Takeda Shingen let out a sigh as he scanned the body lying in front of him, the burning fire that he always see each day has disappeared, the familiar noise of the young tiger yelling 'OYAKATA-SAMA!' has also disappeared. Yukimura Sanada is laying in his white futon looking pale, as the futon's color is almost the same as his face, his breathing is unstable and sweats are covering his body. He has been like this ever since his previous battle with Akechi Mitsuhide who did a vicious trick on Yukimura that is to put poison in his scythe that it will poison Yukimura as the scythe touch him… and it did.

Yukimura won that battle but Shingen wishes that he didn't send Yukimura to that battle because after that battle, the old Yukimura hasn't come back…the cheerful yelling, the commotion that the tiger and the young one make… it's all not in Kai anymore… Sasuke also went on a special orders from Shingen to no matter how hard it is, they need to somehow get the cure as soon as possible and it's has been 4 days since Sasuke left and nothing is founded,

"O…Oya-…kata….sa…ma…" Came breaking the silence, Yukimura's barely heard voice and Shingen moving closer to his apprentice in order to hear the voice clear enough. "What is it, Yukimura?"

Yukimura slowly cracking open his eyes that looks swollen and red looking at his oyakata-sama's somehow never seen before worriedness in his face, He tilted his face a bit to the side to get a better point of view to his general. "I-Is Sa…suke…back…yet?" his words are choked but still can be understandable. Shingen leans back to his previous position.

"No, don't worry about that. You need to rest…" He ordered with his 'soft' tone.

"B-…But…" Yukimura tried to complain and jumped sitting on the futon but his body disappoint him as he collapse like the other day, it's always like this and Shingen is not surprised by it anymore but with his reflex he caught his apprentice in one arms and carefully lay him down in the futon properly again.

The general lets out another sigh as he furrowed his eyebrows clenching his fist, sometimes he just wants to be in Yukimura's place and take all the pain but everyone knows that is impossible, no one can change the past, no one. Just then, a voice of a swift wind came from outside the door… Sasuke's shadow reflected in the shoji door bowing on his knees, Shingen stood up and slide the door open revealing the ninja who just get back from his journey. Sasuke was looking pretty depressed and it's not looking so good, is it?

"Did you find anything Sasuke?" Shingen asked hoping that there is something they can do to save Yukimura, however… Sasuke shook his head signing that there is nothing that he founded to be useful for the young tiger's cure.

"I found the type that Mitsuhide Akechi used in the previous battle and from what I got… it's the incurable one" Sasuke got a hard time saying the last 2 words. "Should we spread the news in Kai about danna-sama's condition?" Sasuke continue to ask.

"No need…" With that Shingen walk away leaving Sasuke still bowing and after the footsteps were gone, Sasuke stood up to stand beside the sleeping Yukimura scratching his cheek with his index finger he sighs. 'Sighing' while looking at the helpless Yukimura is becoming a habit between Shingen and Sasuke as they both are the ones that know about this matter; Sasuke flash a weak smile towards Yukimura before he brings out a fabric parcel with no shape. The shinobi took out a plate in the closest cabinet and put the parcel on it, unwrapping the cloth it revealed sticks of dangos which is Yukimura's favorite food.

"Danna, look what I've got for you…. Your favorite dango…" Sasuke intends to said it jokingly but his sorrowful expression can't leave his face at all, can't holding to be staying there any longer, Sasuke went outside sliding the door closed.

Sasuke heads to the meeting room after he was told by one of the subordinates that Lord Shingen called him immediately, he slide open the shoji door looking at the blonde who is bowing in front of Shingen looking at Sasuke returning the man shinobi's awkward smile with a glare. "Wow~ we got a visitor…Oyakata-sama….." Sasuke joins kasuga bowing in front of Shingen.

"Then, what message does Kenshin wants us to hear? You can tell us now…" Shingen told Kasuga.

"But, aren't we waiting for Sanada Yukimura? Kasuga was confused, usually in every meeting or something like it, Yukimura always come sitting close to Oyakata-sama and asking Kasuga if she and Sasuke are dating each other but today is different…

Shingen exchange look with Sasuke "Well Kasuga, about the message…you can tell us it later… bring Kenshin a message from me first"

Even though she doesn't get the answer yet but she nodded "Understood"

0~0~0~0~0~0~0

"I see… So the young tiger is dying now…" Kenshin said as he sipped his tea that Kasuga just gave him, while Kasuga is sitting close to the dragon of Echigo.

"Yes, Takeda Shingen told me to say that to you and he wishes that you can at least pray to the bishamonten that Yukimura Sanada can have his last battle…"

"That Shingen… I guess he knows the best what the young tiger's desire for battle and the only one that can be worthy to be a rival for that young one… is that person…" Kenshin said.

Shingen's message for Kenshin is about Yukimura's condition and how that it needs to be kept a secret just between the two general, in war… usually an enemy will attack when they know that one of the other's best warrior can't fight… but Kenshin likes to fight fairly without any advantage or even vicious trick, and Shingen knows that from his 'fighting' buddy.

"Kenshin-sama…" Kasuga called as Kenshin's face was looking pretty worried, maybe because of the news he just got from Kasuga.

Kenshin turned to Kasuga just to smile at her "prepare the horses and the warriors… we are heading to Kai tomorrow morning…" Kenshin said and Kasuga nodded "Yes…Kenshin-sama"

0~0~0~0~0~0~0

In Oushuu…

The One-Eyed Dragon is swinging his sword practicing in his white yukata, each swing was full with energy and spirit, and sweats are running from his head as he has been training for hours right now. Masamune stop swinging his sword as footsteps come louder to his spot, he turned to see his right-eye Kojuuro is standing a few steps from him wearing a farmer's clothes which proves he just got back from 'socializing' and helping the villagers in farming.

"Kojuuro, fight me" He said as he point his blade straight to Kojuuro's head. Masamune was bored, bored to hell as he is just swinging his sword for the last few days and no one to fight to and even Kojuuro refuse to fight him.

"Masamune-sama… I believe you won't get the very same excitement with me compared to Sanada Yukimura" Kojuuro answered.

Masamune points his sword down letting out a groan as his 'request' is once again being turned down by his own trustworthed man but sometimes Masamune thinks that Kojuuro has some points in that, there is no one in Japan has yet to be his true rival other than that red-headed guy. Masamune always feel somehow burning inside him whenever he fights with Yukimura and there is some special excitement that pierced through him as he fight with true might.

"Hey, Kojuuro…Let's Party! I'm going to fight that hot head" A smirk crept in his face as he is imagining how he will be fighting Sanada Yukimura again after a pretty long time that they don't even met each other anywhere so far. Kojuuro already realize that the 'party' is referring to Yukimura.

Kojuuro nodded "I understand…Masamune-sama, we will leave to Kai tomorrow so we can arrive two days after today"

The one eyed dragon heard it and left followed by Kojuuro behind him.

"Kojuuro…" Masamune stops his steps and look back at Kojuuro, his smirks already gone replaced by a confused look plastered in his face, Kojuuro was pretty lost in what have happen in the past few seconds. "What is it? Masamune-sama"

"You see…well I umm….I guess I am…..umm….." Masamune out of nowhere stuttering about something, he scratch the back of his neck looking extremely nervous and that something rare to be seen from Date Masamune and even Kojuuro who has been with Masamune for years has never seen that 'nervous' look on his lord.

"Is something the matter, Masamune-sama?" Kojuuro asked.

Masamune's eyes are wandering around at every corner that his eyes can look to "I…need to ask you something….well…something personal….about me….and uh…Yukimura…I think…" he started to get more and more nervous….. (Just imagine he is nervous or something likes it…..)

"Yes?"

"Umm… What do you think if…if…I actually 'love' that hot head?" Masamune look starting to heat up in his part of his head getting 'blushing'?

Kojuuro doesn't really looks like he is surprised or anything, in fact he looks like he already has been expecting this question for so long. "Then… Masamune-sama I really think you need to tell that to him"

The dragon's right eye left Masamune speechless and 'blushing' there, froze in his spot.

"LIKE HELL I WOULD!" He got embarrassed by his own thoughts that he lets out 'some' of his stress to the open air, his face already look as red as tomato…..

0~0~0~0~0~0~0

2 days later…

The sun just rises and still horizontally aligned with the ground finding its way to be in the high sky, fog still covering the air and people are just starting to wake up from their sleep getting ready for whatever may come to them today.

Sasuke is walking down the hallway bringing a plate of dango to Yukimura's room, even though the young tiger is sick but he still finds sometime to finish his dango Sasuke left for him and Sasuke make sure he or one of the shinobi brings plate of dango at breakfast, lunch and dinner or even afternoon snack since Yukimura never eats anything else aside from dango and Shingen didn't say a word because as long as Yukimura eats something he can still survive…

The shoji door to Yukimura's room slide open but Sasuke dropped the dango as he found the empty futon right before him, his eyes widened as he disappear like the usual ninja techniques to find Yukimura, he check all rooms, all corners in the Kai residence but he didn't find the said person he was about to give up and report to Shingen until he founds a figure standing on the riverside. He knows who it is.

"Danna-sama?" Sasuke called out as he stands beside the figure who is wearing a white yukata and after confirming that the 'figure' is Yukimura, Sasuke felt that white just doesn't suit the young one, the color of red does.

Yukimura turns to the source of the voice and finding his best friend standing beside him looking seriously worried about him, Yukimura sends out an awkward laugh…

"Sorry…I woke up and felt so much better like there is nothing is wrong with me so I took a stroll around" Yukimura smiled awkwardly since he knows that Sasuke is deathly worries about him.

Sasuke cracked an eyebrow from the sentence from his friend, Yukimura seems to be standing and walking right now but his face is pale and his body is shivering lightly as well as Yukimura's eyes that seems to has lost its sparks "Okay, okay but you need to get inside… now" Sasuke emphasis the last word. Yukimura nodded and went away.

As Yukimura and Sasuke walks into the Kai residence, Takeda Shingen already standing there looks angry crossing his arms and from the look on their lord's face both the young tiger and the shinobi knows that they are in so much trouble.

"Yukimura… why did you leave your bed? And Sasuke! Why didn't you watch him?!" He sounds and he looks really scary that Sasuke doesn't have anything to say, well actually he can't say anything to deny his lord.

"It's not Sasuke's fault… I just felt better this morning and took a stroll…" Yukimura defended himself and Sasuke at the same time while forcing a smile…

Shingen just sigh and return back inside the Kai's residence, Yukimura and Sasuke followed their lord like a puppy follows its master. The three of them went to the meeting room and sit on their usual seats, all just sit there quietly not speaking. Breaking the silence, footsteps can be heard coming over to the meeting room and the sound stops as the door slide open revealing a soldier bowing on his knees.

"What is it?" Shingen asked.

"There is Uesugi Kenshin and his army entering Kai but it seems that they are not declaring war with us and one of the shinobi from Uesugi army told us that they are here to visit" The soldier reports but before Shingen even replied another rushed footsteps came and another soldier came panting he got on his knees and report.

"My Lord! We have spotted Date Army coming in our direction!" as Yukimura hears 'Date' he knows that Masamune wants to duel him since it has been awhile since they got into a rivalry duel.

Shingen looks at both soldier "Let the Date army enter our territory… I already know what that brat is up to" and the solder nodded before they left. Then, Shingen turns to Sasuke and Yukimura "Sasuke, go escort Kenshin here and Yukimura… You want to fight The One-Eyed Dragon?" Shingen asked and a smile formed on Yukimura's pale face and his eyes got a bit of a sparks the young tiger nodded. "Go change your clothes and bring your weapon" Shingen told and Yukimura with out of nowhere spirit dashed out of the room heading towards his own room.

In the room Sasuke was confused "Oyakata-sama… Danna-sama is sick, how can you let him….let him" Sasuke couldn't finish his sentence. "Let him fight despite of his condition? Didn't you see how excited he is? At least he can have his last duel with his number one rival before death got him" Shingen said and left the room, Sasuke too left to see the Uesugi Army still worrying about Yukimura.

Everyone are in the backyard of Kai's residence, there is Takeda Shingen, Sasuke, Uesugi Kenshin, Kasuga, Date Masamune and Katakura Kojuuro.

"So… where is that hot head?" Masamune asked impatient of waiting his rival to come.

"I'm right here!" Yukimura with his usual read clothes and a pair of spears in his hands come to the backyard staring at Masamune with fighting spirit within him. Masamune smirked looking at his rival not recognizing the red and swollen ayes, the pale face of Yukimura… everyone except for Masamune are aware of Yukimura's condition and Kojuuro who doesn't know about anything whispered to Sasuke.

'Hey…Is Sanada Yukimura sick or something? He seems unwell' Kojuuro whispered quiet enough that Masamune didn't hear it.

'Danna-sama is poisoned and he is…dying' Sasuke said, Kojuuro's eyes widened at the information and he really wants to stop this fight now but an arm stop him from moving from his spot, it's Sasuke. 'Please don't interfere…Oyakata-sama wants danna-sama to at least have a battle with Date-dono' Sasuke whispered again and from that, Kojuuro step back understanding what Shingen wants…

"Yo! Long time no see eh? Let's get this party started!" Masamune said in his extraordinary English language, Takeda and the others left the two alone Kojuuro also follows with the others.

Masamune and Yukimura let the others go and focusing on each other readying themselves on fighting again after so long, Masamune draws all six claws at the very beginning and Yukimura steadying his position even though his body is shivering a bit.

"Moeru! Waga tamashii! (Burn! My soul!)" Yukimura yelled as the both of them dashed to each other.

Their weapons clashed to each other's and clashing metal's sound are filling the air the six claws of Date Masamune and the Heaven's spear of Sanada Genjiro Yukimura. Both are strong, both are determined to win and both are having fun battling with each other.

Masamune didn't leave his weak spot unguarded and keep attacking Yukimura with his special moves like crazy storm and Yukimura himself having a hard time defending himself as he felt that his body is getting all weak again, Yukimura started to stumble in his steps having a really hard time getting his balance and his arms are also getting weaker making him use all of his power left in him to hold the spear and to keep him standing, Masamune feels that something is wrong as he started noticing Yukimura's pale face and the red and swollen eyes, he can also aware that Yukimura is having a hard time keeping his balance and holding his spears tightly.

Yukimura's breathing is becoming more unsteady and sweats already forming despite of the fact that the battle just started minutes ago, Masamune feels uneasy and some part of his heart told him to stop the battle but a part of him told him to continue the battle.

The metal clashes again, Yukimura's spears holds the six claws that almost hit him his vision is becoming blur but he still tries to focus himself at the battle, Yukimura launch an attack on Masamune which is got defended by the six claws. They both got steps backward from the impact.

Yukimura is losing his consciousness and at that point of time… he knows what to do…

The young tiger launch another attack at The One-Eyed dragon and Masamune at his reflex he dropped the 5 swords pointing the last one he is holding to Yukimura's heart and at the time there is no turning back, Yukimura let the spears dropped to the ground leaving him the unguarded and at that time… It stabbed right into Yukimura's heart and when the blood drenched out and got into Masamune's face and clothes also the ground, the One-Eyed dragon realized that he has done something wrong… something really wrong…

Looking at Yukimura, Masamune slowly pull out his blade from the dying body before his eyes hearing Yukimura gasped as the cold metal leave his body and Masamune slowly laying Yukimura down letting the younger's head to be in his lap, panic is attacking Masamune's mind right now.

"No…No…Don't die on me! You supposed to be my life-time rival! I….I just realize it when we fought but…. You are sick and you fight me?!" Masamune is pissed off, this fight is one-sided and Yukimura is dying because of him, because he is careless and insensitive about Yukimura's condition, Masamune blamed himself on just focusing to battle than Yukimura's health…It's his fault…

"Masa…Mune…dono… you…. You will find- another rival…. That-that is…better…than me" Yukimura intends to comfort Masamune but it seems like it's not working as Masamune keep cursing at himself.

"There is no one! NO ONE can replace you" Masamune said as he took Yukimura's hand to his gripping it tight as if he doesn't want to let go of Yukimura and the other free hand caressing Yukimura's cheek that by counts of seconds grow colder.

The younger wants to say something but a warm tear that fall to his cheek stop him on track 'Tears? Whose tears is this? Could it be? Masamune-dono's?' Yukimura thought as he look up at Masamune's teary face, at his first time ever Yukimura sees his rival actually cry.

"Yukimura…I um…. "Masamune can't continue his words… he is panting real hard and biting his lips not to let a sob comes out, he shut his eyes tight but slowly opens it as a cold hand reached to his cheek caressing it softly, Masamune got one of his hands to wrap up Yukimura's hand.

"Actually I… about you… I" Masamune talks stutteringly while shutting his eyes closed hoping that he can finish his sentence "Goodbye, I love you Masamune-dono" A faint voice came and the hand on Masamune's cheek is slipping away causing The one-eyed dragon to shot his eyes open gaping at the lifeless figure in his lap.

Did he just hear it right? Yukimura told him that he likes him…Yukimura loves him! And before Masamune gets the chance to reply and tell the young tiger how he feels, it's already too late…

Masamune bent down and kissed the lifeless body in the forehead before whispering in the ear

'You know what? I love you too'

At the funeral everyone that Yukimura knows came but there is someone who didn't came, Date Masamune, the dragon choose to stay in Oushuu sitting under the sakura tree drinking sake alone and only alone, he has been like that since Yukimura dies and even Kojuuro is being forbid to come close or even talks to him.

Masamune took his cup of sake and pointing the cup to the sky, smiling

"Cheers…For our Love…My only…Sanada Genjiro Yukimura…At that last battle…you won…won…my heart"

A/N : Umm... so... what do you think? Do you like it? Hate it? or is it so-so? Please R&R! . I also can take request for stories as long as I know the anime and the genre of it and I can somehow make it... :) just PM me :)

P.S : I can't believe that I killed my beloved Yuki .