Theme/Prompt: Death and Comfort

Author's Note: I had some difficulty with research, but if I made any historical or cultural errors, I apologize. Please let me know and I can edit to work around the flow of the story. Of course, comments…everything is welcome.

They met at their usual spot, the park bench facing south of the playground.

Kagura handed her officer boyfriend, on his lunch break…his fifth lunch break, an orange flavored chuubert. She sat down close to him covering their heads with her parasol.

Sadaharu was a having a grand old time chasing the children and other dogs in the park. Both watched the gigantic dog playing, filling joy and horror to those at the sandbox.

"There is someone I want you to meet." Sougo nonchalantly mentioned.

"Hm hmmph hnph (Who is it?)" Kagura asked with a soda-flavored chuubert in her mouth.

"Just meet me here on Saturday morning."

A child screams running away across the field, the large dog following behind.

"Sadaharu, no! Come back here!" Kaugra jumped up from her seat scolding her pet. The alien dog barked cheerfully walking back to his owner, only flicking another child across the park with its tail on his way.

The Yato slurped up the remainder of her ice pop. She heard a crunch behind her.

"Be here on Saturday okay?" Sougo made his trademark deadpan expression with Sadaharu's mouth over his head. A stream of blood fell shortly after his last remark.

It was cloudy a day with some minimal sunlight.

Kagura had her hair down with a single ornament on the right side of her head. She wore her favorite sleeveless red cheongsam with knee high black boots. She placed her parasol next to her.

She sat at the bench wondering who this mystery person can be. She never seen Sougo so serious about anything before. Kagura often wondered how they made it this far into the relationship, as he never asked her out on a formal date, rather their "first date" was a debt he owed to her and it just so happened he wanted ramen and she was hungry.

"Yo." Sougo greeted her. He was in his off duty clothes wearing a gray kimono under a forest green hakama with his sword at his left, carrying a large bag with him. "Let's go before it's too late." He said to her before walking away.

Kagura sprinted to next to him. "Hey! Where are we going?" She said a little breathless.

He didn't answer.

"Wh-"

"If you can," The samurai interrupted, "please do not ask any questions until we get there." He was stoic.

"I can't promise you I won't ask any questions. But don't be a jerk about it." She replied.

She followed him by his side to a train station. Kagura never been on a train before. Car, yes; shooter, yes; space ship, yes; dog, yes. She was excited trying something new, also very confused to where her boyfriend was taking her.

Once they got on the train, she took in her surroundings, looking at everything in the car train. As the train began to move, she immediately knelt down in front of the window watching the scenery wiz by like a child.

After the few moments, she sat back down next to Sougo. She put her hand on his and gave him a slight smile. He reciprocated the smile only to go back to a blank stare. There was not much for her to do, and wanted to respect his wishes of no questions.

He was different; everything from his usual self was different. He hardly spoke about his past. As he was the "live in the present" type of person. His life now was the newly reformed Shinsengumi to protect his home, Edo.

They sat on the train for about an hour. Kagura watched the outside pass by silently. Never saying a word to each other.

"Next stop, Bushu." The feminine robotic voice announced over the speaker.

She felt his hand curl up under hers.

"Let's go." He said quietly.

The weather in Bushu was cloudier, a few drops of rain and there.

She followed him to his side, still without a word to each other walking long distances from suburban to rural side of the prefecture.

The blonde samurai stopped in his tracks in front of a house, which was visibly occupied by a family, "This is where I grew up."

Immediately began to walk again.

He slowed his walking as they entered the cemetery.

He took a wooden bucket and ladle near the entrance, and filled the bucket with water. She watched him, following behind.

He continued to walk up the hills.

They stopped at a grave.

The tombstone read, "沖田 (Okita)" in the center. It had three names engraved into it. The one on the furthest right read "ミツバ(Mitsuba)".

He poured the water from the ladle onto the headstone.

"Aneue, apologies for not visiting sooner." Sougo said. He took out items one by one that he brought in his bag, setting up incense and placing flowers onto the grave.

Kagura widened her eyes in disbelief, "Who is this persoooooooooon?" She thought. Never in the lifetime would she ever hear the Sougo Okita, the Prince of Sadists ever use such polite speech.

She watched him take a bag of ultra-spicy rice crackers and a box of dango out of the bag and placed it in front of the grave. Then, he took out five bottles of Tabasco sauce drowning the dango with the spicy liquid, filling the container to the brim. She recoiled at the sheer amount of sauce he was adding on top.

He put his hands together for prayer in front of the grave, "Aneue, my sincere apologies for not coming sooner. The world has become a different place since you left and has created more difficulties at work. Hijikata-san has not made it any easier for me. Please let him have runny diarrhea tomorrow."

"Never mind, the person I know is still here with me." She thought.

"I have found someone that lifts my spirits when times are getting rough." He added. "Her name is Kagura."

"She has no grace," he added. Her anger vein popped up on the left side of her temple as her right eye twitched. "She eats like a pig," her vein swelled. "And she has dirty mouth."

"So you want to die today, huh?" She angrily said, kicking him in the ass.

Without breaking the prayer, he jumped to the side avoiding her kick, smirking. He continued, "But at the end of the day, she makes me feel important. Behind the tsundere exterior, she's a beautiful girl I care about… and I'm glad to have met her."

He ended his prayer and looked at her with a slight smile.

She followed his lead, and set her hands in prayer, "Mitsuba-san, my name is Kagura, I'm glad to finally meet you."

"Your little brother is a no good, sadistic little brat." She peered to the side, seeing him with his deadpan face. "He makes peoples' life difficult on purpose, and slacks off from work daily…"

"But, at the end of the day, he is a hero. He has saved my life many times before, and others' lives. Behind that devilish handsome face, he is one of the most caring persons I know… and I'm glad to have met him."

She released her hands, and turned to him. "How did I do?" She asked, winking.

"I don't know, I don't think sis is pleased with you." He replied with the same expression.

Kagura crossed her arms pouting, kicking him in the shin, falling down to his knee.

Sougo got back on his feet, placing his hands on her shoulders, facing her, "Today is my sister's death anniversary. I'm…" He turned red, "I'm glad you came here with me."

He hated being soft to her.

The samurai lowered his head on her shoulder, "I miss her so much." His voice began to crack.

Kagura grasped his head, holding him. She couldn't help to smile, feeling how vulnerable he is.

She exhaled, continuing to embrace for minutes, turning into hours.

The clouds dispersed revealing a sunny day.

Sougo felt the warmth from the rays and finally lifted his up from Kagura's shoulder. He cupped her face with his hand.

She blushed.

"Thank you." He said.

He broke away to clean up his sister's grave, Kagura lending a hand.

The sun was about to set as the two were exiting the cemetery.

"What else is interesting around here?" She asked.

"Hijikata tied me to a crucifix in the mountains back there when I was kid."

Sougo brushed his arm against Kagura's, inviting her hand to his. She gladly accepted and interlaced her fingers with his hand. She smiled.

Ending Note: I decided to combine both for days 5 and 6. Day 4 (clothes) will have to wait because it is taking a lot longer than expected.

I'll be away so the majority of the prompts since I will be out of town of work.

Sometime in the future I will edit it. The stories are on under Sabichu and or on Tumblr under Englishbad.

Other Notes: In the Cursed Glasses Arc, Hijikata tried Okita onto a crucifix because he was the one to who told him that Maserati cars could run on mayonnaise.