita. Master Hijikata on Okita's right. On my brother's left was Ayumu.
"There isn't much of a point in having our kind around anymore. The Shensengumi is in dwindling numbers now. No one's showing any enthusiasm about the open spots either. I predict that before long we're going to disperse and live disgraceful lives as merchants," one of the elder members that I barely mingled with proposed to another member. My head felt heavy as I remembered all of the friends I had in this forsaken organization...dead. I yearned for the company I once had. Sanosuke died fighting off enemies of the country, Seito Hajime died in his sleep, the only friend I had left in that place was Shinpachi...and he simply wasn't the same since after he watched Sanosuke get slaughtered. I missed even Todo who had gone missing in action. Oh and Susumu?...joined his sister through seppuku on the anniversary of her death. Guess I never could truly ease his pain after all.
I vanished from the few left mourning behind the gates of the headquarters. I didn't wish to remain any longer on the site of my brother's grim demise. I had a family waiting for me in the house I had kept them safe within. My beautiful and supportive wife and my new-born son (who was still nameless*)
Years back I proposed to Saya because she was there for me through my hardships. When I had to deal with the maddening knowledge that I'd killed my best friend's master, though it was for his own good, I did not have to deal with it alone because she was right beside me. We were both turning sixteen and it felt like that was as grown as I was going to get but compared to the age I have come to now...we were just little kids. We were so young and foolish, and despite all we'd gone through there was still so much to learn.
In front of the abandoned motel where I had slain Master Yoshida...I froze up. My body felt numb and I found myself incapable of walking further. The peeling gray walls, the dingy, untouched sign, the bolted shut sliding doors, and the dried blood that stained the floors. It all rushed back to me as clear as the night it had happened. My body shook uncontrollably and my eyes swelled up with tears and a feeling of loss hit the pit of my stomach. The eighteen most depressing days of my life that followed that incident rushed back almost knocking the wind out of me. The long listless days that I desperately hoped to find Suzu, just to help him with his current situation as a token of apology for ruining his life, the death of Okita and the seppuku of Master Hijikata that followed straight after, the revelation afterward through suicide note that the two were lovers. It rushed back to my memory like a great flood.
The only good thing that came of it...I still remember clearly the first time my lovely little bride spoke. I remember it like yesterday.
"Saya...I haven't seen Suzu in days. I'm getting really worried. His master took care of him...how could he possibly be living now?" I asked myself.
She shrugged her shoulders as she held my hand. It was summer and Okita had dragged us both to a temple for a festival that he thought would clear my mind. I still remember the days in which Okita were still alive. The happiest days of my life were with him when I think about it. Saya was eating a Popsicle. I had a rice ball in my hand.
"Usually I would not have been able go this long without running into him somewhere...you don't think he's dead do you?" I put the rice ball down and buried my face in my hands. I shook my head back and forth pressing my palms hard against my eyelids to fight back the tears.
"I think you've done all you can do." I heard a little voice coo at me. I looked up to see my friend's determined eyes staring my pathetic body down.
"Saya..."
"Tetsu, please stop doing this to yourself," she pleaded. Her voice sounded as dainty and sweet as I had always imagined it would.
"Saya you're speaking..." I was still astonished.
"Tetsu you've made me happy. I trust you. You made me feel good again. You made me feel safe to speak," she explained to me warming my heart to the core. "You've done all you can for, Suzu," she whispered.
Then and there I asked my child bride to marry me...and the most relieving words escaped her lips. "Yes."
I shook my head and wiped my clammy face free of the cold sweat. With hard work I managed to walk slowly away from the building that changed my life forever.
The walk seemed long and excruciating but upon opening the doors the aroma of my home was magnificent. Saya was at the stove cooking. "So the baby's asleep I assume." I smiled at her. She nodded and nudged her head toward the bed room. I kicked off my shoes at the door and sat down on the floor.
"How was the funeral?" she asked. I twitched, letting out a hiss of searing pain. She frowned at me realizing that being there was the last thing I wanted to talk about. "Tetsu..." She left the spoon in the pot and the rice to cook and sat down beside me. She rubbed my shoulders comfortingly and gave me a smile as she kissed my neck. She decided to change the subject. "I think we've waited long enough...I want to name the baby."
"What do you propose we name him?" I asked
"Tatsunoske," she suggested without missing a beat. My whole body froze as I thought of honoring the name of the man that looked after me all my life by passing his name down to my baby. It seemed backwards in a way. The man that took care of me...now I would be taking care of him. It didn't feel right. My stomach felt funny. My head started reeling. I couldn't fight them back any longer. I hung my head heavy and began to sob uncontrollably. The tight feeling in my chest pounded as my shoulders shook. The tears were fast to fall. I wanted it all to end. "I'm sorry. We don't have too!" she apologized cluelessly clutching tightly onto me. "I'm so sorry!"
"No...I think it's a great name Saya." I wiped away my tears and tried to suck it all up. "I think it's perfect." I turned and held her tightly in my arms. "Saya, I promise you that I will take care of you and make this a safe nation for you and our son," she began to cry into my shoulder.
The baby woke up. She held my hand and lead me to the bed room where are crying baby lay in a little bundle on the futon. she picked up our little crying bundle of joy and handed him to me. "You know he looks just like you..." she said.
"Tatsunoske...it's me your dad. It's okay...I'm here for you."