From Quote Request Series, the 8th request is from ariel-san!

F-ffff-first ever fanfiction of Itou Kamotarou..!
The Itou fans would go "Eh~" at me for this, but this is my first time writing for him! Please judge me kindly...! ←

So here it is, a Shinsengumi woman-soldier and Itou-sama.
Enjoy ^^!

Proof of Strength

In the early mornings the cold temperature slightly bits at my skin.
I grip tightly onto my wooden sword and thrust it forwards with all my might.

A drop of sweat glides down my forehead and I wipe that while leaving my shoulders to drop accompanied by a sigh.
It's been a while since I joined the Shinsengumi forces, but I still haven't managed to be able to catch up with the others.
Not one chance do I want to get teased for being a woman, nor want to ever be a burden.
The sword skills and all, I want to catch up to the others as soon as possible, yet I can't seem to close the distance between men and women.

...and even yesterday, -I look down at my right arm, wrapped in bandages.
A wound I had gotten last night when we raided one of the Joui's secret base.
The pain I feel every time I swing down my wooden sword is the proof of how useless I am.
If I am like this, I will forever end up being a burden.
At dangerous times, the vice-commander always comes to protect me, but I shouldn't be relying on him at all.
But since it's Kondou-san, he won't ever force me to leave the Shinsengumi.
He is just a guy who treasures every member of his.

Which is also why... staying here and just being a burden, makes me feel like I'm living through hell.

I stop my thoughts there and shake my head mentally.

No, I shouldn't think negatively!
I have to practice hard and have my sword skills advanced to a professional level as fast as I can..!

"What high spirits from such an early time of morning."

The raised wooden sword freezes in midair when I hear the voice coming from behind.
I ignore the heart that had leapt strongly within me.
Knowing whose voice it had belonged to, a blush creeps upon my cheeks as I slowly turn around.

"Itou-sensei...! Y-you're up so early."

The person who leans against one of the wooden poles and look down at me is Itou Kamotarou sensei.
Regardless of the still, slightly tired face which he pushes his glasses up against, his existence shines brightly in my eyes.
He narrows his eyes and stares at me so intensely that I can't force myself to look at him in the eye any longer.

...sensei is just too hot even when it's morning...

All the muscles in my body relax and I drop the wooden sword down to my side.
Itou-sensei always helps me out with training like this.
I kind of feel bad for him to wake up so early in the morning, but I can't help feeling so happy about it.
Because his way of teaching is so easy to understand and moreover-...

...I really look up to sensei.

The time spent with just the two of us is just pure happiness.

"Is it just me, are you starting to wake up earlier and earlier?" He says with a slight furrow.

"R-really?" I force a smile.

Indeed I just get too excited to be able to see sensei in the morning that I find myself working up earlier and earlier.
...is a fact that I can never say aloud.
I slightly scratch my head and avert my gaze before continuing to thrust my sword again.
If I continue to stare into his eyes, my mind will start going blank.

No, concentrate! Concentrate! At this rate, I won't be able to become professionally good at my sword skills!

"...what happened? What's with the bandages on your right hand?"
The question pierces through the sound of the wooden sword thrust downwards.

"...eh?"

I wish he had just let it slide.
Forcing a laugh, I look back again at sensei who his brows furrowed.

...I wonder if he thought I'm weak...

"...Yesteray when we had a raid on the Joui, I received this... and I was protected by the vice-commander again," I say shamelessly with another chuckle forcing its way out.

"This isn't good at all. There isn't much of a meaning to being a "soldier" I'm like this, isn't it"?"

...I'm really annoyed at myself.
At being a burden...
And being all negative about it.

My eyes stay downcast towards the ground until in my vision I see huge shoes.
Quickly looking up, I find sensei off the porch and standing right before me.

"That's why you're going to become stronger, right?"
His kind words vibrate into my ear and I feel my eyes grow hot.
The warmth I feel from the hand that reaches to pat my head makes the warmth travel all the way to my cheeks.

"If you're strong from the start, there's nothing to aim for and it would be boring, would it not?" He continues.

"To aim for...?" I repeat.

"Yes. It is a blessing to be able to have something you can aim for," he explains and smiles every so kindly.
And then his hand travels towards my right arm where he narrows his eyes and traces over my bandages, making my whole body heat up.

"This is the proof that you will become stronger."

His expression when he had said these words had been so hot, so kind, that I feel my heart suffocate in constriction.

With no doubt, I love sensei.
The reconfirmation makes my face grow even hotter that it already had been.
I am so simple-minded for getting greatly motivated from just the words the sensei gives me.

"...I will work hard!"

"And that's what I am here for," sensei says and pats my head once again.
He then brings his face closer towards mine and stares closely into my eyes.

"Let's practice hard together every morning, okay?" he murmurs closely and I just helplessly give an automatic reply of "y-yes!"

Does this person have the knowledge of what he's doing to me?
My heart is beating so rapidly, I'm not sure if I can put strength into my training.

But forcing myself to reset my feelings and concentrate, I slap my cheeks and take a deep breath.

――――

"...but you know."

"What is it?"

I turn towards sensei who stands right beside me with his arms folded and wearing a hardened facial expression.

"Getting protected by that "thing"again is a slightly disturbing thought," he says as he pushes his glasses back to its rightful place.

"..."thing"?"

I tilt my head to one side in confusion as sensei continues to mutter to himself.
If I ask what he is on about, sensei looks towards this way, slightly angry.

"...from next time onwards, Iwill protect you. So you don't have the need to become that strong!" he demands.

"Wha-!? What are you saying!?" I cry, feeling my face blush red immediately but his sudden words had actually first made me think that doesn't seem to be a bad idea either

...how simple minded I am.

End.

Hirari:

Phew~!
T-that was fun...! lol
This was my first Kamotarou, but seriously it was fun to write!
Just like how it was with Kamui, you start loving the characters you don't like once you start writing fan-fictions of them/
My rating towards Itou rose up greatly ^^
The new challenge was really exciting! I want to do it again!

By the way, I was too scared to write off the bat, so I went back to read master's novel about Itou, lol.
Yes, the master of fan-fiction who is known to love Kamo and is the person who gave me the motivation to start writing fan-fictions/←people who know, would know who I am talking about
It was really helped me a lot there...! Mocchi-sama! (oops, I said it...

Thank you very much to ariel-sama for giving me such a wonderful challenge^^!

Cye:

Sorry for the long wait for Hirari's next FF update. I had summer school, but now I am a free soul, so I hope I can submit at least one chapter/oneshot a day!