Re:
Chapter Four: Re: New

Characters/Pairing: Kojuurou and Masamune, eventual Kojuurou/Masamune
Rating: PG
Words: 3209
Summary: Kojuurou and Masamune find each other again. Four hundred years late.

"Nice," Tohru comments as he steps into the house, head ducking instinctively at the threshold even though he doesn't need to – Kojuurou's doorway can let even the taller man past through without bending down. It was quite a big place, especially for a single man, though of course smaller than the 2LDK that Tohru lives in with his family.

"It's not a very big place," Kojuurou says quietly, stepping into the house proper behind him after locking the door. "Your home must be much larger."

"Nah," Tohru shrugs, ducking his head again as he pokes around the house, heading for the kitchens. "My house is just a bit bigger, but there are four of us. It's damn cramped sometimes."

He wants to see if Kojuurou has anything substantial to eat, or if he's one of those who subsist on instant noodles. It's a weird thought to have, because Tohru can't help but still think of Kojuurou as his retainer, as his samurai, and not just as an ordinary man.

But he's not really an ordinary man, is it? He's Kojuurou, and that sets him apart from the entire world. Even if that's only in Tohru's eyes, it's still completely true, because Tohru's perspective is the only one that matters, in the end.

"Four of you?" there's a hint of bemusement in Kojuurou's tone. "Do you live with your family, Masamune-sama?"

Stopping at the doorway to the kitchens, Tohru cranes his head back, grinning at Kojuurou. "Yeah. Even have an annoying kid sister this time around."

It was still strange to think about having a family. Masamune's family had either hated him or had died by his own hand in one way or another. His only 'family' had been Kojuurou, who loved him, who was his father, brother, comrade, retainer, friend and lover all at the same time.

But now he has a little sister to protect and parents who have expectations of him that he has to at least try to live up to. He has a little sister who adores him and clings to him whenever she could, and doting parents who cannot understand how and why he had grown up to be this way, and yet accepting him, nonetheless. A little grudgingly, true, but... Tohru can't help the bitter little smile on his lips, because at least they don't try to poison him. Just send him to cram school in the vain hopes that it will motivate him to improve his grades.

Kojuurou's eyes have widened slightly, and Tohru doesn't blame him. If it's weird for him, who had an entire lifetime to get used to the thought, it must be even odder for Kojuurou.

"Do they..." the older man asks, tilting his head to the side.

Tohru shakes his head, moving into the kitchens and opening Kojuurou's fridge, poking his head into it. Hah, so it looks like Kojuurou cooks too. That's convenient; Tohru can drop by after school and make Kojuurou cook for him once he's done with work.

"I'm just plain old Matsuda Tohru to them," he lifts his head, shooting Kojuurou a sharp grin. "Don't think they would believe if I told them, and I don't want to give my old man a heart attack."

"I don't think you can be 'plain old' anyone, Masamune-sama," Kojuurou laughs, walking forward and leaning into the fridge beside Tohru. Their hands brush again, the briefest of touches, and Tohru pauses for a moment, just like he had for the many times their hands had touched when they were walking here from the train station.

Then he pushes those thoughts out of his mind, tilting his shoulders and bumping against Kojuurou.

"So, are you going to make your guest anything to eat?"

-x-

It had all happened so fast.

"Is that all you've got, Sanada Yukimura?" Masamune's helmet was long gone, lying abandoned at the side of the road. Half of it was gone, cut off by a stray strike of Sanada's spears, and the metal half-melted from the dangerous fire that burnt at the tip.

But he was still grinning, excitement writ all over his face and his six swords drawn and gleaming. He was leaning forward slightly, lips parted and panting hard, his hair plastered to his skin before he shook his head, sending drops of sweat flying everywhere

Kojuurou watched, and though he couldn't help but worry for his Lord's safety, he trusted in him and in his abilities. He trusted in his abilities.

"Don't interfere, Kojuurou. Sanada Yukimura is this One-Eyed Dragon's prey."

"Far from it, Dokuganryuu Date Masamune!" Sanada shouted, thrusting his spears high into the air. Though Yukimura was almost legendary for the volume of his voice and how it never seemed to falter, it was wavering now, the words distorted by the gulping pants he took to refill his lungs with air.

There was a cut on Sanada's brow, bleeding heavily and dripping onto the ground. Masamune's shoulder was cut as well, a long slash from the collarbone down to the upper arm.

They were perfectly evenly matched.

"This Yukimura will not rest until he has defeated you," Yukimura barked out defiantly, and out of the corner of his eye, Kojuurou could see Sarutobi standing at the side, his ninja pinwheel drawn just like Kojuurou's own sword was. The ninja was grinning indulgently, eyes fixed on his master.

"Hah!" Masamune snorted, drawing his feet back, ready to pounce. "Big words for a man who is going to be crushed by me!"

A beat. Their words hung in the air between them, their eyes fixed upon each other, spitting fire and lightning. Challenging, daring the other to make the first move.

Then Masamune charged in, lightning sparking at the tips of his sword as he roared. Sanada matched his roar with a scream, his spears burning brightly They met in a clash of weapons before backing away from each other and dancing back into the fray. It seemed entirely normal.

Then.

Kojuurou saw it happen first—Masamune stepped backwards, landing wrongly and his foot shifted, and Sanada's spear was moving in.

"Masamune-sama!"

And he was running forward, as fast as his legs could take him, instincts taking over as he tried to dive in between them, tried to take the surely-fatal blow with his own body. He wasn't thinking, but he knew that he had to cut in, he had to disobey Masamune's order, for the simple fact that he had to save his Lord's life. After this, he would gladly commit seppuku if- if it meant that Masamune was going to live.

But he was too late.

He saw it happen too slowly; saw Sanada pierce through Masamune's defences; saw his Lord's single eye widen as the metal stabbed into his chest and through it; saw as the fire immediately cauterise the wound and worsen it further; saw as Masamune's head snapped back from the impact; saw his body being blasted backwards from the sheer force until it smashed against a tree and slowly, painfully slowly, slid downwards to hit the ground.

Kojuurou ran. His mind was screaming incoherently, and the only words he could recognise were 'no' and 'Masamune-sama'. He was too slow, and Masamune's mouth was coloured in red as he coughed, hard, once, blood pouring out of his mouth in a gush.

In that one second, Kojuurou knew.

Even as he fell to his knees beside his Lord, he already knew he was too late. Not even a dragon could survive a mortal wound like this, especially one so close to his heart. Kojuurou felt his eyes burning as his arm wrapped around Masamune's shoulders, pulling him up and pulling him close, his lips murmuring Masamune-sama, Masamune-sama over and over again, desperately.

He shoved his own coat off his shoulders, bunching the cloth up and trying to press it against the wound. But it was hopeless- hopelesshopelesshopeless and Kojuurou's voice choked in his throat because there was so much blood. Not even when Kojuurou had taken out Masamune's right eye had there been so much.

There was a part of him that was aware that Sarutobi was holding Sanada back, shaking his head. But his attentions were entirely captured by Masamune, and he was holding his body close to his own, getting blood everywhere on himself but he didn't care.

"Masamune-sama," he choked out, biting on his own lip as he stroked Masamune's sweat-soaked hair back, shaking him gently, hoping against hope that he will open his eye. That he would say his name again.

There was one frozen moment as Masamune struggled to open his eye, staring up at Kojuurou blearily. His hand twitched at his side as Kojuurou's tears dropped onto his skin.

"Told you... not to... interfere... Ko... juurou..."

Kojuurou smiled, bitter, tinged with relief and the sudden fleeing of hope. Masamune's eye was glazed over, and he knew.

He knew.

"Please have my deepest apologies, Masamune-sama," Kojuurou murmured, knowing that this was the last time his Lord would hear him say his name. That he would hear Masamune's voice saying his own.

But he didn't know what he was apologising for. Was it that he had interfered, or was it that he hadn't succeeded in protecting him?

Was it for letting Masamune die, right in from of him, even though he had vowed to protect him forever?

-x-

The smell of stir-frying meat and vegetables filled the air, and Tohru drops himself down at one of the two chairs in the kitchen, swinging his legs around and grinning like a child. It's been ages since he has eaten anything Kojuurou cooks, but he supposes that dying will do that to you.

He can speak about dying easily because that is another life; there's no use thinking about it now, much less weeping. But he can tell that the shadows of that life is hanging over Kojuurou's head, darkening his eyes. The idiot is probably brooding over his failure even though Tohru doesn't blame him in the slightest for what happened.

Masamune had known the risks of battling Sanada Yukimura. He had gone into the battle ready to die at any moment and knowing that he had to give up all of his ambitions if he lost; he had fought with all of his heart and mind, throwing his very soul into the battle because there was nothing that excited him as much as the sight of Yukimura's spears as they caught fire, nothing as much as hearing Yukimura's voice, shouting a challenge to him.

If he had been less selfish of a man, he wouldn't have chased after those battles so much. Masamune had known his duties, had known that his people would weep without him, but he had gone into battle believing he would win. Tohru knows now that it had been arrogant for him to think so, but he doesn't want change the circumstances of his death in the single bit.

Date Masamune had died a warrior, doing what he loved. It was more than enough for him.

But Kojuurou thinks too much about everything, and that hasn't changed even after four hundred years. Tohru scowls at himself, jumping to his feet and moving over to the older man, tiptoeing as he looks over his shoulder at the food.

"Looks good," he says, and feels more than hears Kojuurou's chuckle as it ripples through his shoulders.

"Stop thinking about the past, Kojuurou," Tohru says bluntly, reaching out and punching him hard on the chest. Kojuurou sighs, shaking his head.

"I cannot. I should have..."

"Stop," Tohru orders, steel in his voice, and Kojuurou's mouth snaps shut immediately. "Told you already: thinking about that won't change a thing. So stop it."

There's a pause, before Kojuurou shakes his head slowly. "I will try my best, Masamune-sama, but please give me a little time."

Tohru snorts, crossing his arms. "Looks like that's the best I can get from you, you bastard." He grins, reaching over and stealing Kojuurou's glasses. "Except for needing these things, you haven't changed at all."

Kojuurou's hand darts out, trying to take his glasses back, but Tohru skips backwards. He looks at the cooking food for a moment before his hand moves in, taking a piece of meat.

"Ow!" and he drops it quickly, shaking his burnt fingers. He doesn't notice Kojuurou moving until the older man has captured his wrist, bringing his smarting fingers to his mouth, sucking lightly on them.

Tohru blinks, but he doesn't pull away. Instead, he reaches out, cupping Kojuurou's cheek with a hand, his thumb tracing the scar that he can still see, in his mind's eyes. The glasses fall to the floor, forgotten, as Kojuurou's eyes lift up, meeting Tohru's gaze.

This is the closest they have been to each other since Kojuurou has found him again, Tohru realises.

And it feels natural for them to lean towards each other, like two puzzle pieces trying to fit together to form a whole.

-x-

Morning came brightly into the room, sunlight falling into Kojuurou's eyes and he woke instantly, squinting. Immediately, he raised an arm, blocking the light from falling into Masamune's face and waking his Lord up as rudely as it had him.

He sat up, still holding his hand in position as he shook the sleep out of his eyes. It was dawn; the sun was just breaking over the clouds in the East. Kojuurou's rooms were situated in the east of the estate, for he always rose with the sun. Masamune's were further south, but it seemed that his Lord didn't bother returning to his own rooms the last night.

Leaning over, he pressed his lips to Masamune's temple. "Masamune-sama, it's already morning."

Masamune opened his eye, sitting up. He rubbed at his face, blinking even as he turned around, yawning liberally into Kojuurou's face as he tugged at his hair.

"It's too damn early to be awake, damnit," he grumbled, slumping back onto the futon before swearing loudly as the sun hit him in the eye. Smiling, Kojuurou raised a hand, covering his eye even as he leaned down, kissing him briefly on the lips.

"We are setting out today to meet the Kai troops and Sanada, my Lord."

"That's later in the day," Masamune retorted, reaching up and tangling his fingers in Kojuurou's sleeping yukata, tugging him down and kissing him properly, tongue darting into his mouth and licking against the roof. His hand buried itself in Kojuurou's hair, tugging hard on the small strands at the base of his neck.

Kojuurou kissed back with as much energy, pressing his Lord onto the futon, legs spread around Masamune's hips. His Lord only chuckled, wrapping his arms around Kojuurou's neck, pulling him down and holding him still.

And Kojuurou let him, his own hands clenching around Masamune's shoulders, holding him close and feeling his strongly-beating heart against his own.

It's a perfect morning.

-x-

The more Hikaru remembers of the past, the more he wants to just close the distance and kiss Masamune. But he can only stay half an inch away, afraid to breach the distance. His Lord has always told him that he thinks too much.

"The food is burning," Hikaru blurts out, taking a step back and turning back to the pan—or he would have, if Masamune hasn't reached out, grabbing his wrist and pulling him back. He tries to protest, but he hears the stove being turned off even as Masamune drags him forward by his shirt collar.

"Are you running away, Kojuurou?" Masamune asks, a vicious grin on his face. It's all teeth, lips pulled backwards, and Hikaru thinks that he looks like a predator just about to pounce. And he is the prey.

He takes a deep breath, wryly wondering when he has turned into such a coward. The Dragon's Right Eye was said to be a dragon himself, as a fierce as the One-Eyed Dragon, more than capable of keeping up with him. If not, he wouldn't have been able to guard him and fight by his side, for Masamune was not a man who would slow down for anyone. Kojuurou had been that man, and though Hikaru knows that he's not the same person, he knows that he still has to keep up with the other man. He can't fall behind.

Because Masamune has already waited for so long for him that he can't force him to wait anymore.

"I won't run away, Masamune-sama," he whispers quietly, just loud enough for it to be heard by the two of them, and no one else.

"Good," Masamune smirks, and pulls Hikaru forward, hard, pressing his lips against him. Immediately, Hikaru's own lips part, tongue darting out to meeting Masamune's even as his arms wrap around the younger man's body. The heat is familiar, and so is the shape and form—but most of all Hikaru recognises the way Masamune kisses, all intensity and roughness, teeth scraping over Hikaru's lips, biting against his tongue, breathing in sharply and stealing the air straight from Kojuurou's throat.

It's making his head spin, and he holds on even tighter to Masamune, his own tongue licking over the other man's teeth, darting inside his mouth to trace along the sides of his mouth, moving into every corner and causing the younger man to bite down on Hikaru's own lip to stifle his sounds.

He has missed this. This connection, as they are sharing breaths, so close together that they might as well be one person rather than two. As if they are two halves of a whole, and they have finally found each other again. Hikaru feels that tugging ache inside him cease entirely, and he closes his eyes, burying his fingers into Masamune's hair.

Slowly, they pull apart, still panting against each other. Masamune is leaning his forehead against Hikaru's, and grinning at him, his fingers tugging at the ends of his hair. Then, slowly, Hikaru pulls away, bowing his head.

He sinks to one knee in front of Masamune, seeing but ignoring the wide-eyed look the younger man is giving him. Taking a long breath, he steadies his voice before he tilts his head up, meeting Masamune's gaze steadily and putting his hand over his heart. He has no sword here, no knife, but he hopes that Masamune will understand him without them anyway.

(Four hundred years and they have found each other again.)

"I, Katakura Kojuurou, the Right Eye of the Dragon, pledge my life to serve you, Masamune-sama," he breathes out, then continues, steel-voiced. "And I, as Suzuki Hikaru, vows to always stay by Matsuda Tohru's side.

"For our entire lifetime, and the next one, and the next after, until our souls have ended."

Masamune- no, Tohru laughs, reaching down and grabbing Hikaru by his forearms, tugging him back onto his feet. Then he reaches down and picks up Hikaru's glasses, sliding them back onto his face.

"It's a deal."

The memories are like precious jewels. Hikaru holds them close to his heart, caresses them and treasures them. But they no longer matter.

Masamune is here now. Tohru is here now.

And this time, he won't fail him again.

He promised.

End

1. The sun rises at 4.30am in Oushuu. Kojuurou wakes up then, and Masamune wakes up an hour later, when Kojuurou brings him breakfast.